Introduction: History and memory in the Carolingian world
Rosamond McKitterick
History and memory in the Carolingian world , title of both this book chapter, is at once a reflection current interest ways by which various medieval societies constructed understood their pasts an acknowledgement degree to has become much-explored much-theorised topic. The book's principal themes are writing reading history early middle ages, with primary focus on remarkable manifestations historical Frankish kingdoms eighth ninth centuries. Within framework I consider what meant books, Franks' choice texts, whether Roman, Christian, ‘barbarian’ or : where they appear where, when for whom were made. Further questions concern readership these books how far physical characteristics manuscripts texts survive reveal anything contemporaries may have thought about wider cultural context. Historians western, middle-eastern oriental looked way common past could inform Eggert Patzold 1994, relation Saxony called ‘Wir-Gefuhl’, that is, sense ‘us-ness’. It commonplace ideas define present plays crucial role moulding understanding past. study particular, moreover, shifted recent years away from preoccupation sources information textual affiliation.
Cambridge University Press eBooks