Nicholas of Bray

Nicholas of Bray (or Nicolas de Brai[lower-alpha 1]) was a French clergyman and poet who wrote a Latin epic on the deeds of King Louis VIII of France (1223–1226), the Gesta Ludovici VIII.[1]

Nicholas is probably to be identified with the Nicholas who is recorded as the dean of the collegiate chapter in Bray-sur-Seine in 1202. He dedicated the Gesta to William of Auvergne, bishop of Paris (1228–1249).[1][2] The only copy of the Gesta today is a copy made by André Duchesne in the 17th century.[1]

The Gesta is 1,870 lines long, but is incomplete as it stands.[2] It centres around the siege of La Rochelle in 1224 and the siege of Avignon in 1226.[1][2] One line suggests that he was present at Avignon.[3] Nicholas imitates Ovid's Metamorphoses, introducing thereby much classical mythology, but still contains some useful information for the historian.[2] On the whole, the Gesta reveals more about mores and customs than historical events.[3]

Editions

Notes
  1. In French, his toponymic may also be spelled de Bray or de Braye. In Latin, he is Nicolaus (or Nicholaus) Braviacensis, Braiacensis or de Braia.[1]

References
  1. Nicolas de Bray at BnF Data.
  2. Auguste Molinier, "2256. Nicolas de Bray", Les Sources de l'histoire de France: Des origines aux guerres d'Italie (1494). III. Les Capétiens, 1180–1328 (Paris: A. Picard et fils, 1903), p. 13.
  3. François Guizot, "Notice sur Nicholas de Bray", Collection compléte des mémoires relatifs à l'histoire de France (Paris: J.-L.-J. Brière, 1825), pp. 387–388.
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