Abstract
King Alfred could not coerce his elites into implementing his ambitious military reforms. Instead, he had to persuade them to participate. Ideology can induce action, but how did an ideology focused on Christian wisdom motivate military reform? Different theoretical frameworks can help to identify promising new lines of enquiry. Assemblage theory illuminates the materialization of ideology in the burhs, the instantiation of relationships of power in the landscape. Social practice theory elucidates the consolidation of ideology through the social practice of garrisoning the burhs. These theories offer a fresh perspective on the subtle connection between Alfredian ideology and military reform.
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