New texts for Chapter 5: The Hohenstaufen

We’ve just added some new texts to Chapter 5: The Hohenstaufen, for the reign of Henry VI. These include Richard of San Germano’s narrative of Henry’s invasion and conquest of the Regno and Naples; and his chancellor Conrad of Querfurt’s description of the Virgilian marvels of Naples and its environs. We’ve mixed in some creative dissonance by using the illustrations from Peter of Eboli’s Liber ad honorem Augusti sive de rebus Siculis. After all, it was Conrad who had persuaded Peter to compose that work. Many of these images are now available online with Wikimedia. We hope to be adding selections from Peter of Eboli soon as well.

Chapter 4, The Normans, Now Online

The first entries for Chapter 4, The Normans, are now online. This chapter currently includes texts from Alexander of Telese and Alexander of Neckham on Roger II’s conquest of Naples, on the Exultet rolls and their place in Neapolitan liturgy, and selections from Benjamin of Tudela’s Itinerary, describing his visit to the Campania and Naples. The current selections range in date from 1130 to c.1165. We will continue to add texts as we go along. We’ve also added some new texts to Chapter 3: Ducal Naples, including the Pactum or Promissio of Sergius VII with the Neapolitans of 1130.