Chronicle of King Charles VII: Part I: 1422 – 1448
By Jean Chartier
Translated by Derek R. Whaley
BLUE KEY
ISBN: 978-1-953609-94-6
An edition and translation of a chronicle by a monk with ties to the French government, offering a detailed account of political and military events in France, particularly those of the Hundred Years’ War.
Excerpt:
This translation of Chartier’s Chronique due roi Charles VII is derived from the first half of Bibliothèques nationale de France manuscrit français 5051 (BNF fr. 5051). It is written entirely by a single hand in a late medieval humanist miniscule style, which was a common style used by government officials at the time. Each chapter is adorned with a rubric written in red ink.
Who is this book for?
This edition will be an invaluable resource for those studying the Hundred Years’ War and 15th-century France, offering a distinctly French perspective on events. Historians of Joan of Arc will also find valuable insights, as her life is covered in detail.
The Author
Derek R. Whaley did his PhD at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand. His research ranges from the Late Middle Ages to American railways. We asked him about why he translated this chronicle:
My doctoral thesis was all about late medieval French vernacular chronicles, and Jean Chartier’s chronicle covering the reign of King Charles VII was the final primary source in my study. As a result, it was quite fresh in my mind as I completed my doctoral research. Without any guarantee of a job in academia, I decided that translating Chartier’s chronicle would keep my knowledge of late medieval French fresh. It helps that the chronicle was written by a single author and the edition I used for this translation was copied by a single scribe. Although I never got a job in academia and now work as a researcher for Auckland Libraries, this translation project remains the lingering thread to my past desire to become a medievalist.
My transcription is a bit experimental in its approach and presentation. I decided (a tad belatedly) to retain historical conventions such as the long s, abbreviated words, Latin shorthand symbols, and a lack of punctuation, and this has resulted in a transcription that is far more faithful to the original than most, but also more difficult to read.
The translation is more aspirational than high quality. My approach was to make a faithful translation of the text as written, not necessarily a ‘sense’ translation, as is more common. This means that fragmented sentences, run-ons, and nonsensical phrasings are far too frequent for my tastes or intentions, but my knowledge of old French only goes so far and some colloquialisms are beyond my ability to recognise or comprehend. I am upfront and honest with these flaws—they are mentioned both on the book’s back blurb and in more detail in the introduction—and one of my wishes with this transcription/translation is that others who may find it will be able to provide clarity.
One of the benefits of self-publishing this book is that it is easy to make small changes and these can be done quickly as soon as feedback is received. It is a relatively new style of publishing historical works but one that translations especially can benefit from.
Chronicle of King Charles VII: Part I: 1422 – 1448
By Jean Chartier
Translated by Derek R. Whaley
BLUE KEY
ISBN: 978-1-953609-94-6
An edition and translation of a chronicle by a monk with ties to the French government, offering a detailed account of political and military events in France, particularly those of the Hundred Years’ War.
Excerpt:
This translation of Chartier’s Chronique due roi Charles VII is derived from the first half of Bibliothèques nationale de France manuscrit français 5051 (BNF fr. 5051). It is written entirely by a single hand in a late medieval humanist miniscule style, which was a common style used by government officials at the time. Each chapter is adorned with a rubric written in red ink.
Who is this book for?
This edition will be an invaluable resource for those studying the Hundred Years’ War and 15th-century France, offering a distinctly French perspective on events. Historians of Joan of Arc will also find valuable insights, as her life is covered in detail.
The Author
Derek R. Whaley did his PhD at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand. His research ranges from the Late Middle Ages to American railways. We asked him about why he translated this chronicle:
My doctoral thesis was all about late medieval French vernacular chronicles, and Jean Chartier’s chronicle covering the reign of King Charles VII was the final primary source in my study. As a result, it was quite fresh in my mind as I completed my doctoral research. Without any guarantee of a job in academia, I decided that translating Chartier’s chronicle would keep my knowledge of late medieval French fresh. It helps that the chronicle was written by a single author and the edition I used for this translation was copied by a single scribe. Although I never got a job in academia and now work as a researcher for Auckland Libraries, this translation project remains the lingering thread to my past desire to become a medievalist.
My transcription is a bit experimental in its approach and presentation. I decided (a tad belatedly) to retain historical conventions such as the long s, abbreviated words, Latin shorthand symbols, and a lack of punctuation, and this has resulted in a transcription that is far more faithful to the original than most, but also more difficult to read.
The translation is more aspirational than high quality. My approach was to make a faithful translation of the text as written, not necessarily a ‘sense’ translation, as is more common. This means that fragmented sentences, run-ons, and nonsensical phrasings are far too frequent for my tastes or intentions, but my knowledge of old French only goes so far and some colloquialisms are beyond my ability to recognise or comprehend. I am upfront and honest with these flaws—they are mentioned both on the book’s back blurb and in more detail in the introduction—and one of my wishes with this transcription/translation is that others who may find it will be able to provide clarity.
One of the benefits of self-publishing this book is that it is easy to make small changes and these can be done quickly as soon as feedback is received. It is a relatively new style of publishing historical works but one that translations especially can benefit from.
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