The charters of the early West Saxon kingdom
This thesis relates to the earliest West Saxon charters, that is those dating from the period c. 670 to the end of the reign of Ecgberht in 839. All charters which have any direct and specific relevance to the West Saxon kingdom in this period are included. The early West Saxon charters are among the most problematical and neglected of all Anglo-Saxon charters. There are various reasons for this: only a small amount of material survives, and it is difficult to form any judgement of, or base any conclusions on, such fragmentary evidence; there are no original West Saxon charters for the period before 838, and consequently no fixed point from which a study of the material could proceed; the main collections, such as those of Malmesbury and Glastonbury, have been widely regarded with suspicion; there is a dearth of other types of evidence for the period which might have illuminated the charters; and the whole period has been largely neglected by modern historians in comparison with the earlier and later periods of West Saxon history. The purpose of this study is to examine each of the documents in detail, to establish as far as possible which of the texts or portions of them are authentic, and to identify a body
Edwards, Heather
D History (General)
The charters of the early West Saxon kingdom. This thesis relates to the earliest West Saxon charters, that is those dating from the period c. 670 to the end of the reign of Ecgberht in 839. All charters which have any direct and specific relevance to the West Saxon kingdom in this period are included. The early West Saxon charters are among the most problematical and neglected of all Anglo-Saxon charters. There are various reasons for this: only a small amount of material survives, and it is difficult to form any judgement of, or base any conclusions on, such fragmentary evidence; there are no original West Saxon charters for the period before 838, and consequently no fixed point from which a study of the material could proceed; the main collections, such as those of Malmesbury and Glastonbury, have been widely regarded with suspicion; there is a dearth of other types of evidence for the period which might have illuminated the charters; and the whole period has been largely neglected by modern historians in comparison with the earlier and later periods of West Saxon history. The purpose of this study is to examine each of the documents in detail, to establish as far as possible which of the texts or portions of them are authentic, and to identify a body
charter early west_saxon kingdom relates earliest west_saxon charter date_period end_reign charter direct specific relevance west_saxon kingdom period include early west_saxon charter among neglect anglo_saxon charter various reason small_amount material survives difficult form judgement base conclusion fragmentary_evidence original west saxon period consequently fix point study material could proceed main collection widely regarded suspicion dearth type evidence period might illuminate charter whole period largely_neglected modern_historian comparison period west_saxon history purpose_study examine document detail establish far_possible texts portion authentic identify body