| The Old French Chronicle of Morea: An Account of Frankish Greece After the Fourth Crusade Contributor(s): Arsdall, Anne Van (Editor), Moody, Helen (Editor) |
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ISBN: 0754631524 ISBN-13: 9780754631521 Publisher: Routledge OUR PRICE: $188.10 Product Type: Hardcover - Other Formats Published: December 2015 |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - History | Europe - Greece (see Also Ancient - Greece) - History | Europe - Medieval |
| Dewey: 949.502 |
| LCCN: 2015020318 |
| Series: Crusade Texts in Translation |
| Physical Information: 290 pages |
| Themes: - Chronological Period - Medieval (500-1453) - Cultural Region - Greece |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: Numerous Byzantine and Western sources describing the events of the Fourth Crusade have now been translated into English. However, the same is not true for material on Frankish Greece, despite this region's importance to late medieval crusading. The Chronicle of Morea is the key source for the history of the Frankish states established in Greece after the conquest of Constantinople in 1204 and their relations with the reviving Byzantine Empire during the 13th century. It is also an important source for the growth of the Venetian maritime empire. Most of the action centers on the Peloponnesus, then called Achaia or Morea, where crusaders William of Champlitte and Geoffrey of Villehardouin (nephew of the famous chronicler) established a principality and the Villehardouins a dynasty. Preserved in a unique fourteenth-century manuscript, the Old French version of the Chronicle of Morea is a contemporary account of Frankish feudal life transposed onto foreign soil. It describes clashes, conquests, and ransoms between the Franks and Byzantines, as well as their alliances and arranged marriages. A rich source, the Chronicle of Morea brims with anecdotes giving insight into the operation of feudal justice, the role of noble women in feudal society, the practice of chivalry, and the conduct of warfare. Versions of the Chronicle exist in Aragonese, Greek, and Italian, as well as in Old French. However, this is the first translation into English or any other modern language of the Old French text, thus opening its content to a wider audience. |