A Tale of Two Kings: Alfred the Great and Æthelred the Unready
Simon Keynes
IN the gallery of Anglo-Saxon kings, there are two whose characters fixed in popular imagination by their familiar epithets: Alfred Great and ÆEthelred Unready. Of course both epithets products posthumous development kings' reputations (in opposite directions), not expressions genuinely contemporary attitudes to kings themselves: respective personalities. In case Alfred, it was king’s own resourcefulness, courage determination that brought West Saxons through Viking invasions, for these qualities, complemented his concern well–being subjects, inspired maintained people’s loyalty towards king generated support cause. Whereas jEthelred, incompetence, weakness vacillation kingdom ruin, failings, exacerbated displays cruelty spite, alienated people made them abandon Few historians, perhaps, would subscribe such a view expressed as bluntly that, more, I suspect, consider comparisons be futile probably misconceived first place. maintain, however, something is gained from exercise comparing fairly broad terms: juxtaposing discussions status main narrative accounts each reign we can more easily appreciate how utterly different arose, see, moreover, certain respects apparent contrast between might actually deceptive; predicament which placed better understand one managed extricate himself trouble while other succumbed; overall readily judge much, or little, attributed personal qualities failings on part themselves.
Transactions of the Royal Historical Society