Greek and Arabic culture in the eleventh ....

Other important events that occurred during medieval period were the crusades and the twelfth-century renaissance which played the remarkable role in the history of this age. With the attack of Viking produced a decline in historiography in Germany. But in the tenth century, Otto the Great secured stability again. In the eleventh century, the leaven of new thinking and a distinct emergence of historical consciousness could be detected. Norman conquests in England and Sicily, the religious reforms movements and the growth of papacy, all these events led medieval history to the climax. Among them, the first general historical event which excited the interest of al European nations was Crusades. These picturesque events were responsible to lead narrow space to open space.Greek and Arabic culture in the eleventh century had led to an intellectual and aesthetic awakening in the twelfth century. This awakening inEurope is considered as the twelfth century renaissance. The main features of the twelfth renaissance were- increasing study of Roman law, the growth of trade and town life, the development of Gothic Art and the emergence of vernacular literature. A wider visions of things was milestone of twelfth century renaissance.

Sigibert of Gemblous, William of Malmesbury , William of Newburg and Henry Huntingdon were some of the renowned historians of twelfth century renaissance.Sigibert carried the newer form of medieval historical writing to a height. He wrote a world history based on wide reading. His first attempt to understand the history of Byzantium, secular history was balance .William of Malmesbury and William of Newburg practiced a new Norman English historiography. The former stressed the right use of authorities and the latter focused on the justification of authority by reason. Henry Huntingdon had a clear idea of the nature of history. He wrote history in the prologue.

Christian historiography stressed on the historical life of Christ as Collingwood calls a history divided into two periods- a period of darkness and a period of light. This history was divided into epochs. Christian historiography overcame the one-sided humanism of Graeco-Roman historiography. The historians of this era believed that historical process as the development of God’s purpose and they focused on the no single community existed. Though medieval historiography had certain features, it had some drawbacks.