Marianus Scotus
Encyclopedia
Marianus Scotus was an Irish monk and chronicler (who must be distinguished from his namesake Marianus Scotus, d. 1088, abbot of St Peter's, Regensburg
), was an Irishman
by birth, and called Máel Brigte, or Devotee of St. Brigid
.
He was educated by a certain Tigernach, and having become a monk
in 1052 he crossed over to the continent of Europe
in 1056, and his subsequent life was passed in the abbeys of St Martin at Cologne
and of Fulda
, and at Mainz
. He died at Mainz, on December 22, 1082 or 1083 and was buried in Mainz Cathedral
.
Marianus wrote a Chronicon, which purports to be a universal history
from the creation of the world to 1082. The Chronicon was very popular during the Middle Ages
, and in England
was extensively used by John of Worcester
and other writers. It was first printed at Basel
in 1559, and has been edited with an introduction by G. Waitz for the Monumenta Germaniae historica
. Scriptores (Bd. v). See also W. Wattenbach, Deutschlands Geschichtsquellen (Bd. ii., 1894).
Regensburg
Regensburg is a city in Bavaria, Germany, located at the confluence of the Danube and Regen rivers, at the northernmost bend in the Danube. To the east lies the Bavarian Forest. Regensburg is the capital of the Bavarian administrative region Upper Palatinate...
), was an Irishman
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
by birth, and called Máel Brigte, or Devotee of St. Brigid
Brigid
In Irish mythology, Brigit or Brighid was the daughter of the Dagda and one of the Tuatha Dé Danann. She was the wife of Bres of the Fomorians, with whom she had a son, Ruadán....
.
He was educated by a certain Tigernach, and having become a monk
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
in 1052 he crossed over to the continent of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
in 1056, and his subsequent life was passed in the abbeys of St Martin at Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
and of Fulda
Fulda
Fulda is a city in Hesse, Germany; it is located on the river Fulda and is the administrative seat of the Fulda district .- Early Middle Ages :...
, and at Mainz
Mainz
Mainz under the Holy Roman Empire, and previously was a Roman fort city which commanded the west bank of the Rhine and formed part of the northernmost frontier of the Roman Empire...
. He died at Mainz, on December 22, 1082 or 1083 and was buried in Mainz Cathedral
Mainz Cathedral
Mainz Cathedral or St. Martin's Cathedral is located near the historical center and pedestrianized market square of the city of Mainz, Germany...
.
Marianus wrote a Chronicon, which purports to be a universal history
Universal history
Universal history is basic to the Western tradition of historiography, especially the Abrahamic wellspring of that tradition. Simply stated, universal history is the presentation of the history of humankind as a whole, as a coherent unit.-Ancient authors:...
from the creation of the world to 1082. The Chronicon was very popular during the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
, and in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
was extensively used by John of Worcester
John of Worcester
John of Worcester was an English monk and chronicler. He is usually held to be the author of the Chronicon ex chronicis.-Chronicon ex chronicis:...
and other writers. It was first printed at Basel
Basel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
in 1559, and has been edited with an introduction by G. Waitz for the Monumenta Germaniae historica
Monumenta Germaniae Historica
The Monumenta Germaniae Historica is a comprehensive series of carefully edited and published sources for the study of German history from the end of the Roman Empire to 1500.The society sponsoring the series was established by the Prussian reformer Heinrich Friedrich Karl Freiherr vom...
. Scriptores (Bd. v). See also W. Wattenbach, Deutschlands Geschichtsquellen (Bd. ii., 1894).
Work
- CHRONICA: ad Euangelij ueritatem,… first edition: Jacobus Parcus, Basel, 1559 One issue can be retrieved in the Stadtbibliothek Mainz [Sign. IV e:2°/93].