HISTORIOGRAPHY IN THE MIDDLE AGES - Julian Emperor

164 ROLF SPRANDELThis goal also is achieved. However, he creates a history of theFranckish and German empires by reverting to—in a second manuscript—thetime following the rise of the Carolingians. The nationalview is apparent in the solidarity of the chronicler with the emperor,for instance in the concluding remarks on Ludwig of Bavaria 1343:“He sails by high seas, and yet remains hopeful that he will throwhis anchor in a peaceful harbor and trusts in that with an unshakeablesoul”. 24 The world-historical task of the German empire comesoften to the fore, as for instance with the election of Rudolf vonHabsburg:This is a man, whom God chose with his heart, in divine providencefrom the beginning of the world forward, he is destined. The kings ofEngland, Spain, and Bohemia were present at his election. His coronationwas carried out according to the old statute of Charlemagneand in the manner in which the anointing of Solomon takes place,according to the Old Testament. 25Johann of Viktring is among the few chroniclers of the late MiddleAges who do not see themselves actually in the role of someone writinga continuation, even if he does have most of his material (asregards content) from previous sources, especially Martin of Troppau.He conceives of his task as literary. He wants to create a literarywork of history. As if of their own accord, the materials flow forhim into subdivisions according to certae historiae, under which heunderstands there to be an exchange of the actions of German emperorsand Austrian dukes with the bias of a certain imperial nationalism,in which an Austrian Landesgeschichte is embedded. 26The next chronicle has another profile. Mathias of Neuenburgcontinued Martin of Troppau, but altered the organization of Troppau’swork in his own continuation. Neuenburg does not place pope andemperor opposite each other but, rather, organizes the chronicle’soverall structure according to the German emperors and builds inseparate chapters for each pope appropriate to the emperor. Thepope chapters are nearly inconspicuous in relation to the diverse bitsof contemporary news from Spain and Scotland to Lithuania. Hepositively characterizes the Habsburg kings and the functioning of24Johannes von Viktring, Liber certarum historiarum, ed. Schneider, II.235.25Johannes von Viktring, Liber certarum historiarum, ed. Schneider, I.215–16.26Schnell (1989).