EUR  â¬178.80EUR  â¬149.00 excl. VAT
In Samuelâs Image
Child Oblation in the Early Medieval West
Series: - Brill's Studies in Intellectual History, Volume: 12
Author:
Early medieval religious communities were filled with monks and nuns who spent almost their entire lives within the monastic confines. Many had arrived in childhood, through an irrevocable act of parental sacrifice (oblatio). According to Benedict's Rule, parents were to donate their sons âto God in the monasteryâ, following the biblical example of Hannah offering her son Samuel at the Temple.
From the twelfth century onwards, this once widespread practice became increasingly controversial. Why did parents give away their children? Were they driven by economic necessity?
This book argues that child oblation was anything but a religious disguise for abandoning superfluous offspring. Instead, it was a sacrifice, and should be viewed within the context of gift-giving, religious and otherwise, which assumed such a central importance in early medieval societies.
From the twelfth century onwards, this once widespread practice became increasingly controversial. Why did parents give away their children? Were they driven by economic necessity?
This book argues that child oblation was anything but a religious disguise for abandoning superfluous offspring. Instead, it was a sacrifice, and should be viewed within the context of gift-giving, religious and otherwise, which assumed such a central importance in early medieval societies.
Mayke de Jong received a doctorate from the University of Amsterdam (1986) and is presently Professor of Medieval History at Utrecht University. She has published on a range of early medieval topics, notably monasticism and political ritual.
"...excellente étude, fort bien documentéeâ¦"
L. Wankenne, Revue bénédictine, 1996.
"Die Ausführungen bestechen durch groÃe Quellenkenntnis, lebendige Schilderung und die Berücksichtigung des aktuellen Forschungsstandes..."
M.S., Deutsches Archiv für Erforschung des Mittelalters, 1996.
"an important, well-informed, and most thought-provoking book, which easily sustained this reader's interest from beginning to end."
Alain J. Stoclet, Speculum, 1998.
L. Wankenne, Revue bénédictine, 1996.
"Die Ausführungen bestechen durch groÃe Quellenkenntnis, lebendige Schilderung und die Berücksichtigung des aktuellen Forschungsstandes..."
M.S., Deutsches Archiv für Erforschung des Mittelalters, 1996.
"an important, well-informed, and most thought-provoking book, which easily sustained this reader's interest from beginning to end."
Alain J. Stoclet, Speculum, 1998.
Abbreviations
Introduction
I. Child Oblation: Its Early History
1. Early Monasticism
2. Child Oblation in Benedictâs Rule
3. The Rule and Other Rules
4. Oblation in the Visigothic Realm
5. Missionaries and Child Oblation
II. Carolingian Law and Child Oblation
1. âGodâs Precept and Our Decreeâ
2. Legislation on Child Oblation
3. The Commemoration: Smaragdus and Hildemar
4. Child Oblation as a Source of Conflict
III. Registration and Commemoration
1. The Petitia of 817
2. The Profession Book of St Gall
3. The Register of Rheims
4. The Noticia of San Salvatore/Santa Giulia
5. Oblates and Novices in Corvey
6. Child Oblation and Commemoration
IV. Monasticism and Child Recruitment
1. Nutriti and Conversi
2. Oblates, Purity and Priesthood
3. Claustrum versus Saeculum: Hildemar on Child Rearing
4.
V. Models and Rituals of Child Oblation
1. Biblical Models
2. Votum
3. Oblation and Mass
4. Rituals of Oblation
5. The Significance of the Oblation Ritual
VI. Commendatio and Oblatio
1. Ritualising hild Oblation
2. Commeendation, Conversion and the Court
3. Educating for God: Parents, Godparents and Foster Parents
4. Familiaritas
5. Spiritual and Natural Kinship
6. Keeping while Giving
VII. Child Oblation and the State
1. The School of the Lordâs Service
2. The Formation of An Elite: Scholastici
3. Monastic: Stability and the State
4. Invitus et Coactus: Monastic Prisoners
VIII. Childeren as Gifts: A Conclusion
1. Gifts and âPure Giftsâ
2. Who controlled the Gifts?
3. Children as Holocausta
Epilogue
Bibliography
Index
Introduction
I. Child Oblation: Its Early History
1. Early Monasticism
2. Child Oblation in Benedictâs Rule
3. The Rule and Other Rules
4. Oblation in the Visigothic Realm
5. Missionaries and Child Oblation
II. Carolingian Law and Child Oblation
1. âGodâs Precept and Our Decreeâ
2. Legislation on Child Oblation
3. The Commemoration: Smaragdus and Hildemar
4. Child Oblation as a Source of Conflict
III. Registration and Commemoration
1. The Petitia of 817
2. The Profession Book of St Gall
3. The Register of Rheims
4. The Noticia of San Salvatore/Santa Giulia
5. Oblates and Novices in Corvey
6. Child Oblation and Commemoration
IV. Monasticism and Child Recruitment
1. Nutriti and Conversi
2. Oblates, Purity and Priesthood
3. Claustrum versus Saeculum: Hildemar on Child Rearing
4.
V. Models and Rituals of Child Oblation
1. Biblical Models
2. Votum
3. Oblation and Mass
4. Rituals of Oblation
5. The Significance of the Oblation Ritual
VI. Commendatio and Oblatio
1. Ritualising hild Oblation
2. Commeendation, Conversion and the Court
3. Educating for God: Parents, Godparents and Foster Parents
4. Familiaritas
5. Spiritual and Natural Kinship
6. Keeping while Giving
VII. Child Oblation and the State
1. The School of the Lordâs Service
2. The Formation of An Elite: Scholastici
3. Monastic: Stability and the State
4. Invitus et Coactus: Monastic Prisoners
VIII. Childeren as Gifts: A Conclusion
1. Gifts and âPure Giftsâ
2. Who controlled the Gifts?
3. Children as Holocausta
Epilogue
Bibliography
Index
All those interested in religious, social and political history of the early Middle Ages, as well as general medievalists, historical anthropologists and historians of monasticism.