The Murder, Betrayal, and Slaughter of the Glorious Charles, Count of Flanders

by Galbert de Bruges, Jeff Rider (Translator)

In 1127 Charles the Good, count of Flanders, was surrounded by assassins while at prayer and killed by a sword blow to the forehead. His murder upset the fragile balance of power between England, France, and the Holy Roman Empire, giving rise to a bloody civil war while impacting the commercial life of medieval Europe. The eyewitness account by the Flemish cleric Galbert of Bruges of the assassination and the struggle for power that ensued is the only journal to have survived from twelfth century Europe. This new translation by medieval studies expert Jeff Rider greatly improves upon all previous versions, substantially advancing scholarship on the Middle Ages while granting new life and immediacy to Galbert’s well informed and courageously candid narrative.
 
 

Genres: History, Medieval, Nonfiction, Classics, Medieval History, Belgium, Academic

220 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1128

Reviews

[Erik Thibaut]

Game of Thrones, maar dan in het echt. Een ooggetuigen mverslag uit de 12de eeuw, aangevuld met een goede historische inleiding. Verrassende vaststellingen: (i) hoe de mensen toen dachten en handelden is vaak gelijkend aan nu (hebzucht, streven naar vrijheid ...), (ii) grote verschillen met nu: geweld combineren met oprechte godsdienstigheid doen me de beweegredenen van kruistochten beter begrijpen, (iii) de kleinschaligheid van oorlogen (vaak belegering van een een huis, of 'veldslag' met enkele tientallen in elk kamp, of Brugge met klein kapelletje en amper stenen huizen en een zeer beperkte (of geen?) omwalling) vond ik frappant

[Hot Diggity Dan]

An extremely compelling and well ordered chronicle. The translation is a little rote at times, leaning more toward the literal than I would prefer. The Latin probably has much more imbued meaning that the editor effectively mutes with rote phrasology like "in order that" for "ut". Any intermediate Latinist will share that gripe.

As for the history, it is a remarkably complex feud between rival Flemish factions in the 12th century and makes for an excellent resource in the study of regional vs. local feudal ordering--particularly in respect to its Flemish context, and the Low Lands' later affinity for republican democracy.

All in all, one of the best primary sources I read in all of college.

[Eric]

This eyewitness account was like reading an early 12th century Nicholas Cage movie. Battles, treachery, witches burnt, siege, and the eponymous martyr of the ruling count. Perhaps the liveliest, and most engaging history I've ever read.
So good!

[Ryan Patrick]

A fascinating account of the civil war in Flanders in 1127-1128, by a notary who was in a position to observe much of the action, at least at Bruges. We get a real sense of the inherent violence of medieval society, even as efforts were made to crack down on it or channel it. We also see the real value of a castle, or even of a fortified house, as the murderers of Charles hole up and withstand a siege with very few numbers against a whole town. This is a valuable source for studying the challenge of taming the feudal aristocracy in the High Middle Ages, as well as the development of a corporate civic identity by the various townsfolk of Flanders.

[Emily Murphy]

Had to read this 3 times to understand. Used it for a paper in college.

[Russell Sigler]

Very interesting glimpse into 12th century life.

[Julia Hines]

Summed up in a word: Chaos. It's a good translation though!

[Jake Jackson]

About as interesting as a medieval chronicle can get - there's a reason it's so widely studied and taught.

[JJ Waggy]

Towards the very beginning of this book, Galbert apologizes (falsely, I believe, as humility tropes are very popular) for the dryness of his writing--he's just trying to write things as he knows them, and facts are sometimes uninteresting.

Yes. Yes they are. And until I actually have to teach this (so far, I've escaped doing so), I will be content with reading the half that I have finished and just being interested by the summary of the rest of it. Because dry doesn't even begin to cover what could have been a fascinating story if only Galbert hadn't set out to write a hagiography.

[Morena]

Everyone writing fiction or nonfiction about middle ages should read Galbert.
"I [Galbert] say these things in keeping with the feeling of the crowd and the rage of those who would have hanged the captive Walter right away or torn him to pieces by some new and unheard-of means of death, if the count had allowed them to do so."

[Chrism485]

It's thorough but I found that much detail exhausting. Very informative in terms of learning about how people lived in Bruges in the 12th century.

[Frans]

Prachtig book. Na wat historische duiding leest de bewerking van het verhaal van Galbert als een echte thriller