A cultural history of fame in the medieval age , Volume 2

A Cultural History of Fame in Medieval Age covers the period from 600 to 1450, tracing the intriguing gradations of fame – from rumour, to reputation, to prestige, to renown, to glory. As at any other time in history, the reputation of both individuals and social groups in the middle ages was built on communication, but the stakes were high. The glory of exemplary figures such as saints was suffused with a sense of the divine, transforming their lives into myth. The renown of more worldly institutions and individuals – kings and queens, scholars and literary characters – was kept to a more earthly plane. The policing of fame was rigorous, shaped partly by medieval laws designed to restrain extravagance and excess, and partly by the power of infamy, used as a marker to brand a scandalous life