HIST 107 Introduction to Medieval History Lecture 15 St Bernard and the New Monasticism Main Question What sorts of religious life emerged in the twelfth century and why are they significant Preliminary Remarks Recall from past lectures monasticism emerges from around the third century as a sort of extra for the Church parallel to its main structures Various models of the monastic life are created but in the West the model that achieves dominance is the Rule of St Benedict especially when it is sponsored by rulers such as the emperor Louis the Pious By the tenth and eleventh centuries the high status of the Rule is best exemplified by the abbey of Cluny the most prestigious monastery in western Europe and famous for its elaborate liturgy However the Rule harnesses but does not eliminate ideals associated with the more rigorous elements of early monasticism the ideals of solitude and detachment from the world contemplative prayer and poverty as practised for example by the early Egyptian monks and by hermits Key Points Two main questions to address A What changes happened to the religious life from c 1050 and why B Why did the Cistercians become the most influential expression of new monastic ideals A What changes happened to the religious life from c 1050 and why No one simple cause Important thing to stress convergence and mutual reinforcement of several ideas these ideas gain added prestige from being part of Church s long term memory people generally wary of novelty and innovations unless packaged as a return to earlier conditions i primitive Church primitive not in sense of undeveloped rather pristine clean 1 ii iii apostolic life vita apostolica the Apostles were effectively monks property held in common Therefore the Church began in monasticism rather than monasticism being a later bolt on addition the Rule of St Benedict itself has high status equivalent to foundational texts of early Christianity therefore it should be observed in a pure form free of later additions to monastic life as in Cluniac customs These ideas lent extra force by larger factors a Gregorian reform stresses the Church s separation from the world clergy should not marry lay people should not have control over ecclesiastical appointments and churches resources b From c 1000 western Europe experiencing sustained economic growth agricultural surplus growing hence more mouths can be fed population grows towns grow in size The surplus is what ultimately makes the new monasticism possible c See next lecture late 11th and 12th centuries are a period of spiritual and intellectual awakening The new monasticism is one facet of this new energy How do these ideals and forces translate into people s lived experience Important initial phase from later 11th century emergence of eremitical movements i e hermits e g Romuald of Ravenna 1020s Tuscany community of Camaldoli half regular Benedictine establishment half dispersed hermit huts recalling early Egyptian models The Benedictine part is a sort of training camp for the hermits Hermits live in near isolation regime of flagellation fasting prayer silence Camaldoli respected but does not create a large movement especially outside Italy More appealing aim don t bisect a monastic community into communal and eremitical halves but see whether one can combine the two in a single way of life A number of experiments attempt this combination e g Grandmont founded by Stephen of Muret 1110s monks can engage in comtemplation and solitude without leaving community Grandmont an influential model patronized by kings of England among others but never a dominant force in monastic culture Greater impact achieved by Carthusians even though numbers always small founded by Bruno of Cologne as hermitage in Alps c 1080 then organized by Bruno s successor Guigo du Pin 2 initial location so high an avalanche sweeps the community away in 1132 relocation to current site of Grande Chartreuse whence charterhouse monks live in self sufficient cells with high walled garden lay brothers provide food through hatch to limit contact some communal prayer in church and weekly communal meal Carthusians become renowned copyists and collectors of books But a lifestyle only for the spiritual super elite measure of Carthusian achievement never had to be reformed Not only desire for solitude in the desert that is driving new forms of religious life After all Apostles were preachers as well as early monks as described in Acts of the Apostles Therefore preaching becomes a further basis of religious expression Good example experience of Robert of Arbrissel wandering preacher in north western France in later 11th century living in forest away from concentrations of population But attracts a large following including many women Robert has to make long term provision for these followers creation of community at Fontevrault mixed monastery i e separate but adjacent compound for nuns and monks Mixed model in fact goes back to early medieval period around 7th 8th century but had not been followed since It inspires some copy cat foundations e g Sempringham in England founded by Gilbert of Sempringham Overall the dual monastery idea never spreads beyond a few famous centres Fontevrault becomes a rich establishment and Eleanor of Aquitaine decides to be buried there with her husband King Henry II and son Richard I the Lionheart of England But it serves as another illustration of the flexibility and range of the new monasticism This same flexibility also evident in emergence from around c 1050 of hybrid monkclerics or canons regular Best of both worlds quasi monastic communal life disengages clergy from the world no family no influence from powerful local lords Therefore the Gregorian reformers approve But unlike monks the clergy can function fully in the world staff churches perform sacrament Canons regular lack the glamour of contemporary monastic movements but in a sense they are the real success story of the twelfth century Church basis of expansion of the Church s activities e g hospitals schools and later universities houses often small therefore appeal to patrons below the very highest social levels However one group stands out as the stars of the new monasticism the Cistercians 3 So next question is B Why did the Cistercians become the most influential expression of new monastic ideals Foundation in 1098 in break away group of monks from abbey of Molesme in Burgundy eastern France under Abbot Robert of Molesme