New Books in Medieval History Hope Williard, "Friendship in the Merovingian Kingdoms: Venantius Fortunatus and His Contemporaries" (ARC Humanities Press, 2022)
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Apr 6, 2023 Hope Williard, a scholar of medieval history, dives into the life of Venantius Fortunatus, an early medieval poet who thrived amidst political chaos in sixth century Gaul. She discusses the importance of friendship and patronage in Fortunatus's work, revealing how he crafted social networks through poetry. Williard also explores the poet's liminal position between classical and medieval culture and how his connections with powerful figures like Queen Radigund influenced his career. Get ready for a fresh take on Merovingian history!
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Fortunatus' Substantial, Varied Corpus
- Venantius Fortunatus authored a large and varied corpus including 200+ poems and long saints' lives, not just occasional lines.
- His work mixes long ceremonial compositions and short social poems that function like personal messages.
Roman Culture Remains Social Currency
- Merovingian elites used Latin culture and Roman models to assert prestige even after imperial administration collapsed.
- Fortunatus's poetry helped patrons situate themselves in post-imperial, still Roman-inflected social networks.
Pilgrimage Or Opportunism To Gaul
- Fortunatus claims pilgrimage to Tours for an eye infection as his reason for crossing the Alps.
- Williard notes this route is a very indirect path, suggesting practical opportunism also drove his move to Gaul.
