Liber Historie Francorum; Excidium Troiae; Annales Mettenses Priores
Description
Contents: This manuscript consists of the Liber Historie Francorum
(the History of the Franks) in its Austrasian reworking (Austrasia
was a Merovingian kingdom situated in the North-East of France) ,
followed by the anonymous Excidium Troiae (The Destruction of Troy)
and a part of the Annales Mettenses priores (Annals of Metz) for
the years 687-692. The Liber Historie Francorum is a chronicle on
the history of Franks and of Merovingian kings, written by an
anonymous author from Neustria in 727 (Neustria was a part of the
Merovingian Kingdom situated in the North-West of France). Here it
is attributed to Gregory of Tours: ' Incipit liber sancti Gregorii
Turonis episcopi gesta regum Francorum' (f. 1r, upper margin,
partly erased). The Excidium Troiae is a late Antique text, dealing
with the downfall of Troy, Aeneas' wanderings and the birth of
Rome. The first part of the Annals of Metz was written around 806
(in North-East Neustria or in South-West Austrasia) and provide an
account of the rise of the Carolingian dynasty. This manuscript was
probably composed in two phases according to Hen, 'Canvassing for
Charles' (2010). The Liber Historie Francorum (ff. 1r-47v) is the
first part, copied perhaps around the mid-8th century, whereas
Bischoff dates it to the first half of the 9th century (see
Bischoff, Katalog der festlandischen Handschriften (2004)). This
first part was produced in Southern Francia (see Bischoff, Katalog
der festlandischen Handschriften (2004)). The second part includes
the Excidium Troiae and a part of the Annals of Metz and was copied
immediately after the Liber Historie Francorum in the late 9th
century in North-West Francia, according to Hen, 'Canvassing for
Charles' (2010). ff. 1r-47v: Liber Historie Francorum (also known
as Gesta Regum Francorum ) (the History of the Franks), beginning:
'Principium quoque Francorum gentes (sic) origine vel regum gesta
proferamus', ending: 'filium Dagoberti iunioris regem super se
statuunt qui usque nunc in regno subsistit. Explicit Gesta
Francorum'. ff. 47v-72v: Excidium Troiae, beginning: 'Incipit
expositio Exsidium Troie. Tetis dicta est mater Achillis, que de
numero quinquaginta Nereidarum electa est'. ff. 72v-75v: Annales
Mettenses priores (Annals of Metz), imperfect due to missing
quires, only for the years 687-692, beginning: 'Anno ab
incarnatione Domini nostri Ihesu Christi DCLXXXVII, Pippinus filius
Ansegiseli nobilissimi quondam Francorum principis'. Decoration:One
large interlace initial in brown ink, with bird heads (f. 1r).
Large and small simple initials in brown ink.
Place
Preferred form
France, Southern
Original form
Southern France
Other form
France méridionale (?)
France (Sud)
France (Midi)
France (sud).
France (Sud) (?)
France (Sud).
France (Midi ? d'après le fichier Avril : voir infra).
