Question 1
Using these four sources in their historical context, assess how far they support the view that King
Alfred’s reform of learning was for religious reasons.
Source A: The archbishop of Reims writes to Alfred in response to a request for assistance in the king’s reforms in England.
You attend to the good of the kingdom divinely entrusted to you, seeking or safeguarding its peace with warlike weapons and divine support. With your mind continually on religious matters, you take care to increase the dignity of the ecclesiastical order with spiritual weapons. I beseech heavenly mercy that… in your time peace may be increased in your kingdom and likewise that the ecclesiastical order, which, as you say, has fallen into ruin, whether by the frequent invasion and onslaught of the Vikings, or through enfeeblement or through the carelessness of the bishops…. may, through your diligence and industry be reformed as quickly as possible.
Fulco, Letter, c. 886
Source B: Alfred introduces his translation of Pope Gregory’s Pastoral Care.
It seems better to me…that we should turn certain books, which are the most necessary for all men to know, into the language that we can all understand. With God’s help we may very easily accomplish this, provided we have peace enough, so that all the free-born young men now in England may be set to learning (as long as they are not useful for some other employment), until the time they can read English writings properly. Thereafter one may instruct in Latin those whom one wishes to teach further and wishes to advance to the priesthood.
Alfred, Preface to Gregory’s Pastoral Care, c. 890
Source C: Asser, a monk, writes about how Alfred cultivated learning.
The king’s desire for knowledge increased steadily and was satisfied by the learning and wisdom of all four men [scholars at his court]. By day and night, whenever he had the opportunity, he used to tell them to read aloud books in his presence. Indeed, he could never tolerate being without one or the other of them. Accordingly, he acquired some acquaintance with almost all books, even though he could not at this point understand anything in the books by himself. For he had not yet begun to read anything.
Asser, Life of King Alfred, 893
Source D: William of Malmesbury, a monk and historian, gives an account of Alfred’s attitude to learning.
The king gave his whole soul to the cultivation of the liberal arts, insomuch that no Englishman was quicker in understanding, or more elegant in translating…He translated into English the greater part of the Roman authors, bringing the noblest spoil of foreign parts for the use of his subjects…Moreover, he infused a great regard for literature into his countrymen, stimulating them both with rewards and punishments, allowing no ignorant person to aspire to any dignity in the court. He died just as he had begun a translation of the Psalms.
William of Malmesbury, Chronicle of the kings of England, written before 1143
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