Ordericus Vitalis as Historian in the Europe of the Early Twelfth-Century Renaissance

The following tries to establish what a leading historian of Europe’s early Twelfth-Century Renaissance thought his duty as an historian was, and challenges readers to consider how this differs from modern conceptions of the historian’s role. The strong moral and exemplary purpose of the medieval chronicler is stressed, in terms of the historical writings of Ordericus Vitalis who flourished in the first half of the twelfth century. Orderic’s relatively peripheral location allowed him the leisure to observe and collect historical observations about the major powers of the day (France, England, Normandy), and his monastic dedication instructed him to relate historical events to God’s purposes on earth.