medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Marjorie Greene <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>I'm not certain what the connotation was at the time of the redaction of the
text Christopher used
the Histoire Litteraire de la France (t. XII, pag. 361), as reprinted in
Migne, vol. 186 --the date of the original is not given in the "notice" on the
http://Gallica.bnf.fr site where i saw it (and where the whole volume can be
downloaded, btw), but the Migne reprint certainly suggests a pre-1860 date or
so.
>but in today's parlance an "homme du peuple" is NOT of the nobility, minor or
otherwise; in fact, he wouldn't even qualify as "bourgeois."
right, there's a vagueness to the phrase which suggests (to me) a certain
ancienne régime, 18th c., Maurist...discretion. the author seems to have
been exposed to the "peasant" origins story, but was seeking a more
circumspect term to use. maybe Félibien was, too.
>What I wonder is this: is being of humble birth in the early 12th c. (what
I've always heard of Suger,
yep.
it's une legende répandued, all right.
>Lindy Grant's book notwithstanding) equivalent to being a peasant?
no, i wouldn't say so.
i think that the term actually has no precise meaning at all; and, in any
event, doesn't rest on any firm foundation in the original sources --since
everyone from Félibien on seems to agree that S's family origins are open to
question and don't such a source.
the near-contemporary(?) life of Suger by Abbot William of St. D., in the P.L.
says nothing on the question, apparently --hard to tell what *that* might
mean.
again, the nature of the relationship --by blood or just figuratively--
between S. and the Bishop of Arras could be probative, if it is the former.
would the two refer to each other as "frater" in the contexts which the HLF
quoted ?
just no way that two sons of "peasants" could have risen to such ranks, seems
to me.
Lindy's book is way on the other side of the campus, and it's getting
late....
best,
christopher
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