Scandinavian history in the Viking age - Department of Anglo-Saxon ...

Scandinavian History in the Viking Age
Foreign diplomatic material
Charters and other such documents from western Europe can often be of great significance, particularly
for ecclesiastical history in the tenth and eleventh centuries. The Scandinavian diplomataria (B717 ff.)
are the most accessible guides to the material.
German
Much of the Frankish and later German material, especially royal documents, can be found in MGH DD
and subseries (B10). Most useful are documents relating to early episcopal organisation in Scandinavia,
particularly Denmark.
[B730] T. Sickel, Diplomata regum et imperatorum Germaniae I: Conradi I., Heinrici I. et Ottonis I.
diplomata, MGH DD (1879-84), and vol. II: Ottonis II., Ottonis III. diplomata, MGH DD (1888-93) [UL
R560.G104]
English
[B732] On Anglo-Saxon charters, see J.M. Kemble, Codex diplomaticus aevi Saxonici, 6 vols (1839-48)
[UL A650.52]; for further reference, see also P.H. Sawyer, Anglo-Saxon charters: an annotated list and
bibliography, Royal Historical Society guides and handbooks 8 (1968) [UL A100.4]. Later vernacular
writs are gathered in F.E. Harmer, Anglo-Saxon writs, 2nd edn, Paul Watkins medieval studies 2 (1989)
[UL 541:12.c.95.86]. Almost anything anyone could wish to know about Anglo-Saxon charters, and a
great deal more besides, can be found on the website of the British Academy/ Royal Historical Society
Joint Committee on Anglo-Saxon Charters, at www.trin.cam.ac.uk/chartwww.
Papal and ecclesiastical correspondence
Equally useful is papal correspondence with various Scandinavian kings, particularly in the eleventh
century (B745). Such letters are registered in the various national series noted above (B717 ff.); a fuller
register is:
[B735] P. Jaffé et al., (edd.), Regesta pontificum Romanorum a condita ecclesia ad annum post Christum
natum MCXCVIII, 2 vols, 2nd edn rev. by F. Kaltenbrunner et al. (1881-88) [UL R169.1]
[B736] Selections of actual texts can be found in MGH EPP: [a] E. Dümmler, Epistolae Karolini aevi III,
MGH EPP V (1899); [b] E. Perels, Epistolae Karolini aevi IV, MGH EPP VI (1925); [c] P. Kehr et al.,
Epistolae Karolini aevi V, MGH EPP VII (1928) [UL R560.G111]
Hamburg-Bremen
Of particular significance for the conversion of Scandinavia is the role of the archbishops of Hamburg-
Bremen, which is extensively illuminated by various forms of correspondence. Anskar’s own letter of
865 to Louis on the progression of the missions is recorded by Adam of Bremen (B73) and is also to be
found in (736b):163. Assessing the status of the archbishops of Hamburg-Bremen is also useful, in that it
helps to cast light on the development or stagnation of missionary activity sponsored from there (L110
ff.). For the papal charters in favour of Hamburg-Bremen, the classic studies are:
[B740] J.M. Lappenberg, (ed.), Hamburgisches Urkundenbuch I (1842; repr. 1907) [UL 574:7.b.90.2]
(for the texts); F. Curschmann, Die älteren Papsturkunden des Erzbistums Hamburg: eine diplomatische
Untersuchung (1909) [UL A325.33] (for further, more detailed editions of papal privileges and
discussion of their respective authenticity)
A more updated version is:
[B741] W. Seegrün and T. Schieffer, Regesta pontificum Romanorum: Germania pontificia. VI:
Provincia Hammaburgo-Bremensis (1981) [UL 70:1.b.90.68]; for a discussion of textual background and
authenticity, cf. also W. Seegrün, Das Erzbistum Hamburg in seinen älteren Papsturkunden, Studien und
Vorarbeiten zur Germania pontificia 5 (1976) [UL 79:01.c.1.5]
For a more wide-ranging survey of documents pertaining to the diocese, which in essence provides an
excellent guide to virtually all events concerning the archbishops, arranged chronologically, see:
[B742] O.H. May, Regesten der Erzbischöfe von Bremen. I: 787-1306, Veröffentlichungen der
historischen Kommission für Hannover [...] und Bremen 11 (1937) [UL 79.b.90.1]
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