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Anglo-Saxon Kingship and Political Power

Anglo-Saxon Kingship and Political Power

Kathrin McCann

(2018)

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Book Details

Abstract

Works on Anglo-Saxon kingship often take as their starting point the line from Beowulf: ‘that was a good king’. This monograph, however, explores what it means to be a king, and how kings defined their own kingship in opposition to other powers. Kings derived their royal power from a divine source, which led to conflicts between the interpreters of the divine will (the episcopate) and the individual wielding power (the king). Demonstrating how Anglo-Saxon kings were able to manipulate political ideologies to increase their own authority, this book explores the unique way in which Anglo-Saxon kings understood the source and nature of their power, and of their own authority.


Table of Contents

Section Title Page Action Price
Cover\r Cover Page
Title Page\r 3
Copyright Page 4
Contents\r 5
Series Editors’ Preface 7
Acknowledgements 9
List of Abbreviations 11
Timeline of events 13
Introduction 17
From Filius Ecclesiae to Defensor Ecclesiae 19
Emancipated Kings or Bishops’ Bailiffs? 22
Conclusion 25
Chapter 1: Early Anglo-Saxon Politics 33
Case Study I: Joint Kingship (Essex) 37
Case Study II: Overlordship (Sussex) 39
Case Study III: Conquest and Coinage (Mercia) 41
Case Study IV: Kingship and Legislation (Kent) 44
Case Study V: Royal Education (East Anglia) 46
Case Study VI: Abdicating Kings (Wessex) 49
Case Study VII: Saintly Royalty (Northumbria) 51
Conclusion 54
Chapter 2: Diploma Politicum 63
The Functional Title in the Royal Styles 68
The Legitimation Formula in the Royal Styles 81
Conclusion 88
Chapter 3: The Anglo-Saxon Regina Gratia Dei 103
Queenly Behaviour 104
Throneworthy Queens 105
Queenly Power 109
Conclusion 110
Chapter 4: Reformers and Rulers 115
Ecclesiastical Politics I: Edgar – Royal Action 116
Ecclesiastical Politics II: Æthelred – Divine Retribution 121
Ecclesiastical Politics III: From Speculum Principis to Speculum Societatis 126
Conclusion 130
Chapter 5: Rituals of King-making 139
The Development of the Royal Consecration Ritual 140
The Anglo-Saxon Consecration Ritual 144
Edgar’s Coronation 150
Visualising Rituals: Art and Architecture 153
Conclusion 157
Conclusion 167
Appendices 171
Appendix 1: Anglo-Saxon Kings 171
Appendix 2: Anglo-Saxon Archbishops 181
Appendix 3: Charter Elements 183
Tables 186
Table 1. Royal Styles 186
Table 2. Frequency of Legitimation Formulas 191
Table 3. Variants of Legitimation Formulas 193
Table 4. Historical Context 200
Table 5. Consecration Vocablary in Charters 204
Bibliography 207
Primary Texts 207
Secondary texts 211
Websites 222
Person Index 223
Index 227
Back Cover Back Cover