Poetry as a Source for Western Carolingian History in the Ninth Century: The Poem "The Wars of the City of Paris" as a Model.

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Abstract

The poem of Bella parisiacae urbis is one of the most important Carolingian poems of the ninth century AD. It deals with the Norman`s siege news for Paris (885- 886 A D) and their wars for ten years later with King Odo (888- 897 A D). The author of this poem is "Abbon", that we know only that he was a monk at the monastery of St. Germain- de- Prés, which is located in one of Paris suburbs. He moved from his monastery to the interior of the city when the Normans surrounded and besieged it for nearly a year. Then "Abbon" saw the acts of this siege, and recorded it with patience in his poem. Therefore, this poem came like a daily newspaper. The importance of this poem, therefore, as a contemporary source of the events of a dark and turbulent period in the life of the Carolingian Kingdom, is clear.

Keywords

Main Subjects