French Literature Reviews - 2026
C. Chevalier-Royet, Les Livres des Rois dans l’empire carolingien. Exégèse et actualité
Medieval and Renaissance Studies
Caroline Chevalier-Royet
Les Livres des Rois dans l’empire carolingien. Exégèse et actualité
Paris, Classiques Garnier, coll. Bibliothèque d'histoire médiévale, 2021
EAN : 9782406108160
602 pages
59 €
OVERVIEW
Examining Carolingian commentaries on the Books of Kings—two anonymous collections and three continuous commentaries by Claudius of Turin, Rabanus Maurus, and Angelome of Luxeuil, composed between 800 and 840—sheds light on the methods of these exegetes and their worldview, particularly their conception of earthly power.
During the Carolingian period, biblical exegesis served not only as a scholarly pursuit but as a vital framework for interpreting contemporary political realities. Clerical writers frequently turned to historical scriptural texts to articulate theories of kingship, governance, and moral authority within the Christian empire. Commentaries on Old Testament historical books occupied a significant place in monastic and courtly libraries, reflecting the intellectual ambitions of the Carolingian Renaissance and the efforts of scholars to guide rulers through scriptural precedent. Readers interested in medieval biblical interpretation and the political thought of the early ninth century may find this volume relevant as it examines Carolingian commentaries on the Books of Kings composed between 800 and 840, shedding light on the methods of these exegetes and their worldview, particularly their conception of earthly power.