Chronicling History - Chroniclers and Historians in Medieval and Renaissance Italy

Literally thousands of annals, chronicles, and histories were produced in Italy during the Middle Ages, ranging from fragments to polished humanist treatises. This book is composed of a set of case studies exploring the kinds of historical writing most characteristic of the period.
We might expect a typical medieval chronicler to be a monk or cleric, but the chroniclers of communal and Renaissance Italy were overwhelmingly secular. Many were jurists or notaries whose professions granted them access to political institutions and public debate. The mix of the anecdotal and the cosmic, of portents and politics, makes these writers engaging to read.
While chroniclers may have had different reasons to write and often very different points of view, they shared the belief that knowing the past might explain the present. Moreover, their audiences usually shared the worldview and civic identity of the historians, so these texts are glimpses into deeper cultural and intellectual contexts. Seen more broadly, chronicles are far more entertaining and informative than narratives. They become part of the very history they are describing.

About the author

Sharon Dale is Associate Professor of Art History at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College.Alison Williams Lewin is Associate Professor of History at St. Joseph's University.Duane J. Osheim is Professor of History at the University of Virginia.

Product details

• Assisted by: Sharon Dale (Editor), Sharon (Associate Professor of Art History) Dale (Editor), Dale Sharon (Editor), Alison Williams Lewin (Editor), Alison Williams (Associate Professor of History) Lewin (Editor), Duane J. Osheim (Editor), Duane J. (Professor of History) Osheim (Editor), Osheim Duane J. (Editor)
• Publisher: University Presses
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 15.01.2009
• EAN: 9780271032269
• ISBN: 978-0-271-03226-9
• Dimensions: 152 mm x 229 mm x 25 mm
• Weight: 499 g
• Illustrations: Illustrationen, nicht spezifiziert
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > History > General, dictionaries; European History, HISTORY / Europe / Italy, Italy, CE period up to c 1500, 17th century, c 1600 to c 1699, Early history: c 500 to c 1450/1500, Early modern history: c 1450/1500 to c 1700, 16th century, c 1500 to c 1599, European history: medieval period, middle ages, HISTORY / Europe / Medieval