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William of Malmesbury ((ラテン語:Willelmus Malmesbiriensis); ) was the foremost English historian of the 12th century. Hollister ranked him among the most talented English historians since Bede, "a gifted historical scholar and an omnivorous reader, impressively well versed in the literature of classical, patristic and earlier medieval times as well as in the writings of his own contemporaries. Indeed William may well have been the most learned man in twelfth-century Western Europe."〔Hollister, ''Henry I'', 2001: "Setting and sources", p3〕 William was born about 1095 or 1096〔(discusses the evidence for his age and thus his birth year )〕 in Wiltshire. His father was Norman and his mother English. He spent his whole life in England and his adult life as a monk at Malmesbury Abbey in Wiltshire, England.〔Rodney Thomson, ''William of Malmesbury'', 1987 is the full-length study; see also 〕 ==Biography== Though the education William received at Malmesbury Abbey included a smattering of logic and physics, moral philosophy and history were the subjects to which he devoted the most attention. The evidence shows that Malmesbury had first-hand knowledge of at least four hundred works by two hundred-odd authors.〔Thomson 1987:197–207.〕 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 modelled on the ''Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum'' (''Ecclesiastical History of the English People'') of Bede. William's obvious respect for Bede is apparent even within the preface of his ''Gesta Regum Anglorum'', where he professes his admiration for the man. In fulfilment of this idea, William completed in 1125〔Hollister 2001:4,〕 his ''Gesta Regum Anglorum'' ("Deeds of the English Kings"), consciously patterned on Bede, which spanned from AD 449–1120. He later edited and expanded it up to the year 1127, releasing a revision dedicated to Robert, Earl of Gloucester. This "second edition" of the ''Gesta Regum'', "disclosing in his second thoughts the mellowing of age",〔Hollister 2001:4.〕 is now considered one of the great histories of England. William wrote of William the Conqueror in ''Historia Anglorum'': William's first edition of the book was followed by the ''Gesta Pontificum Anglorum'' (''Deeds of the English Bishops'') in 1125. For this vivid descriptive history of abbeys and bishoprics, dwelling upon the lives of the English prelates saints, notably the learned wonder-working Aldhelm, abbot of Malmesbury, William travelled widely in England. He stayed at Glastonbury Abbey for a time, composing a work on its antiquity for his friend, the abbot Henry of Blois. (Among the first works to mention SS Fagan and Deruvian, its present form is notably marred by anachronistic forgeries and additions.) Around this time, William formed an acquaintance with Bishop Roger of Salisbury, who had a castle at Malmesbury. 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. Beginning about 1140, William 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. This work breaks off in 1142, with an unfulfilled promise that it would be continued. Presumably William died before he could redeem his pledge. William also wrote a history of his abbey and several saints' lives. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「William of Malmesbury」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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