Abbo Cernuus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Abbo Cernuus
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| Born | c. 850 – c. 923 |
| Occupation | Monk and Poet |
Abbo Cernuus (meaning "the Crooked"), also known as Abbo Parisiensis or Abbo of Saint-Germain, was a Benedictine monk and poet. He lived a long time ago, from about 850 to 923 AD. Abbo was from a region called Neustria and worked at the Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés in Paris.
He is most famous for writing about the Siege of Paris. This was a big attack by the Vikings in 885-886. Abbo was actually there, so his writings are very important. He wrote a long poem in Latin verse about the siege and other events up to 896. This poem is called De bellis Parisiacæ urbis, which means "Wars of the City of Paris." Abbo also wrote some sermons, which are speeches for religious instruction.
Who Was Abbo Cernuus?
Abbo was a monk from an important church center in the 800s. We don't know a lot about his personal life. Most of what we know comes from his own writings. He was from Neustria, a part of what is now France.
Abbo saw the big changes happening in the Frankish Empire. He believed that Odo was the right leader after Emperor Charles the Fat died in 888. Abbo thought of himself and his home as "Frankish." He saw the empire as one big Frankish area.
In 921, Abbo published some of his sermons. He did this because Bishop Fulrad of Paris asked him to. These are the last records we have of Abbo. We don't know the exact year he died, but it was likely after 922.
De bellis Parisiacæ urbis: Abbo's Famous Poem
Abbo wrote his poem, The Wars of the City of Paris, in the 890s. It tells the story of events that happened over eleven years, from 885 to 896. The poem was first written around 890. Later, Abbo added more parts to it, bringing the story up to 896.
The poem is very long, with 1,393 lines. It is divided into three parts or "books." Abbo wrote it using a special poetry style called dactylic hexameter. This style made the poem feel like a grand, epic story. Abbo wanted his poem to teach future generations. He hoped it would warn them about the dangers of the Vikings.
The poem is also very detailed about politics. It shows Odo, the leader of Paris, as a great hero. Abbo calls him the "future king." He also speaks positively about Emperor Charles III, calling him the "emperor of the Franks." Abbo's poem highlights how large and diverse the Frankish Empire was.
Interestingly, Abbo doesn't blame the emperor for the Siege of Paris. He even thought it was fair that the region of Burgundy was attacked later. This was because Burgundy had refused to help Paris during the siege. Abbo also warned people not to rely too much on the emperor's protection.
Overall, De bellis is not just a history book. Abbo was also very interested in why the Vikings attacked Paris. He thought about the spiritual reasons behind the battles.
See Also
