In the history of letters, Geoffrey of Villehardouin is one of the names that keeps being returned to.
The record lists Geoffrey of Villehardouin as knight and historian.
Geoffrey of Villehardouin was born at Aube in 1148. His recorded nationality is France.
Manuscript culture meant a text travelled only as fast as scribes could copy it, and often changed as it went.
He worked as writer, chronicler and historian.
The writing is recorded in Old French.
His best-known work is De la conquête de Constantinople. A writer's real subject usually becomes visible only across the whole body of work.
That the work was written from France matters: language, censorship and the reach of a publishing industry decide which books travel and which stay local.
Geoffrey of Villehardouin died in 1213, aged 65. The books remain, which is the only durable form a writing life takes.
Achievements
- Notable work: De la conquête de Constantinople
.jpg)
