Chronique romane
Encyclopedia
The Chronique romane or Chronicle of Montpellier is an Old Occitan and Middle French
chronicle
of the city of Montpellier
. The Chronique was probably made for the use of town officials, who would have wanted a record of local history for help in administration and in forging civic pride. The recording of town officials, such as council members, was also important, and in two manuscripts the Chronique is found along with the Charte de 1204, a compilation of local customary law. Its annalistic format was typical of civic chronicles of the same period.
of Montpellier H119, now among the fonds anciens (ancient sources) in the Bibliothèque de la faculté de médecine at Montpellier, cover the entire period 816–1364. The lost manuscript called Joubert, formerly of the Bibliothèque Royale at Paris
, contained only the annals for 1088–1264. The Thalamus des archives du roi is now also lost, leaving Le grand Thalamus de Montpellier and Le petit Thalamus de Montpellier, which is kept in the municipal archives of Montpellier and covers the years 814–1604. All the manuscripts derive from a single source for they years they have in common. In general Le petit Thalamus has the most complete entries, though both it and Montpellier H119 were composed "negligently and hastily, with frequent orthographic and historical errors" and differ in the dating of many events.
Orthographic evidence indicates that the manuscript Montpellier H119 is older than Le petit Thalamus. For example, the former spelling "Montpeslier" (from Latin
Montepestalario) is preferred in the former where "Montpellier" occurs in the latter. The final year in H119 is 1364, whereas Le petit Thalamus continues 340 years to 1604. Earlier copies of the chronicle also contained annual lists of town councillors in the same manuscript, but in the late Petit Thalamus these lists are found in the margin beside their years of the chronicle. The penultimate entry of the H119 chronicle is for 1295, probably the date of its initial completion, since all entries up to that point are written in a thirteenth-century Gothic script
. The possessor of the manuscript in 1364 probably added the final, more cursive
, entry himself. Le petit Thalamus contains many years from between 1295 and 1364, but not 1364 itself.
, a Father Pacotte of Saint-Germain-des-Prés
also tried to edit the chronicle, but it too went unpublished. The Archaeological Society of Montpellier published the first edition of the chronicle, based on Le petit Thalamus, in 1836. In 2006 a critical edition with English translation based on Montpellier H119 was published by Jeffrey S. Widmayer.
, and continued by a succession of scribes. The selection of this date is probably due to its being the starting point of the chronicle in the Joubert manuscript, which is the oldest one. However, in evoking the memory of Raymond IV of Toulouse
(1093–1105), the original scribe erroneously puts him in power at the time of the death of Charlemagne
(814), an unlikely mistake for a contemporary of Raymond's to make. There is no reason the composition could not have begun later.
The earliest date of the chronicle is 814, the year of Charlemagne's death, incorrectly thought by the scribe to be 809 years after the birth of Christ. The years between 814 and 1134 are only infrequently recorded, and they year 1104 is out of order, but from 1141 the chronicle records multiple entries per year and includes more detail. This may indicate the beginning of the composition. The original scribe may have relied on "vague historical memory" and the collective memory of a city that lived for centuries under the rule of one family, the Guilhems
, to record events prior to his own day.
The authors of the chronicle took an especial interest in miracles and the foundation of religious organisations, but it was unusual for clerics of the time to write in the vernacular, unless they were writing for patrons illiterate in Latin.
Middle French
Middle French is a historical division of the French language that covers the period from 1340 to 1611. It is a period of transition during which:...
chronicle
Chronicle
Generally a chronicle is a historical account of facts and events ranged in chronological order, as in a time line. Typically, equal weight is given for historically important events and local events, the purpose being the recording of events that occurred, seen from the perspective of the...
of the city of Montpellier
Montpellier
-Neighbourhoods:Since 2001, Montpellier has been divided into seven official neighbourhoods, themselves divided into sub-neighbourhoods. Each of them possesses a neighbourhood council....
. The Chronique was probably made for the use of town officials, who would have wanted a record of local history for help in administration and in forging civic pride. The recording of town officials, such as council members, was also important, and in two manuscripts the Chronique is found along with the Charte de 1204, a compilation of local customary law. Its annalistic format was typical of civic chronicles of the same period.
Manuscripts
The Chronique survived in five manuscripts at one point. The annalsAnnals
Annals are a concise form of historical representation which record events chronologically, year by year. The Oxford English Dictionary defines annals as "a narrative of events written year by year"...
of Montpellier H119, now among the fonds anciens (ancient sources) in the Bibliothèque de la faculté de médecine at Montpellier, cover the entire period 816–1364. The lost manuscript called Joubert, formerly of the Bibliothèque Royale at 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...
, contained only the annals for 1088–1264. The Thalamus des archives du roi is now also lost, leaving Le grand Thalamus de Montpellier and Le petit Thalamus de Montpellier, which is kept in the municipal archives of Montpellier and covers the years 814–1604. All the manuscripts derive from a single source for they years they have in common. In general Le petit Thalamus has the most complete entries, though both it and Montpellier H119 were composed "negligently and hastily, with frequent orthographic and historical errors" and differ in the dating of many events.
Orthographic evidence indicates that the manuscript Montpellier H119 is older than Le petit Thalamus. For example, the former spelling "Montpeslier" (from Latin
Medieval Latin
Medieval Latin was the form of Latin used in the Middle Ages, primarily as a medium of scholarly exchange and as the liturgical language of the medieval Roman Catholic Church, but also as a language of science, literature, law, and administration. Despite the clerical origin of many of its authors,...
Montepestalario) is preferred in the former where "Montpellier" occurs in the latter. The final year in H119 is 1364, whereas Le petit Thalamus continues 340 years to 1604. Earlier copies of the chronicle also contained annual lists of town councillors in the same manuscript, but in the late Petit Thalamus these lists are found in the margin beside their years of the chronicle. The penultimate entry of the H119 chronicle is for 1295, probably the date of its initial completion, since all entries up to that point are written in a thirteenth-century Gothic script
Gothic script
Gothic script may refer to:* Blackletter* Gothic alphabet* Schwabacher...
. The possessor of the manuscript in 1364 probably added the final, more cursive
Cursive
Cursive, also known as joined-up writing, joint writing, or running writing, is any style of handwriting in which the symbols of the language are written in a simplified and/or flowing manner, generally for the purpose of making writing easier or faster...
, entry himself. Le petit Thalamus contains many years from between 1295 and 1364, but not 1364 itself.
Modern editions
In the sixteenth century one President Philippy, a local official, made a critical edition of the text of the Thalamus des archives du roi, but this went unpublished. On the eve of the French RevolutionFrench Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
, a Father Pacotte of Saint-Germain-des-Prés
Saint-Germain-des-Prés
Saint-Germain-des-Prés is an area of the 6th arrondissement of Paris, France, located around the church of the former Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés....
also tried to edit the chronicle, but it too went unpublished. The Archaeological Society of Montpellier published the first edition of the chronicle, based on Le petit Thalamus, in 1836. In 2006 a critical edition with English translation based on Montpellier H119 was published by Jeffrey S. Widmayer.
Date and authorship
The editors of Le petit Thalamus speculated that the original chronicle, from which all the manuscript versions derive, was begun around 1088, during the reign of William V of MontpellierWilliam V of Montpellier
William V was the Lord of Montpellier from an early age until his death. He was the son of Bernard William IV.Soon after his father's death, his mother, Ermengarde, quit Montpellier to marry the Lord of Anduze...
, and continued by a succession of scribes. The selection of this date is probably due to its being the starting point of the chronicle in the Joubert manuscript, which is the oldest one. However, in evoking the memory of Raymond IV of Toulouse
Raymond IV of Toulouse
Raymond IV of Toulouse , sometimes called Raymond of St Gilles, was Count of Toulouse, Duke of Narbonne, and Margrave of Provence and one of the leaders of the First Crusade. He was a son of Pons of Toulouse and Almodis de La Marche...
(1093–1105), the original scribe erroneously puts him in power at the time of the death of Charlemagne
Charlemagne
Charlemagne was King of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans from 800 to his death in 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. During his reign, he conquered Italy and was crowned by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800...
(814), an unlikely mistake for a contemporary of Raymond's to make. There is no reason the composition could not have begun later.
The earliest date of the chronicle is 814, the year of Charlemagne's death, incorrectly thought by the scribe to be 809 years after the birth of Christ. The years between 814 and 1134 are only infrequently recorded, and they year 1104 is out of order, but from 1141 the chronicle records multiple entries per year and includes more detail. This may indicate the beginning of the composition. The original scribe may have relied on "vague historical memory" and the collective memory of a city that lived for centuries under the rule of one family, the Guilhems
Lords of Montpellier
The following is a list of lords of Montpellier:* William I of Montpellier 26 November 986–1019* William II of Montpellier 1019–1025* William III of Montpellier 1025–1058* William IV of Montpellier 1058–1068* William V of Montpellier 1090–1121...
, to record events prior to his own day.
The authors of the chronicle took an especial interest in miracles and the foundation of religious organisations, but it was unusual for clerics of the time to write in the vernacular, unless they were writing for patrons illiterate in Latin.
Editions
- Thalamus parvus: le petit thalamus de Montpellier, publié pour la première fois d'après les manuscrits originaux. Ferdinand Pégat, Eugène Thomas, et al., edd. Société archéologique de Montpellier. Jean Martel Aîné, 1836/40.