The Cartulary of Flavigny, 717-1113 (Latin Edition)

Flavigny, founded in the early eighth century, was one of the most important Burgundian monasteries of the early Middle Ages. Its cartulary includes documents from the first four centuries of its existence. It is here published for the first time. From the documents emerges the history of a monastery very richly endowed at its foundation, which received gifts and privileges from kings yet still had to fight recurring battles against domination by laymen, domination by the bishops of Autun, loss of property, and loss of religious fervor. The cartulary records not only the monks’ painstaking acquisition or reacquisition of property but also quarrels with laymen and ecclesiastics, a confraternity of prayers, participation in the reforms of the eleventh century by a monastery not associated with the much better known Cluniac or Cistercian orders, and two cases of murder. Latin text with English introduction and notes.