High Medieval Monks Contemplate their Merovingian Past
Constance B. Bouchard
Monks in the eleventh and twelfth centuries looked at Merovingian age as strange far away, yet also of vital significance for Benedictine houses that were founded then. Using examples from Burgundy, this article analyses how high medieval monks sought to come terms with their distant past, sometimes through forging charters they surprised find missing (especially foundation charters). Even when working strictly available evidence, generally did, attempted embed royal Frankish history, suggested older more highly-regarded past than other regional monasteries, underscored current regularity by creating a whole history successive destructions refoundations.
The Journal of Medieval Monastic Studies