Wittenberg Historiography : Philipp Melanchton and the Reformation of Historical Thought

"In 'The Reformation of Historical Thought', Mark Lotito re-examines the development of Western historiography by concentrating on Philipp Melanchthon (1497-1560) and his universal history, 'Carion's Chronicle' (1532). With the 'Chronicle', Melanchthon overturned the medieval papal view of history, and he offered a distinctly Wittenberg perspective on the foundations of the 'modern' European world. Through its immense popularity, the 'Chronicle' assumed extraordinary significance across the divides of language, geography and confession. Indeed, Melanchthon's intervention would become the point of departure for theologians, historians and jurists to debate the past, present and future of the Holy Roman Empire. Through the 'Chronicle', the Wittenberg reformation of historical thought became an integral aspect of European intellectual culture for the centuries that followed"--Back cover The Reformation of Historical Thought Copyright Contents Acknowledgements Additional Acknowledgements List of Illustrations Abbreviations 1 Introduction 1 The Constitution of Europe 2 Philipp Melanchthon 3 Prior Research 4 Reformation of Historical Thought 5 Melanchthon's Historical Works 6 Carion's Chronicle 7 Chapter Summaries 2 The Fourth Monarchy and the Translatio Imperii 1 Introduction 2 Universal History and the Roman Empire 3 Christian Historiography 4 Late Antiquity and the Fourth Monarchy 5 St. Augustine and the Six Ages 6 Universal History in the Early Middle Ages 7 The Four Monarchies in the High Middle Ages 8 Translationes Imperii and the Donation of Constantine 9 Papal-Imperial Chronicles 10 Challenges to the Curial Theories 11 Early Printed Chronicles 12 The Germania Illustrata and Nauclerus's Chronicle 13 Conclusion 3 Johann Carion of Bietigheim: The Berlin Court Astronomer 1 Introduction 2 Carion's Early Career 3 Sintflut of 1524 4 A Second Flood Prediction 5 Natural Art of Astrology 6 The Dispute with Andreas Perlach 7 Carion and Königsberg 8 Carion and Melanchthon 9 Melanchthon and Annius of Viterbo 10 Carion's 1532 Visit to Wittenberg 11 Seventy Weeks of Daniel 12 Celestial Signs and Portents 13 Carion's Career after 1532 14 Conclusion 4 Carion's Chronicle: A Wittenberg View of the Past 1 Introduction 2 The Reformation of Form and Structure 3 Translationes Imperii 4 The Holy Roman Empire 5 The Four Monarchies and the Turks 6 The Wittenberg World Map 7 The Turks in Carion's Chronicle 8 Ecclesiastical History 9 The Melanchthon-Peucer Chronicle of 1572 10 Melanchthon's Revisions 11 Caspar Peucer's Revisions 12 The Electoral College 13 The Medieval Papacy 14 Ecclesiastical History and Periodization 15 Conclusion 5 The Transmission and Reception of Carion's Chronicle 1 Introduction 2 The Early Transmission of Carion's Chronicle 3 The Latin Transmission of the Carion-Melanchthon Chronicle 4 Translations 5 Carion's Chronicle in the Catholic Context 6 Johann Funck and the 1542 Turkish Campaign 7 The 1546 Wittenberg Edition 8 The Schmalkaldic War 9 Unauthorized Editions of the Chronicle 10 Melanchthon's Revised Chronicle 11 Caspar Peucer 12 Peucer and the Chronicle 13 Wittenberg and Frankfurt 14 Wittenberg Chronicle 15 The Fall of the Philippists 16 Conclusion 6 The Legacy of Wittenberg Historiography 1 Introduction 2 Jean Bodin's Attack on German Political Thought 3 The Initial German Response to Bodin 4 The Fourth Monarchy and the Theologians 5 The Fourth Monarchy and the Imperial Publicists 6 The Fourth Monarchy and the Historians 7 The Four Monarchies in the Graphic Arts 8 The Last Days of the Fourth Monarchy 7 Conclusion Appendix A Carion's Chronicle - Textual Transmission Appendix B Carion's Chronicle - Manuscript Notes Appendix C Carion's Chronicle - Stemma of Editions Appendix D Carion's Chronicle - Indices to the Editions Appendix E Carion's Chronicle - Census of Editions Bibliography Index