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 language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 252-296 |
Number of pages | 45 |
Journal | Medieval Worlds |
Issue number | 10 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 29 Nov 2019 |
Keywords
- Jerusalem
- pilgrimage
- Islam
- Abbasid
- Exegesis
- Carolingian
- Bernard the monk