Medieval ecclesiastic historiography
Medieval clerical historical writing, originating with Eusebius of Caesarea.
Medieval ecclesiastic historiography refers to the historical writing produced by clergy in the European Middle Ages, originating with Eusebius of Caesarea. It developed its own style and methods, emphasizing the transmission of knowledge to future generations. Despite challenges such as document scarcity and forgeries, it contributed to the development of history as a discipline and to auxiliary sciences like bibliography and genealogy.
Quick Facts
- Field
- Historiography
Facts from the source article.
Origins
Eusebius of Caesarea is regarded as the father of ecclesiastic historiography, followed by Socrates, Sozomen, Theodoret, and Gelasius, bishop of Caesarea Maritima. Early on, this new historiography could be compared to political history, with persecution and heresy paralleling battles and treaties. Eusebius recognized the importance of documents and adopted Jewish influences, particularly the concept of succession, which had been shaped by rabbinic thought and Greek influence. Around 430 A.D., Philip of Side produced a Christian History beginning with creation and covering geography, natural sciences, and mathematics, but he failed to attract followers. Political history continued alongside ecclesiastic historiography and was acknowledged by Eusebius himself. This translation became extremely popular and was known to medieval historians such as Gregory of Tours, Beda, and Augustine.
Goals and methods
A common feature of ecclesiastic historiography is the inclusion of goals and methods in the prologue of works. Analysis of these prologues reveals how a work was produced, its purpose, intended audience, and the methods used. The clergy aimed to transmit historical knowledge to posterity, recording only events worthy of remembrance, such as biographies or wars. History, like Catholic liturgy, became a tool of memory. The primary method was narration, and works often conveyed examples of reputable men to be emulated, as seen in Valerius Maximus' Book of Memorable Doings and Sayings. The historian could thus create glory or infamy, leading nobles to commission works to ensure their names were not forgotten.
Genres
When history gained autonomy from other sciences, historical genres emerged: annals and chronicles provided brief yearly descriptions of events, while history valued style and rhetoric, often looking to ancient historians like Suetonius and Sallust. From history derived providential history (guided by theology), scholarly history (used by clerics and chanceries), political history, and romance history (which attracted readers beyond the clergy, such as the nobility). Many works were commissioned by nobles to preserve their memory, exemplified by the work occasioned by the death of William the Marshal in 1219, commissioned by his son. This genre later made room for genealogical works.
Acceptance
Ecclesiastic production was well-received and diverse during the Middle Ages. Romance histories of the Crusades, recounting knights' adventures in the Middle East, had great popular appeal but often lacked historical accuracy, as seen in the Song of Antioch. Mendicant orders adapted ecclesiastic historiography: Dominicans focused on scholarly manuals for preaching, while Franciscans sought beautiful stories for preaching to less cultured audiences. Today, medieval historiographic production is often viewed with contempt, a perspective attributed to Renaissance humanists, who saw history as a servant of religion. One major inaccuracy in medieval texts is illustrations where biblical characters are depicted as contemporary clerics and knights, creating serious anachronisms.
More in Historiography & Methods
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced