The History of the Anglo-Saxons The History of the Anglo-Saxons 4 Volume Set Series

Sharon Turner (1768?1847) practised as a solicitor in London, specialising in the law of copyright, but devoted his free time to studying Anglo-Saxon literature and history. In 1799?1805 he published this four-volume work, still acknowledged as a turning point in Anglo-Saxon studies and a benchmark in historiography. Turner was elected a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries in 1800, soon after the first volume appeared. His approach of contrasting 'Anglo-Saxon freedom' with 'the Norman yoke' held particular appeal at a time of deteriorating political relations with France. Turner's lasting achievement, however, was to draw public attention to the rich and fascinating material contained in the Anglo-Saxon manuscripts he had studied at the British Museum. This work went through many editions, but was eventually superseded by Kemble's The Saxons in England (1849, also reissued). Volume 3 (1801) covers the later Anglo-Saxon period, from 899 to 1066.

Part VI: 1. The reign of Edward the Elder; 2. The reign of Althelstan; 3. Sketch of the ancient history of Bretagne, and Athelstan's reception of its chiefs; 4. Athelstan's connections with France, Germany, Norway, and Normandy; 5. Athelstan improves Exeter; 6. reign of Edmund the Elder; 7. Reign of Edred; 8. The life of Dunstan to the accession of Edwy; 9. The reign of Edwin; 10. The reign of Edgar; 11. Edward the Martyr; 12. The reign of Ethelred the Unready; 13. A view of the last scene of northern piracy; 14. Ethelred the Unready; 15. The reign of Edmund Ironside; 16. The reign of Canute the Great; 17. The reign of Harold the First; 18. The reign of Hardicanute; 19. The reign of Edward the Confessor; 20. The reign of Harold the Second.