Date
2024-03-13Author
Wolever, EricSubject
900 History and geography GeschichtsschreibungHugo, von Sankt VictorOtto, Freising, BischofTranslatio imperiiMetadata
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Aufsatz
The Translatio imperii and the Spatial Construction of History in the Twelfth Century
Abstract
Based on the theories of Otto of Freising and Hugh of Saint Victor, scholars widely accept that medieval authors conceived of history as a spatial progression of empires from Babylon in the east to Rome in the west. This article reevaluates that assumption, arguing that influential German scholars of the 1930s to 1960s inflated the perceived typicality of Otto’s writing. We see first that this has obscured the biblical exegetical basis of Hugh’s own theory. Surveying contemporary material from hagiographies of Thomas Becket to eschatological ideas among the ‘School of Chartres’, the article argues that it is these exegetical tropes and metaphors of the sun’s rising and setting that underlie twelfth-century discussions of east and west, not the translatio imperii. This underscores not only the novelty and achievement of Otto and Hugh, but also more clearly contextualises their work within their intellectual environment.
Citation
In: Journal of Medieval History Volume 50 / Issue 2 (2024-03-13) , S. 247-265 ; eissn:1873-1279Sponsorship
Gefördert im Rahmen des Projekts DEALCitation
@article{doi:10.17170/kobra-2024052510208,
author={Wolever, Eric},
title={The Translatio imperii and the Spatial Construction of History in the Twelfth Century},
journal={Journal of Medieval History},
year={2024}
}
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2024-05-25T08:44:47Z 2024-05-25T08:44:47Z 2024-03-13 doi:10.17170/kobra-2024052510208 http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/15780 Gefördert im Rahmen des Projekts DEAL eng Namensnennung 4.0 International http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Hugh of Saint Victor Otto of Freising Translatio imperii Translatio studii East West history writing School of Chartres 900 The Translatio imperii and the Spatial Construction of History in the Twelfth Century Aufsatz Based on the theories of Otto of Freising and Hugh of Saint Victor, scholars widely accept that medieval authors conceived of history as a spatial progression of empires from Babylon in the east to Rome in the west. This article reevaluates that assumption, arguing that influential German scholars of the 1930s to 1960s inflated the perceived typicality of Otto’s writing. We see first that this has obscured the biblical exegetical basis of Hugh’s own theory. Surveying contemporary material from hagiographies of Thomas Becket to eschatological ideas among the ‘School of Chartres’, the article argues that it is these exegetical tropes and metaphors of the sun’s rising and setting that underlie twelfth-century discussions of east and west, not the translatio imperii. This underscores not only the novelty and achievement of Otto and Hugh, but also more clearly contextualises their work within their intellectual environment. open access Wolever, Eric doi:10.1080/03044181.2024.2327041 Geschichtsschreibung Hugo, von Sankt Victor Otto, Freising, Bischof Translatio imperii publishedVersion eissn:1873-1279 Issue 2 Journal of Medieval History 247-265 Volume 50 false true
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