
The History of Alfred of Beverley
John Slevin(Editor)
Boydell Press
Published on 31. January 2023
Book
Hardback
438 pages
978-1-78327-488-8 (ISBN)
Description
The first modern edition of a text which shows the suspicion with which Geoffrey of Monmouth's History of the Kings of Britain was received two decades after it first appeared.
The history of the Yorkshire secular clerk, Alfred of Beverley (c.1148 x c.1151), an important primary source in Anglo-Norman historiography, supplies a history of Britain from its supposed foundation by Brutus down to the death of Henry I in 1135.
Alfred's history is of particular interest in that it is the first Insular Latin chronicle to incorporate the legendary British history of Geoffrey of Monmouth (published c.mid 1130s) within a continuous account of the island's past. In attempting to fuse the radically new Galfridian account of the past with that of the conventional twelfth-century (Bedan) view, Alfred's use and manipulation of his sources is highly revealing and suggests a quite critical reception of Geoffrey's history, a mindset which by the end of the twelfth century appears almost entirely to have disappeared amongst chroniclers.
Alfred's history is also an important, and presently undervalued, witness to the reception and dissemination of three of the most important Anglo-Norman histories: Symeon of Durham Historia Regum, The Chronicle of John of Worcester and Henry of Huntingdon, Historia Anglorum, from which works it borrows extensively. In the manner of use of these sources, the author tells us much about the ecclesiastical and intellectual interests and outlook of the period.
The history of the Yorkshire secular clerk, Alfred of Beverley (c.1148 x c.1151), an important primary source in Anglo-Norman historiography, supplies a history of Britain from its supposed foundation by Brutus down to the death of Henry I in 1135.
Alfred's history is of particular interest in that it is the first Insular Latin chronicle to incorporate the legendary British history of Geoffrey of Monmouth (published c.mid 1130s) within a continuous account of the island's past. In attempting to fuse the radically new Galfridian account of the past with that of the conventional twelfth-century (Bedan) view, Alfred's use and manipulation of his sources is highly revealing and suggests a quite critical reception of Geoffrey's history, a mindset which by the end of the twelfth century appears almost entirely to have disappeared amongst chroniclers.
Alfred's history is also an important, and presently undervalued, witness to the reception and dissemination of three of the most important Anglo-Norman histories: Symeon of Durham Historia Regum, The Chronicle of John of Worcester and Henry of Huntingdon, Historia Anglorum, from which works it borrows extensively. In the manner of use of these sources, the author tells us much about the ecclesiastical and intellectual interests and outlook of the period.
Reviews / Votes
It is this last feature of Alfred's History which is Dr Slevin's argument as to why his work deserves a lot more attention. -- David Crouch * Northern History * The edition carry strong potential to contribute to current debates on historiographical thought in medieval England. * SPECULUM * This fine book, the first modern critical edition of Alfred's History, will hopefully spark new and much-deserved interest in Alfred's work. * ARTHURIANA *More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Woodbridge
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Boydell & Brewer Ltd
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
Cloth over boards
Illustrations
1 Karte
1 Maps
Dimensions
Height: 240 mm
Width: 161 mm
Thickness: 28 mm
Weight
822 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-78327-488-8 (9781783274888)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

John Slevin
The History of Alfred of Beverley
E-Book
01/2023
1st Edition
De Gruyter
€72.99
Available for download
Persons
John Slevin completed his PhD on the Historical Writing of Alfred of Beverley at the University of Exeter in 2013. Lynda Lockyer completed her PhD in Renaissance Intellectual and Cultural History at the Warburg Institute in 2013.
Content
Preface and Acknowledgments
Abbreviations
List of plates, figures and maps
INTRODUCTION
Alfred of Beverley - Man, Milieu & Memory
Date and Circumstances of the History
Sources
i. Introduction
ii. Henry of Huntingdon
iii. Geoffrey of Monmouth
iv. John of Worcester
v. The Durham Historia Regum
The Afterlife of Alfred
Historical place, purpose and value
Manuscripts
Editions
i. Previous Edition
ii. This Edition
TEXT AND TRANSLATION
Appendices
General Index
Abbreviations
List of plates, figures and maps
INTRODUCTION
Alfred of Beverley - Man, Milieu & Memory
Date and Circumstances of the History
Sources
i. Introduction
ii. Henry of Huntingdon
iii. Geoffrey of Monmouth
iv. John of Worcester
v. The Durham Historia Regum
The Afterlife of Alfred
Historical place, purpose and value
Manuscripts
Editions
i. Previous Edition
ii. This Edition
TEXT AND TRANSLATION
Appendices
General Index