Annalista Saxo
Encyclopedia
The Annalista Saxo is the anonymous author of an important imperial
chronicle, believed to have originated in Nienburg Abbey
in Saxony-Anhalt
, Germany
.
predecessors, beginning in the year 741
and continued until 1142.
The codex
was created between 1148 and 1152. The anonymous author had more than 100 sources at his disposal, including some which no longer exist. The entries are arranged chronologically by year.
The identity of the chronicler, presumed to be a monk of Nienburg Abbey, remains unknown. The volume contains 237 parchment
pages. The binding is from the 16th century. The book was restored in 1993. The cover is of brown cow's leather, the spine of vellum
, and the content includes 16 ornamental initials.
The original of the "Annalista Saxo" is today in the Bibliothèque nationale de France
in Paris
. It is very fragile and is kept securely; a facsimile is on display.
It is unknown how the volume came to be in France.
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
chronicle, believed to have originated in Nienburg Abbey
Nienburg Abbey
Nienburg Abbey was a Benedictine monastery in Nienburg in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany.- Abbey :Nienburg was for centuries on the extreme eastern edge of the settled territory of Germany...
in Saxony-Anhalt
Saxony-Anhalt
Saxony-Anhalt is a landlocked state of Germany. Its capital is Magdeburg and it is surrounded by the German states of Lower Saxony, Brandenburg, Saxony, and Thuringia.Saxony-Anhalt covers an area of...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
General
The chronicle of the "Annalista Saxo" is a collection of dates and facts about the medieval German kings and their CarolingianCarolingian
The Carolingian dynasty was a Frankish noble family with origins in the Arnulfing and Pippinid clans of the 7th century AD. The name "Carolingian", Medieval Latin karolingi, an altered form of an unattested Old High German *karling, kerling The Carolingian dynasty (known variously as the...
predecessors, beginning in the year 741
741
Year 741 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 741 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Europe :* Carloman, Pippin the Short and Grifo succeed...
and continued until 1142.
The codex
Codex
A codex is a book in the format used for modern books, with multiple quires or gatherings typically bound together and given a cover.Developed by the Romans from wooden writing tablets, its gradual replacement...
was created between 1148 and 1152. The anonymous author had more than 100 sources at his disposal, including some which no longer exist. The entries are arranged chronologically by year.
The identity of the chronicler, presumed to be a monk of Nienburg Abbey, remains unknown. The volume contains 237 parchment
Parchment
Parchment is a thin material made from calfskin, sheepskin or goatskin, often split. Its most common use was as a material for writing on, for documents, notes, or the pages of a book, codex or manuscript. It is distinct from leather in that parchment is limed but not tanned; therefore, it is very...
pages. The binding is from the 16th century. The book was restored in 1993. The cover is of brown cow's leather, the spine of vellum
Vellum
Vellum is mammal skin prepared for writing or printing on, to produce single pages, scrolls, codices or books. It is generally smooth and durable, although there are great variations depending on preparation, the quality of the skin and the type of animal used...
, and the content includes 16 ornamental initials.
The original of the "Annalista Saxo" is today in the Bibliothèque nationale de France
Bibliothèque nationale de France
The is the National Library of France, located in Paris. It is intended to be the repository of all that is published in France. The current president of the library is Bruno Racine.-History:...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. It is very fragile and is kept securely; a facsimile is on display.
It is unknown how the volume came to be in France.
Editions
- Klaus Nass, editor. Die Reichschronik des Annalista Saxo, Munich 2006, new edition with comprehensive registers (MGHMGHMGH is an abbreviation of:*Massachusetts General Hospital*Margate Airport, regional airport in Margate, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa*Montreal General Hospital* The Charles/MGH *Monumenta Germaniae Historica...
Scriptores 37). ISBN 3-7752-5537-0 - Georg WaitzGeorg WaitzGeorg Waitz was a German historian and politician.He was born at Flensburg, in the duchy of Schleswig and educated at the Flensburg gymnasium and the universities of Kiel and Berlin...
, editor. MGH Scriptores 6 (Hannover 1844) pp. 542-777.