Trial by history's jury: examining II Æthelred's legislative and literary legacy, AD 993–1006

Rambaran-Olm, M.R. (2014) Trial by history's jury: examining II Æthelred's legislative and literary legacy, AD 993–1006. English Studies, 95(7), pp. 777-802. (doi: 10.1080/0013838X.2014.942999)

Abstract

The sometimes unfortunate decisions made by King Æthelred II during his reign have cast him in an unsavory light, so much so that his various accomplishments have been overlooked. The negative anecdotes and unflattering legends chronicled about him after his death by medieval historians such as William of Malmesbury have left a lasting negative impression. Although detailing Æthelred's failings is a familiar subject, he installed a number of important judicial laws and ecclesiastical charters that proved beneficial to the country during and after his reign. Æthelred's legal implementations might not offer enough support to repair his reputation from the poor position it holds in the eyes of history's critics; however, some of his legislative decisions deserve critical attention and commendation. This paper examines the extent to which the medieval justice system was shaped by Æthelred's judicial policies. Additionally, this paper reconsiders the legislative decisions in the third quarter of Æthelred's reign which contributed to thriving ecclesiastical, and by association artistic, communities. Perhaps it is easier to focus on Æthelred's failures because there seems to be no shortage of them; however, the persistent focus on his shortcomings misrepresents him and deprives us of gaining a more accurate image of his character. Despite the continued Viking attacks from AD 993 to 1006, Anglo-Saxon England maintained a generally stable period of governance that contributed to a flourish of literature, liturgical texts, manuscripts and art. Therefore, this paper focuses on the rule of Æthelred II during the final decade of the 10th- century until 1006 in order to shed light on a relatively successful period in which implementation of specific legislative and ecclesiastical policies proved beneficial for Anglo-Saxon England and its future.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Rambaran-Olm, Miss Mary
• Authors: Rambaran-Olm, M.R.
• College/School: College of Arts & Humanities > School of Critical Studies > English Literature
• Journal Name: English Studies
• Publisher: Routledge
• ISSN: 0013-838X
• ISSN (Online): 1744-4217