Editing Asser (section)

==Recruitment by Alfred and time at court==
Much of what is known about Asser comes from his biography of [[Alfred the Great|Alfred]], in particular a short section in which Asser recounts how Alfred recruited him as a scholar for his court. Alfred held a high opinion of the value of learning and recruited men from around Britain and from continental Europe to establish a scholarly centre at his court. It is not known how Alfred heard of Asser, but one possibility relates to Alfred's overlordship of south Wales. Several kings, including Hywel ap Rhys of [[Glywysing]] and Hyfaidd of [[Kingdom of Dyfed|Dyfed]] (where [[Monastery of Saint David, Wales|Asser's monastery]] was), had submitted to Alfred's overlordship in 885. Asser gives a fairly detailed account of the events. There is a charter of Hywel's which has been dated to c. 885; amongst the witnesses is one "Asser", which may be the same person. Hence it is possible that Alfred's relationship with the southern Welsh kings led him to hear of Asser.<ref name=KL />

Asser recounts meeting Alfred first at the royal estate at Dean, Sussex (now [[East Dean, West Sussex|East]] and [[West Dean, West Sussex]]).<ref name="brandon71">John McNeil Dodgson. Place-Names in Sussex ''in'' Brandons. South Saxons. Ch. IV. p. 71</ref> Asser provides only one datable event in his history: on [[St Martin's Day]], 11 November 887, Alfred decided to learn to read Latin. Working backwards from this, it appears most likely that Asser was recruited by Alfred in early 885.<ref name=KL />

Asser's response to Alfred's request was to ask for time to consider the offer, as he felt it would be unfair to abandon his current position in favour of worldly recognition. Alfred agreed but also suggested that he should spend half his time at St David's and half with Alfred. Asser again asked for time to consider, but ultimately agreed to return to Alfred with an answer in six months. On his return to Wales, however, Asser fell ill with a fever and was confined to the monastery of [[Caerwent]] for twelve months and a week. Alfred wrote to find out the cause of the delay, and Asser responded that he would keep his promise when he recovered. When he did recover, in 886, he agreed to divide his time between Wales and Alfred's court, as Alfred had suggested. Others at St David's supported this, since they hoped Asser's influence with Alfred would avoid "damaging afflictions and injuries at the hands of King Hyfaidd (who often assaulted that monastery and the jurisdiction of St David)".<ref name=KL /><ref name=KL93>Asser tells the story of his recruitment in chapter 79 of his ''Life of King Alfred'' (Keynes & Lapidge, ''Alfred the Great'', pp. 93–94).</ref>

Asser joined several other noted scholars at Alfred's court, including [[Grimbald]], and [[John the Old Saxon]]; all three probably reached Alfred's court within a year of each other.<ref name=KL2>Keynes and Lapidge, ''Alfred the Great'', pp. 26–27.</ref> His first extended stay with Alfred was at the royal estate at Leonaford, probably from about April through December 886. It is not known where Leonaford was; a case has been made for [[Landford]], in [[Wiltshire]]. Asser records that he read aloud to the king from the books at hand. On Christmas Eve, 886, after Asser had for some time failed to obtain permission to return to Wales, Alfred gave Asser the monasteries of [[Congresbury]] and [[Banwell]], along with a silk cloak and a quantity of [[incense]] "weighing as much as a stout man." He allowed Asser to visit his new possessions and thence to return to St David's.<ref name=KL /><ref name=KL96>The story of Asser's first visit to Alfred's court is taken from chapter 81 of his ''Life'' (Keynes & Lapidge, ''Alfred the Great'', p. 96).</ref>

Thereafter Asser seems to have divided his time between Wales and Alfred's court. Asser gives no information about his time in Wales, but mentions various places that he visited in England, including the [[Battle of Ashdown|battlefield at Ashdown]], Cynuit ([[Countisbury]]), and [[Athelney]]. It is evident from Asser's account that he spent a good deal of time with Alfred: he recounts meeting Alfred's mother-in-law, Eadburh (who is not the same [[Eadburh]] who died as a beggar in Pavia), on many occasions; and says that he has often seen Alfred hunting.<ref name=KL />