The History of Alfred of Beverley

The first modern edition of a text that reveals the suspicion with which Geoffrey of Monmouth's History of the Kings of Britain was received two decades after it first appeared is the History of the Yorkshire secular clerk, Alfred of Beverley (c. 1148 x c. 1151). Alfred's history is the first Insular Latin chronicle to incorporate Geoffrey of Monmouth's legendary British history within a continuous account of the island's past. His use and manipulation of his sources suggest a critical reception of Geoffrey's history, which by the end of the twelfth century appears to have disappeared amongst chroniclers. Alfred's history is also an important witness to the reception and dissemination of three of the most important Anglo-Norman histories: Symeon of Durham's Historia Regum, The Chronicle of John of Worcester, and Henry of Huntingdon's Historia Anglorum.

Format: Hardback
Length: 438 pages
Publication date: 31 January 2023
Publisher: Boydell & Brewer Ltd

The first modern edition of a text that sheds light on the initial reception of Geoffrey of Monmouth's History of the Kings of Britain, two decades after its initial publication, is presented here. The history of the Yorkshire secular clerk, Alfred of Beverley (c. 1148 x c. 1151), serves as a significant primary source in Anglo-Norman historiography, providing a comprehensive account of Britain from its purported foundation by Brutus to the demise of Henry I in 1135. Alfred's history holds particular significance as it stands as the inaugural Insular Latin chronicle to incorporate the legendary British history of Geoffrey of Monmouth (published c. mid-1130s) within a continuous narrative of the island's past. In his attempt to harmonize the radically novel Galfridian account of history with the conventional twelfth-century (Bedan) perspective, Alfred's utilization and manipulation of his sources offer insightful revelations, suggesting a critical reception of Geoffrey's history that gradually dissipated among chroniclers by the end of the twelfth century. Moreover, Alfred's history holds immense value as a crucial witness to the reception and dissemination of three of the most significant Anglo-Norman histories: Symeon of Durham's Historia Regum, The Chronicle of John of Worcester, and Henry of Huntingdon's Historia Anglorum, from which it draws extensively. Through the manner in which these sources are employed, the author provides valuable insights into the ecclesiastical and intellectual interests and outlooks of the period.

Weight: 1g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781783274888