Paul Webster - History of the Dukes of Normandy and the Kings of England by the Anonymous of Béthune (Crusade Texts in Translation)

Translated by Janet Shirley

With historical notes by Paul Webster

First published 2021

by Routledge

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2021 the Estate of Janet Shirley and Paul Webster

The right of Janet Shirley and Paul Webster to be identified as authors of this work has been asserted by them in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

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ISBN: 978-1-138-74349-6 (hbk)

ISBN: 978-1-315-18171-4 (ebk)

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The present volume presents a new translation, with historical notes and an introduction to the text, of the History of the Dukes of Normandy and the Kings of England. This work, long known to historians, has previously been available principally through the Old French edition of the text published as long ago as 1840 by Francisque Michel. Here it is translated in full, and we hope brought to a wider audience, through the work of the late Janet Shirley.

The translation is the last of Janets published works, and the volume opens with a tribute and summary of her translation work by her friend and fellow scholar of medieval French, Jane Taylor. Particular thanks are due to Jane for this, and to Janets son, Roger Barlow, and her family, who have encouraged and supported the project since she passed away in 2017. Rogers help in supplying Paul with Janets working copy of Michels edition, and her accompanying notes, has proved invaluable.

I would especially like to thank all those of who have offered support, help, encouragement and friendship in the course of preparing the introduction and notes, and in seeing the volume through to publication. Peter Edbury first discussed the project with me, in a series of conversations that led to my becoming involved, and has enquired about its progress at regular intervals since. Also in Cardiff, Jenny Benham has been a regular source of support and advice (as well as cake) and, along with Thomas Tollefsen, provided an opportunity to discuss the Anonymous of Bthune at the International Medieval Congress in Leeds in 2018, whilst Michelle Deininger, Helen Nicholson and Dave Wyatt have been a constant source of friendship, help and support (not to mention tea, coffee and Bourbon biscuits). Beyond Cardiff, I thank Elma Brenner, Catherine Hanley, Rachel Koopmans, Gabrielle Storey and Louise Wilkinson for their encouragement and their patience in moving forward with other projects whilst I have been in the company of the Anonymous of Bthune. I also thank those friends and scholars who have shared papers with me or drawn important references to my attention, including Martin Aurell, Hayley Bassett, Jacob Deacon, Alexander Hurlow, Frdrique Lachaud and Daniel Power. Thanks are also due to Michael Greenwood, Stewart Beale and the team at Routledge, along with the production team led by Umamaheswari Chelladurai. I also thank my parents for their constant love, support and encouragement for all that I do.