HISTORIOGRAPHY IN THE MIDDLE AGES - Julian Emperor

200 NORBERT KERSKENplanis verbis in the middle of the fourteenth century. 71 The writer followedthe book and chapter organization of Saxo but oriented himselfin his Continuato according to the periods of rule of the Danishkings from Knut VI to the beginning of the rule of Valdemar IVAtterdag (1340).At the center of the development of French national historiographystands the Grandes chroniques drafted at Saint-Denis. There, in theperiod critical for the monarchy under John II (1350–64), RichardLescot continued the chronicle up to the death of Philip VI. 72 Thecontinuation in the subsequent stage of revision until 1377/79 signifieda formal and conceptual break, when the work was continued at thecourt under Charles V (1364–80) as the official chronicle. 73The so-called Hungarian national chronicle, continually taken upwith interruptions since the beginning of the twelfth century, wasbrought into the textual condition that we know today after the middleof the fourteenth century in two editions. 74 The main manuscriptof the first edition is the so-called picture chronicle (Chronicon pictum),a splendidly illuminated manuscript dating probably from the periodbetween 1358 and 1370. 75 The second edition is referred to as theOfen Chronicle. The interest in a total portrayal of Hungarian historyin the middle of the fourteenth century is worthy of consideration.After the Árpáds died out, the Angevin kings Charles I (1308–42)and Louis I the Great (1342–82) attempted to legitimate their rulethrough the claim to Árpád tradition. According to this need, theextinction of the Árpáds in the male line with the death of AndrewIII is not noted at all, and Charles of Anjou is presented only in71Saxonis Gesta Danorum ab incerto auctore in compendio redacta et continuata, in Scriptoresminores historiæ Danicæ medii ævi, ed. M. C. Gertz, vol. 1 (Copenhagen, 1917/18),195–458. See also Leegaard Knudsen (1994).72Les Grandes Chroniques de France, 10 vols., ed. J. Viard, Société de l’histoire deFrance 395, 401, 404, 415, 418, 423, 429, 435, 438, 457 (Paris, 1920–53).73Les Grandes Chroniques de France. Chroniques des règnes de Jean II et de Charles V, 4vols., ed. R. Delachenal, Société de l’histoire de France 348, 375, 391, 392 (Paris,1910–20). See also Hedeman (1984) and (1985).74Both redactions are placed side by side in the critical edition: Chronici Hungaricicompositio saeculi XIV, ed. A. Domanovszky, in Scriptores (as n. 56), vol. 1, 1937),217–505.75Facsimile edition with commentary: The Hungarian Illuminated Chronicle. Chronica degestis Hungarorum, 2 vols., ed. D. Dercsény (Budapest, 1969); Képes Krónika, ed. Gy.Kristó, 2 vols. (Budapest, 1987).