Godfrey of Viterbo
[Also called Geoffrey of Viterbo, in Italian ''Goffredo da Viterbo'' and in German ''Gottfried von Viterbo'', from Latin ''Gaufridus'', ''Godefridus'' or ''Gotefredus Viterbensis''.] (c. 1120 – c. 1196) was a
Roman Catholic chronicler, either
Italian or
German. From an early age he displayed great activity as one of the clergy at the court of Conrad III and later Frederick I, accompanying the latter on many of his campaigns, and frequently fulfilling diplomatic missions for him.
Biography
He was probably an Italian by birth, although some authorities assert that he was a
Saxon
The Saxons ( la, Saxones, german: Sachsen, ang, Seaxan, osx, Sahson, nds, Sassen, nl, Saksen) were a group of Germanic
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peoples whose name was given in the early Middle Ages to a large country (Old Saxony, la, Saxonia) near the Nor ...
German like his imperial patrons. He evidently passed some of his early life at
Viterbo in Italy, but he was educated at
Bamberg
Bamberg (, , ; East Franconian: ''Bambärch'') is a town in Upper Franconia, Germany, on the river Regnitz close to its confluence with the river Main. The town dates back to the 9th century, when its name was derived from the nearby ' castle. C ...
, where he was taken by
Lothair in 1133, gaining a good knowledge of
Latin, possibly preparing for work in governmental service. Following his education, he began working in the
Papal Chancellery. In the following years he was active in both governmental and