Bibliography

Jones, Michael, “Memory, invention and the Breton state: the first inventory of the ducal archives (​1395) and the beginnings of Montfort historiography”, Journal of Medieval History 33:3 (2007): 275–296.

  • journal article
Citation details
Contributors
Article
“Memory, invention and the Breton state: the first inventory of the ducal archives (​1395) and the beginnings of Montfort historiography”
Periodical
Volume
33
Pages
275–296
Description
Abstract (cited)

The general importance of a small group of medieval Breton historians, either employed in the ducal chancery or close to the ruling dynasty, in shaping a view of the Breton past that was favourable to the contemporary policies of the Montfortist dukes of Brittany between the late fourteenth and early sixteenth century has been well explained by recent writers. Mystery, however, still surrounds the identity of the author of the earliest ambitious attempt to recount the duchy's history from remotest times to the present in the Chronicon Briocense, ‘Chronicle of St-Brieuc’, compiled c.1389–1416. By using evidence that has come to light in the course of editing the first inventory of ducal archives (1395), this article seeks to confirm earlier hypotheses that Master Hervé Le Grant, keeper of the Trésor des chartes, is the most likely candidate as author of the Chronicon. The probability that he is also the main perpetrator of a series of well-known forged documents intended to justify ducal prerogatives which continued to have an impact on how the history of Brittany was written long after the duchy had lost its independence is also explored.

Subjects and topics
Headings
Brittany
Sources
Texts
History, society and culture
Agents
John IV [duke of Brittany]John IV ... duke of Brittany
Entry reserved for but not yet available from the subject index.

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Hervé Le GrantLe Grant (Hervé)
(fl. c.1379–1417)
Breton cleric of the diocese of Cornouaille, notary and secretary. Historians like Michael Jones have argued that he may well be the author-compiler of the Chronicon Briocense.
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Keywords
ducal archives forgeries John IV historiography Trésor des chartes
Contributors
Dennis Groenewegen
Page created
June 2021