ANSELM OF LIÈGE

Chronicler; b. near Cologne, probably late 10th century; d. after March 3, 1056. Anselm, the chronicler of the bishops of liÈge, went to study at Liège through poppo of stavelot. He became a canon there in 1041, then dean of St. Lambert's Cathedral. He was esteemed by Bishops wazo of liÈge (1042–48) and Theoduin (1048–75) for his integrity, holiness, and knowledge. In 1053–54 he accompanied Theoduin to Rome. Before that date he had written, at the request of his aunt, Abbess Ida of St. Cecilia in Cologne, his two-volume Gesta Episcoporum Tungrensium, Trajectensium et Leodiensium, which is the principal source for the history of the Diocese of Liège to 1048. In a second version of the Gesta dedicated to Archbishop anno of cologne in 1056, he substituted the newly discovered chronicle of heriger of lobbes for his first volume, since it was closer to the source and more accurate. Anselm's second volume is most original and complete in its section on Bishop Wazo. In the documents reproduced (mostly liturgical and religious), and in the use of sources, Anselm showed himself to be well read and, by the standards of his age, critical.

Bibliography: Monumenta Germaniae Historica: Scriptores 7:161–234; 14:107–120. e. martÈne, Veterum scriptorum et monumentorum ecclesiasticorum et dogmaticorum amplissima collectio 4:837–911. j. p. migne, Patrologia latina 139:957–1102. w. wattenbach, Deutschlands Geschichtsquellen im Mittelalter. Deutsche Kaisezeit 1.1:143–148. r. gorgas, Über den kürzeren Text von Anselms "Gesta …" (Halle 1890). j. de ghellinck, Dictionnaire d'histoire et de géographie ecclésiastiques 3:487–489. r. h. a. huysmans, Wazo van Luik (Nijmegen 1932). f. j. schmale, Lexikon für Theologie und Kirche 2 1:596–597.

[t. a. carroll]