King Alfred's Book of Laws

<p> During the early Middle Ages King Alfred (reigned 871-99) gained fame as the ruler who brought learning back to England after decades of Viking invasion. Although analysis of Alfred's canon typically focuses on his religious and philosophical texts his relatively overlooked law code or <I>Domboc</I> reveals much about his rule and how he was perceived in subsequent centuries. Joining major voices in the fields of early English law and literature this exploration of King Alfred's influential text traces its evolution from its 9th century origins to reappearances in the 11th 12th and 16th centuries. Alfred's use of the vernacular and representation of secular practices this work contends made the <I>Domboc</I> an ideal text for establishing a particularly English national identity.</p>