The School of Reims was the

cathedral school Cathedral schools began in the Early Middle Ages as centers of advanced education, some of them ultimately evolving into medieval universities. Throughout the Middle Ages and beyond, they were complemented by the monastic schools. Some of these e ...

Reims Cathedral , image = Reims Kathedrale.jpg , imagealt = Facade, looking northeast , caption = Façade of the cathedral, looking northeast , pushpin map = France , pushpin map alt = Location within France , ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

that was in operation during the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...

. The term is also used of an artistic style in

Carolingian art Carolingian art comes from the Frankish Empire in the period of roughly 120 years from about 780 to 900—during the reign of Charlemagne and his immediate heirs—popularly known as the Carolingian Renaissance. The art was produced by and for the ...

, lasting into

Ottonian art Ottonian art is a style in pre-romanesque German art, covering also some works from the Low Countries, northern Italy and eastern France. It was named by the art historian Hubert Janitschek after the Ottonian dynasty which ruled Germany and nort ...

in works such as the gold relief figures on the cover of the

Codex Aureus of Echternach The Codex Aureus of Echternach (''Codex aureus Epternacensis'') is an illuminated Gospel Book, created in the approximate period 1030–1050, with a re-used front cover from around the 980s. It is now in the Germanisches Nationalmuseum in Nuremb ...

, which in fact were probably made in

Trier Trier ( , ; lb, Tréier ), formerly known in English as Trèves ( ;) and Triers (see also names in other languages), is a city on the banks of the Moselle in Germany. It lies in a valley between low vine-covered hills of red sandstone in the ...

in the 890s. Archbishop

Ebbo Ebbo or Ebo ( – 20 March 851) was the Archbishop of Rheims from 816 until 835 and again from 840 to 841. He was born a German serf on the royal demesne of Charlemagne. He was educated at his court and became the librarian and councillor ...

(d. 851) promoted artistic production at the abbey at

Hautvillers Hautvillers is a commune in the Marne department in north-eastern France. The Abbey of St. Peter which existed here until the French Revolution was the home of the famous Dom Perignon, a Benedictine monk whose work in wine-making helped to deve ...

, near the city. Major works probably made there in the 9th century include: the

Ebbo Gospels The Ebbo Gospels (Épernay, Bibliothèque Municipale, Ms. 1) is an early Carolingian illuminated Gospel book known for an unusual, energetic style of illustration. The book was produced in the ninth century at the Benedictine Abbaye Saint-Pierre ...

(816–835), the

Utrecht Psalter The Utrecht Psalter (Utrecht, Universiteitsbibliotheek, MS Bibl. Rhenotraiectinae I Nr 32.) is a ninth-century illuminated manuscript, illuminated psalter which is a key masterpiece of Carolingian art; it is probably the most valuable manuscript ...

, which was perhaps the most important of all Carolingian manuscripts, and the ''

Bern Physiologus The ''Bern Physiologus'' (Bern, Burgerbibliothek, ''Codex Bongarsianus'' 318) is a 9th-century illuminated copy of the Latin translation of the ''Physiologus''. It was probably produced at Reims about 825–850. It is believed to be a copy of a 5 ...

''. Established by Archbishop Fulcon (822-900), the actual cathedral school attracted great names such as

Hincmar Hincmar (; ; la, Hincmarus; 806 – 21 December 882), archbishop of Reims, was a Frankish jurist and theologian, as well as the friend, advisor and propagandist of Charles the Bald. He belonged to a noble family of northern Francia. Biography Ea ...

, the

Archbishop of Reims The Archdiocese of Reims (traditionally spelt "Rheims" in English) ( la, Archidiœcesis Remensis; French: ''Archidiocèse de Reims'') is a Latin Church ecclesiastic territory or archdiocese of the Catholic Church in France. Erected as a diocese ...

between 845 and 882, the

chronicler A chronicle ( la, chronica, from Greek ''chroniká'', from , ''chrónos'' – "time") is a historical account of events arranged in chronological order, as in a timeline. Typically, equal weight is given for historically important events and lo ...

Flodoard Flodoard of Reims (; 893/4 – 28 March 966) was a Frankish chronicler and priest of the cathedral church of Reims in the West Frankish kingdom during the decades following the dissolution of the Carolingian Empire. His historical writings are m ...

(c. 893–966),

Richerus Richerus or Richer of Reims ( fl. 10th century) was a monk of Saint-Remi, just outside Reims, and a historian, an important source for the contemporary kingdom of France. Life He was a son of Rodulf, a trusted councillor and captain of Louis IV of ...

, monk of Saint-Remi (died after 998), and Gerbert d'Aurillac (c.946–1003), who went on to become Archbishop of Reims and later

Pope Sylvester II Pope Sylvester II ( – 12 May 1003), originally known as Gerbert of Aurillac, was a French-born scholar and teacher who served as the bishop of Rome and ruled the Papal States from 999 to his death. He endorsed and promoted study of Arab and Gre ...

. Soon after Gerbert left the school declined in prominence and there is little record of it in the first half of the 11th century. It was restored mid-century under the leadership of Chancellor Herimann. None of Herimann's writings survive, but contemporaries describe him as a great scholar. Teaching at the school while Herimann was master was

Bruno of Cologne Bruno of Cologne, O.Cart. (german: Bruno von Köln, it, Bruno di Colonia;c. 1030 – 6 October 1101), venerated as Saint Bruno, was the founder of the Carthusian Order. He personally founded the order's first two communities. He was a celebrate ...

, also a noted scholar who would later found the

Carthusians The Carthusians, also known as the Order of Carthusians ( la, Ordo Cartusiensis), are a Latin enclosed religious order of the Catholic Church. The order was founded by Bruno of Cologne in 1084 and includes both monks and nuns. The order has its ...

after was ousted from the school in a dispute with Archbishop Manasses I of Reims. From about 1076 to 1094 the next chancellor of the school was the poet

Godfrey of Rheims Godfrey of Rheims (died c. 1094) was an 11th century poet. He was born in Rheims and educated at the Cathedral School of Rheims. He was appointed chancellor of the school in 1076 or 1077 by Archbishop Manasses I. In 1080 Manasses was deposed and f ...

who maintained its high reputation. After Godfrey the school again declined. The next Chancellor, Odalric, was much involved in political disputes in the area. He rose to become a cardinal but has no record of positive impact on the school. At the same period the nearby school at

Laon Laon () is a city in the Aisne department in Hauts-de-France in northern France. History Early history The holy district of Laon, which rises a hundred metres above the otherwise flat Picardy plain, has always held strategic importance. In ...

led by the scholar Anselm eclipsed the school at Reims in regional prominence. Reims reemerged when Anselm died in 1117 and his most prominent student

Alberich In German heroic legend, Alberich () is a dwarf. He features most prominently in the poems ''Nibelungenlied'' and ''Ortnit''. He also features in the Old Norse collection of German legends called the Thidreksaga under the name Alfrikr. His name me ...

returned to his native Reims to lead the school.John R. Williams. “The Cathedral School of Reims in the time of Master Alberic, 1118 - 1136.” ''Traditio'', vol. 20, 1964, pp. 93–114. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/27830770. Accessed 27 Jan. 2021.

References

{{Authority control Science in the Middle Ages Medieval philosophy History of education in France Medieval organizations

Reims Reims ( , , ; also spelled Rheims in English) is the most populous city in the French department of Marne, and the 12th most populous city in France. The city lies northeast of Paris on the Vesle river, a tributary of the Aisne. Founded by ...

Educational institutions established in the 9th century