History and exegesis in the Itinerarium of Bernard the Monk (c.867)

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Abstract

This article presents a re-evaluation of the ninth-century Itinerarium Bernardi monachi franci, which describes the journey of the monk Bernard to Jerusalem and the Holy Places. Challenging traditional perceptions of the work, as a straightforward narrative of travel, this article argues that a more contextual reading of the source and its topography, with respect to ninth-century exegetical and liturgical culture, identifies the Itinerarium as a text closely linked to exegetical explorations of the themes of penitence and just rule. It concludes that an examination of the motifs of the Old Testament world kingdoms and themes of Christian triumph within the work identifies Bernard as a writer engaged in an attempt to incorporate the world of Islam within a Christian salvific worldview and the eventual promise of redemption.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)252-296
Number of pages45
JournalMedieval Worlds
Issue number10
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 29 Nov 2019

Keywords

  • Jerusalem
  • pilgrimage
  • Islam
  • Abbasid
  • Exegesis
  • Carolingian
  • Bernard the monk

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