the sin of expelling legitimate kings, and the widespread ramifications of royal exile upon kingdoms, wherein the condition comes to reflect that of his realm. However, king’s while the exile experiences of Osberht of Northumbria and Charles the Fat, and the brief expulsion of father resulted in deaths and fractured realms, this was Alfred’s Ӕthelwulf, not the case for primary subject. Indeed, we may even argue whether Asser’s Alfred’s experience should be considered properly or fully exilic, either in actuality or in portrayal. The matter is controversial and my discussion needs to be framed by an awareness of distinctions between exile and an exilic gloss. I will now consider this problem and ‘real’ examine depiction of the events of 878 alongside the annals of the Chronicler. Asser’s the woods and fen-fastnesses’: Exile? 3.3 ‘Through Alfred’s In the previous chapter I discussed portrayals of Edwin of Northumbria, whose exile caused him to flee to safety beyond the boundaries of his kingdom to seek protection in other British and Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. My chapter on Æthelred, below, considers the portrayals and responses concerning flight overseas to find succor with his Æthelred’s family in Normandy. These examples of physical displacement are typical where wife’s instances of imposed exile are concerned, yet experience differs from this notion: Alfred’s his removal from power did not require that he traverse the boundaries of his kingdom. In this section, I will discuss the presentations made by Asser and the Chronicler concerning a time of significant difficulties for Alfred and his kingdom, specifically during the early part of 878. 3.3.1 Dislocation and Hardship: Alfred in Exile? Exploring status as a restored royal exile requires close examination of Alfred’s that episode of the life found in both cc. 52 and 53 of and the Life ASC king’s Asser’s
the sin of expelling legitimate kings, and the widespread ramifications of royal exile upon kingdoms, wherein the king’s condition comes to reflect that of his realm. However, while the exile experiences of Osberht of Northumbria and Charles the Fat, and the brief expulsion of Alfred’s father Ӕthelwulf, resulted in deaths and fractured realms, this was not the case for Asser’s primary subject. Indeed, we may even argue whether Alfred’s experience should be considered properly or fully exilic, either in actuality or in portrayal. The matter is controversial and my discussion needs to be framed by an awareness of distinctions between ‘real’ exile and an exilic gloss. I will now consider this problem and examine Asser’s depiction of the events of 878 alongside the annals of the Chronicler. 3.3 ‘Through the woods and fen-fastnesses’: Alfred’s Exile? In the previous chapter I discussed portrayals of Edwin of Northumbria, whose exile caused him to flee to safety beyond the boundaries of his kingdom to seek protection in other British and Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. My chapter on Æthelred, below, considers the portrayals and responses concerning Æthelred’s flight overseas to find succor with his wife’s family in Normandy. These examples of physical displacement are typical where instances of imposed exile are concerned, yet Alfred’s experience differs from this notion: his removal from power did not require that he traverse the boundaries of his kingdom. In this section, I will discuss the presentations made by Asser and the Chronicler concerning a time of significant difficulties for Alfred and his kingdom, specifically during the early part of 878. 3.3.1 Dislocation and Hardship: Alfred in Exile? Exploring Alfred’s status as a restored royal exile requires close examination of that episode of the king’s life found in both cc. 52 and 53 of Asser’s Life and the ASC