History and Politics in Late Carolingian and Ottonian Europe: The Chronicle of Regino of Prum and Adalbert of Magdeburg
Theo Riches
Thanks to the efforts of Toronto and Manchester university presses, among others, there is currently an embarrassment source translations on market for teachers Carolingian Ottonian-Salian history. This valuable welcome contribution from Simon MacLean Medieval Sources series bridges gap between two periods while demonstrating his particularly subtle sense intersections medieval historiography politics. Regino's early tenth-century chronicle a good fit MacLean's strengths, offering key insights into late politics also bearing witness particular view history its writing. Adalbert's Continuation serves then as comparative, looking with different eyes through same literary lens at political world from, yet clearly indebted to, predecessor. After section describing ‘Regino's career’, which pithy introduction place abbot historian might occupy within it, spends greater part discussing Regino historian. He critiques previous genre-based approaches advances strong argument, based own statements well structuring text around Incarnation Royal Frankish Annals, that turned rise fall Empire sort mirror princes (more specifically, Louis Child) by placing it in larger context divine Providence. Later sections cover sources themes Chronicle’s original books, making points about attitude chronology dynastic history, Prüm's Breton connections importance pure royal motivations fate kingdom. Two short Adalbert design translation close introduction.
The English Historical Review