Richerus
Encyclopedia
Richer (of Reims) was a monk of St.-Remigius, just outside Reims
, and a chronicler of the 10th century. He is not to be confused with Richer le Lorrain or Richer de Senones (Richerius Senoniensis).
(r. 936-954). He studied at Reims under Gerbert, afterwards Pope Silvester II
, who taught him mathematics, history, letters and eloquence. He was also well versed in the medical science of his time, and in 991 travelled to Chartres
to consult the medical manuscripts there. He was still living in 998, but there is no mention of him after that date.
.
The Historiae, in four books, spans the period from 888 to 995. It begins with Charles the Fat
and Eudes
, and goes down to the year 995. For the first two books, Richerus made extensive use of the annals and church history written by Flodoard
(d. 966). From 969 onwards Richerus had no earlier history before him, and his work is the chief source for the period.
The history survives in a single manuscript (MS Bamberg, Hist. 5), discovered in the early part of the nineteenth century. It was the author's autograph
and showed signs of continuous revision, probably until his death.
Editions and translations
Reims
Reims , a city in the Champagne-Ardenne region of France, lies east-northeast of Paris. Founded by the Gauls, it became a major city during the period of the Roman Empire....
, and a chronicler of the 10th century. He is not to be confused with Richer le Lorrain or Richer de Senones (Richerius Senoniensis).
Life
He was a son of Rodulf, a trusty councillor and captain of Louis IV of FranceLouis IV of France
Louis IV , called d'Outremer or Transmarinus , reigned as King of Western Francia from 936 to 954...
(r. 936-954). He studied at Reims under Gerbert, afterwards Pope Silvester II
Pope Silvester II
Pope Sylvester II , born Gerbert d'Aurillac, was a prolific scholar, teacher, and Pope. He endorsed and promoted study of Arab/Greco-Roman arithmetic, mathematics, and astronomy, reintroducing to Europe the abacus and armillary sphere, which had been lost to Europe since the end of the Greco-Roman...
, who taught him mathematics, history, letters and eloquence. He was also well versed in the medical science of his time, and in 991 travelled to Chartres
Chartres
Chartres is a commune and capital of the Eure-et-Loir department in northern France. It is located southwest of Paris.-Geography:Chartres is built on the left bank of the Eure River, on a hill crowned by its famous cathedral, the spires of which are a landmark in the surrounding country...
to consult the medical manuscripts there. He was still living in 998, but there is no mention of him after that date.
Historiae
In the 19th century, it was thought by both French and German scholars that Richerus was an ardent supporter of the Carolingians and French supremacy, as opposed to the Ottonians, but this view has since been tempered somewhat. Whatever one makes of Richer's political biases, inaccuracies and his taste for stylistic embellishment, his Historiae has a unique value as giving us the only tolerably full account by a contemporary of the memorable revolution of 987, which placed the Capets on the throne of FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
The Historiae, in four books, spans the period from 888 to 995. It begins with Charles the Fat
Charles the Fat
Charles the Fat was the King of Alemannia from 876, King of Italy from 879, western Emperor from 881, King of East Francia from 882, and King of West Francia from 884. In 887, he was deposed in East Francia, Lotharingia, and possibly Italy, where the records are not clear...
and Eudes
Eudes
There are several notable people with the Old French name Eudes.* Odo of Aquitaine, died about 735* Odo , Count of Paris* Eudes-Henry , Duke of Burgundy * Eudes, Count of Penthièvre and Count of Brittany...
, and goes down to the year 995. For the first two books, Richerus made extensive use of the annals and church history written by Flodoard
Flodoard
-Biography:He was born at Épernay, and educated at Reims in the cathedral school which had been established by Archbishop Fulcon .As canon of Reims, and favourite of the archbishops Herivaeus and Seulfus -Biography:He was born at Épernay, and educated at Reims in the cathedral school which had...
(d. 966). From 969 onwards Richerus had no earlier history before him, and his work is the chief source for the period.
The history survives in a single manuscript (MS Bamberg, Hist. 5), discovered in the early part of the nineteenth century. It was the author's autograph
Autograph
An autograph is a document transcribed entirely in the handwriting of its author, as opposed to a typeset document or one written by an amanuensis or a copyist; the meaning overlaps with that of the word holograph.Autograph also refers to a person's artistic signature...
and showed signs of continuous revision, probably until his death.
Editions and translations
- Hoffmann, Hartmut (ed.). Richer von Saint-Remi. Historiae. MGH Scriptores 28. Hanover, 2000. Available from digital MGH here or here;
- Latouche, Robert (ed. and tr.). Histoire de France (888-995). 2 vols: vol 2 (AD 954-995). Les classiques de l'histoire de France au moyen age 17. Paris: Belles Lettres, 1964.
- Pertz, Georg HeinrichGeorg Heinrich Pertzthumb|Georg Heinrich PertzGeorg Heinrich Pertz , was a German historian born at Hanover.From 1813 to 1818 he studied at the University of Göttingen, chiefly under A. H. L. Heeren...
(ed.). MGH Scriptores 3. 561–657. First printed as Richeri historiarum libri IIII. Hanover, 1839. Superseded by Hoffmann's edition. - Osten-Sacken, Karl Freiherr von (tr.). Richers vier Bücher Geschichte. Die Geschichtsschreiber der deutschen Vorzeit 2. vol 10. Leipzig, 1891. German translation available from Google-USA
- Poinsignon, A.M. (tr.). Richeri historiarum quatuor libri. Reims: Pub. de l'Academie de Rheims, 1855. French translation available from Gallica.
- Guadet, J. (tr.). Histoire de son temps. Societé de l'histoire de France. 2 vols. Paris, 1845. French translation available from Gallica and from Google Books: vol 1 and vol 2.
Secondary literature
- Bur, M. "Richer von Reims." In: Lexikon des Mittelalters 7. 830 ff.
- Glenn, Jason. Politics and History in the Tenth Century: The Work and World of Richer of Reims. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004. See CUP for information
- Kortüm, Hans-Henning. Richer von Saint-Remi: Studien zu einem Geschichtsschreiber des 10. Jahrhunderts. Stuttgart, 1985.
- Molinier, A.Auguste MolinierAugust Molinier was a French historian.He was born at Toulouse. He was a pupil at the École des Chartes, which he left in 1873, and also at the École des Hautes Études; and he obtained appointments in the public libraries at the Mazarine , at Fontainebleau , and at Sainte-Geneviève, of which he...
. Les sources de l'histoire de France des origines aux guerres d'Italie. Vol 1. 1901. 284 ff.