Æthelweard (Ethelward), Anglo-Saxon historian, was the great-grandson of Æthelred, the brother of Alfred, and ealdorman or earl of the western provinces (i.e. probably of the whole of Wessex).
He first signs as dux or ealdorman in 973, and continues to sign until 998, about which time his death must have taken place. In the year 991 he was associated with archbishop Sigeric in the conclusion of a peace with the victorious Danes from Maldon, and in 994 he was sent with Bishop Ælfheah of Winchester to make peace with Olaf at Andover.
Æthelweard was the author of a Latin Chronicle extending to the year 975. Up to the year 892 he is largely dependent on the Saxon Chronicle, with a few details of his own; later he is largely independent of it. Æthelweard gave himself the bombastic title "Patricius Consul Quaestor Ethelwerdus," and unfortunately this title is only too characteristic of the man. His narrative is highly rhetorical, and as he at the same time attempts more than Tacitean brevity his narrative is often very obscure. Æthelweard was the friend and patron of Ælfric the grammarian.
AETHELWEARD (Ethelward), Anglo-Saxon historian, was the great-grandson of Ethelred, the brother of Alfred, and ealdorman or earl of the western provinces (i.e.
He first signs as dux or ealdorman in 973, and continues to sign until 998, about which time his death must have taken place.
Aelfric no doubt gained some reputation as a scholar at Winchester, for when, in 987, the abbey of Cernel (Cerne Abbas, Dorset) was finished, he was sent by Bishop Aelfheah (Alphege), Aethelwold's successor, at the request of the chief benefactor of the abbey, the ealdorman Aethelmaer, to teach the Benedictine monks there.
Aethelmaer and his father Aethelweard were both enlightened patrons of learning, and became Aelfric's faithful friends.
By the wish of Aethelweard he also began a paraphrase of parts of the Old Testament, but under protest, for the stories related in it were not, he thought, suitable for simple minds.
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