The 9 papers of this collection were given in earlier form at a symposium held in conjunction with the 2005 celebrations for the 1000-year anniversary of the king's birth. The first chapter, by Mortimer (affiliations are not noted) provides a thorough analysis of the chronicles of Edward's life, teasing fact from myth and setting the chronicles within the historical context in which they were written. Four chapters assess Edward's role as son of Aethelred, his activities with regard to Normandy, the question of succession, including an analysis of the earldoms of the period, and his sanctity and canonization. Pauline Stafford offers a fascinating chapter on his wife Edith, and the balance of the volume is devoted to his greatest architectural accomplishment, Westminster Abbey, with details on recent archaeology. A subject-arranged bibliography and many b&w plates of illustrations and plans round out the volume, making this a significant contribution to the topic. Annotation ©2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
The life and cult of Edward the Confessor are here fully reappraised.
The millennium of Edward the Confessor's birth presents an appropriate occasion for a full-scale, up-to-date reassessment of his life, reign and cult, a reappraisal which is provided in the essays here. After an introduction to the many views of Edward's life, and a reinterpretation of the development of his cult, the volume considers his childhood in England and its influence upon his later life; the time he spent in Normandy and the relationships that developed there; and his later life, including an examination of the role played by Edith, his queen. There is also a particular focus upon Westminster Abbey, and the major new discoveries which have recently been made there. Incorporating both broad surveys and the fruits of detailed new work, this book will be essential reading for all those interested in late Saxon and Norman England. CONTRIBUTORS: RICHARD MORTIMER, SIMON KEYNES, ELISABETH VAN HOUTS, STEPHEN BAXTER, PAULINE STAFFORD, ERIC FERNIE, WARWICK RODWELL, RICHARD GEM, EDINA BOZOKY
