El. knyga: Cluny from the Tenth to the Twelfth Centuries: Further Studies

The French monastery was not, as formerly believed, the center of the medieval monastic world, admits Constable but is incomparable in the richness of writing from and about it. In the 13 essays here, first published between 1982 and 1998, he explores such topics as entrance to Cluny in the 11th and 12th centuries according to the Cluniac Customaries and Statutes, the reception-privilege during the same centuries, its privilege of interdict and excommunication in the Papal Bulls of 1097 and 1100, from Cluny to Citeaux, its role in the first crusade, Baume, commemoration and confraternity during the abbacy of Peter the Venerable, the abbots and anti-abbot during the papal schism of 1159, and the abbot and townsmen of Cluny in the 12th century. Two of the papers are in French. Addenda correct and amplify some of the original text. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

The articles in this volume deal with the history of the abbey of Cluny, both its relations with the outside world and its internal organisation and spirituality, from its foundation in 910 until the end of the twelfth century. After an opening article on the early history of Cluny, relating it to previous monasticism and the monastic world of the tenth century, there are a group of articles on how monks were admitted to Cluny, how they were organised, what they did, and on the monastery’s privileges. Two articles are concerned with Cluny’s relations with the abbey of Baume and another with Cluny and the First Crusade. Finally there are a group of articles on Cluny in the twelfth century. One deals with the relations between the abbots and the increasingly assertive townsmen of Cluny and another with the confused period following the death of Peter the Venerable, when there were a series of relatively short-term abbots, and one apparent anti-abbot.

The articles in this volume deal with the history of the abbey of Cluny, both its relations with the outside world and its internal organisation and spirituality, from its foundation in 910 until the end of the twelfth century.