Missionaries and Changing Views of the Other from the Ninth to the Eleventh Centuries
Timothy Mark Barnwell
This thesis explores the varying ways in which otherness was imagined and constructed two clusters of medieval missionary texts: Rimbert’s Vita Anskarii Adam Bremen’s Gesta Hammaburgensis ecclesiae pontificum, from archdiocese Hamburg-Bremen; Bruno Querfurt’s Passio Sancti Adalberti episcopi et martyris, vel passio Benedicti Iohannis sociorumque suorum Epistola ad Heinricum Regem.
Missionaries authors who described their work were uniquely concerned with those lay beyond geographical, political spiritual boundaries Christendom. Accordingly, they provide our principal sources for understanding how such groups represented. In first instance, this is descriptions physically located outside Carolingian, Ottonian, Salian Empires, particularly Scandinavian Slavic worlds. But given fluidity interconnectedness early identities, it also encompasses representations marginalised within Christendom as slaves, women, heretics, Jews enemies. 
Following a brief introduction, begins by setting out theoretical foundations an based on expectation variety. forms response to totalising claims many recent discussions otherness. followed close analysis each text, beginning Hamburg-Bremen material, before moving works. The aim reflect peculiar dynamics and, consequently, these authors’ literary exegetical concerns form substantial part study. Their presentation has been emphasised; sometimes other closer home. concludes emphasising conceptual variety revealed work. Key themes can be identified, but all texts far more diverse conceptually fragmented than usually appreciated existing scholarship.