John of Worcester facts for kids
John of Worcester was an English monk and historian. He lived around the 1100s and worked at Worcester Priory. John is famous for writing a very important history book. This book is called the Chronicon ex chronicis. He died around the year 1140.
Contents
The Chronicon ex chronicis Chronicle
The Chronicon ex chronicis is a huge history book. It covers events from the very beginning of the world, according to ancient stories. The book continues all the way up to the year 1140. It uses a timeline first set up by another historian named Marianus Scotus. John of Worcester then added a lot more information. He especially focused on English history.
Who Wrote the Chronicon?
For a long time, people thought a monk named Florence of Worcester wrote most of this book. This was because an entry in the book for the year 1118 praised Florence for his work. They believed John of Worcester only wrote the last part.
However, there are two main reasons why this idea changed. First, the writing style in the book does not change after Florence's death. Second, some parts written before 1118 use information from another book. That book, called Historia novorum, was finished after Florence died.
Today, most experts agree that John of Worcester was the main writer. He is even named as the author in two entries for the years 1128 and 1138. We also know that two copies of the book were written by John himself. A famous historian, Orderic Vitalis, visited Worcester. He saw John working on the chronicle. John was writing it for Wulfstan, who was the Bishop of Worcester.
Here is what Orderic Vitalis wrote about John:
| "John, an Englishman by birth, became a monk at Worcester when he was a boy. He was respected for his learning and good behavior. He continued the history of Marianus Scotus. John carefully wrote about the reigns of King William and his sons, William Rufus and Henry. He wrote about events up to his own time. John added about a hundred years of history to these chronicles. He did this because Bishop Wulfstan asked him to. John included many important events from the Romans, Franks, Germans, and other people he knew about." |
Copies of the Chronicon
The Chronicon still exists today in five main copies. There is also a small piece of another copy.
- MS 157 (Oxford, Corpus Christi College): This is the most important copy. It was John's own working copy.
- MS 502 (Dublin, Trinity College).
- MS 42 (Lambeth Palace Library).
- MS Bodley 297 (Oxford, Bodleian Library).
- MS 92 (Cambridge, Corpus Christi College).
There is also a smaller history book called the chronicula. It is based on the main Chronicon. John wrote this smaller book up to the year 1123. It is found in MS 503 (Dublin, Trinity College).
Sources for English History
John of Worcester used many different sources to write about early English history. Some of these sources are now lost.
- Different versions of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle: These were probably in Latin. John might have used a lost source that was also used by William of Malmesbury.
- Bede, Historia Ecclesiastica: This book covered history up to the year 731.
- Asser, Vita Ælfredi: This was a life story of King Alfred.
- Stories about saints from the 900s and 1000s:
- Lives of St Dunstan by different authors.
- Byrhtferth, Life of St. Oswald.
- Osbern of Canterbury, Life of St Ælfheah.
- Eadmer of Canterbury, Historia novorum: This book covered events from 1066 to 1122.
- Information from people living at the time: John also used local knowledge and stories from people around him.
