Who was Asser the Welsh monk from St David's?
Asser was a Welsh monk from St David's in the kingdom of Dyfed who lived from at least 885 until about 909. He became Bishop of Sherborne and wrote The Life of King Alfred as his main historical work.
Questions about Asser
Short answers, pulled from the story.
When did King Alfred invite Asser to join his court?
King Alfred invited Asser to leave St David's and join his circle of learned men in early 885. This recruitment likely occurred before the 11th of November 887 when Alfred decided to learn Latin reading.
What year did Asser become Bishop of Sherborne?
Asser first appeared in the position of Bishop of Sherborne in 900 after Wulfsige attested a charter in 892. His succession took place somewhere between those two years though the exact date remains unknown.
Which manuscript contains the only surviving copy of Asser's biography?
Only one copy of The Life of King Alfred survived into modern times known as Cotton MS Otho A xii written around 1000. This unique manuscript was destroyed in a fire on Saturday morning the 23rd of October 1731 at Ashburnham House.
Who argued that Asser's biography was a forgery in 1964?
V.H. Galbraith published an essay titled Who Wrote Asser's Life of Alfred? in 1964 arguing anachronisms proved impossibility of contemporary authorship. He identified Leofric bishop of Devon and Cornwall from 1046 as the true author seeking justification for re-establishing see.