The ''Royal Frankish Annals'' (
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
: ''Annales regni Francorum''), also called the ''Annales Laurissenses maiores'' ('Greater Lorsch Annals'), are a series of
annals
Annals ( la, annāles, from , "year") are a concise historical record in which events are arranged chronologically, year by year, although the term is also used loosely for any historical record.
Scope
The nature of the distinction between ann ...
composed in
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
in the
Carolingian
The Carolingian dynasty (; known variously as the Carlovingians, Carolingus, Carolings, Karolinger or Karlings) was a Frankish noble family named after Charlemagne, grandson of mayor Charles Martel and a descendant of the Arnulfing and Pippin ...
Francia
Francia, also called the Kingdom of the Franks ( la, Regnum Francorum), Frankish Kingdom, Frankland or Frankish Empire ( la, Imperium Francorum), was the largest post-Roman barbarian kingdom in Western Europe. It was ruled by the Franks dur ...
, recording year-by-year the state of the monarchy from 741 (the death of
Charles Martel
Charles Martel ( – 22 October 741) was a Frankish political and military leader who, as Duke and Prince of the Franks and Mayor of the Palace, was the de facto ruler of Francia from 718 until his death. He was a son of the Frankish statesma ...
) to 829 (the beginning of the crisis of
Louis the Pious
Louis the Pious (german: Ludwig der Fromme; french: Louis le Pieux; 16 April 778 – 20 June 840), also called the Fair, and the Debonaire, was King of the Franks and co-emperor with his father, Charlemagne, from 813. He was also King of Aqui ...
). Their authorship is unknown, though
Wilhelm von Giesebrecht
Friedrich Wilhelm von Giesebrecht (5 March 1814 – 17 December 1889) was a German historian.
He was born in Berlin, the son of Karl Giesebrecht (died 1832), and a nephew of the poet Ludwig Giesebrecht (1792–1873).
He studied under Leopold v ...
suggested that
Arno of Salzburg
Arno, Arn or Aquila (c. 750–821) was bishop of Salzburg, and afterwards its first archbishop. He preserved his voluminous correspondence from the scholar Alcuin of York.
Early years
He entered the church at an early age, and after passing s ...
was the author of an early section surviving in the copy at
Lorsch Abbey
Lorsch Abbey, otherwise the Imperial Abbey of Lorsch (german: Reichsabtei Lorsch; la, Laureshamense Monasterium or ''Laurissa''), is a former Imperial abbey in Lorsch, Germany, about east of Worms. It was one of the most renowned monasteries o ...
. The Annals are believed to have been composed in successive sections by different authors, and then compiled.
The depth of knowledge regarding court affairs suggests that the annals were written by persons close to the king, and their initial reluctance to comment on Frankish defeats betrays an official design for use as Carolingian propaganda. Though the information contained within is heavily influenced by authorial intent in favor of the Franks, the annals remain a crucial source on the political and military history of the reign of
Charlemagne
Charlemagne ( , ) or Charles the Great ( la, Carolus Magnus; german: Karl der Große; 2 April 747 – 28 January 814), a member of the Carolingian dynasty, was King of the Franks from 768, King of the Lombards from 774, and the first Holy ...
.
Copies of the annals can be categorized into five classes, based on additions and revisions to the text. The chronicles were continued and incorporated in the
West Frankish
In medieval history, West Francia (Medieval Latin: ) or the Kingdom of the West Franks () refers to the western part of the Frankish Empire established by Charlemagne. It represents the earliest stage of the Kingdom of France, lasting from about ...
''
Annales Bertiniani
''Annales Bertiniani'' (''Annals of Saint Bertin'') are late Carolingian, Frankish annals that were found in the Abbey of Saint Bertin, Saint-Omer, France, after which they are named. Their account is taken to cover the period 830-82, thus contin ...
'' and in the
East Frankish
East Francia (Medieval Latin: ) or the Kingdom of the East Franks () was a successor state of Charlemagne's Carolingian Empire, empire ruled by the Carolingian dynasty until 911. It was created through the Treaty of Verdun (843) which divided t ...
''
Annales Fuldenses
The ''Annales Fuldenses'' or ''Annals of Fulda'' are East Frankish chronicles that cover independently the period from the last years of Louis the Pious (died 840) to shortly after the end of effective Carolingian rule in East Francia with the ac ...
'' and ''
Annales Xantenses
The ''Annales Xantenses'' or ''Annals of Xanten'' are a series of annals which adapt and continue the Royal Frankish Annals. Their first editor, Georg Pertz, thought they were perhaps written at the monastery at Xanten, hence their name. However, ...
.''
Content
![Pepin le Bref](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b3/Pepin_le_Bref.jpg)
The annals give a brief individual description of events for each year (a few omitted), with a focus on the actions of the Carolingian monarchy, beginning with the account of
Pepin the Short's ascension through the dethronement of the
Merovingian
The Merovingian dynasty () was the ruling family of the Franks from the middle of the 5th century until 751. They first appear as "Kings of the Franks" in the Roman army of northern Gaul. By 509 they had united all the Franks and northern Gauli ...
king
Childeric III
Childeric III ( 717 – 754) was King of Francia from 743 until he was deposed by Pope Zachary in March 751 at the instigation of Pepin the Short. Although his parentage is uncertain, he is considered the last Frankish king from the Merovingian ...
. The annalists pay particular attention to the military campaigns of the Carolingian kings, justifying their actions in terms of a grand narrative of Carolingian peacekeeping and conquest in the name of expanding the
Christian
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
faith. The overthrow of the Merovingians is also portrayed in such a way as to legitimize the transfer of royal power between dynasties, emphasizing Carolingian adherence to Frankish traditions and the approval of
Pope Zacharias
Pope Zachary ( la, Zacharias; 679 – March 752) was the bishop of Rome from 28 November 741 to his death. He was the last pope of the Byzantine Papacy. Zachary built the original church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva, forbade the traffic of slav ...
in the matter.
Of the three kings—Pepin,
Charlemagne
Charlemagne ( , ) or Charles the Great ( la, Carolus Magnus; german: Karl der Große; 2 April 747 – 28 January 814), a member of the Carolingian dynasty, was King of the Franks from 768, King of the Lombards from 774, and the first Holy ...
, and
Louis Louis may refer to:
* Louis (coin)
* Louis (given name), origin and several individuals with this name
* Louis (surname)
* Louis (singer), Serbian singer
* HMS ''Louis'', two ships of the Royal Navy
See also
Derived or associated terms
* Lewis (d ...
—Charlemagne's military chronicles are the most detailed, covering his victories against the
Saxons
The Saxons ( la, Saxones, german: Sachsen, ang, Seaxan, osx, Sahson, nds, Sassen, nl, Saksen) were a group of Germanic
*
*
*
*
peoples whose name was given in the early Middle Ages to a large country (Old Saxony, la, Saxonia) near the Nor ...
,
Bretons
The Bretons (; br, Bretoned or ''Vretoned,'' ) are a Celts, Celtic ethnic group native to Brittany. They trace much of their heritage to groups of Common Brittonic, Brittonic speakers who emigrated from Dumnonia, southwestern Great Britain, par ...
, and other peoples. The account of Charlemagne's campaign against the Saxons is also notable as one of the few extant references to the
Irminsul
An Irminsul (Old Saxon 'great pillar') was a sacred, pillar-like object attested as playing an important role in the Germanic paganism of the Saxons. Medieval sources describe how an Irminsul was destroyed by Charlemagne during the Saxon Wars. A ...
, an important if enigmatic part of the
Germanic paganism
Germanic paganism or Germanic religion refers to the traditional, culturally significant religion of the Germanic peoples. With a chronological range of at least one thousand years in an area covering Scandinavia, the British Isles, modern Germ ...
practiced by the Saxons at the time. Its destruction is a major point in the annals, written to continue a jingoistic theme of Frankish triumphs against the “un-Frankish” and unchristian barbarian. The unrevised text neglects to mention defeats suffered by Charlemagne, such as the
Battle of Roncevaux Pass
The Battle of Roncevaux Pass ( French and English spelling, ''Roncesvalles'' in Spanish, ''Orreaga'' in Basque) in 778 saw a large force of Basques ambush a part of Charlemagne's army in Roncevaux Pass, a high mountain pass in the Pyrenees on th ...
in 778 (later dramatized in the ''
Song of Roland
''The Song of Roland'' (french: La Chanson de Roland) is an 11th-century ''chanson de geste'' based on the Frankish military leader Roland at the Battle of Roncevaux Pass in 778 AD, during the reign of the Carolingian king Charlemagne. It is t ...
'') and the
Battle of Süntel
The Battle of Süntel was a land battle that took place between Saxon rebels led by Widukind and a detachment of Frankish forces led by envoys of Charlemagne named Adalgis, Geilo, and Worad at Süntel in 782 during the Saxon Wars. The result was a ...
in 782.
The Battle of Süntel is portrayed in the annals as a victory, as opposed to a crushing Frankish defeat at the hands of the Saxons. The 792 conspiracy of
Pepin the Hunchback
Pepin, or Pippin the Hunchback (French: Pépin le Bossu, German: Pippin der Buckelige; c. 768 / 769 – 811) was a Frankish prince. He was the eldest son of Charlemagne and noblewoman Himiltrude. He developed a humped back after birth, leading e ...
against Charlemagne is also omitted, along with any reference to potential misconduct on Charlemagne's part. The revised text, however, incorporates these events while maintaining a positive tone towards the emperor, presented as a peerless leader in battle.
![Louis the Pious](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/92/Louis_the_Pious.jpg)
Charlemagne's son, Louis the Pious, is rarely shown engaging in battle by the annalists, but rather directs others to do so, or negotiates for peace. The contrast between Louis and his father and grandfather is clear. While the past kings were unshakeable figures, depicted as the better of their foes even in defeat by the revised edition, the annalists’ Louis is a smaller man who invests the power of the military in others, not unlike the annals’ earlier depiction of the Merovingian kings. Miracles aid Charlemagne and his men, and the grace of God leads him to victory; mostly ill portents surround Louis, such as an omen in the stars supposedly foretelling his army's defeat at the hands of
Count Aizo, and the sudden collapse of a wooden arcade atop him in 817.
Such references to striking natural phenomena, strange happenings, and miracles become increasingly common in the annal entries for the 9th century. In addition to astronomical oddities, such as
eclipses
An eclipse is an astronomical event that occurs when an astronomical object or spacecraft is temporarily obscured, by passing into the shadow of another body or by having another body pass between it and the viewer. This alignment of three ce ...
, the supernatural begins to enter the account, set against almost ritualistic yearly notices of the regular passages of
Christmas
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus, Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by country, around t ...
and
Easter
Easter,Traditional names for the feast in English are "Easter Day", as in the '' Book of Common Prayer''; "Easter Sunday", used by James Ussher''The Whole Works of the Most Rev. James Ussher, Volume 4'') and Samuel Pepys''The Diary of Samuel ...
. Nearly two-dozen villages are reported to have been destroyed by heavenly fire in 823, while at the same time an unnamed girl is said to have begun a three-year
fast.
Scholz regards this preoccupation as a reflection of a belief in a divine will and control of history. Many of the worse omens also parallel growing dissatisfaction with Louis the Pious, which immediately after the end of the annals spilled into
civil war
A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country).
The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
between him and his sons. Divine intervention through the relics of saints play an important role as well, with mention of
Hilduin's translation of the relics of
St. Sebastian
Saint Sebastian (in Latin: ''Sebastianus''; Narbonne, Narbo, Gallia Narbonensis, Roman Empire c. AD 255 – Rome, Roman Italy, Italia, Roman Empire c. AD 288) was an early Christianity, Christian saint and martyr. According to traditional beli ...
to the
Abbey of St. Medard, and
Einhard's transport of the relics of
SS. Marcellinus and Peter into Francia.
A more detailed account of Einhard's procurement of the relics exists in his ''Translation and Miracles of Marcellinus and Peter''.
Additionally, the annals provide the only attestation to the existence of Charlemagne's personal elephant
Abul-Abbas
Abul-Abbas ( – 810) was an Asian elephant brought back to the Carolingian emperor Charlemagne by his diplomat Isaac the Jew. The gift was from the Abbasid caliph Harun al-Rashid and symbolizes the beginning of Abbasid–Carolingian relation ...
, aside from a mention by Einhard drawn from the annals. The gift of the elephant to Charlemagne, amongst other treasures, by
Abbasid
The Abbasid Caliphate ( or ; ar, الْخِلَافَةُ الْعَبَّاسِيَّة, ') was the third caliphate to succeed the Islamic prophet Muhammad. It was founded by a dynasty descended from Muhammad's uncle, Abbas ibn Abdul-Muttalib ...
Caliph
A caliphate or khilāfah ( ar, خِلَافَة, ) is an institution or public office under the leadership of an Islamic steward with the title of caliph (; ar, خَلِيفَة , ), a person considered a political-religious successor to th ...
Harun al-Rashid
Abu Ja'far Harun ibn Muhammad al-Mahdi ( ar
, أبو جعفر هارون ابن محمد المهدي) or Harun ibn al-Mahdi (; or 766 – 24 March 809), famously known as Harun al-Rashid ( ar, هَارُون الرَشِيد, translit=Hārūn ...
is evidence of the attempts to form an
Abbasid-Carolingian alliance at the time, which the annals document loosely.
Classification
The annals survive in multiple versions, widely distributed across the Frankish empire, though none of these are original copies. Each version is marked with distinguishing features, and based on these features, Friedrich Kurze formulated five classes for the categorization of these texts. This system still remains in use. The five classes of texts are lettered A through D, with an additional E class for the revised text. They are as follow:
Class A
Class A texts end at the year 788, and are reflected in one of the earliest modern printings of the annals, that of
Heinrich Canisius's ''Francicorum Annalium fragmentum''. Canisius also includes the years up to 793 in his printing, however, and
Rosamond McKitterick
Rosamond Deborah McKitterick (born 31 May 1949) is an English medieval historian. She is an authority on the Frankish kingdoms in the eighth and ninth centuries AD, who uses palaeographical and manuscript studies to illuminate aspects of the po ...
speculates that the manuscript originally ran to that date. These manuscripts are now lost.
Class B
Class B texts go to, at the latest, 813. Kurze notes that one of these was used by
Regino of Prüm
Regino of Prüm or of Prum ( la, Regino Prumiensis, german: Regino von Prüm; died 915 AD) was a Benedictine monk, who served as abbot of Prüm (892–99) and later of Saint Martin's at Trier, and chronicler, whose ''Chronicon'' is an important s ...
in his ''Chronicon''.
Class C
Class C texts are complete through 829. These contain various additions not found in the previous two classes, and Kurze divides them based on what other texts are found in their codices, such as the ''
Liber historiae Francorum
''Liber Historiae Francorum'' ( en, link=no, "The Book of the History of the Franks") is a chronicle written anonymously during the 8th century. The first sections served as a secondary source for early Franks in the time of Marcomer, giving a s ...
''.
Class D
Class D texts are derived from a complete copy, though McKitterick points out that the derivatives are often not complete themselves. These also contain insertions not found in the other classes, including mention of Pepin the Hunchback. The revised texts are based on a Class D manuscript.
Class E
Class E comprises the revised editions of the annals, and are by far the most numerous. These are often found paired with Einhard's ''
Vita Karoli Magni
''Vita Karoli Magni'' (''Life of Charlemagne'') is a biography of Charlemagne, King of the Franks and Holy Roman Emperor, written by Einhard.Ogg, p. 109 The ''Life of Charlemagne'' is a 33 chapter long account starting with the full of the Mero ...
'', and it is partially from this that they are sometimes believed to have been written by him as well, and thus called the ''Annales qui dicuntur Einhardi'' (English: ''Annals which are said to be of Einhard''). The revised editions correct the Latin of the originals and elaborate on many of the earlier entries, which were written by a terse hand in their unedited states. The major edits go up to 801, with minor stylistic changes through 812.
Authorship
![Zerstörung der Irminsaule durch Karl den Großen by Heinrich Leutemann](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0b/Zerst%C3%B6rung_der_Irminsaule_durch_Karl_den_Gro%C3%9Fen_by_Heinrich_Leutemann.jpg)
Though the number of sections into which the annals should be divided is debated, they undoubtedly were written in at least four stages, corresponding roughly to the entries for 741-795, 796-807, 808-819, and 820-829. Additionally, an unknown editor produced the revised text at some point during the third stage. The identities of any of the authors save that of the fourth section are unknown, but production by a group of
clerics
Clergy are formal leaders within established religions. Their roles and functions vary in different religious traditions, but usually involve presiding over specific rituals and teaching their religion's doctrines and practices. Some of the ter ...
associated with the Carolingian court is likely.
The First Section (741-795)
Between the years 741 and 768, the annals overlap with the continuations of the ''
Chronicle of Fredegar
The ''Chronicle of Fredegar'' is the conventional title used for a 7th-century Frankish chronicle that was probably written in Burgundy. The author is unknown and the attribution to Fredegar dates only from the 16th century.
The chronicle begins ...
''. On account of this, scholars such as Scholz have suggested that the annals are based on the continuation of ''Fredegar'' up to 768, and then on minor annals up to some point between 787 and 793. McKitterick, however, contends that the continuation of ''Fredegar'' and the minor annals are more likely based upon the ''Annales regni Francorum'', which is the most ordered and precise of them. Neither argument considers these entries to be contemporaneous with the events described. The manner of reporting for these years is typically terse, though they include the convention of mentioning Easter and Christmas, which continues throughout the annals.
The author of this section is unknown. Scholz posits the work of multiple authors in the royal chapel. The year 795 is not definitive as the date of authorial change, but it is the latest of those suggested.
The Second Section (796-807)
Unlike the first section, these entries were written contemporaneously and with greater depth. Considering this and the fact that the subject matter remains fixed on the actions of Charlemagne, composition by members of the royal chapel again seems likely, as few other groups would have had access to the same information. However, the identities of these authors remains unknown.
The Third Section (808-819)
This section, as well as the fourth, are also both contemporaneous accounts. Scholz notes an increased eloquence in the language employed from here on. At this time, the editor of the revised edition also began his work on the earlier entries, bringing the Latin up to a similar level as the new entries and adding lengthy passages where detail was lacking, again in the style of the later years. For this reason, the editor is believed to have belonged to or been affiliated with this third group of authors.
The Fourth Section (809-829)
This section ends abruptly after the events of 829, and for this reason has been associated with Hilduin of St. Denis. The case for his authorship is founded on Hilduin's involvement in the first civil war between Louis and his sons in 830. In that year, he left the emperor's service to join the sons’ uprising and was subsequently banished, which would account for the termination of the annals. His increasing distaste for Louis would also correspond with the veiled negativity towards the emperor which surfaces in the later entries of the annal, in the form of faint praise and the recording of omens and disasters. Additionally, the entry for 826 mentions Hilduin's translation of relics, and is followed in 827 by Einhard's translation. The inclusion of these somewhat obscure events, both of which Hilduin was involved with, would be explained by his authorship of the section.
The Revised Text
![Einhard](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/72/Einhard.jpg)
The revised text is believed to have been edited after Charlemagne's death in 814 but prior to Einhard's ''Vita Karoli Magni'', which references the revisions, written in 833 at the latest. It covers the years 741 through 812, variously adding detail and modifying style.
Leopold von Ranke
Leopold von Ranke (; 21 December 1795 – 23 May 1886) was a German historian and a founder of modern source-based history. He was able to implement the seminar teaching method in his classroom and focused on archival research and the analysis of ...
put forth Einhard as the editor, an association which has carried with the revised annals in references to the ''Annales qui dicuntur Einhardi''. However, while no other names have been suggested for the editor, the case for Einhard cannot be argued definitively either.
[Scholz “Introduction” ''Carolingian Chronicles'' p. 7]
Legacy
Three major annals take up the work of the Annales regni Francorum after 829: the ''
Annales Bertiniani
''Annales Bertiniani'' (''Annals of Saint Bertin'') are late Carolingian, Frankish annals that were found in the Abbey of Saint Bertin, Saint-Omer, France, after which they are named. Their account is taken to cover the period 830-82, thus contin ...
'', the ''
Annales Fuldenses
The ''Annales Fuldenses'' or ''Annals of Fulda'' are East Frankish chronicles that cover independently the period from the last years of Louis the Pious (died 840) to shortly after the end of effective Carolingian rule in East Francia with the ac ...
'', and the ''
Annales Xantenses
The ''Annales Xantenses'' or ''Annals of Xanten'' are a series of annals which adapt and continue the Royal Frankish Annals. Their first editor, Georg Pertz, thought they were perhaps written at the monastery at Xanten, hence their name. However, ...
''. The ''Annales Bertiniani'' concern the
West Frankish Kingdom
In medieval history, West Francia (Medieval Latin: ) or the Kingdom of the West Franks () refers to the western part of the Frankish Empire established by Charlemagne. It represents the earliest stage of the Kingdom of France, lasting from about ...
from 830 to 882, serving as a direct unofficial continuation. The ''Annales Fuldenses'' use the ''Annales regni Francorum'' as a basis up to the year 829, and then continue on their own until 901, documenting the
East Frankish Kingdom
East Francia (Medieval Latin: ) or the Kingdom of the East Franks () was a successor state of Charlemagne's empire ruled by the Carolingian dynasty until 911. It was created through the Treaty of Verdun (843) which divided the former empire int ...
. The ''Annales Xantenses'' run from 832 to 873 and are largely independent from the other two continuations.
See also
*
Reichsannalen
The ''Reichsannalen'' are a class of annals composed anonymously in the Carolingian Empire throughout the 9th century. They first appeared under Pepin the Short in 741 and became ubiquitous at monasteries throughout the empire in the following deca ...
Text Sources
Latin
Heinrich Canisius’s ''Francicorum Annalium fragmentum'' in ''Antiquae Lectiones'' Book III (Class A)
at
The Latin Library
The Latin Library is a website that collects public domain Latin texts. It is run by William L. Carey, adjunct professor of Latin and Roman Law at George Mason University. The texts have been drawn from different sources, are not intended for rese ...
(Class C)
The ''Annales regni Francorum'' in ''Scriptores rerum Germanicarum in usum scholarum separatim editi''from ''
Monumenta Germaniae Historica
The ''Monumenta Germaniae Historica'' (''MGH'') is a comprehensive series of carefully edited and published primary sources, both chronicle and archival, for the study of Northwestern and Central European history from the end of the Roman Empire ...
'', with preface and classifications by Friedrich Kurze (Composite)
English
Scholz, B. (1972). ''Carolingian chronicles: Royal Frankish annals and Nithard's Histories'', Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press (Composite with annotations)
King, P.D. (1987). ''Charlemagne: Translated Sources'', Lambrigg, Kendal, Cumbria: P.D. King
Citations
References
*Boyd, Kelly, ed. ''Encyclopedia of Historians and Historical Writers'' (Rutledge, 1999) 1:35-36
* [https://books.google.com/books/about/History_and_Memory_in_the_Carolingian_Wo.html?id=EWj0ujGyGewC&redir_esc=y McKitterick, R. (2004). ''History and Memory in the Carolingian World''. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press],
* McKitterick, R. (2000). “The Illusion of Royal Power in the Carolingian Annals”, The English Historical Review 115(460), pp. 1–20. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Scholz, B. (1972). ''Carolingian chronicles: Royal Frankish annals and Nithard's Histories''. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press
*
External links
{{Authority control
8th-century history books
9th-century history books
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Sources on Germanic paganism
8th-century Latin books
9th-century Latin books
Works of unknown authorship
8th-century Latin writers
8th-century Frankish writers