Roger of Wendover facts for kids

Roger of Wendover (died 6 May 1236) was an English writer from the 1200s. He was a chronicler, which means he wrote down important events and history as they happened. He probably came from a town called Wendover in England.

Roger became a monk at a famous place called St Albans Abbey. For a while, he was in charge of a smaller religious house called Belvoir Priory. However, he lost this job because he was found to have wasted some of its money. He spent his later years back at St Albans Abbey, where he passed away on May 6, 1236.

Roger's Historical Writings

Roger of Wendover was one of the first important chroniclers who worked at St Albans Abbey. His most famous book is called Flores Historiarum, which means Flowers of History. This book was a big collection of historical information.

The Flowers of History

Roger's Flowers of History used a lot of information that was already available at St Albans. He also added his own writings to it. The book covered history up to the year 1235, which was just before Roger died.

Roger said in his book that he gathered information "from the books of catholic writers worthy of credit, just as flowers of various colours are gathered from various fields." This is why he named his work Flores Historiarum.

Why Roger's Work Matters

Roger's book is very important because it gives us a detailed and lively story of events that happened during his own time, from 1216 to 1235. Historians value his work for showing us what life was like and what major events took place in England during those years.

Roger's Published Works

Roger of Wendover's main work, Flores Historiarum, is a key source for understanding medieval English history. His writings help us learn about the past through the eyes of someone who lived during that time.