The Annales Fuldenses or Annals of Fulda are East Frankish chronicles that cover the period from the last years of Louis the Pious (died 840) to the end of effective Carolingian rule in East Francia with the accession of the child-king, Louis III in 900. Throughout this period they are a near contemporary record of the events they describe and a primary source for Carolingian historiography.

Authorship

The Annals were composed at the Abbey of Fulda in Franconia. According to one manuscript, the chronicles up to 838 were composed by Einhard (Enhard according to the Annals) and continued thereafter until 864 by Rudolf of Fulda. The years 714 to 830 found in some manuscript traditions are based largely on the Royal Frankish Annals and the Lorsch Frankish Chronicle. After that date they are relatively independent. It has been suggested that they were continued after 864 by Meinhard, a known continuator of Rudolf's work. However, in 882 the Annals break off into two extant versions, called the Mainz and Bavarian continuations. The Mainz version was composed in the circle of Liutbert, Archbishop of Mainz, and are written from a Franconian perspective and are partisan to Liutbert and the kings he served. The Bavarian continuation was written probably from Regensburg until 896 and thereafter from Niederalteich.

Content

The events recorded in the annals include the death of Louis the Pious and the subsequent dividing of the Frankish Empire into 3 parts at the Treaty of Verdun. After 860, the annals focuses mainly on events in eastern Frankia and on its king Louis the German and his sons. It also describes in some detail the raids conducted by the Vikings in the Frankish Empire from 845 onwards. Other events recorded in the annals include various 'miraculous' events such as comets, earthquakes and disease. The annals end with in 901, a year after the succession of Louis the Child.

Importance

Along with the Annales Bertiniani (Annals of Saint-Bertin, the West Frankish narratives of the same events), the Annals of Fulda are the principal historical primary source for ninth century Carolingian studies.

Sources

• ''Catholic Encyclopedia'': "Rudolf of Fulda."

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