High Middle Ages

A propósito de los graffiti del templo de San Miguel de Escalada (León)

by vanessa jimeno guerra

Estudios Humanísticos. Historia. Nº 10, 2011, pp. 277-296

Aunque los primeros estudios se remontan al siglo XVIII, el templo leonés de San Miguel de Escalada continúa siendo... more Aunque los primeros estudios se remontan al siglo XVIII, el templo leonés de San Miguel de Escalada continúa siendo una inagotable fuente de conocimiento. El reciente descubrimiento de sus graffiti parietales nos ha permitido ampliar la información que poseemos sobre este antiguo cenobio, además de establecer una relación, no sólo con otros edificios históricos peninsulares, sino también con la arquitectura que durante la Alta Edad Media fue excavada en sus inmediaciones

Una iglesia excavada altomedieval de propiedad real: la iglesia de San Martín de Villamoros en León

by vanessa jimeno guerra

Studia Universitatis Cibiniensis. Series Historica, (2010), n. VII

The main aim of this study is to analyse the carved church of San Martin of
Villamoros in León (Spain) as well... more The main aim of this study is to analyse the carved church of San Martin of
Villamoros in León (Spain) as well as its historical circumstances through the High
Medieval documents that have been kept in connection with this church. In the same way,
we try to highlight the importance of this church into this territory and its evident relation
with the monarchy. Moreover, we try to show the different church´s owners during its
history. From it, we draw important conclusions as regards the territorial organization of
this area during the aforementioned chronological period.
Likewise, we go more deeply into the analysis of its architectural typology, since, in
spite of being a simple room, it has a lot of difficulties when it comes to establish a right
date for it.
In spite of, through the present study we try to show the importance of these carved
architectures have during the High Medieval period as well as currently, since even
nowadays they are especially important for the knowledge of this historical time

De pleitos, comisiones y eruditos: la historia de la "Cueva del Cubo" de Rueda del Almirante (León)

by vanessa jimeno guerra

De arte- nº 10 (2011) [14]

A lo largo del margen derecho del valle medio del Esla se extiende una serie de conjuntos excavados de excepcional... more A lo largo del margen derecho del valle medio del Esla se extiende una serie de conjuntos excavados de excepcional importancia para entender la arquitectura sustractiva altomedieval en territorio leonés, y aun en el hispano. A pesar de que a principios del siglo pasado gozaron de la atención de algunos miembros de las Comisiones de Monumentos Históricos y Artísticos, así como de la curiosidad de algunos eruditos locales, hoy, ya languidecientes, apenas han suscitado interés dentro de la comunidad científica. El presente estudio pretende centrarse en el espacio excavado en la localidad leonesa de Rueda del Almirante por tratarse del más desconocido y arruinado de todos ellos, además de constituir un auténtico paradigma de la arqui-tectura excavada

Practical Chivalry in the Twelfth Century: The Case of William Marshal" (http://usna.edu/Users/history/abels/hh315/William%20Marshal%20chivalry.htm)

by Richard Abels

As is the case with the other teaching articles I have posted here, I wrote this essay to be an assigned reading for one of the courses I teach at the U.S. Naval Academy. "The Age of Chivalry and Faith" is a survey of the history and culture of Western Europe in the High Middle Ages. As its title indicates, the course focuses on the culture and institutions of the secular aristocracy--kings, barons, and knights--and the ecclesiastical elite--popes, bishops, abbots, and monks. Among the subjects covered are the political and social systems of the age, kingship and lordship; the culture of the medieval aristocracy, chivalry; movements of religious enthusiasm; and the evolution of the Catholic Church into a papal monarchy. For several years one of the assigned readings for the course was David Crouch's wonderful biography of William Marshal for Pearson (which I highly commend), but I never had sufficient time to cover the book properly. Given the focus of my course, I was most interested in Marshal as an exemplar of late twelfth- and early thirteenth-century Anglo-French chivalry in practice, in contrast to the literary chivalry of Chretien de Troyes and Marie de France. For those reasons I decided to write a synthetic essay on William Marshal--a short biography followed by discussions of his chivalry and piety--based on secondary scholarship and my reading of the primary sources. It is by no means a comprehensive study of William Marshal. For that one should assign either Painter's dated but very knowledgeable and entertaining 1933 biography or Crouch's highly readable and academically solid biography, which incorporates his very important analysis of William Marshal's household retainers and affinity and serves as a corrective to Painter's overly romantic ideas about Marshal and chivalry and his assumptions about feudal society.

Luci e ombre della fama. Storia della città di Aquileia nel Medioevo

by Gabriele Caiazza

published in 'Comunitas Civitatis Aquileiae - Aquilee inte Storie', Aquileia - Mariano del Friuli 2008...

Il Mediterraneo nell’opera di Sholomo Dov Goitein

by Giuseppe Perta

published in “Scheria”, rivista dell’Istituto Italiano per gli Studi Filosofici-Napoli, XII-XIII (2003-04), pp. 41-44

About life and works of S.D. Goitein. His studies on Genizah papers reveal the widespread activity of a Jewish... more About life and works of S.D. Goitein. His studies on Genizah papers reveal the widespread activity of a Jewish community around the Mediterranean between X and XIII century.

Drobná keramická plastika ve sbírkách Milevskéh muzea - Kleine keramische Plastiken aus der Sammlung des Museums in Milevsko.

by Ladislav Rytíř

Published in Archeologické výzkumy v jižních Čechách 23, České Budějovice 2010

Es handelt sich um zwei Einzelfunde mittelalterlicher Plastiken. Die erste stellt einen Mann mit gefalteten Händen... more Es handelt sich um zwei Einzelfunde mittelalterlicher Plastiken. Die erste stellt einen Mann mit gefalteten Händen (vielleicht einen Mönch?) dar und wurde im Jahr 2000 auf einem Feld bei Rohozov gefunden, bei der zweiten, die vom Vitanova-Berg bei Milevsko stammt, handelt es sich um einen Vogel. Beide Plastiken sind als Einzelfunde schwer zu datieren, sie können aber dennoch aufgrund einiger Analogien dem 14. – 15.
Jahrhundert zugeordnet werden.

Archäobotanische Analysen an Bodenproben der Grabung "Beim Märzenbad 9"im Lechviertel Augsburgs [Archaeobotanical analysis of the town excavation "Am Mârzenbad 9" in the Lech town quarter of Augsburg (Bavaria, Germany]

by Julian Wiethold

In : L. Bakker (Hrsg.), Augsburger Beiträge zur Archäologie, Sammelband 2000. Augsburger Beiträge zur Archäologie 3 (Augsburg 2001) p. 239-250.

Archaeobotanical results from the excavation of high medieval settlement structures from Augsburg (Bavaria, Germany)... more Archaeobotanical results from the excavation of high medieval settlement structures from Augsburg (Bavaria, Germany) are presented. The excavation of 1996 took place in the so-called "Lechviertel", a town quarter caracterized during medieval times by watermills and related craft activities. The layers dated to the 12th/13th c. revealed mainly waterlogged and well preserved plant remains. Resultats of environmental archaeology include also pollen and parasite analysis.

Ein hochmittelalterlicher Roggenfund vom Grundstück Schuhhagen 1 in Greifswald. Ein Beitrag zur frühen Wirtschaftsgeschichte in einer pommernschen Hansestadt [A high medieval find of carbonized rye from the parcelle Schuhhagen 1 in the Hanse town of Greifswald in Lower Pomerania]

by Julian Wiethold

Co-authored with S. Preiss and H. Schäfer

Baltische Studien, Neue Folge 88, 2002, p. 43-55.

Archäobotanische Analysen an spätrömischen und mittelalterlichen Pflanzenresten aus dem Kreuzgangbereich des Stiftes St. Arnual [Archaeobotanical analysis of late Roman and medieval plant remains from the cloister of the convent of St. Arnual, Saarbrücken, Germany]

by Julian Wiethold

In : H.-W. Herrmann, J. Selmer (eds.), Leben und Sterben in einem mittelalterlichen Kollegiatstift. Archäologische und baugeschichtliche Untersuchungen im ehemaligen Stift St. Arnual in Saarbrücken. Saarbrücken : 2007, p. 543-568 (Veröffentlichungen des Institutes für Landeskunde im Saarland, 43).

Holzanalysen an Sarghölzern spätmittelalterlicher und frühneuzeitlicher Bestattungen aus dem Kreuzgang der Stiftskirche St. Arnual in Saarbrücken

by Julian Wiethold

Co-authored with N. Boenke

In : H.-W. Herrmann/J. Selmer (eds.), Leben und Sterben in einem mittelalterlichen Kollegiatstift. Archäologische und baugeschichtliche Untersuchungen im ehemaligen Stift St. Arnual in Saarbrücken. Saarbrücken : 2007, p. 539-542 (Veröffentlichungen des Institutes für Landeskunde im Saarland ; 43).

"Excès" des prélats et gouvernement de l'Église au temps de la monarchie pontificale (vers 1150-vers 1350) : "dilapidation", "simonie", "incontinence", "dissolution"

by Julien Théry

Paru dans "Annuaire de l'EHESS. Compte rendus des cours et des conférences 2010-2011", Paris : EHESS, 2012

Présentation rapide des accusations avancées dans les procédures criminelles de la papauté contre les membres de la... more Présentation rapide des accusations avancées dans les procédures criminelles de la papauté contre les membres de la haute hiérarchie ecclésiastique. Ces affaires devinrent fréquentes à partir du pontificat d'Innocent III (1198-1216), au cours duquel fut achevée pour l'essentiel la mise au point d'un "mode inquisitoire" dont la genèse s'était accélérée au temps d'Alexandre III (1159-1181). Pour désigner les fautes reprochées aux chefs d'églises, les papes utilisaient trois mots à peu près interchangeables : "excessus", "crimen", "enormitas". Le premier était le plus usité. L'analyse d'environ 400 procédures recensées pour la période 1198-1314 montre que la "dilapidation" était le reproche le plus courant, la simonie et l'incontinence étant aussi des "excès" très fréquemment invoqués. Des dynamiques d'accumulation des griefs sont identifiées, parmi lesquelles l'association structurelle entre gouvernement de soi et gouvernement des autres. En l'absence d'un régime administratif des relations entre la papauté et les membres de la hiérarchie, les procédures criminelles visaient à faire peser toute la "plénitude de puissance" du vicaire du Christ sur ceux que la Curie tenait désormais pour les agents de son gouvernement centralisé.

Justice inquisitoire et construction de la souveraineté : le modèle ecclésial (XIIe-XIVe siècles). Normes, pratiques, diffusion

by Julien Théry

Paru dans "Annuaire de l'EHESS. Compte rendus des cours et conférences 2004-2005, Paris : EHESS, 2006, p. 593-594

Présentation dans ses grandes lignes d'une recherche orientée selon trois hypothèses : les pratiques d'enquête de... more Présentation dans ses grandes lignes d'une recherche orientée selon trois hypothèses : les pratiques d'enquête de vérité ont été au fondement d'un régime de relations de pouvoir original caractérisable comme une première forme de gouvernementalité souveraine ; le modèle ecclésial et sa procédure " romano-canonique " ont eu un rôle central pour la mise en place de ce nouveau régime ; l'enquête de vérité était constitutive de deux registres inhérents à cette gouvernementalité souveraine, celui de la "fama" et celui des "enormia". L'étude porte sur une longue série de procès menés par la papauté des XIIe-XIVe s., contre des prélats accusés d'" excès " ou " crimes " souvent dits " énormes ". Ces enquêtes ont constitué un domaine d'expérimentation, un laboratoire de l'inquisitoire canonique. La réflexion concerne ici principalement sur le rôle de la "fama", qui permettait la capillarité et la centralisation des relations de pouvoir organisées par l'enquête, tout en instaurant une problématique de vérité au cœur de ces relations. La "fama"donnait aux faits concernés un statut de vérité incertaine, à vérifier par l'enquête que seules pouvaient mener les autorités compétentes, c'est-à-dire les institutions souveraines

Le guépard médiéval, ou comment reconnaître un animal sans nom

by Thierry Buquet

Published in Reinardus, 23, 2011 p. 12-47. DOI : 10.1075/rein.23.02buq

The following PDF is the author's version, not the publisher's final layout and text.

Le guépard, utilisé... more The following PDF is the author's version, not the publisher's final layout and text.

Le guépard, utilisé comme auxiliaire de chasse dans les mondes irano-persans et arabes depuis des millénaires, et à ce titre bien connu et identifié dans ces aires culturelles, est longtemps resté en Occident un animal plus incertain, demeurant encore aujourd’hui difficile à repérer dans les sources médiévales. Son nom de “guépard” apparaissant en français seulement au 17e siècle, il ne semble pas posséder auparavant de nom en propre et porte le même zoonyme que la panthère: celui de “léopard”. De même, dans les images, il est parfois difficile de différencier les deux animaux. La présente contribution tente donc de faire le point sur ces confusions en donnant quelques éléments aidant à l’identification de cet animal sans nom dans les textes et les images. L’article apporte des indications relatives au contexte littéraire ou documentaire, principalement à la fin du Moyen Âge, où le guépard faisait partie des équipages de chasse princiers, notamment en Italie, aussi noble que le faucon, recherché comme un objet de luxe et de prestige exotique.

"El odio a las piedras. Oviedo como ejemplo de la desidia ante el Patrimonio"

by Eduardo Carrero

Co-authored with Gema E. Adán Álvarez, published in "Atlántica XXII. Revista Asturiana de información y pensamiento", 2 (2009), pp. 35-38

The origins of the medieval Polish towns (in:) Archaeologia Polona, vol. 32; 1994, 129-153

by Sławomir Mozdzioch

Zapomenutá Plzeň: Počátky města pod přemyslovskym hradem

by Karel Nováček

Co-authored with R. Široký and L. Kaiser

In the 10th–13th centuries, hillfort Pilsen (Plzeň) was the centre of Přemyslid administration in West Bohemia. Around... more In the 10th–13th centuries, hillfort Pilsen (Plzeň) was the centre of Přemyslid administration in West Bohemia. Around 1295 its functions were translated to newly-founded, 10 km distant town New Pilsen. This study assesses the results of more than a hundred years of ongoing archaeological investigation in terms of an understanding of the structures and development of this Early and High Medieval settlement of Old Pilsen. The greatest attention is devoted to newly-recovered indicators of the planned town foundation that in the second half of the 13th century was appended to the earlier settlement beneath a Přemyslid
stronghold, and which was in large measure abandoned again just after the foundation of the town New Pilsen.

Butrinto medievale. Bizantini, Veneziani e Ottomani nella città di Enea

by Alessandro Sebastiani

Published in Medioevo, 128: 76-80

Aquinas, Dante, and the Poetics of the Middle Ages

by Brendan Sammon

Presented at the Patristic, Medieval, and Renaissance Conference at Villanova University, 2008.

This paper highlights some of the primary elements of the poetics of the middle ages by focusing on two of its most... more This paper highlights some of the primary elements of the poetics of the middle ages by focusing on two of its most well known figures, Thomas Aquinas and Dante Alighieri. The term ‘poetics’ is not easily associate with the Middle Ages, a period thought by most to have been a vast, lifeless, desert in which the Western world wandered until it was finally brought into the “promise land” of Enlightenment. One of the greatest achievements of the middle ages was scholasticism, which was marked by concerns for order, intelligibility, and clarity. Textually these concerns began to manifest themselves in the work of Anselm of Canterbury, Anselm of Laon, Peter Abelard, Peter Lombard and many others. But nowhere did scholasticism’s order, intelligibility and clarity appear more refined than in the immense corpus of Thomas Aquinas, meriting him the title of “Prince of the Scholastics.” Consequently, scholasticism was and remains characterized as a sensibility more associated with systems, structure and scientific precision than with poetics. This paper will challenge this view and instead argue that there was a rich poetic sensibility running throughout the middle ages. It is well known that Dante’s most prominent influence was the scholastic sensibility in which he was reared, and, as some Dante scholars have argued (e.g., Wicksteed) the influence of Thomas Aquinas was particularly present. Using Aquinas as representative, this paper will investigate the poetics of the middle ages that culminated in the work of Dante Alighieri by addressing the question: how could an age that was concerned only with system, structure and scientific precision give birth to the brilliance of Dante?

Sex, Lies, and Paradise: The Assassins, Prester John, and the Fabulation of Civilizational Identities

by Geraldine Heng

differences 23.1 (Spring 2012).

The Assassins of Alamut are presented in popular media and academic studies as the 11th century forerunners of today's... more The Assassins of Alamut are presented in popular media and academic studies as the 11th century forerunners of today's "suicide terrorists"---thus producing a genealogy of spectacular Middle Eastern suicide-homicides that stretches back some 900 years.

"Sex, Lies, and Paradise" analyzes accretions of stories about the Assassins: to see how the Assassins got their name, were believed to anticipate an Islamic paradise in the afterlife, and came to represent for the West a volatile nexus of sex and violence.

This effort of literary archeology considers both eastern and western fabulations, and examines in particular how two popular, widely-circulating European texts---Marco Polo's Travels, and Mandeville's Travels---were key in shaping western understanding.

The article begins and ends by reflecting on the stakes involved---today, and in the past.