Richard Landes wrote:
>I think it's hard to
>imagine a person in western europe at the turn of the millennium, with the
>events that were going on (political, military, social, natural,
>epidemiological, astronomic, etc) who did not entertain the notion that this
>was the end. we have texts to that effect.
>(http://www.mille.org/1000-dos.htm) now if you want to, you can dismiss all
>of those who thought it was the end as crackpots, but then you have to
>explain what otto III thought he was doing opening up charlemagne's tomb on
>pentecost of 1000. and if you say, "it was pure coincidence", is this an
>effort to understand otto III? or to project a reassuring image of
>"rationality" back onto him?
They must have felt like the Christians of the first hour who were sure that the final
countdown had been set off by Jesus Christ and that it would all be over within one or two
generations and therefore didn't really care about the structures of their community. I guess
they also weren't just happy with the idea of almost being dead even if they had faith in the
promise of paradise.
But the main reason for my posting is the humble request to shed some light on my
ignorance: Could you please spend another few words on the history of Otto III opening
Charlemagne's tomb since I'm not familiar with the story? (Or indicate me a book
where I can find it?)
Thank you very much!
Niklaus Schatzmann
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