Papal communications and historical writing in Angevin England

ABSTRACT This article examines the role of papal communications in historical writing in England under the Angevin kings (1154–1216). Taking the examples of Gervase of Canterbury, Roger of Howden and Herbert of Bosham, it demonstrates a variety of responses to papal communications between the curia and England. By the late twelfth century such communications – particularly papal letters – had become an integral part of the material of historical writing. Some writers included papal letters for the purpose of narration or legitimation. Others were interested in the process of communication itself, while others again used the language and ideas in these letters for their own comments on events. By examining papal communications from an underexplored perspective, we gain insights into how learned and politically engaged men responded to papal interventions in English affairs. Equally, examining how such historians engaged with papal communications reveals aspects of their methods, models and expectations of their audience.