Chronicles: The Writing of History in Medieval EnglandThe priorities of medieval chroniclers and historians were not those of the modern historian, nor was the way that they gathered, arranged and presented evidence. Yet if we understand how they approached their task, and their assumption of God's immanence in the world, much that they wrote becomes clear. Many of them were men of high intelligence whose interpretation of events sheds clear light on what happened. Christopher Given-Wilson is one of the leading authorities on medieval English historical writing. He examines how medieval writers such as Ranulf Higden and Adam Usk treated chronology and geography, politics and warfare, heroes and villains. He looks at the ways in which chronicles were used during the middle ages, and at how the writing of history changed between the twelfth and fifteenth centuries. |
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Chronicles: The Writing of History in Medieval England Christopher Given-Wilson No preview available - 2007 |
Common terms and phrases
abbey abbot Adam Usk Anglo-Norman Annales Anonimalle Chronicle archbishop Avesbury battle Bede Bridlington Britain British Library Brut Canterbury Chandos Herald Chroniques church claimed contemporary death declared deeds described dreams earl Edward Edward II English chroniclers English history Eulogium evidence example fact fifteenth century fourteenth century France French Froissart GASA Geoffrey of Monmouth Gervase Gesta Regum Henry of Huntingdon Higden Historia Anglorum Historical Writing II's Jean le Bel John king king's kingdom Knighton knights Langtoft late medieval England later middle ages London lords manuscript Matthew Paris medieval chroniclers Melsa memory miracles monasteries monastic chroniclers monk Murimuth narrative Oxford parliament political Polychronicon portents prologue prophecies prose Ranulf record reign revolt Richard Richard II Rolls Series Rous royal Scalachronica Scotland Scottish Scrope sources St Albans St Albans chronicler story things Thomas Walsingham Thorne twelfth century Usk's vernacular verse Vita Edwardi Secundi vols William of Malmesbury wrote