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'''Arnold Fitz Thedmar''' (c. 1201-1274) was a [[London]] chronicler and merchant born in London on the 9th of August 1201.
{{Short description|English chronicler and merchant (1201–1275)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2023}}
'''Arnold Fitz Thedmar''' (9 August 1201{{snd}}1274 or 1275) was a [[Norman and Medieval London|London]] chronicler and merchant.


== Biography ==
Both his parents were of [[Germany|German]] extraction. The family of his mother migrated to England from [[Cologne]] in the reign of [[Henry II of France|Henry II]]; his father, Thedmar by name, was a citizen of [[Bremen]] who had been attracted to London by the privileges which the [[Plantagenet]]s conferred upon the [[Teutonic]] [[Hanse]].


Because of his habits as an historian, Arnold Fitz Thedmar provided autobiographical information unusual for his time – including a precise birth date. Arnold was born in London to parents of [[Germans|German]] origin. The family of his mother Juliana migrated to the [[Kingdom of England]] from [[Cologne]] in the reign of [[Henry II of England]] – apparently after visiting the shrine of [[Thomas Becket]].<ref>{{cite ODNB |last1=Catto |first1=J. |title=Arnold FitzThedmar |url=https://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-9644 |year=2004 |doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/9644 |isbn=978-0-19-861412-8 }}</ref> His father, Thedmar, was a citizen of [[Bremen (city)|Bremen]] who had been attracted to London by the privileges which the [[Plantagenet]]s conferred upon the [[Teutons|Teutonic]] [[Hanse]].{{sfn|Davis|1911}}
Arnold succeeded in time to his father's wealth and position. He held an honorable position among the Hanse traders, and became their [[alderman]]. He was also, by his own account, alderman of a London ward and an active partisan in municipal politics. In the [[Barons War]] he took the royal side against the populace and the mayor [[Thomas Fitz Thomas]]. The popular party planned, in 1265, to try him for his life before the [[folk-moot]], but he was saved by the news of the [[battle of Evesham]] which arrived on the very day appointed for the trial.


Arnold was the only boy to survive childhood; four of his sisters survived, and they married into London society. Arnold succeeded his father in business and status, becoming "[[alderman]] of the Germans" ([[Hanseatic League|Hanseatic merchants]]) by 1251. He was also, by his own account, alderman of [[Billingsgate]] from the 1240s, and an active partisan in municipal politics. Arnold was one of several London citizens to come into conflict with Henry III over [[City of London|City]] privileges in 1258; he was sacked from office that year, but restored in 1259.<ref>Catto, ''ODNB''</ref> He was also an opponent of the mayoralty of [[Thomas Fitzthomas|Thomas FitzThomas]]. His opposition nearly cost him his life: the populist mayor and his associates proposed a trial before the [[folkmoot]] – but, luckily, news of the [[battle of Evesham]] came just in time to save Arnold and his colleagues.{{sfn|Davis|1911}} Even after the triumph of [[Henry III of England]], Arnold suffered from the malice of his enemies, who contrived that he should be unfairly assessed for the tallages imposed upon the city. He appealed for help to Henry III, and again to his son and successor [[Edward I of England|Edward I]], with the result that his liability was diminished.
Even after the king's triumph Arnold suffered from the malice of his enemies, who contrived that he should be unfairly assessed for the tallages imposed upon the city. He appealed for help to [[Henry III of England|Henry III]], and again to [[Edward I of England|Edward I]], with the result that his liability was diminished. In 1270 he was one of the four citizens to whose keeping the muniments of the city were entrusted. To this circumstance we probably owe the compilation of his chronicle.


''Chronica Maiorum et Vicecomitum'', which begins at the year 1188 and is continued to 1274. From 1239 onwards this work is a mine of curious information. Though municipal in its outlook, it is valuable for the general history of the kingdom, owing to the important part which London played in the agitation against the misrule of Henry III. We have the king's word for the fact that Arnold was a consistent royalist; but this is apparent from the whole tenor of the chronicle. Arnold was by no means blind to the faults of Henry's government, but preferred an [[autocracy]] to the [[mob-rule]] which [[Simon de Montfort]] countenanced in London. Arnold died in 1274; the last fact recorded of him is that, in this year, he joined in a successful appeal to the king against the illegal grants which had been made by the mayor, [[Walter Hervey]].
In 1270, he became keeper of the chest of city archives,<ref>Catto, ''ODNB''</ref> something which must have brought him particular satisfaction, given his literary bent.{{sfn|Davis|1911}} In his leisure, Arnold compiled a chronicle, now known as the ''Liber de antiquis legibus'' (Book of ancient laws).<ref>{{cite book |last1=Stapleton |first1=T. |title=De antiquis legibus liber, Cronica maiorum et vicecomitum Londoniarum |date=1846 |publisher=Camden Society Series I, 34 |location=London |url=https://archive.org/details/liberdeantiquisl34stap}}</ref> This was based on the annals of [[Southwark Cathedral|Southwark Priory]] and [[Ralph de Diceto]]'s ''Opuscula''.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Stone |first1=I. |title=Connections and Collaborations Between Centres of Historical Writing in Thirteenth-Century London and Southwark |journal=Mediæval Studies |date=2017 |volume=79 |pages=205–47 |url=https://ianstone.london/wp8/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Medieval-Studies-2017-Stone-final.pdf}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Riley |first1=H. T. |title=Chronicles of the Mayors and Sheriffs of London A.D.1188 to A.D.1274 |date=1863 |location=London |url=https://archive.org/details/chroniclesofmayo00fitzuoft}}</ref> The chronicle begins at the year 1188 and is continued to 1274. From 1239 onwards this work is a mine of curious information. Though municipal in its outlook, it is valuable for the general history of the kingdom, owing to the important part which London played in the agitation against the misrule of Henry III. We have the king's word for the fact that Arnold was a consistent royalist; but this is apparent from the whole tenor of the chronicle. Arnold was by no means blind to the faults of Henry's government, but preferred an [[autocracy]] to the way London was governed under [[Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester]], which Arnold viewed as [[Ochlocracy|mob rule]]. Arnold died in 1274; the last fact recorded of him is that, in this year, he joined in a successful appeal to the king against the illegal grants which had been made by the mayor, [[Walter Hervey (Mayor)|Walter Hervey]].{{sfn|Davis|1911}}<ref>[[G. H. Pertz]], ''[[Monumenta Germaniae historica]], Scriptores'', vol. xxviii; [[Johann Martin Lappenberg|J. M. Lappenberg]], ''Urkundliche Geschichte des Hansischen Stahl hofes zu London'' ([[Hamburg]], 1851)." {{harv|Davis|1911}}</ref>


Arnold had a hall, messuage, tenements and a wharf next the [[Steelyard]]. He was married to a Dionysia (she outlived him by a couple of decades, and married, secondly, Adam the Tailor). Arnold's will was enrolled on 10 February 1275. Arnold and Dionysia perhaps had a daughter (Margery), although she is not named in his will. His cousin Stephen Eswy inherited part of Arnold's property. Arnold left a bequest to [[Bermondsey Abbey]], whose chronicles share a common ancestor to Southwark's.<ref>Brett, M. (1992). 'The Annals of Bermondsey, Southwark and Merton', in Church and City, 1000–1500 : Essays in Honour of Christopher Brooke, ed. D. Abulafia, M. Franklin and M. Rubin (Cambridge)</ref>
The ''Chronica Maiorum et Vicecomitum'', with the other contents of Arnold's common-place book, were edited for the Camden Society by T. Stapleton (1846), under the title ''Liber de Antlqwts Legibus''. Our knowledge of Arnold's life comes from the ''Chronica'' and his own biographical notes. Extracts, with valuable notes, are edited in G. H. Pertz's ''Mon. Germaniae historica, Scriptores'', vol. xxviii. See als O J. M. Lappenberg's ''Urkundliche Geschichte des Hansischen Stahl hofes zu London'' ([[Hamburg]], 1851).


==References==
{{1911}
{{reflist}}
'''Attribution:'''
* {{EB1911|first=Henry William Carless |last=Davis |author-link= Henry William Carless Davis |wstitle=Fitz Thedmar, Arnold|volume=10|page=448|short=1}}


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[[Category:English people|Thedmar, Arnold Fitz]]

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[[Category:English historians|Thedmar, Arnold Fitz]]
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{{lived|b=1201|d=1274|key=Thedmar, Arnold Fitz}}

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[[Category:1274 deaths]]
[[Category:English merchants]]
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[[Category:13th-century English historians]]
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[[Category:English people of German descent]]

Latest revision as of 19:35, 1 December 2024

Arnold Fitz Thedmar (9 August 1201 – 1274 or 1275) was a London chronicler and merchant.

Biography

[edit]

Because of his habits as an historian, Arnold Fitz Thedmar provided autobiographical information unusual for his time – including a precise birth date. Arnold was born in London to parents of German origin. The family of his mother Juliana migrated to the Kingdom of England from Cologne in the reign of Henry II of England – apparently after visiting the shrine of Thomas Becket.[1] His father, Thedmar, was a citizen of Bremen who had been attracted to London by the privileges which the Plantagenets conferred upon the Teutonic Hanse.[2]

Arnold was the only boy to survive childhood; four of his sisters survived, and they married into London society. Arnold succeeded his father in business and status, becoming "alderman of the Germans" (Hanseatic merchants) by 1251. He was also, by his own account, alderman of Billingsgate from the 1240s, and an active partisan in municipal politics. Arnold was one of several London citizens to come into conflict with Henry III over City privileges in 1258; he was sacked from office that year, but restored in 1259.[3] He was also an opponent of the mayoralty of Thomas FitzThomas. His opposition nearly cost him his life: the populist mayor and his associates proposed a trial before the folkmoot – but, luckily, news of the battle of Evesham came just in time to save Arnold and his colleagues.[2] Even after the triumph of Henry III of England, Arnold suffered from the malice of his enemies, who contrived that he should be unfairly assessed for the tallages imposed upon the city. He appealed for help to Henry III, and again to his son and successor Edward I, with the result that his liability was diminished.

In 1270, he became keeper of the chest of city archives,[4] something which must have brought him particular satisfaction, given his literary bent.[2] In his leisure, Arnold compiled a chronicle, now known as the Liber de antiquis legibus (Book of ancient laws).[5] This was based on the annals of Southwark Priory and Ralph de Diceto's Opuscula.[6][7] The chronicle begins at the year 1188 and is continued to 1274. From 1239 onwards this work is a mine of curious information. Though municipal in its outlook, it is valuable for the general history of the kingdom, owing to the important part which London played in the agitation against the misrule of Henry III. We have the king's word for the fact that Arnold was a consistent royalist; but this is apparent from the whole tenor of the chronicle. Arnold was by no means blind to the faults of Henry's government, but preferred an autocracy to the way London was governed under Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester, which Arnold viewed as mob rule. Arnold died in 1274; the last fact recorded of him is that, in this year, he joined in a successful appeal to the king against the illegal grants which had been made by the mayor, Walter Hervey.[2][8]

Arnold had a hall, messuage, tenements and a wharf next the Steelyard. He was married to a Dionysia (she outlived him by a couple of decades, and married, secondly, Adam the Tailor). Arnold's will was enrolled on 10 February 1275. Arnold and Dionysia perhaps had a daughter (Margery), although she is not named in his will. His cousin Stephen Eswy inherited part of Arnold's property. Arnold left a bequest to Bermondsey Abbey, whose chronicles share a common ancestor to Southwark's.[9]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Catto, J. (2004). "Arnold FitzThedmar". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/9644. ISBN 978-0-19-861412-8. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  2. ^ a b c d Davis 1911.
  3. ^ Catto, ODNB
  4. ^ Catto, ODNB
  5. ^ Stapleton, T. (1846). De antiquis legibus liber, Cronica maiorum et vicecomitum Londoniarum. London: Camden Society Series I, 34.
  6. ^ Stone, I. (2017). "Connections and Collaborations Between Centres of Historical Writing in Thirteenth-Century London and Southwark" (PDF). Mediæval Studies. 79: 205–47.
  7. ^ Riley, H. T. (1863). Chronicles of the Mayors and Sheriffs of London A.D.1188 to A.D.1274. London.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  8. ^ G. H. Pertz, Monumenta Germaniae historica, Scriptores, vol. xxviii; J. M. Lappenberg, Urkundliche Geschichte des Hansischen Stahl hofes zu London (Hamburg, 1851)." (Davis 1911)
  9. ^ Brett, M. (1992). 'The Annals of Bermondsey, Southwark and Merton', in Church and City, 1000–1500 : Essays in Honour of Christopher Brooke, ed. D. Abulafia, M. Franklin and M. Rubin (Cambridge)

Attribution:

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