Context or Text? Towards a New Interpretation of Gerard I of Cambrai’s Oration on the Three Orders
Sam Janssens
After Georges Duby published Les trois ordres ou l’imaginaire du féodalisme in 1978, the division of society into three orders - those who pray, work and fight has become one most influential paradigms medieval ideological history. Duby’s points departure were two eleventh-century texts: Carmen ad Rotbertum regem, a political text written form satirical poem by Bishop Adalbero Laon (977-c. 1035) famous speech Gerard I Cambrai (c. 975-1051) delivered as protest against Peace God movement inserted anonymous Gesta episcoporum Cameracensium, or Deeds Bishops Cambrai. interpretation profoundly influenced subsequent historiographical discussions on ideology behind tripartite key texts related to his study. Since then, attention scholars focused almost entirely reconstructing ideological, societal context within which Three Orders scheme originated. Despite many Gerard’s original intentions true significance speech, very little been paid fact that it preserved only part much larger text, namely Deeds. Why chronicler integrated whether not its position relationship with other factors are any questions have eluded comprehensive These crucial our understanding purpose since seems conceived reference parts Deeds, specifically referring movement. This reveals how cannot be interpreted adequately without taking account textual remains from tenure bishop. observations could possibly enable us gain insight primary reason why was embedded use meant function.
The Medieval low countries. An annual review