In six chapters, an introduction, and a conclusion, Levi Roach presses his case that Aethelred is more competent than portrayed in general histories. Chapter one digs into his father's court, his mother's role in the court and the milieu of Aethelred's childhood. Chapter 2 continues his childhood after his father's death, his brother's rule and death, and his ascension to the throne. Chapters 3 through 6 covers his reign, digging into all possible sources of information (charters, The Chronicle, sermons, and various archival material, etc). Roach lays the groundwork of his argument in the Introduction and then, in the Conclusion, he presents the fruit of his scholarship and argues that while Aethelred was not successful in combating Viking invasions, it was not because of incompetency of the king, but instead a combination of bad counsel, in-fighting at court, competent opponents, and sheer bad luck. Ultimately, the reader need to look at the evidence and make up his/her mind regarding King Aethelred.
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