An Unofficial 'The Rest Is History' Reading List

327: Coronations: The Deep History (Part 1)

May 04, 2023

Description

The roots of the coronation ritual are fabulously ancient: certain elements of the ceremony are vestiges from the later Roman Empire, others have their origins in the Old Testament and ancient...
Read more here

Books Referenced

The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle

Author: Various authors

Context:

Referenced as a historical source that describes Edgar's coronation in 973, noting it 'actually describes it twice, once in prose and once in poetry' - indicating its significance as a historical document

Liber Regalis

Author: Anonymous (Medieval English)

Context:

Mentioned as a medieval manuscript from 1377 (Richard II's coronation) that 'is still preserved in the library of Westminster Abbey to this day' and has been 'the basis for every coronation that's followed'

The Old Testament

Author: Various authors

Context:

Referenced extensively as the source for the tradition of anointing kings, particularly the narratives of Samuel anointing Saul and David, and Solomon's coronation, which provided the model for Christian coronation rituals

Beowulf

Author: Unknown

Context:

Mentioned in passing as an example of Anglo-Saxon literature where oaths are taken seriously: 'If you read one of the Norse sagas or something, or one of the Anglo-Saxon sort of poems, I don't know, Beowulf or something'