HISTORIOGRAPHY IN THE MIDDLE AGES - Julian Emperor
HISTORIOGRAPHY IN THE MIDDLE AGES - Julian Emperor HISTORIOGRAPHY IN THE MIDDLE AGES - Julian Emperor
LATER MEDIEVAL INSTITUTIONAL HISTORY 289these volumes we find both an evaluation of the important workdone after 1970 and major prolegomena for subsequent research.The study of mendicant historiography properly speaking owesmuch to Anna-Dorothea von den Brincken’s and Gert Melville’sinterest in the compilatory format and historical conceptions of successfulmendicant chronicles, the re-evaluation of the architecture ofVincent de Beauvais’ Speculum Historiale by Hans Voorbij and thescholarly circle around Monique Paulmier-Foucart, the renewed interestin later medieval historiography as a form of encyclopaedic writing,and the attention for dissemination of late medieval mendicantchronicle manuscripts by Peter Johanek and his collaborators inMünster. 38 Thanks to such endeavours, the traditional lamentationsabout the compilatory and ‘uncritical’ nature of mendicant historiographyhave been exchanged for a genuine fascination with thecompository strategies of mendicant compilers and the incredible distributionof mendicant chronicles.This redemption of mendicant historiography touches in particularthe so-called ‘kompilatorische Weltchronistik’, which can hardlybe depicted as institutional historiography in the strict sense of theword. However, as a typical product of ‘mendicant’ historiographicalpractice, it deserves some of our attention. The order histories andorder-related hagiographic texts always have been and predominantlystill remain the domain of specialists in medieval hagiography andof (mendicant) scholars interested in the literary and religious cultureof the mendicant orders as such. These various forms of institutionalhistoriography in the strict sense of the word are neglectedby historians in search of general patterns in medieval historiographicalwriting, maybe because many such order histories on averagedo not seem to waver much from the traditional catalogue format.Yet they form the core of mendicant institutional history properlyspeaking. They constitute a considerable part of the mendicant historiographicaloutput, and in addition have some interesting qualitiesof their own, reasons for which they will be central in thefollowing sections.38For instance Brincken (1981), 694–735, (1985), 461–500, and (1989), 551–91;Melville (1987), 57–111, and (1988), 133–53; Voorbij (1991); Meier (1992), 157–75;Mierau, Sander-Berke and Studt (1996).
290 BERT ROESTIII.1Franciscan and Dominican hagiography as institutional historyThe emergence and astonishing success of the Franciscan order inthe early thirteenth century went hand in hand with a large historiographicaland hagiographic production. After the death of theircharismatic founder, the Friars Minor were keen to produce authoritativevitae to single out the extraordinary saintly qualities of Francisand the unique character of his chosen life of evangelical perfectionover against older attempts of religious reform, therewith legitimisingthe Franciscan order and its ecclesiological mission, and emphasisingFrancis’ salvation-historical significance (which to some extenteven turned Francis into a Christ-like figure). Among these authoritativehagiographic texts, we can signal the various vitae composedby Thomas of Celano and Julian of Speyer, as well as the LegendaMajor and the Legenda Minor of Bonaventure that after 1263 becamethe official vitae of Francis within the order for centuries to come. 39The Franciscan hagiographic production was not limited to itsfounder. Other prominent members of the order received amplehagiographic attention as well, more often than not in the contextof their official beatification. Cases in point are the vitae devoted toAnthony of Padua, Clare of Assisi and Louis of Anjou, and thosevitae devoted to the foremen of the observant movement (such asBernardine of Siena and John Capistran). Subsequent saints’ lives ofless-universal figures frequently emerged as instruments of commemorationand edification by individual Franciscan communities.Alongside individual vitae, Franciscan friars embarked on the productionof larger, order-related saints’ catalogues. These can hardlybe distinguished from order historiography properly speaking, as thelatter also abounds in abbreviated legends of Franciscan saints. Theoldest surviving catalogue is the Dialogus de gestis sanctorum fratrum minorum(ca. 1245) 40 ascribed to the Franciscan missionary, historian and39For an introduction, see Desbonnets (1967), 273–316; Clasen (1967); Campagnola(1974), 17 ff.; Paciocco (1990); Uribe (1996), with information concerning the worksof Thomas of Celano, Bonaventure, Bernard of Bessa, Julian of Speyer, Henry ofAvrange, and the various texts of the ‘spiritual’ tradition. There exist severalcorporate editions of such texts. See for instance Fontes Francescani, ed. E. Menestò,S. Brufani et al., Testi 2 (Assisi, 1995).40Dialogus de gestis sanctorum fratrum minorum auctore Thomas de Papia, ed. F. Delorme,Bibliotheca Franciscana Ascetica Medii Aevi, V (Quaracchi, 1923). The Franciscans andthe Dominicans were not alone in the production of institutional catalogues of order-
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290 BERT ROESTIII.1Franciscan and Dominican hagiography as institutional historyThe emergence and astonishing success of the Franciscan order inthe early thirteenth century went hand in hand with a large historiographicaland hagiographic production. After the death of theircharismatic founder, the Friars Minor were keen to produce authoritativevitae to single out the extraordinary saintly qualities of Francisand the unique character of his chosen life of evangelical perfectionover against older attempts of religious reform, therewith legitimisingthe Franciscan order and its ecclesiological mission, and emphasisingFrancis’ salvation-historical significance (which to some extenteven turned Francis into a Christ-like figure). Among these authoritativehagiographic texts, we can signal the various vitae composedby Thomas of Celano and <strong>Julian</strong> of Speyer, as well as the LegendaMajor and the Legenda Minor of Bonaventure that after 1263 becamethe official vitae of Francis within the order for centuries to come. 39The Franciscan hagiographic production was not limited to itsfounder. Other prominent members of the order received amplehagiographic attention as well, more often than not in the contextof their official beatification. Cases in point are the vitae devoted toAnthony of Padua, Clare of Assisi and Louis of Anjou, and thosevitae devoted to the foremen of the observant movement (such asBernardine of Siena and John Capistran). Subsequent saints’ lives ofless-universal figures frequently emerged as instruments of commemorationand edification by individual Franciscan communities.Alongside individual vitae, Franciscan friars embarked on the productionof larger, order-related saints’ catalogues. These can hardlybe distinguished from order historiography properly speaking, as thelatter also abounds in abbreviated legends of Franciscan saints. Theoldest surviving catalogue is the Dialogus de gestis sanctorum fratrum minorum(ca. 1245) 40 ascribed to the Franciscan missionary, historian and39For an introduction, see Desbonnets (1967), 273–316; Clasen (1967); Campagnola(1974), 17 ff.; Paciocco (1990); Uribe (1996), with information concerning the worksof Thomas of Celano, Bonaventure, Bernard of Bessa, <strong>Julian</strong> of Speyer, Henry ofAvrange, and the various texts of the ‘spiritual’ tradition. There exist severalcorporate editions of such texts. See for instance Fontes Francescani, ed. E. Menestò,S. Brufani et al., Testi 2 (Assisi, 1995).40Dialogus de gestis sanctorum fratrum minorum auctore Thomas de Papia, ed. F. Delorme,Bibliotheca Franciscana Ascetica Medii Aevi, V (Quaracchi, 1923). The Franciscans andthe Dominicans were not alone in the production of institutional catalogues of order-