David Scotus was a Gaelic chronicler who died in 1139.
Biography
His date of birth is unknown. Early in the twelfth century there was at
Würzburg
Würzburg (; Main-Franconian: ) is a city in the region of Franconia in the north of the German state of Bavaria. Würzburg is the administrative seat of the ''Regierungsbezirk'' Lower Franconia. It spans the banks of the Main River.
Würzburg is ...
an ecclesiastic and teacher known as David. His surname Scotus shows that he was probably a
Gael
The Gaels ( ; ga, Na Gaeil ; gd, Na Gàidheil ; gv, Ny Gaeil ) are an ethnolinguistic group native to Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man in the British Isles. They are associated with the Gaelic languages: a branch of the Celtic languag ...
from either Ireland or Scotland, if he is identical with the homonymous
Bishop of Bangor
The Bishop of Bangor is the ordinary of the Church in Wales Diocese of Bangor. The see is based in the city of Bangor where the bishop's seat (''cathedra'') is at Cathedral Church of Saint Deiniol.
The ''Report of the Commissioners appointed ...
, from
Wales
Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...
(see below).
According to
Ekkehard Ekkehard (and Eckardt, Eckard, Eckart, Eckhardt, Ekkehart) is a German given name. It is composed of the elements ''ekke'' "edge, blade; sword" and ''hart'' "brave; hardy". Variant forms include Eckard, Eckhard, Eckhart, Eckart.
The Anglo-Saxon for ...
's ''Chronicon'',
[ed., Monum. German. Histor.: Script., VI, 243] Emperor Henry V
Henry V (german: Heinrich V.; probably 11 August 1081 or 1086 – 23 May 1125, in Utrecht) was King of Germany (from 1099 to 1125) and Holy Roman Emperor (from 1111 to 1125), as the fourth and last ruler of the Salian dynasty. He was made co-ru ...
received him, was charmed with his virtue and knowledge, and made him one of the
imperial chaplains. With other scholars, David accompanied Henry on his expedition to Italy in 1110, and was appointed royal
historiographer
Historiography is the study of the methods of historians in developing history as an academic discipline, and by extension is any body of historical work on a particular subject. The historiography of a specific topic covers how historians hav ...
for the occasion with the intention, perhaps, of drafting the emperor's ''relatio'', a brief narrative stringing together the documents of the intended treaty and presenting his master's achievements in the best light. The expedition did not go to plan, with the incumbent Pope
Pascal II
Pope Paschal II ( la, Paschalis II; 1050 1055 – 21 January 1118), born Ranierius, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 13 August 1099 to his death in 1118. A monk of the Abbey of Cluny, he was cre ...
at first refusing to crown Henry and his wife,
Matilda
Matilda or Mathilda may refer to:
Animals
* Matilda (chicken) (1990–2006), World's Oldest Living Chicken record holder
* Matilda (horse) (1824–1846), British Thoroughbred racehorse
* Matilda, a dog of the professional wrestling tag-team The ...
, relenting only after two months of imprisonment. The work written by David has been lost, although it was used as authority in the writings of
William of Malmesbury
William of Malmesbury ( la, Willelmus Malmesbiriensis; ) was the foremost English historian of the 12th century. He has been ranked among the most talented English historians since Bede. Modern historian C. Warren Hollister described him as "a ...
and
Ordericus Vitalis
Orderic Vitalis ( la, Ordericus Vitalis; 16 February 1075 – ) was an English chronicler and Benedictine monk who wrote one of the great contemporary chronicles of 11th- and 12th-century Normandy and Anglo-Norman England. Modern historia ...
.
He died in
1139
Year 1139 ( MCXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar.
Events
By area Asia
* July 8 or August 21 – Jin–Song Wars – Battle of Yancheng: Song Dynasty general Yue ...
.
Writings
His work in three books is now known only from excerpts of it in later historians, especially in Ekkehard
and
William of Malmesbury
William of Malmesbury ( la, Willelmus Malmesbiriensis; ) was the foremost English historian of the 12th century. He has been ranked among the most talented English historians since Bede. Modern historian C. Warren Hollister described him as "a ...
. The latter
[''Gesta regum Anglorum'' 'Deeds of the kings of the Angli', in '']Patrologia Latina
The ''Patrologia Latina'' (Latin for ''The Latin Patrology'') is an enormous collection of the writings of the Church Fathers and other ecclesiastical writers published by Jacques-Paul Migne between 1841 and 1855, with indices published between ...
'', CLXXIX, 1375. says that David described the expedition with partiality for the king.
Possibly identical homonym
A certain David was consecrated Bishop of Bangor in Wales, 4 April 1120; according to Malmesbury
he was none other than the chaplain David Scotus. As bishop he took part in several English synods, and probably died in 1139, since his successor was then consecrated. But it is not easy to reconcile with the foregoing, the statement of the later historian
Trithemius
Johannes Trithemius (; 1 February 1462 – 13 December 1516), born Johann Heidenberg, was a German Benedictine abbot and a polymath who was active in the German Renaissance as a lexicographer, chronicler, cryptographer, and occultist. He is consi ...
,
[Annales ''Hirsaugienses'', I, 349.] that David became a monk under
St. Macharius
Macarius I ( el, Μακάριος Α' Ἱεροσολύμων ''Makarios I Hierosolymōn''); was Bishop of Jerusalem from 312 to shortly before 335, according to Sozomen. He is recognized as a saint within the Orthodox and Catholic churches.
...
in the monastery of St. James in
Würzburg
Würzburg (; Main-Franconian: ) is a city in the region of Franconia in the north of the German state of Bavaria. Würzburg is the administrative seat of the ''Regierungsbezirk'' Lower Franconia. It spans the banks of the Main River.
Würzburg is ...
, as this abbey was not founded until 1140.
See also
*
Aaron Scotus
Aaron Scotus, Irish abbot and musician, fl. late 10th century – 14 December 1052.
Background
Aaron was an Irish abbot and music theorist, the term ''Scotus'' at the time denoting Irish (person).
St. Martin's of Cologne
A Benedictine, Scotus wa ...
(died 1052)
*
Blessed Marianus Scotus
Marianus Scotus of Regensburg, born Muiredach mac Robartaig, was an Irish abbot and scribe.Butler's Lives of the Saints Alban Butler, Paul Burns - 1998 - Volume 2 - Page 92 "Scotus of Regensburg to distinguish him from a contemporary, Marianus ...
(died circa 1088)
*
Joseph Scottus
Joseph or Josephus Scottus (died between 791 and 804), called the Deacon, was an Irish scholar, diplomat, poet, and ecclesiastic, a figure in the Carolingian Renaissance. He has been cited as an early example of "the scholar in public life".Garri ...
(died near 800), Irish deacon, scholar, diplomat, poet, and ecclesiastic
*
Johannes Scotus Eriugena
John Scotus Eriugena, also known as Johannes Scotus Erigena, John the Scot, or John the Irish-born ( – c. 877) was an Irish people, Irish Neoplatonism, Neoplatonist Philosophy, philosopher, Theology, theologian and poet of the Early M ...
(circa 815–877), Irish theologian
*
Marianus Scotus
Marianus Scotus (1028–1082 or 1083) was an Irish monk and chronicler. He authored the ''Chronica Clara'', a history of the world.
Name
Marianus Scotus is Latin for " Marian the Scot", although that term at the time was still inclusive of ...
(circa 1028–1082), Irish monk
*
Marianus Scotus
Marianus Scotus (1028–1082 or 1083) was an Irish monk and chronicler. He authored the ''Chronica Clara'', a history of the world.
Name
Marianus Scotus is Latin for " Marian the Scot", although that term at the time was still inclusive of ...
(died c. 1088), Irish abbot of St Peter's at Ratisbon (Regensburg)
*
Sedulius Scottus
Sedulius Scotus or Scottus ( fl. 840–860) was an Irish teacher, Latin grammarian, and scriptural commentator who lived in the 9th century. During the reign of the Emperor Lothair (840–855), he was one of a colony of Irish teachers at Liège. ...
(9th century), Irish teacher, grammarian and Scriptural commentator
Notes
Sources
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Scotus, David
Irish chroniclers
12th-century Irish historians
1139 deaths
Medieval European scribes
Medieval Gaels
Year of birth unknown
Irish expatriates in Germany
Irish Latinists