The Writings Of Agnes Of Harcourt: The Life of Isabelle of France and the Letter on Louis IX and Longchamp (Notre Dame Texts in Medieval Culture) - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0268044031 ISBN 13: 9780268044039

Publisher: University of Notre Dame Press, 2003

Synopsis

Agnes of Harcourt is an important though little-known 13th-century author. Born into a leading Norman noble family, she became an abbess at the new royal Franciscan abbey of Longchamp, founded just outside of Paris by Isabelle of France, sister of Louis IX. In the 1280s Agnes wrote a substantial biography of Isabelle of France, as well as a brief letter detailing Louis IX's involvement with the abbey. These texts were based on Agnes' first-hand observations and contained many lively stories about their royal subjects. Agnes' writings provide a fascinating window on religious life at the court of St Louis and on the lives of some of the most interesting and powerful men and women of the day. More significantly, they preserve one of the very few female perspectives we have for this period, and in ""The Life of Isabelle"", offer what is probably the first biography of one woman by another in French. Based on research into the surviving archives of Longchamp, this text presents an English translation of her texts and a substantial introduction to her life and work. This critical edition includes both the old French and English versions of the texts.

About this title

Review

"Sean Field's book makes an original contribution. It is clearly written and readily accessible. The scholarship is outstanding in every respect. Field has complete mastery of the secondary and relevant primary sources."

About the Author

Sean L. Field is professor of history at the University of Vermont.

Edition details

• Publisher: University of Notre Dame Press
• Publication date: 2003
• ISBN 10: 0268044031
• ISBN 13: 9780268044039
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 120