Christian Heroism and Holy War in Anglo-Saxon England.

328 Pages·2017·14.44 MB·English

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LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses Graduate School
1997
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Kent Gregory Hare
Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College
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Hare, Kent Gregory, "Christian Heroism and Holy War in Anglo-Saxon England." (1997). LSU Historical
Dissertations and Theses. 6485.
https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses/6485
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CHRISTIAN HEROISM AMD HOLT WAR
HI ANGLO-SAXON ENGLAND
A Dissertation
Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the
Louisiana State University and
Agricultural and Mechanical College
in partial fulfillment of the
requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
in
The Department of History
by
Kent Gregory Hare
B.S., Louisiana Tech University, 1983
M.A., Louisiana State University, August 1992
August 1997
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.
UMI Number: 9808742
Copyright 1997 by
Hare, Kent Gregory
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© Copyright 1997
Kent Gregory Hare
All rights reserved
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I owe debts of gratitude, both scholarly and personal, to many
individuals who have guided me and aided me to the completion of this
dissertation. An important figure in the early conception of this
project was Professor Randall Rogers during his tenure at Louisiana
State University. Prof. Rogers guided me through the research and
writing of a M.A. thesis which explored aspects of the same issues
regarding war and religion as dealt with in this dissertation. He
subsequently helped me to develop the ideas further. Prof. Rogers'
perceptive insights continue to permeate the present dissertation.
Prof. Rogers was, to my regret, unable to see this work through
to its end. His successor as medieval historian at L. S. a., Prof.
Maribel Dietz, handled with commendable patience and finesse the
awkward task of inheriting a doctoral candidate and supervising a
pre-existing project to completion. Her comments, criticisms, and
encouragement were invaluable in helping me to organize my research
into finished form and to bring this dissertation to a successful
conclusion. Prof. Dietz has filled the role of mentor with admirable
grace.
Within the L. S. U. academic community the other members of my
doctoral committee also deserve recognition. Prof. Kenneth Kitchell
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in Languages and Literature gave me a firm grounding in medieval
Latin. Special thanks must go to Prof. Lisi Oliver in English, who
read most of this dissertation in a penultimate draft, providing
priceless feedback and suggestions in many areas besides her especial
aid with the Old English sources. The comments of Profs. Victor
Stater, Christine Kooi, and Dean Karl Roider, all in Bistory, also
contributed greatly to the present quality of this work, as did the
graduate school dean's representative assigned to my defense, Prof.
Edward Henderson from Philosophy. To these must be added Prof.
Edward Muir, now of Northwestern University, who gave me much needed
advice and encouragement, both during his tenure at L. S. U. and
afterward.
Various scholars outside the gates of L. S. U. also aided me,
particularly with my studies in Old English during a period of
several years prior to Prof. Oliver's arrival when L. S. U. found
itself between Anglo-Saxonists. I was fortunate during that time to
have the guidance of Prof. David Porter of Southern University. In
addition, the earliest draft of chapter five, which deals heavily
with Old English poetry, benefitted greatly from comments by Prof.
Edwin Duncan of Towson State University, whose acquaintance I made
through the Texas Medieval Association (TEMA). Some of the ideas
appearing in this dissertation were first presented during sessions
of the annual TEMA conferences, where they elicited much valuable
feedback from other participants. Prof. Richard Abels of the United
States Naval Academy provided a thought-provoking commentary to part
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of chapter four when I presented it at the Sewanee Mediaeval
Colloquium in March, 1996.
My friends and colleagues studying medieval history at L. S.
0., Steven Isaac and Mark Dupuy, also read and commented upon parts
of this dissertation in early drafts. Their help and encouragement
over the past few years, however, extends far beyond the academic
realm. They and other friends and fellow graduate students,
including Burt chard and too many others to enumerate, have provided
immense support simply through sympathetic commiseration regarding
the inevitable travails confronting graduate students. Henry
Robertson’s loan of a laser printer greatly eased the time crunch in
the final preparation of this manuscript.
Outside the university, there is no way I can possibly include
all those whose support, encouragement, and prayers have benefitted
me and my studies. Special mention must be made of my parents, Mr.
and Mrs. Greg Hare, who indulged and helped finance my love of
reading at an early age and thus set me upon this unexpected course.
They have continued their support for my studies by keeping me
equipped with that indispensable tool of modern life, the computer.
My wife's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Granger, have also helped in
many ways, particularly in the last year and a half when the
responsibilities of being a new father threatened to overwhelm the
completion of this dissertation.
There is no way mere words can express the awesome debt I owe
my wife, Anne. She has been a constant pillar of support ever since
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we made the decision years ago that I should pursue a new career in
academia. She has maintained the conviction that we followed the
right course even when events caused me to lose that faith.
Exhibiting the patience of a saint, she has been unflagging in her
encouragement even when I seemed to refuse her efforts. In full
recognition of how inadequate words alone are, I can only say to her,
"Thank you" - with the promise that she can now have her husband
back.
Final mention must be made of our son, Tristan, who came as a
late and much longed-for addition to Anne’s and my little family. He
has served as a powerfully motivating reminder of the ultimate reason
I undertook doctoral studies, which was to provide a better life for
my family.
I consider this dissertation to be as much a product of Anne's
efforts as of my own, and it is to her as well as to our son Tristan
that it is most lovingly and deservedly dedicated.
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