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Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle collective name given several English monastic chronicles in Anglo-Saxon, all stemming from a compilation made from old annals and other sources c.891. Although the work was thought for some time to have been commissioned by King Alfred, there is no positive evidence to substantiate this claim; his encouragement of learning, however, undoubtedly inspired the compilation of the chronicle. The original chronicle was later edited with additions, omissions, and continuations by monks in various monasteries. The account begins with the start of the Christian era and extends to 1154. Much of the very early material is drawn from Bede's history. From the period of the wars between Saxons and Danes onward, most of the annals are original and are the sole source for information about certain events. The writing is generally in sparse prose, but some poems are inserted, notably the stirring "Battle of Brunanburh" (see Brunanburh ). The four chronicles recognized as distinct are called the Winchester Chronicle, the Abingdon Chronicle, the Worcester Chronicle, and the Peterborough Chronicle.
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"Anglo-Saxon Chronicle." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Anglo-Saxon Chronicle." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-AnglSxChr.html "Anglo-Saxon Chronicle." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-AnglSxChr.html |
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Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. Records of historical events, normally in Latin, were kept from the early days of Christian Anglo-Saxon England, notably in the form of genealogies, Easter tables, and monastic writings. For example, Bede, the greatest scholar of the age, was deeply interested in chronology. It was King Alfred, however, in the early 890s who was directly responsible for putting into shape the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle as we have it, providing a record of events on an annalar basis in the vernacular Old English language. The Chronicle was kept up to date, clearly with encouragement from the royal court, at great ecclesiastical centres where literate clerks could be found. Surviving manuscripts associated with Canterbury, Worcester, York, and Abingdon provide very full accounts for some periods (the reign of Alfred and the reign of Æthelred conspicuously, and then the reign of Edward the Confessor and the Norman kings), but give only distressingly jejune entries at others. At Peterborough the Chronicle, initially copied from a Canterbury manuscript c.1121, continued to be kept as late as 1155, giving a full and lurid account of Stephen's reign in a language which was visibly changing from Old English into Early Middle English.
Henry Loyn |
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JOHN CANNON. "Anglo-Saxon Chronicle." The Oxford Companion to British History. 2002. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. JOHN CANNON. "Anglo-Saxon Chronicle." The Oxford Companion to British History. 2002. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O110-AngloSaxonChronicle.html JOHN CANNON. "Anglo-Saxon Chronicle." The Oxford Companion to British History. 2002. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O110-AngloSaxonChronicle.html |
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ANGLO-SAXON CHRONICLE
ANGLO-SAXON CHRONICLE [c.891–1154], also Old English Annals, Old English Chronicle. A set of annals, the first extended original composition in English, probably begun in the court of King ALFRED and continued in monasteries, in which the seven surviving manuscripts were written. The last, for 1154, is also the last known document in OLD ENGLISH 1. The Chronicle includes six poems amidst the prose entries, starting with the 937 annal on the battle of Brunanburh. The chroniclers used many sources, including Bede's history, other annals and records, and popular stories. The use of the vernacular rather than Latin for chronicles was rare at that time.
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TOM McARTHUR. "ANGLO-SAXON CHRONICLE." Concise Oxford Companion to the English Language. 1998. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. TOM McARTHUR. "ANGLO-SAXON CHRONICLE." Concise Oxford Companion to the English Language. 1998. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O29-ANGLOSAXONCHRONICLE.html TOM McARTHUR. "ANGLO-SAXON CHRONICLE." Concise Oxford Companion to the English Language. 1998. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O29-ANGLOSAXONCHRONICLE.html |
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Anglo‐Saxon Chronicle
Anglo‐Saxon Chronicle Alfred in the early 890s was responsible for putting into shape the Anglo‐Saxon Chronicle, providing a record of events on an annalar basis in Old English. The Chronicle was kept up to date at great ecclesiastical centres where literate clerks could be found. Surviving manuscripts associated with Canterbury, Worcester, York, and Abingdon provide very full accounts for some periods (the reign of Alfred and the reign of Æthelred conspicuously, and then the reign of Edward the Confessor and the Norman kings), but give only distressingly jejune entries at others.
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JOHN CANNON. "Anglo‐Saxon Chronicle." A Dictionary of British History. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. JOHN CANNON. "Anglo‐Saxon Chronicle." A Dictionary of British History. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O43-AngloSaxonChronicle.html JOHN CANNON. "Anglo‐Saxon Chronicle." A Dictionary of British History. 2004. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O43-AngloSaxonChronicle.html |
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Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle A collection of seven manuscripts written in Anglo-Saxon (Old English) that together provide a history of England from the beginning of the conversion to Christianity up to 1154. The major text (known as the Parker Chronicle) appears to have been written by one clerk until 891. Most of the copies end in the 11th century; after 1079 only the Peterborough Chronicle continued, breaking off abruptly with an unfinished entry for 1154. The Chronicle probably originated as notes inserted in the tables used by the Christian Church when calculating the date of Easter.
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"Anglo-Saxon Chronicle." A Dictionary of World History. 2000. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Anglo-Saxon Chronicle." A Dictionary of World History. 2000. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O48-AngloSaxonChronicle.html "Anglo-Saxon Chronicle." A Dictionary of World History. 2000. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O48-AngloSaxonChronicle.html |
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