Chartulary
Encyclopedia
A cartulary or chartulary (pron, Latin: cartularium or chartularium), also called Pancarta and Codex Diplomaticus, is a medieval manuscript volume or roll (rotulus
) containing transcriptions of original documents relating to the foundation, privileges, and legal rights of ecclesiastical establishments, municipal corporations, industrial associations, institutions of learning, or private families. The term is sometimes also applied to collections of original documents bound in one volume or attached to one another so as to form a roll. The word is formed from two Latin
words, for a collection of charters – "an officer in charge of it."
The allusion of Gregory of Tours
to chartarum tomi in the 6th century is commonly taken to refer to cartularies. The oldest surviving cartularies, however, originated in the 10th century. Those from the tenth to the thirteenth centuries are very numerous.
Generally speaking, a cartulary, attested by the signatures or marks of a number of prominent individuals, ranks as a public document possessing greater value than a private letter or the narrative of an annalist.
Sometimes the copyist of the cartulary reproduced the original document with literary exactness. On the other hand, some copyists took liberties with the text, including modifying the phraseology, modernizing proper names of persons and places, and even changing the substance, such as to extend the scope of the privileges or immunities granted in the document. The value of a cartulary as a historical document depends not only on the extent to which it faithfully reproduces the substance of the original, but also, if edited, the clues it contains to the motivation for those changes. These questions are generally the subject of scrutiny under well-known canons of historical criticism
.
No complete inventory of the cartularies of the various institutions of the Middle Ages
exists, but many cartularies of medieval monasteries and churches have been published, more or less completely. The "Catalogue général des cartulaires des archives départementales" (Paris, 1847) and the "Inventaire des cartulaires" etc. (Paris, 1878–9) are the chief sources of information regarding the cartularies of medieval France. For the principal English (printed) cartularies, see Gross, "Sources and Literature of English History," etc. (London, 1900), 204–7 and 402–67. The important cartulary of the University of Paris was edited by Father Denifle, O.P., and M. Chatelain, "Chartularium Universitatis Parisiensis" (Paris, 1889, sqq).
" where documents, chronicles or other kinds of handwritten texts were compiled, transcribed or copied. Many definitions should be given, because the cartulary is a medieval documentary type that functioned like a handwritten technology.
Michael Clanchy attended to the monastic origin of both chronicles and cartularies, and he defines the latter as "a collection of title deeds copied into a register for greater security".
In the introduction to the book entitled Les Cartulaires, it is argued that in the contemporary diplomatic world it was common to provide a strict definition as the organized, selective, or exhaustive transcription of diplomatic records, made by the owner of them or by the producer of the archive where the documents are preserved.
In the Dictionary of Archival Terminology a cartulary is defined as "a register, usually in volume form, of copies of charters, title deeds, grants of privileges and other documents of significance belonging to a person, family or institution". In 1938, the French historian, Emile Lesne, wrote: "Every Cartulary is the testimony of the statement of the Archives in a Church at the time when it was compiled".
The related terms in other languages are: Cartularium (Latin); Kopiar, Kopialbuch (German
), Chartular (Oes.); Cartolario, cartulario, cartario (Italian
); Cartulario (Spanish
).
In medieval Normandy
, a type of cartulary was common from the early 11th century that combined a record of gifts to the monastery with a short narrative. These works are known as pancartes
.
, the corresponding position was called chartophylax
. This title was also given to an ancient officer in the Roman Church
, who had the care of charters and papers relating to public affairs. The chartulary presided in ecclesiastical judgments, in lieu of the Pope.
Rotulus
A rotulus is a roll designed for writing on, in which a long narrow strip of papyrus or parchment, written on one side, was wound like a blind about its wooden staff....
) containing transcriptions of original documents relating to the foundation, privileges, and legal rights of ecclesiastical establishments, municipal corporations, industrial associations, institutions of learning, or private families. The term is sometimes also applied to collections of original documents bound in one volume or attached to one another so as to form a roll. The word is formed from two Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
words, for a collection of charters – "an officer in charge of it."
The allusion of Gregory of Tours
Gregory of Tours
Saint Gregory of Tours was a Gallo-Roman historian and Bishop of Tours, which made him a leading prelate of Gaul. He was born Georgius Florentius, later adding the name Gregorius in honour of his maternal great-grandfather...
to chartarum tomi in the 6th century is commonly taken to refer to cartularies. The oldest surviving cartularies, however, originated in the 10th century. Those from the tenth to the thirteenth centuries are very numerous.
Generally speaking, a cartulary, attested by the signatures or marks of a number of prominent individuals, ranks as a public document possessing greater value than a private letter or the narrative of an annalist.
Sometimes the copyist of the cartulary reproduced the original document with literary exactness. On the other hand, some copyists took liberties with the text, including modifying the phraseology, modernizing proper names of persons and places, and even changing the substance, such as to extend the scope of the privileges or immunities granted in the document. The value of a cartulary as a historical document depends not only on the extent to which it faithfully reproduces the substance of the original, but also, if edited, the clues it contains to the motivation for those changes. These questions are generally the subject of scrutiny under well-known canons of historical criticism
Historical criticism
Historical criticism, or historical-critical method, and also known as higher criticism, is a branch of literary criticism that investigates the origins of ancient text in order to understand "the world behind the text"....
.
No complete inventory of the cartularies of the various institutions of the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
exists, but many cartularies of medieval monasteries and churches have been published, more or less completely. The "Catalogue général des cartulaires des archives départementales" (Paris, 1847) and the "Inventaire des cartulaires" etc. (Paris, 1878–9) are the chief sources of information regarding the cartularies of medieval France. For the principal English (printed) cartularies, see Gross, "Sources and Literature of English History," etc. (London, 1900), 204–7 and 402–67. The important cartulary of the University of Paris was edited by Father Denifle, O.P., and M. Chatelain, "Chartularium Universitatis Parisiensis" (Paris, 1889, sqq).
Definitions
A cartulary is formally a book or a medieval "codexCodex
A codex is a book in the format used for modern books, with multiple quires or gatherings typically bound together and given a cover.Developed by the Romans from wooden writing tablets, its gradual replacement...
" where documents, chronicles or other kinds of handwritten texts were compiled, transcribed or copied. Many definitions should be given, because the cartulary is a medieval documentary type that functioned like a handwritten technology.
Michael Clanchy attended to the monastic origin of both chronicles and cartularies, and he defines the latter as "a collection of title deeds copied into a register for greater security".
In the introduction to the book entitled Les Cartulaires, it is argued that in the contemporary diplomatic world it was common to provide a strict definition as the organized, selective, or exhaustive transcription of diplomatic records, made by the owner of them or by the producer of the archive where the documents are preserved.
In the Dictionary of Archival Terminology a cartulary is defined as "a register, usually in volume form, of copies of charters, title deeds, grants of privileges and other documents of significance belonging to a person, family or institution". In 1938, the French historian, Emile Lesne, wrote: "Every Cartulary is the testimony of the statement of the Archives in a Church at the time when it was compiled".
The related terms in other languages are: Cartularium (Latin); Kopiar, Kopialbuch (German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
), Chartular (Oes.); Cartolario, cartulario, cartario (Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
); Cartulario (Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
).
In medieval Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
, a type of cartulary was common from the early 11th century that combined a record of gifts to the monastery with a short narrative. These works are known as pancartes
Pancartes
Pancartes were medieval historical documents, drawn up by a monastery, that recorded a sequence of gifts to the monastery. They were created in order that the whole group of grants or gifts could be confirmed by the ruler. They are known from Normandy and other northern French regions...
.
List of cartularies
- Hemming's CartularyHemming's CartularyHemming's Cartulary is a manuscript cartulary, or collection of charters and other land records, collected by a monk named Hemming around the time of the Norman Conquest of England. The manuscript comprises two separate cartularies that were made at different times and later bound together. The...
, two cartularies bound together, the Liber Wigorniensis, made in EnglandEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
around the year 1000, and a second compiled by HemmingHemming (monk)Hemming was a monk, author and compiler in medieval England from around the time of the Norman Conquest of England. He was a senior brother at Worcester Cathedral Priory, and his significance derives from the monastic cartulary attributed to him.Hemming's name is Scandinavian, which may mean...
about a hundred years later. - Liber feudorum maiorLiber feudorum maiorThe Liber feudorum maior , originally called the Liber domini regis , is a late twelfth-century illuminated cartulary of the Crown of Aragon. It was compiled by the royal archivist Ramon de Caldes with the help of Guillem de Bassa for Alfonso II, beginning in 1192...
, a twelfth-century cartulary of the Crown of AragonCrown of AragonThe Crown of Aragon Corona d'Aragón Corona d'Aragó Corona Aragonum controlling a large portion of the present-day eastern Spain and southeastern France, as well as some of the major islands and mainland possessions stretching across the Mediterranean as far as Greece... - Liber feudorum formae minoris, an early thirteenth-century continuation of the Liber feudorum maior
- Liber instrumentorum memorialiumLiber instrumentorum memorialiumThe Liber instrumentorum memorialium is the surviving cartulary of the Lords of Montpellier, the Guilhems , and an important source for their history. It was compiled in the early thirteenth century, under the patronage of William VIII, whose lordship is extensively catalogued in it. Its earliest...
, an early thirteenth-century cartulary of the Lords of MontpellierLords of MontpellierThe following is a list of lords of Montpellier:* William I of Montpellier 26 November 986–1019* William II of Montpellier 1019–1025* William III of Montpellier 1025–1058* William IV of Montpellier 1058–1068* William V of Montpellier 1090–1121... - Liber instrumentorum vicecomitaliumLiber instrumentorum vicecomitaliumThe Liber instrumentorum vicecomitalium , sometimes called the Trencavel Cartulary or Cartulaire de Foix, is a high medieval cartulary commissioned by the Trencavel family. It preserves either 585 or 616–7 charters, the earliest of which dates to 1028 and the latest to 1214...
, also called the Trencavel Cartulary and the Foix Cartulary, a thirteenth-century French collection - Liber feudorum CeritaniaeLiber feudorum CeritaniaeThe Liber feudorum Ceritaniae is, as its Latin title indicates, a book registering the fiefs within the counties of County of Cerdagne , which at the time included the old counties of Roussillon and Conflent, and the feudal obligations of the count and his vassals...
, a thirteenth-century cartulary of the County of Cerdanya - The Cartulary of Shaftesbury AbbeyShaftesbury AbbeyShaftesbury Abbey was an abbey that housed nuns in Shaftesbury, Dorset. Founded in the year 888, the abbey was the wealthiest Benedictine nunnery in England, a major pilgrimage site, and the town's central focus...
in England, 15th century - The Tropenell CartularyTropenell CartularyThe Tropenell Cartulary is an English medieval manuscript cartulary compiled for Thomas Tropenell , a Wiltshire landowner, in the 15th century.-History:...
, from the west of England estates of Thomas TropenellThomas TropenellThomas Tropenell, sometimes Tropenelle and Tropnell , was an English lawyer and landowner in Wiltshire in the west of England.He acquired large estates, built Great Chalfield Manor, and compiled the Tropenell Cartulary....
, 15th century
Chartularius
The late Roman/Byzantine chartularius was an administrative and fiscal official. In the Greek Orthodox ChurchGreek Orthodox Church
The Greek Orthodox Church is the body of several churches within the larger communion of Eastern Orthodox Christianity sharing a common cultural tradition whose liturgy is also traditionally conducted in Koine Greek, the original language of the New Testament...
, the corresponding position was called chartophylax
Chartophylax
A chartophylax , sometimes also referred to as a chartoularios, was an ecclesiastical officer in charge of official documents and records in the Greek Orthodox Church in Byzantine times....
. This title was also given to an ancient officer in the Roman Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
, who had the care of charters and papers relating to public affairs. The chartulary presided in ecclesiastical judgments, in lieu of the Pope.