The Forge of Christendom (64 page)

89
Annales Hildesheimenses
, 3, Preface.

90
Leo of Synada, p. 20.

91
Annales Quedlinburgenses
, p. 74.

92
John the Deacon, p. 31.

93
Vita Sancti Nili
, p. 617.

94
From the “Graphia Aureae Urbis Romae,” a guidebook to the wonders of Rome written in the twelfth century, but drawing on descriptions written around the Millennium. Quoted in Schramm 2 (1929), p. 76.

95
One source (the
Gesta Episcoporum Cameracensium
) describes Otto’s palace as being built on the Aventine Hill, opposite the Palatine: a mistranscription that has resulted in much confusion. For a good analysis of the controversy, and a definitive resolution, see Augenti, pp. 74–5.

96
Leo of Vercelli, verse 8. Baghdad is titled “Babylon.”

97
Ibid.
, verse 10.

98
Gallus Anonymus, p. 37.

99
Chronicon Novaliciense
, 106.

100
Revelation 19.14.

101
Thietmar, 4.47.

102
Adam of Bremen, 2.40.

103
Thietmar, 4.48.

104
Thangmar, p. 770.

105
Peter Damian,
Vita Romualdi
, pp. 45–6.

106
Peter Damian,
Letters
, vol. 1, p. 199. The Gospel verse cited is Matthew 24.27.

107
Bruno of Querfort,
Vita Quinque Fratrum
, 7.

108
Ibid.
The Latin word is “
honore
”: literally, the “badge” or “attribute” of royalty.

109
Ibid.

110
Adémar, 3.31.

111
Quoted by Fried, p. 39.

112
Rhythmus de Obitu Ottonis III
. Quoted by Gregorovius, p. 496.

113
Bruno of Querfort,
Vita Quinque Fratrum
, 7.

1
Adso of Montier-en-Der, p. 96. The last phrase is from 2 Thessalonians 2.8.

2
Flodoard, p. 138

3
From a twelfth-century chronicler of Laon. Quoted by Poly, p. 292

4
Flodoard, p. 101

5
Chronicon Mosomense
, 1.7

6
Fulbert of Chartres, Letter 47

7
Glaber, 2.8

8
Byrhtferth, pp. 132–3

9
Andrew of Fleury,
Vie de Gauzlin, Abbé de Fleury
, 68a.

10
Abbot of Fleury, col. 472 C.

11
Matthew 24.7–8. The verses were echoed in the letter of Gauzlin, Abbot of Fleury, to King Robert (Andrew of Fleury,
Vie de Gauzlin
, 68b).

12
Adémar, 205

13
Louis IV, 1, 4

14
Dudo, p. 81

15
Gesta Consulum Andegavorum
, 47

16
Glaber, 2.4

17
Gesta Consulum Andegavorum
, 45–6

18
Archives d’Anjou
, vol. 1, p. 60

19
Cartulaire du Ronceray
, no. 4

20
From a letter Fulk wrote to the local archbishop. Quoted by Bachrach (1985), p. 245

21
Glaber, 2.7

22
Documents pour l’Histoire de l’Église de Saint-Hilaire de Poitiers
, p. 74

23
Bachrach (1985), p. 252

24
In Latin, “
fidelissimus
.” Quoted by Guillot, p. 16

25
Liber Miraculorum Sancte Fidis
, 1.33

26
Matthew 24.12

27
Richer, 4.37

28
Adalbero of Laon, line 37

29
Glaber, 4.12

30
Ibid.
, 2.17

31
Aelfric, 19–20. The writer was English, but the horrors of an early start can be reckoned universal.

32
Hariulf, 4.21

33
Vita et Miracula Sancti Leonardi
, 3

34
Sigehard, 2

35
Glaber, 2.10–12

36
Odo of Cluny, col. 562. Odo was citing – or believed that he was citing – St. Jerome.

37
From an oath imposed on knights at Beauvais in 1023. Reproduced in Head and Landes, pp. 332–3

38
Quoted by Iogna-Prat (2002), p. 37

39
Andrew of Fleury,
Vie de Gauzlin
, 44a.

40
Matthew 25.35–6

41
John of Salerno,
Life of St. Odo
, 2.4

42
Revelation 21.2

43
John of Salerno,
Life of St. Gerald of Aurillac
, 2.8

44
The Rule of St. Benedict, “Of Humility” (chapter 7).

45
Peter the Venerable, 1.12

46
Glaber, 5.13

47
Liber Tramitis Aevi Odilonis Abbatis
, p. 4.

48
Quoted by Constable (2000), p. 415. The phrase comes from the confirmation of Cluny’s privileges issued in 931 by the Pope.

49
Odo of Cluny, col. 585

50
John of Salerno,
Life of St. Gerald of Aurillac
, 1.8

51
Ibid.
, 2.17

52
Glaber, 4.14

53
Letaldus of Micy,
Delatio Corporis Sancti Juniani ad Synodem Karoffensem
. Reproduced in Head and Landes, p. 328

54
Glaber, 4.16

55
Liber Miraculorum Sancte Fidis
, 2.4

56
Ibid.
, 1.13

57
Glaber, 4.16

58
From an anathema pronounced against the murderers of an archbishop of Reims in 900. See Fichtenau, p. 396

59
Fulbert of Chartres, “The Joy of Peace,” in
Letters and Poems
, p. 263

60
The council has also variously been dated to 1018, 1019 or 1021

61
Odo of Cluny, col. 581

62
Revelation 14.3–4. The monk was Aldebald of St. Germain d’Auxerre.

63
Adalbero of Laon, line 156

64
Ibid.
, lines 295–6.

1
Henry II, p. 424

2
Ibid.
, p. 170

3
Wulfstan,
Lectio Sancti Evangelii Secundum Matheum 2
.

4
Adam of Bremen, 4.26

5
Thietmar, 8.2

6
Geoffrey of Malaterra, 1.1

7
Jordanes, 4

8
Adam of Bremen, 4.26

9
Snorri Sturluson,
King Harald’s Saga
, p. 67

10
Dudo, p. 15

11
Egil’s Saga
, Page, p. 70

12
Ibid.

13
The Raven’s Tale
, Page, p. 107

14
The Lay of Helgi, Killer of Hunding
, Page, p. 130

15
Cartulaire de l’Abbaye de Saint-Aubin d’Angers
, no. 21

16
Hávamál
, Page, p. 141

17
The narrative given here depends upon sources that are either fragmentary or late. Nevertheless, it is broadly accepted. For the best account, see Crouch (2002), pp. 2–8.

18
Adémar, 140

19
Dudo, p. 149

20
Ibid.
, p. 29

21
Inventio et Miracula Sancti Vulfranni
, 7

22
Dudo, p. 150

23
Plaintsong
of William Longsword, in Van Houts, p. 41

24
Dudo, p. 8

25
Warner of Rouen, 40–1

26
It is possible, of course, that there were older charters that used the title but have not survived. Some historians have argued that it was applied to Richard I during the last years of his reign.

27
Richer, 1.156

28
Blickling Homilies
, p. 76

29
The author himself makes an allusion to the date within the text of his homily – a level of precision that is unusual, and surely suggestive.

30
Blickling Homilies
, p. 82

31
In truth, the descent of the House of Wessex from Cerdic may not have been quite as unbroken as its propagandists liked to claim – but it was almost universally accepted, nevertheless.

32
History of the Ancient Northumbrians
. Quoted by Wood (1981), p. 184

33
The site of the battle, “Brunanburh,” remains unknown. For a typically stirring account of the attempt to solve the mystery, see “Tinsley Wood” in Wood (1999).

34
The Annals of Ulster
, entry for 939.6

35
See Loomis (1950) for a fascinating piece of historical detective work, tracing how a “holy spear” might indeed have passed from Charlemagne, via Duke Hugh, into the care of Athelstan.

36
Or given secret burial in a commoner’s house, or even, according to one account, burned. If the latter, then the body venerated as Edward’s could not, of course, have been his.

37
The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
(Peterborough Manuscript), entry for 979

38
Ibid.
(Abingdon Manuscript).

39
Blickling Homilies
, p. 64

40
Campbell (2000), p. 173

41
Warner of Rouen, 75–7

42
Wulfstan,
The Sermon of the Wolf to the English
.

43
Aelfric’s Catholic Homilies
, p. 37

44
William of Malmesbury, 2.2

45
Adam of Bremen, 2.40

46
Ibid.
, 2.57. For the hirsute character of women in the furthest reaches of Scandinavia, see 4.32

47
That Trygvasson led the Viking army at Maldon is something more than inference, something less than a certainty. To maintain it, as the leading authority on the battle has put it, is “to give oneself the benefit of the doubt, but such leaps are the stuff of Anglo-Saxon history” (Scragg, p. 90).

48
Battle of Maldon
, p. 294

49
Although our earliest source for the epithet is posthumous, it seems probable that it originated during Ethelred’s lifetime.

50
The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
, entry for 1002

51
Matthew 13.37–40

52
Renewal by King Ethelred for the monastery of St. Frideswide, Oxford:
EHD
, document 127

53
Quoted by Wulfstan,
Lectio Sancti Evangelii Secundum Matheum
.

54
Blickling Homilies
, p. 145

55
Adam of Bremen, p. 229

56
Hávamál
, Page, p. 142

57
Adam of Bremen, 4.39

58
Ari Thorgilsson, p. 66

59
Snorri Sturluson,
Heimskringla
.
King Olaf Trygvasson’s Saga
, 37

60
Forkbeard’s presence at Maldon, like that of Trygvasson, has to be inferred. See the essay by Niels Lund, “The Danish Perspective,” in Scragg (pp. 137–8).

61
Saxo Grammaticus, 10.8.4

62
Thietmar, 7.36

63
Snorri Sturluson,
Heimskringla
.
King Olaf Trygvasson’s Saga
, 121

64
The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
, entry for 1014

65
Ottar the Black, p. 308

66
Encomium Emmae Reginae
, 2.4

67
Wulfstan,
The Sermon of the Wolf to the English
.

68
Völuspá
, Page, p. 209

69
For the argument that
Völuspá
was inspired by Wulfstan, see Joseph Harris, p. 94

70
Völuspá
, Page, p. 210

71
EHD
, p. 424

72
Ibid.
, pp. 416–18.

1
2 Thessalonians 2.4

2
City of God
, 20.19

3
Encomium Emmae
, 2.21

4
Glaber, 3.13

5
Matthew 24.2

6
Glaber, 21.3

7
“What we should like most of all to know,” as the great historian of medieval Spain, Richard Fletcher, put it, “is why the bishop was convinced that the relics discovered were those of St. James” (Fletcher 1984, p. 59). One legend claims that he was led to the plain where the body lay buried by a mysterious star; but this is a late tradition, and reflects a heroic attempt to derive the shrine’s name of Santiago de la Compostella from the Latin phrase “
campus stellae
,” or “plain of the star.” In fact, most scholars now agree that the word “compostella” derives from a diminutive of “
compostum
,” or “burial place.”

8
The words of Gottschalk, Bishop of Le Puy in the Auvergne, who travelled to Santiago in 951, the first pilgrim to do so that we know of by name.

9
Such, at any rate, was the standard fate of Christian captives brought to Córdoba. See Fierro, p. 107

10
Qur’an 8.12

11
Abd Allah b. Buluggin al-Ziri al-Sanhaji, p. 44

12
Al-Nuwayri. Quoted by Scales, p. 65

13
Qur’an 2.191. “Tumult and oppression” is the translation of the notoriously untranslatable word “
fitna
,” which can mean chastisement, faction fighting, schism or civil war – and at its most extreme the period of total anarchy that will precede the end of days. The word was used by Muslim historians to describe the fall of the Caliphate of Córdoba, and its aftermath.

14
Ibn Hazm, chapter 23

15
Ibid.
, chapter 26

16
Ibid.
, chapter 23

17
From the hadiths collected by Ibn Maja, 2.4086

18
From the hadiths collected by Abu Dawud, 2.421

19
Muqaddasi. Quoted by Peters, p. 237