The heirs of a certain Bethta, in 684 or 732, come to an agreement over property, with the monastery of *Vincent (deacon and martyr of Zaragoza and Valencia, S00290) at Le Mans (north-west Gaul). Charter written in Latin in the territory of Le Mans.
Evidence ID
E08337
Type of Evidence
Documentary texts - Charter or diploma
Charter of the monastery of Vincent at Le Mans:
Summary:
A charter settling a dispute between the monastery of Vincent and the heirs of a certain Bethta who had sold the contested land to the 'basilica of saint Vincent at the city of Le Mans' (basilica Sancti Vincentii Cennomanis civitate). Dated to the eleventh year of the reign of Theuderic.
Text: Charles and Menjot d'Elbenne 1886-1913, cols. 7-9, no. 4.
Summary: Bryan Ward-Perkins.
Cult Places
Cult building - monastic
Protagonists in Cult and NarrativesEcclesiastics - monks/nuns/hermits
Source
The text of this charter is known only through it being reproduced in a ninth-century history, the Gesta Aldrici. The Gesta and a parallel text, the Actus pontificum Cenomannis in urbe degentium, were compiled to justify the claims of the ninth-century bishops of Le Mans to extensive properties and rights. They quote in full 86 royal, episcopal or private charters, including this one. Many of these documents are obvious forgeries, while others, almost certainly containing a genuine core, have clearly been altered and interpolated to favour the ninth-century bishops' claims. The charter relating to Bethta's sale is, however, accepted by modern scholarship as substantially authentic. For a full introduction to the ninth-century Le Mans histories, and the texts they purport to quote, see Goffart 1966.Discussion
There appears to be uncertainty over the precise date of this charter (Goffart 1966, 260 gives '684 or 732', presumably because two King Theideric's are possible; while Charles and Menjot d'Elbenne 1886-1913, col. 8, note 7 implausibly suggest that 'Theuderic' is an error for 'Chilperic' and date the charter to 582). We have not investigated this problem, as this charter is not of great significance for the cult of saints.Bibliography
Edition and discussion:Charles, R. and Menjot d'Elbenne (vicomte), Cartulaire de l'abbaye de Saint-Vincent du Mans, Mamers and Le Mans 1886-1913, cols 7-9, no. 4.
Further reading:
Goffart, W., The Le Mans Forgeries: A Chapter from the History of Church Property in the Ninth Century, Cambridge Mass. (Harvard UP) 1966.
Record Created By
Bryan Ward-Perkins
Date of Entry
02/09/2022
| ID | Name | Name in Source | Identity | S00290 | Vincentius/Vincent, deacon and martyr of Zaragoza and Valencia | Vincentius | Certain |
|---|
Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL:
Bryan Ward-Perkins, Cult of Saints, E08337 - http://csla.history.ox.ac.uk/record.php?recid=E08337