Stained glass window showing William, installed in Malmesbury Abbey in 1928 in memory of Rev. Canon C. D. H. McMillan, Vicar of Malmesbury from 1907 to 1919.

A view of Malmesbury Abbey in Wiltshire, England. Malmesbury Abbey, at Malmesbury in Wiltshire, England, was founded as a Benedictine Monastery around 676 by the scholar-poet Etymology The county formerly 'Wiltonshire' or 'Wiltunscir' (9th century is named after the former county town of Wilton (itself named after the River Wylye England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland The Abbey was completed in 1180 AD, and remains in use as the parish church of Malmesbury.

William of Malmesbury (c. 1080/1095–c. 1143), English historian of the 12th century, was born about the year 1080/1095, in Wiltshire. English historians in the Middle Ages is an overview of the history of English historians and their works in the Middle Ages. Etymology The county formerly 'Wiltonshire' or 'Wiltunscir' (9th century is named after the former county town of Wilton (itself named after the River Wylye His father was Norman and his mother English. The Normans were the people who gave their names to Normandy, a region in northern France. He spent his whole life in England with his most productive working years as a monk at Malmesbury Abbey. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland MONK is a Monte Carlo software package for simulating nuclear processes particularly for the purpose of determining the neutron multiplication factor or k-effective Malmesbury Abbey, at Malmesbury in Wiltshire, England, was founded as a Benedictine Monastery around 676 by the scholar-poet

Biography

The education William received at Malmesbury Abbey included a smattering of logic and physics; Moral philosophy and history, however, were the subjects to which he devoted most attention. Logic is the study of the principles of valid demonstration and Inference. Physics (Greek Physis - φύσις in everyday terms is the Science of Matter and its motion. Ethics is a major branch of Philosophy, encompassing right conduct and good life History is the study of the past particularly the written record Those who study history as a Profession are called Historians Etymology During the course of his studies, he amassed a collection of medieval histories, which inspired in him the idea for a popular account of English history, modeled on the Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum (Ecclesiastical History of the English People) of Bede. The Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum (in English: Ecclesiastical History of the English People) is a work in Latin by the Bede (ˈbiːd (also Saint Bede, the Venerable Bede, or (from Latin Beda (beda (c William's obvious repect for Bede is apparent even within the preface of his history, where he professes his admiration for the man.

In fulfilment of this idea, William produced around AD 1120 his first edition of the Gesta regum anglorum (Deeds of the English kings) which spanned from AD 449-1120. He later edited and expanded it up to the year 1127, releasing a second edition dedicated to Earl Robert of Gloucester. This second edition of the Gesta regum anglorum is now considered by modern scholars to be one of the great histories of England. William's first edition of the Gesta regum anglorum was followed by the Gesta pontificum anglorum (Deeds of the English Bishops) in 1125.

Around this time, William formed an acquaintance with Bishop Roger of Salisbury, who had a castle at Malmesbury. Roger (or Roger le Poer) (died 1139 was a Norman Medieval Bishop of Salisbury and the seventh Lord Chancellor and Lord Keeper Malmesbury is a south Cotswold town and Civil parish in south west England in the county of Wiltshire. It is possible that this acquaintance, coupled with the positive reception of his Gesta regum earned him the offered position of Abbot of Malmesbury Abbey in 1140. William, however, preferred his duties as librarian and scholar and declined the offer. His one public appearance was made at the council of Winchester in 1141, in which the clergy declared for the empress Matilda. Winchester or Winton ( archaic) is a historic city in southern England, with a population of around 40000 within a radius of its centre Matilda of England (sometimes Maud or Maude; 7 February 1102 &ndash 10 September 1167 was the daughter and dispossessed Heir of Henry I of England He continued his chronicles with the Historia Novella, or modern history, a three-book chronicle that stretched from A. D. 1128-1142, including important accounts of the anarchy of King Stephen's reign. The Anarchy or The Nineteen Year Winter refers to a period of English history during the reign ( 1135 &ndash 1154) of the Norman King Stephen often referred to in history as Stephen of Blois (c 1096 &ndash 25 October, 1154) was the last Norman King of England This work breaks off abruptly at the end of 1142, with an unfulfilled promise that it will be continued. Presumably, William died before he could redeem his pledge.

Significance

He is lauded by many, including John Milton, to be one of the best English historians of his time, and remains known for strong documentation and his clear, engaging writing style. John Milton ( 9 December, 1608 – 8 November, 1674) was an English Poet, Prose Polemicist and A strong Latin stylist, he shows literary and historiographical instincts which are, for his time, remarkably sound. He is an authority of considerable value from 1066 onwards; many telling anecdotes and shrewd judgments on persons and events can be gleaned from his pages. Some scholars criticize him for his atypical annalistic form, calling his chronology less than satisfactory and his arrangement of material careless. But his works are still considered invaluable, and despite these shortcomings, William of Malmesbury remains one of the most celebrated English chroniclers of the 12th century.

Bibliography

• William of Malmesbury: Gesta Regum Anglorum (Deeds of the English Kings), Vol I, Edited and Translated by R. A. B. Mynors, Oxford University Press, 1998. ISBN 0-19-820678-X
• William of Malmesbury: Gesta Regum Anglorum (Deeds of the English Kings), Volume II: General Introduction and Commentary, R. M. Thomson and M. Winterbottom, Oxford Universitynts' Lives, Edited by M. Winterbottom and R. M. Thomson, Oxford University Press, 2002, ISBN 0-19-820709-3
• William of Malmesbury: Historia Novella (The Contemporary History), Edited by Edmund King, translated by K. R. Potter, Oxford University Press, 1999, ISBN 0-19-820192-3
• William of Malmesbury, Chronicle of the Kings of England, Translation by Rev. John Sharpe, 1815. J. A. Giles, editor. London: George Bell and Sons, 1904.
• William of Malmesbury: The Deeds of the Bishops of England [Gesta Pontificum Anglorum], Translated by David Preest, 2002, ISBN 0-85115-884-6
• Rodney M Thomson, William of Malmesbury, ISBN 1-84383-030-2

See also

• Touch Pieces

External links

• Complete text of the Chronicles of the Kings of England at Google Books
• Latin Chroniclers from the Eleventh to the Thirteenth Centuries: William of Malmesbury from The Cambridge History of English and American Literature, Volume I, 1907–21. Touch pieces are Coins and Medals that have attracted superstitious beliefs, such as those with 'holes' in them or those with particular designs The Cambridge History of English and American Literature. Originally published in 1907 - 1921, the 18 volumes include 303 chapters and more than 11000 pages
• Deeds of the English Kings, excerpts.
• Battle of Hastings, 1066, excerpts.
• Account of the Battle of Lincoln in 1141, excerpts.
• Historia Novella, excerpts.

References

• This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain. The Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition (1910–1911 is a 29-volume reference work that marked the beginning of the Encyclopædia Britannica The public domain is a range of abstract materials &ndash commonly referred to as Intellectual property &ndash which are not owned or controlled by anyone