Otto of Freising
Otto of Freising (
Life
Otto was born in
The records of his life are scanty and the dates somewhat uncertain. He studied in Paris, where he took an especial interest in philosophy. He is said to have been one of the first to introduce the philosophy of Aristotle into Germany, and served as provost of a new foundation in Austria.[1]
Having entered the
In 1147 Otto took part in the disastrous Second Crusade. The section of the crusading army led by the bishop was decimated, but Otto reached Jerusalem and returned to Bavaria in 1148 or 1149. He enjoyed the favour of Conrad's successor Frederick I, was probably instrumental in settling the dispute over the duchy of Bavaria in 1156, and was present at the famous diet of Besançon in 1157.[1] Otto mentions that Frederick I ushered in a new age of peace following years of instability and civil war.[2]
Still retaining the habit of a Cistercian monk, he died at Morimond on 22 September 1158. In 1857 a statue of the bishop was erected at Freising, Bavaria.[1]
Works
Otto is most remembered for two important historical works:
Chronica de duabus civitatibus
The first of these is his Chronica sive Historia de duabus civitatibus (Chronicle or The History of the Two Cities), a historical and philosophical work in eight books, which follows to some extent the lines laid down by
The text details a period of harmony between the imperial and ecclesiastical authority which had followed from the conversion of Rome to Christianity. Rome was seen as the fourth and final world empire. After that, authority was transferred to the Greeks (
Gesta Friderici Imperatoris
Better known is Otto's Gesta Friderici imperatoris (Deeds of Emperor Frederick), written at the request of Frederick I and prefaced by a letter from the emperor to the author. The Gesta comprises four books, the first two of which were written by Otto and the remaining two, or parts of them, by his pupil
References
- ^ a b c d e Holland 1911, p. 375.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-300-12276-3.
- ^ a b Holland 1911, p. 376.
- This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Holland, Arthur William (1911). "Otto of Freising". In Chisholm, Hugh (ed.). Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 20 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 375–376.
Further reading
- Mierow, Charles Christopher. "Bishop Otto of Freising: Historian and Man", Transactions and Proceedings of the American Philological Association, Vol. 80. (1949), pp. 393–402.
- Otto, Bishop of Freising. The Two Cities: A chronicle of universal history to the year 1146 A.D. Translated with an introduction and notes by Charles Christopher Mierow; with a foreword and updated bibliography by Karl F. Morrison; edited by Austin P. Evans and Charles Knapp. Columbia University Press, 1928.
