Seeking A lfred's body: royal tomb as political object in the reign of E dward the E lder

This article addresses a crux in the F onthill L etter: why H elmstan, an outlawed thief, visited K ing A lfred's grave. This episode coincided with a succession dispute in which A lfred's son, E dward the E lder, was resisting a challenge for the kingdom. To enhance his legitimacy, E dward celebrated his father's legacy and promoted his grave, building Alfred a monumental mausoleum. E dward removed H elmstan's outlawry after the visit – a reversal that resembles instances in which condemned criminals were spared punishment after seeking sanctuary protection. I propose that as part of his political efforts, E dward offered comparable clemency to offenders who visited A lfred's grave.