Merovingian letters and letter writers / V. Alice Tyrrell.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Tyrrell, V. Alice, author.

Series:

Publications of the Journal of medieval Latin ; 12.

Publications of the Journal of medieval Latin ; 12

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Latin letters, Medieval and modern--France--History and criticism.

Latin letters, Medieval and modern.

France.

Physical Description:

xxxi, 386 pages ; 26 cm.

Place of Publication:

Turnhout, Belgium : Brepols Publishers, [2019]

Summary:

This book, useful for both scholars and students of Late Antique Gaul, is a survey of 600 plus Latin letters written during the Merovingian era (ca. 500-750) by bishops and other clergy, highly-placed laymen, women, popes, and royalty. Various aspects of the correspondence are discussed, including amicitia, literary circles, gift-giving, letter-bearers, Scripture usage, and women's writing. An appendix supplies English summaries of the letters, many of which have not received translation into any modern language. Primary sources from the Frankish kingdom during the Merovingian era (ca. 500-750) are few and far between. This volume is a survey of more than 600 Latin letters, selected by the author, that were exchanged between persons in Gaul during that time period. Many are almost entirely unknown and have never been translated into any modern language. While most of the letters were authored by clerics and highly-placed laymen, a small but significant number was composed by women, both religious and lay. For elite individuals, letter networks were the social media of their day. Letters were written to maintain the bonds of friendship, to seek or extend patronage and political alliance, to instruct, rebuke, defend, console, and recommend. Many have come down to us in collections; others are strays embedded in other texts or deperdita that come to light only in the replies of others. In seven chapters, the author discusses numerous aspects of the letters and explores how they fit with, and enlarge upon, the better-known sources of the period such as the works of Gregory of Tours, Fredegar, the anonymous History of the Franks (LHF), and various saints' vitae.

Contents:

Chapter 1 Amicitia Networks Part 1: Sidonius Apollinaris to Nicetius of Trier and Friends

Sidonius Apollinaris p. 3

Ruricius of Limoges p. 5

Avitus of Vienne p. 7

Early Sixth-Century Letters p. 8

Chapter 2 Amicitia Networks Part 2: Venantius Fortunatus and the Later Sixth Century

The Provencal Literary Circle p. 23

The Austrasian Literary Circle p. 25

Felix of Nantes p. 31

Martin of Braga p. 34

Gregory of Tours p. 37

Syagrius of Autun and the carmen figuratum p. 42

Chapter 3 Amicitia Networks Part 3: Columbanus to Boniface and Lull

Columbani abbatis Luxoviensis et Bobbiensis epistolae p. 53

Epistolae Desiderii episcopi Cdurcensis p. 55

Chrodobert of Tours and Importunus of Paris p. 66

S. Bonifatii et Lulli epistolae p. 81

Chapter 4 Kings and Popes

Royal Letters p. 93

Childebert I p. 94

Theudebert I p. 98

Desiderius of Cahors p. 99

Specula principum p. 101

Papal Letters p. 106

Liber auctoritatum ecclesiae Arelatensis p. 107

Epistolae Viennensis spuriae p. 108

Registrant Gregorii p. 115

Amandus of Maastricht and Martin I p. 117

Boniface and Rome p. 120

Chapter 5 Womens Letters

Effusis cum lacrimis: Women Writing Emotional Letters p. 130

Women Writing Unemotional Letters p. 140

Letters to Women p. 145

Chapter 6 Bearers and Gifts

Section 1 Bearers p. 163

Section 2 Gifts p. 177

Chapter 7 Letter Writers and the Bible

Letters of Instruction and Reproach p. 200

Letters of Defence p. 205

Letters of amicitia p. 207

Insular Epistolography and the Bible p. 209

Vitae and Biblical Usage: A Comparison p. 213

Versions of Scripture p. 214

Chart of Biblical Quotations p. 215.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

250358358X

9782503583587

OCLC:

1085200925