Histories and Pseudo-Histories of the Insular Middle Ages (Collected Studies Series, 316)

The centuries that followed the Roman withdrawal from the British Isles have not been called 'Dark' for nothing; in the sources that survive, fact and legend seem inextricably intertwined, and the work of later medieval writers has only deepened the confusion. Dr. Dumville has done much to help dissect and disentangle these sources, probing the cultural history of the Insular Middle Ages, tracing the channels through which historical knowledge was transmitted and the interaction of political thought and historical writing - ideologically based historiography looms large as evidence in any attempt to grasp how medieval people comprehended their past. In these essays, he concentrates on the historiographical practices of the Irish, Britons and English, which shared much in common. Specific themes are the Insular cultivation of genealogy, the classic British pseudo-history (as in the Historia Brittonum and Geoffrey of Monmouth), the important Cistercian school of historical studies at Sawley, and the traditions of annalistic chronicling. An important section of Addenda is also provided. Les sicles qui ont suivi le retrait romain des les britanniques nont pas t qualifis d Obscurs sans raison; dans les sources, faits et lgendes semblent tre irrmdiablement embrouills et les traveaux dcrivans mdiaveaux postrieurs nont gure fait que dajouter la confusion qui rgnait dj. Le Dr Dumville a beaucoup fait, afin daider dissquer et dmler ces sources, en explorant lhistoire culturelle du Moyen Age. Insulaire, en retraant les voies par lesquelles la connaissance historiquefut transmise, ainsi que celles linternaction de la pense politique et de lcriture historique. Ces essais se concentre sur les pratiques historiographes des Irlandais, des Britanniques et des Anglais qui possdent un bon nombre daspects en commun. Les thmes les plus spcifiques sont ceux de la culture Insulaire de la g The Historia Britonnum And Its Sources -- The Sawley School -- The Diffusion Of The British Pseudo-histories -- Genealogy And Pseudo-history -- Irish Annals And Chronicles. David N. Dumville. Includes Bibliographies And Index.