Everything about Thelweard Historian totally explained
Æthelweard (also spelled
Ethelward),
Anglo-Saxon historian, was the great-great-grandson of
Æthelred of Wessex (who was the brother of
Alfred the Great), and was ealdorman or earl of the western provinces (for example probably of the whole of
Wessex).
He first signs as
dux or
ealdorman in
973, and continues to sign until
998, about which time his death must have taken place. In the year
991 he was associated with
archbishop Sigeric in the conclusion of a peace with the victorious Danes from Maldon, and in 994 he was sent with Bishop
Ælfheah of Winchester to make peace with
Olaf at
Andover.
Æthelweard was the author of a
Latin Chronicle extending to the year
975. Up to the year 892 he's largely dependent on the
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, with a few details of his own; later he's largely independent of it. Æthelweard gave himself the bombastic title "
Patricius Consul Quaestor Ethelwerdus," and unfortunately this title is only too characteristic of the man. His narrative is highly rhetorical, and as he at the same time attempts more than
Tacitean brevity his narrative is often very obscure. Æthelweard was the friend and patron of
Ælfric of Eynsham.
New scientific research found the reason for Æthelweard's obscure Latin. He wrote his work on request of his relative Mathilde, abbess of
Essen monastery and granddaughter of emperor
Otto I and
Eadgyth of Wessex, to help her in the duty of keeping the remembrance of the dead relatives. Mathilde wasn't able to understand Æthelweard's preferred old English, therefore he'd to write in Latin. Most likely Mathilde rewarded him with a copy of
Vegetius' work
De Re Militari which was written in Essen and survived in England.
» A later Mediaeval historian,
William of Malmesbury says of him"... a noble and illustrious character, who attempted to arrange these chronicles in Latin, and whose intention I could applaud, if his language didn't disgust me it would be better to be silent..."
Aethelweard was the brother of
Aelgifu, the wronged consort of King
Edwy the Fair, who was their foster-brother.He and Aelfric of Hampshire- who later turned traitor, were said to have suggested the idea of
danegeld. Professor Kelley also suggests that the notorious
Eadric Streona was his son, which implies that Brihtric and Aethelmaer Se Greatta were his sons as well. Eadric's involvement with the attempt to rescue Alfheah from the Danes in 1012 by raising a large ransom may suggest his involvement in Aethelweard's earlier mission at Andover.
Aethelweard had access to a now lost version of the Anglo Saxon Chronicle and was an example of a secular writer in a time where this was largely the preserve of monks. He was also at the centre of contemporary politics and his idiosyncratic Latin style is inspirational to schoolboys everywhere.
His grandson was
Aethelnoth, who became
Archbishop of Canterbury in 1020, and was later regarded as a saint.
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