Nithard

Nithard (* 795, † 845) was a Frankish historian. His Historiae provide an important source of the Frankish Empire in the early 9th century dar.

Life and work

Nithard was the illegitimate son of Angilbert and Bertha, daughter of Charlemagne. About his life little is known. He took an active part in the struggles of the Carolingian brother and was a follower of Charles the Bald. He fell in battle against the Normans.

On behalf of Charles the Bald, he wrote a Latin historical work, which is usually as Historiae ( "History " ) or as Historiarum Libri IV ( " four books stories " ) is called. This Nithard described the time of the death of Charlemagne ( 814) to the year 843 The focus of the presentation is on the contemporary history; while the first book deals with the period up to 840, the books two to four the three years are devoted to 843. Theme of the Historiae are the Carolingian brother fights, is for the Nithards work with the most important source. Although Nithard - who was one of the few early medieval historians no clergyman, but a layman - seized in favor of Charles the Bald party Historiae contain very valuable material. So handed Nithard the content of the Oaths of Strasbourg; otherwise also offers his work very important information, some of which are nowhere narrated differently. However, a pessimistic attitude is recognizable because of the recognized of Nithard decline of the Carolingian Empire. He expresses his repeated discord on the situation of the empire and is looking quite wistfully at the time of Charlemagne back.

Partial matches are between Nithard and the work of the so-called Astronomus. Whether this is dependent on Nithard or vice versa, or both from a common source followed, is controversial in research.

The Historiae are only in a manuscript from the 10th/11th. Century handed (Paris, BN Latin 9768 ).

Expenditure

• Reinhold Rau ( ed.): Sources for the Carolingian Empire history. Part 1: The annals. Einhard, Life of Charlemagne. Two "life" Louis. Nithard, stories. University Press, Darmstadt 1955, pp. 383ff.