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Publikationsserver der RWTH Aachen University

David oder Salomon? : Studien zur Rezeptionsgeschichte Kaiser Ludwigs des Frommen in der Historiographie des 9. bis 13. Jahrhunderts

Abstract

dc:description

The thesis refers to the history of reception of emperor Louis the Pious in historiographic literature from Carolingian times up to the 13th century. Louis’ contemporaries – like Thegan, Astronomus, Nithard and Ermoldus Nigellus – understand his reign as presence, which they try to influence. Political support or opposition is expressed by the omission or misrepresentation of facts. During the following generations, the reign of Louis the Pious is taken as a recent and still influential past and it is set in different relations to present reality. Here two characteristic approaches can be distinguished: the image of Louis’ reign as a "golden age" in the interpretation of Ado of Vienne or its negative appraisal as a "root of all evil" by Regino of Prüm. The third phase of reception then illustrates a radical break, due to the disintegration of the Carolingian Empire. Just in few regional references a reception of Louis the Pious can be traced. The subsequent fourth phase of reception which starts in the 11th century again offers a broader variety of approaches. Analysis has to focus separately on the Empire and France. Parallel to the renaissance of literary type of World Chronicles the historic figure of Louis the Pious is directly employed within larger schemes in which Louis the Pious as individual person is covered by the figure of the Emperor. Abbreviations and concentration on few elements produce a schematization. Most significant changes and divergence can be observed in texts which polarize between pope and emperor which are abstractly seen as antagonist institutions. The reign of Louis the Pious becomes a historical exemplum. This tendency is even enhanced in the historiography of Staufer-epoch. The focus on these two poles of power brings about the creation of the type of Pope-Emperor-Chronicles. The most popular author of this category is Martin of Troppau. Without any historical concern the reign of Louis the Pious is used as material to be fitted into this dualistic scheme. In France a similar development can be observed, though the reception of emperor Louis is accompanied by more national implications. This is the case in the texts of Helinand of Froidmont and other authors. The Grandes Chroniques de France present the final stage of a specific French development. They are the origin of an absolutely new quality of reception: Louis the Pious is shown as the ideal emperor and king of France. This fifth phase of reception is specific for France and cannot be traced in the Empire. In Western reception Louis the Pious steps out of the shadow of Charlemagne, in the East he is not even seen in this respect.

Degree

thesis:*
Grantor dc:publisher
Publikationsserver der RWTH Aachen University
Year dc:date
2004

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Nelsen-Minkenberg, Heike
Contributors dc:contributor
  • Kerner, Max

Subjects

dc:subject × 9

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
Language dc:language
ger

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:publications.rwth-aachen.de:59884

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
RWTH Aachen University
Base URL
publications.rwth-aachen.de/oai2d
Last updated
2026-07-30
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Nelsen-Minkenberg, Heike. David oder Salomon? : Studien zur Rezeptionsgeschichte Kaiser Ludwigs des Frommen in der Historiographie des 9. bis 13. Jahrhunderts. Publikationsserver der RWTH Aachen University, 2004. https://publications.rwth-aachen.de/record/59884