This book stands at the intersection of recent work in historiography and the study of political culture in the early Middle Ages. It takes the autograph manuscript of a tenth-century monk, Richer, as a point of entry into the author's world, and asks how he and his contemporaries in the religious and intellectual community of Reims engaged in Frankish politics. By shifting focus from the events and actors that typically occupy centre stage in political theatre to the writing of history and its authors, it offers a sustained reflection on the relationship between politics and history. As a case study it aims, ultimately, to articulate possibilities for the study of early medieval politics and, at the same time, to provide a model for a type of historical inquiry in which the development of questions and the exploration of possibilities stand more prominent than the conclusions drawn from them.

This book stands at the intersection of recent work in historiography and the study of political culture in the early Middle Ages. It takes the autograph manuscript of a tenth-century monk, Richer, as a point of entry into the author's world, and asks how he and his contemporaries in the religious and intellectual community of Reims engaged in Frankish politics. By shifting focus from the events and actors that typically occupy centre stage in political theatre to the writing of history and its authors, it offers a sustained reflection on the relationship between politics and history. As a case study it aims, ultimately, to articulate possibilities for the study of early medieval politics and, at the same time, to provide a model for a type of historical inquiry in which the development of questions and the exploration of possibilities stand more prominent than the conclusions drawn from them.

The Middle Ages in Texts and Texture is an introduction to medieval Europe unlike any other. These 26 essays, written by accomplished scholars all trained at the University of California, Berkeley, reflect on medieval texts and the opportunities they present for exploration of the Middle Ages. Introduced in a foreword by Thomas N. Bisson (Harvard University), these essays present a textured picture of the medieval world and offer models for how to reflect fruitfully on medieval sources. To help orient the reader, three maps, the editor's introduction, and an index are provided.

The Middle Ages in Texts and Texture is an introduction to medieval Europe unlike any other. These 26 essays, written by accomplished scholars all trained at the University of California, Berkeley, reflect on medieval texts and the opportunities they present for exploration of the Middle Ages. Introduced in a foreword by Thomas N. Bisson (Harvard University), these essays present a textured picture of the medieval world and offer models for how to reflect fruitfully on medieval sources. To help orient the reader, three maps, the editor's introduction, and an index are provided.

This book stands at the intersection of recent work in historiography and the study of political culture in the early Middle Ages. It takes the autograph manuscript of a tenth-century monk, Richer, as a point of entry into the author's world, and asks how he and his contemporaries in the religious and intellectual community of Reims engaged in Frankish politics. By shifting focus from the events and actors that typically occupy centre stage in political theatre to the writing of history and its authors, it offers a sustained reflection on the relationship between politics and history. As a case study it aims, ultimately, to articulate possibilities for the study of early medieval politics and, at the same time, to provide a model for a type of historical inquiry in which the development of questions and the exploration of possibilities stand more prominent than the conclusions drawn from them.

This book stands at the intersection of recent work in historiography and the study of political culture in the early Middle Ages. It takes the autograph manuscript of a tenth-century monk, Richer, as a point of entry into the author's world, and asks how he and his contemporaries in the religious and intellectual community of Reims engaged in Frankish politics. By shifting focus from the events and actors that typically occupy centre stage in political theatre to the writing of history and its authors, it offers a sustained reflection on the relationship between politics and history. As a case study it aims, ultimately, to articulate possibilities for the study of early medieval politics and, at the same time, to provide a model for a type of historical inquiry in which the development of questions and the exploration of possibilities stand more prominent than the conclusions drawn from them.

The Middle Ages in Texts and Texture is an introduction to medieval Europe unlike any other. These 26 essays, written by accomplished scholars all trained at the University of California, Berkeley, reflect on medieval texts and the opportunities they present for exploration of the Middle Ages. Introduced in a foreword by Thomas N. Bisson (Harvard University), these essays present a textured picture of the medieval world and offer models for how to reflect fruitfully on medieval sources. To help orient the reader, three maps, the editor's introduction, and an index are provided.

The Middle Ages in Texts and Texture is an introduction to medieval Europe unlike any other. These 26 essays, written by accomplished scholars all trained at the University of California, Berkeley, reflect on medieval texts and the opportunities they present for exploration of the Middle Ages. Introduced in a foreword by Thomas N. Bisson (Harvard University), these essays present a textured picture of the medieval world and offer models for how to reflect fruitfully on medieval sources. To help orient the reader, three maps, the editor's introduction, and an index are provided.