Central Politics: Kings, Their Allies and Opponents
Patrick J. Geary
For over a decade, early medieval historians have eagerly awaited Ian Wood's detailed synthesis of Merovingian history. Since the death Michael Wallace-Hadrill in 1985, Wood has been leading British historian Francia and written two dozen finely tuned articles on late antique Gaul. Unlike his compatriot Edward James,' whose point departure is archaeological record, concentrated sources period, particularly narrative, epistolary, legal texts. Vorstudien distinguished him from most North American, British, Continental period ways. First, unlike vast majority, who take seductive histories Gregory Tours as their primary reference approaching history, cut teeth dissertation focusing Avitus Vienne Burgundian region.2 As result he able to present, for fifth sixth centuries, an image crucial first generation Frankish kingdom not primarily derived very highly constructed versions Gregory. Second, studies precise, text-critical examinations circumstances within which rare narrative texts were composed, relating contents specific contexts composition. The often cast into doubt only facile conclusions previous but possi-
French Historical Studies