Our scene unfolds around the year 990 at Ranshofen. The Duke of Bavaria, Henry II, known as ‘the Quarrelsome’/’the Wrangler’, had summoned the most important bishops and counts of his territory. There, he issued a remarkable series of decrees. The text survives in a manuscript produced at Freising and was copied into it before 994,…
Over the last two decades there has been much discussion of why so few women are described as hostages in early medieval sources. Yet to date, there has been very limited interest in the role of women as active participants in hostage practices, here interpreted as brokering agreements, giving hostages, receiving them, or releasing those…
On 26 January 2018 eight members of After Empire gathered in Exeter for an internal project meeting, where we also had two collaborative meetings with our project partners. Firstly, we met with Rebecca Sullivan, CEO of the Historical Association, for a productive meeting discussing how the project might best meet the needs of teachers whose…
Book of Deer Date: Early tenth century(?) Place of Production: Lowland Scotland(?) Description: The Book of Deer/Leabhar Dhèir is a Gospel Book written in Latin, and was produced in the tenth century, perhaps in the Scottish lowlands: it is the earliest manuscript to survive that was made in Scotland. In the twelfth century, annotators from the monastery at…
The Beatus of La Seu d’Urgell Date: Late 10th century Place of Production: Rioja(?) Description: This remarkable book was produced in somewhat mysterious circumstances – no reference to or hint of the author, date or place of production survives. It is full of illustrations, some of the most impressive of which depict the Apocalypse, and the Commentary of…
Codex Aureus of Echternach Date: c. 1030 Place of Production: Echternach Description: This large manuscript has 41 miniatures, thirteen decorated pages and more than 250 golden initials. The miniatures depict different images, among which is a cycle of seven images of St Stephanus, the first martyr. The codex is also called ‘codex Aureus’, because the text is…
Otto III’s Prayer Book Date: 983–991 Place of Production: Mainz Description: This lavish book was made for Otto III, who was three when he became king. It is likely that his mother who commissioned it for him. The manuscript is a prayer book, and contains many beautiful illustrations and detail in gold leaf. Held at: Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, München, Clm…
The Egbert Psalter Date: c. 980 Place of Production: Reichenau Description: The psalter (a book containing the psalms) was given to Egbert, archbishop of Trier (975-993). It contains a calendar and a psalter. The manuscript holds several full-paged portraits of archbishops of Trier. It was illuminated in Reichenau, one of the most rich and creative centres in the…
The Egbert Codex Date: Late tenth century Place of Production: Reichenau Description: This gospel book was commissioned by archbishop Egbert of Trier (975-993) and contains one of the most elaborate collections of miniature drawings illutrating the life of Christ. The codex holds the Gospel readings throughout the ecclesiastical year, and it has 60 illuminated pages and 140 decorated…
Henry I, known as ‘The Fowler’, was the first ruler of the new Ottonian dynasty (named after his son Otto I). His rule is often seen as a new phase in East Frankish kingship, distinct both from the members of the Carolingian dynasty whom he followed and that of his son Otto I. On 11…
