The World of Gregory of Tours (Cultures, Beliefs and Traditions Medieval and Early Modern Peoples)

This volume evaluates the life, works and world of Gregory of Tours, the 6th-century bishop who wrote the History of the Franks. His political dimension and cultural context is discussed, not only as a representative of his age, but also as an exceptional person. The book offers an up-to-date assessment of Merovingian culture, history and religion. In a fascinating series of essays, the life, works and world of Gregory of Tours are evaluated. This sixth-century bishop is probably best known as writer of the History of the Franks. The collection of essays makes a valuable contribution to the flourishing field of Gregory of Tours studies. Though the contributors take full account of his political dimension, they also see Gregory in his cultural context. In addition to being representative of the age in which he lived, Gregory is presented here as an exceptional man. Furthermore, the contributors offer an up-to-date assessment of Merovingian culture, history and religion. Themes include: the urban history of Tours and the Merovingian world; ideas, politics and international contacts in the Merovingian world; the Merovingian church; Gregory's hagiographic writings; the Histories; and the manuscript tradition. Contributors include: Bernard S. Bachrach, Peter Brown, John J. Contreni, S. Fanning, Nancy Gauthier, Walter Goffart, Guy Halsall, Yitzak Hen, Conrad Leyser, Felice Lifshitz, Jo Ann McNamara, Kathleen Mitchell, William Monroe, Janet L. Nelson, Giselle de Nie, Thomas F.X. Noble, Patrick Périn, Walther Pohl, E.M. Rose, B.H. Rosenwein, Danuta Shanzer, Julia M.H. Smith, Ian Wood, andBarbara Yorke. The Individuality Of Gregory Of Tours / Ian Wood -- From The Ancient City To The Medieval Town : Continuity And Change In The Early Middle Ages / Nancy Gauthier -- Settlements And Cemeteries In Merovingian Gaul / Patrick Périn -- Via Iustitiae : The Biblical Sources Of Justice In Gregory Of Tours / William Monroe -- Gregory Of Tours And Sixth-century Anglo-saxon England / Barbara Yorke -- Gregory Of Tours And Contemporary Perceptions Of Lombard Italy / Walther Pohl -- Gregory Of Tours And The Roman Church / Thomas F.x. Noble -- Women At The Tomb : Access To Relic Shrines In The Early Middle Ages / Julia M.h. Smith -- Inacessible Cloisters : Gregory Of Tours And Episcopal Exemption / B.h. Rosenwein -- Chastity As A Third Gender In The History And Hagiography Of Gregory Of Tours / Jo Ann Mcnamara -- Apostolicity Theses In Gaul : The Histories Of Gregory And The Hagiography Of Bayeux / Felice Lifschitz -- Paganism And Superstitions In The Time Of Gregory Of Tours : Une Question Mal Posée! / Yitzak Hen -- The Merovingian Church In Carolingian Retrospective / Janet L. Nelson -- History And Miracle : Gregory's Use Of Metaphor / Giselle De Nie -- Divine Power Flowed From His Book : Ascetic Language And Episcopal Authority In Gregory Of Tours' Life Of The Fathers / Conrad Leyser -- Making The Bounds : The Distant Past In Gregory's History / Kathleen Mitchell -- Gregory Of Tours And The Conversion Of The Jews Of Clermont / E.m. Rose -- Clovis Augustus And Merovingian Imitatio Imperii / S. Fanning -- Nero And Herod? The Death Of Chilperic And Gregory's Writings Of History / Guy Halsall -- Gregory Of Tours As A Military Historian / Bernard S. Bachrach -- Conspicuously Absent : Martial Heroism In The Histories Of Gregory Of Tours And Its Likes / Walter Goffart -- History, Romance, Love And Sex In Gregory Of Tours' Decem Libri Historiarum / Danuta Shanzer -- Reading Gregory Of Tours In The Middle Ages / John J. Contreni. Edited By Kathleen Mitchell And Ian Wood. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Title Page Copyright Page Table of Contents Preface Abbreviations List of Contributors Gregory of Tours: Introduction The Individuality of Gregory of Tours From the Ancient City to the Medieval Town: Continuity and Change in the Early Middle Ages Settlements and Cemeteries in Merovingian Gaul Via Iustitiae: The Biblical Sources of Justice in Gregory of Tours Gregory of Tours and Sixth-Century Anglo-Saxon England Gregory of Tours and Contemporary Perceptions of Lombard Italy Gregory of Tours and the Roman Church Women at the Tomb: Access to Relic Shrines in the Early Middle Ages Inaccessible Cloisters: Gregory of Tours and Episcopal Exemption Chastity as a Third Gender in the History and Hagiography of Gregory of Tours Apostolicity Theses in Gaul: The Histories of Gregory and the "Hagiography" of Bayeux Paganism and Superstitions in the Time of Gregory of Tours: une question mal posée! The Merovingian Church in Carolingian Retrospective History and Miracle: Gregory's Use of Metaphor "Divine Power Flowed from His Book": Ascetic Language and Episcopal Authority in Gregory of Tours' Life of the Fathers Marking the Bounds: The Distant Past in Gregory's History Gregory of Tours and the Conversion of the Jews of Clermont Clovis Augustus and Merovingian Imitatio Imperii Nero and Herod? The Death of Chilperic and Gregory's Writings of History Gregory of Tours as a Military Historian Conspicuously Absent: Martial Heroism in the Histories of Gregory of Tours and its Likes History, Romance, Love, and Sex in Gregory of Tours' Decem Libri Historiarum Reading Gregory of Tours in the Middle Ages Index CULTURES, BELIEFS AND TRADITIONS