The ''Deeds of the Bishops of Halberstadt'' ( la, Gesta episcoporum Halberstadensium) is an anonymous Latin chronicle of the

diocese of Halberstadt The Diocese of Halberstadt was a Roman Catholic diocese (german: Bistum Halberstadt) from 804 until 1648.

from its foundation in 780 down to 1209.Alfred J. Andrea (1996), "The Anonymous Chronicler of Halberstadt's Account of the Fourth Crusade: Popular Religiosity in the Early Thirteenth Century", ''Historical Reflections'' 22(2): 447–455, with accompanying translation of the relevant section of the ''Gesta'' on pp. 457–477. Stefan Tebruck (2016)
"Gesta episcoporum Halberstadensium"
in Graeme Dunphy and Cristian Bratu (eds.), ''

Encyclopedia of the Medieval Chronicle The Medieval Chronicle Society is an international and interdisciplinary organization founded to facilitate the work of scholars interested in medieval annals and chronicles, or more generally medieval historiography. It was founded in 1999 and in ...

'' (Brill). Consulted online on 20 March 2020. The ''Deeds'' was the work of several authors over two centuries. The earliest part was written towards the end of the episcopate of Hildeward (968–995). It may have initially been no more than a list of bishops. Eventually historical information on the bishops' acts and events in the

Holy Roman Empire The Holy Roman Empire was a Polity, political entity in Western Europe, Western, Central Europe, Central, and Southern Europe that developed during the Early Middle Ages and continued until its Dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire, dissolution i ...

were added. The final addition to the chronicle was made around 1209. The last section of the ''Deeds'', covering the pontificates of

Gardolf Gardolf of Hertbeke (died 21 August 1201) was the bishop of Halberstadt from 1193 until his death. Gardolf was from a noble family of Harbke, Hertbeke. In two charters, he describes himself as "a blood relative" (Latin ''consanguineus'') of Conrad ...

(1193–1201) and

Conrad of Krosigk Conrad of Krosigk (c. 1162 – 21 June 1225) was a Germans, German prelate, crusader and monk. He served as the bishop of Halberstadt from 1201 until 1208 and took part in the Fourth Crusade in 1202–1204. He resigned his see to become a Cistercian ...

(1201–1208), ends with the election of Conrad's successor,

Frederick of Kirchberg Frederick may refer to: People * Frederick (given name), the name Nobility Anhalt-Harzgerode * Frederick, Prince of Anhalt-Harzgerode (1613–1670) Austria * Frederick I, Duke of Austria (Babenberg), Duke of Austria from 1195 to 1198 * Frederic ...

. It is conventionally attributed the Anonymous of Halberstadt (Latin: ''Anonymus Halberstadensis''). He must have used Bishop Conrad, a participant in the

Fourth Crusade The Fourth Crusade (1202–1204) was a Latin Christian armed expedition called by Pope Innocent III. The stated intent of the expedition was to recapture the Muslim-controlled city of Jerusalem, by first defeating the powerful Egyptian Ayyubid S ...

, as a source. He may even have been directed or supervised by Conrad, since his work reads like an apologia for the bishop's actions on crusade. His addition to the ''Deeds'' is a distinct work in itself. In the 19th century, Paul Riant took the part of this account beginning with the

rubric A rubric is a word or section of text that is traditionally written or printed in red ink for emphasis. The word derives from the la, rubrica, meaning red ochre or red chalk, and originates in Medieval illuminated manuscripts from the 13th cent ...

"The Pilgrimage to Greece" to be a separate standalone work, which he titled ''De peregrinatione in Greciam et adventu reliqiuarum de Grecia libellus'' (Little Book on the Pilgrimage to Greece and the Arrival of Relics from Greece) in his edition. Alfred Andrea disputes Riant's hypothesis that the crusade account can be separated from the rest of the account of Conrad's episcopate. The ''Deeds'' survives only in two late manuscript copies, one from 1423 and another from the 17th century.

Editions

* Ludwig Weiland (ed.)
Gesta episcoporum Halberstadensium
''

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 ...

'', Scriptores, Vol. 23 (Hanover, 1874), pp. 73–123. *

Paul Riant Paul Edouard Didier Riant (7 August 1836, Paris – 17 December 1888, Château La Vorpillière in Massongex) was a French historian and scientific editor specializing in the Crusades.Deutsche Biographie (1957).Riant, Paul Edouard Didier. In ''Neue ...

(ed.)
De peregrinatione in Greciam et adventu reliqiuarum de Grecia libellus
''Exuviae sacrae Constantinopolitanae'', Vol. 1 (Geneva, 1876), pp. 10–21.

References

{{reflist 13th-century Latin books German chronicles Crusade literature Fourth Crusade