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MARTIN of OPAVA and the TREATMENT of IMPERIAL HISTORY in DOMINICAN WORKS of COMPILATION, C

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MARTIN of OPAVA and the TREATMENT of IMPERIAL HISTORY in DOMINICAN WORKS of COMPILATION, C MARTIN OF OPAVA AND THE TREATMENT OF IMPERIAL HISTORY IN DOMINICAN WORKS OF COMPILATION, c. 1250-1330 Elisabeth Rolston A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in History, University of Canterbury 2018 Senior supervisor: Dr. Chris Jones Associate supervisor: Dr. Gary Morrison 2 Abstract The late-thirteenth century Chronicon Pontificum et Imperatorum of the Dominican friar Martin of Opava, also known as Martin of Troppau, proved to be one of the most popular and influential universal chronicles of the later Middle Ages. It was produced at a time when the practical authority of the western empire had collapsed and the universal claims of both empire and papacy were beginning to be questioned in the universities. Despite its medieval popularity, however, the Chronicon’s concept of empire has received at best only cursory attention from scholars. It has a reputation for being derivative, unoriginal, and poorly written. This thesis explores Martin’s vision of empire through his presentation of imperial history. It examines his treatment of the character and conduct of Christian emperors and his interpretation of the empire’s role according to the ‘two swords’ theory that advocated for the dual rule of Christendom by pope and emperor. It considers Martin’s understanding in the context of the Dominican historiographical tradition in the later Middle Ages, drawing comparisons with the way imperial history was presented by his thirteenth-century contemporaries Vincent of Beauvais and James of Voragine and by two early-fourteenth century friars who consulted the Chronicon, Ptolemy of Lucca and Bernard Gui. This comparison reveals that Martin’s Chronicon presents a carefully constructed vision of empire that was distinct from those of his brethren, one that reflected a complex and developed understanding of the role of the emperor in Christendom. Furthermore, it sheds light on the transmission of political ideas within the Dominican Order’s encyclopaedic projects. It reveals the extent to which each friar’s particular context influenced his vision of empire, demonstrating, in particular, that Martin’s Chronicon represents a valuable perspective within the Dominican historiographical tradition, one that reflects his unique background as a papal chaplain and penitentiary. 3 4 Table of Contents Abstract......................................................................................................................................3 Acknowledgements.....................................................................................................................7 Note on translations...................................................................................................................9 List of abbreviations.................................................................................................................11 Introduction…...………….....................................................................................................13 Historiography..............................................................................................................15 Methodology................................................................................................................21 Chapter Structure..........................................................................................................26 Chapter 1: The Role of the Emperor....................................................................................29 The Construction of Legitimacy...................................................................................30 Peace and Conquest......................................................................................................33 Justice and Law............................................................................................................36 Imperial Piety...............................................................................................................38 Chapter 2: Duo Gladii: Papal-Imperial Relations in the Chronicon.................................47 Martin’s Two Swords...................................................................................................49 Cooperation: The Constantinian Model.......................................................................53 Conflict and Excommunication...................................................................................56 Chapter 3: Frater Martinus Ordinis Praedicatorum: The Chronicon and its Context....................................................................................................................................65 Dominican Influences on Martin.................................................................................67 The Importance of Empire...........................................................................................72 Virtue and Vice: Noteworthy Emperors......................................................................76 Chapter 4: Continuity and Variation: Imperial Ideology in Fourteenth-Century Dominican Chronicles............................................................................................................85 The Place of Empire in the Annales and Flores chronicorum.....................................88 Departure from Martin’s Vision of Emperorship.........................................................97 Conclusion.............................................................................................................................105 Bibliography.........................................................................................................................109 5 6 Acknowledgements I am very grateful to have received a UC Master’s Scholarship for the first year of my MA. I am also thankful to the Australian and New Zealand Association for Medieval and Early Modern Studies (ANZAMEMS) for a travel bursary to attend their 2017 conference and Postgraduate Advanced Training Seminar (PATS) in Wellington, which aided my professional development in the early stages of this degree; and to the Religious History Association for funding which supported my attendance at their 2017 ‘Gender, Devotion and the Body’ PATS in Melbourne, which provided me with valuable feedback and stimulating discussion. I owe a debt of gratitude to my senior supervisor, Chris Jones, who first introduced me to Martin and who has patiently guided the resulting thesis to its final form. I have benefited greatly from his feedback and expertise. I would also like to extend my thanks to Gary Morrison for his time and additional comments. Throughout this thesis, I was incredibly fortunate to have the support of my fellow medievalists at UC: Derek Whaley, who has always been willing to offer advice, answer questions, and discuss medieval rulers; Thandi Parker, my go-to proofreader and idea-bouncer; and Anna Milne-Tavendale, who has shared her knowledge of early Dominicans. All three have provided feedback and suggestions at various stages. I owe the best parts of my MA experience to my officemates, particularly Amy Duff, Nick Foss, Jonathan Anderson, Tom Gilmour, Holly Easton, Daniel Steel, and Kyle Gibson. They have provided the companionship and cameraderie that made coming into the office every day a joy and offered their support through the ups and downs of the past eighteen months. I am very lucky to have found myself part of such a wonderful postgraduate community. Finally, I would like to thank my off-campus support network – my non-historian friends for their encouragement, friendship, and willingness to listen to me talk about friars and emperors; my partner, who has been my most enthusiastic and understanding supporter; and my parents, who have encouraged me to pursue my passions despite thinking I should probably get a job instead. Thanks for having my back. 7 8 Note on Translations All translations from Latin in this thesis are my own unless otherwise indicated. This is primarily out of necessity in the frequent cases where no English translation of the text has been published. For texts that have been translated, use of the Latin edition is generally preferred for effective comparison between texts. 9 10 List of abbreviations MGH – Monumenta Germaniae Historica SS – Scriptores SS. rer. Germ. – Scriptores rerum Germanicarum in usum scholarum separatim editi SS. rer. Germ. N.S. – Scriptores rerum Germanicarum, Nova series Fontes iuris – Fontes iuris Germanici antiqui in usum scholarum separatim editi Const. - Constitutiones et acta publica imperatorum et regum RHGF – Recueil des historiens des Gaules et de la France BnF – Bibliothèque nationale de France 11 12 Introduction When the Dominican inquisitor Bernard Gui sat down to compile his Flores chronicorum in 1314, he had a range of chronicles from which to choose his ‘flowers’. Both the Chronique latine of Guillaume de Nangis and the Memoriale historiarum of John of Saint-Victor, for example, offered Bernard the option of recently-completed universal chronicles by French writers sympathetic, like Bernard, to the Capetian kings.1 Instead, he drew from the Chronicon Pontificum et Imperatorum of Martinus Polonus, known to modern scholars as Martin of Opava or Martin of Troppau. By the time Bernard wrote, the last recension of Martin’s Chronicon was nearly forty years old. It was the product of a Bohemian friar based at the papal Curia in Rome who stood in stark contrast to Bernard, who wrote in a southern French environment marked by heresy. The
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