This map shows the extent on Lotharingia in the year 1000.īoth Liege and Lobbes were in Lotharingia Inferior (or Upper Lorraine) at the start of the new millennium. Welborn goes as far to say that Lotharingia was the centre of mathematics and astronomy during this period. There was also a big interest in astronomy at the time, although Welborn argues that they were handicapped at the time. What I need to ask is, how does this demonstrate the mentalities that were current at the time?ĭuring the tenth and eleventh centuries, ‘there was a lively exchange of letters and manuscripts on scientific subjects among the scholars’ between different cities (Welborn, 1931). Notker is just a link between two sources which should not carry me away. However, I need to be careful that I don’t get side-lined. Gallen family of Notker, a nephew of Otto I, was bishop of Liege and also Abbot of Lobbes, where the two chronicles were compiled.’ He states that a member of the influential St. Stephenson agrees, ‘In a valuable note, Porter (1974) has pointed out that the Belgian records may have derived from St. My focus is on Notker of Liege, who was influential in mathematics and astronomy in our period.
There is Notker of Labeo (950-1022) who was a very striking and intelligent figure, Notker of Liege (940-1008) who I am interested in, and Notker Physicus (?-975) who dies well before 1006. Gall” (840-912) who also goes by the name of Notker the German, Notker Teutonicus and Notker III, from whom three others took their names. It seems that this is due to the “ Blessed Monk of St. While analysing sources for SN 1006, there seems to be a connection between Annales Sangallensis Maiores (ASM) and the twin records Annales Laubienis and Annales Leodiensis (AL).Īfter getting excited about the name Notker, I soon realised that there were four Notkers that originated from St.