Philip of Novara's account of the war between Frederick II of Hohenstaufen and the Ibelins

Philip of Novara, a writer of Frankish Outremer, is notable primarily for the variety of his works, in which he gives ample evidence of a close acquaintance with a large body of medieval French literature. His aesthetic concerns stand him in good stead when he comes to construct his history of the wars between Frederick II of Hohenstaufen and the supporters of John of Ibelin, for the narrative he produces is remarkably coherent and well-organized. However, such is his interest in imaginative literature in particular that on occasion he chooses to neglect his responsibilities as a historian. In his account Philip includes a number of poems, and it would seem that the real circumstances of their composition have been obscured in order to justify their presence in what is supposed to be a record of authentic, experienced events. Similarly, in certain of the speeches Philip attributes to John of Ibelin, historical truth is sacrificed even more readily than is usual in favour of purely literary considerations.     

St Anselm of Canterbury: the philosopher-saint as politician

From the beginning of Anselm's career as abbot of Bec he was a shrewd and skilful politician. Eadmer describes him as using a certain ‘holy guile’, having great psychological insight, and using methods of kindly persuasion supplemented by logical argument to gain his ends.This pattern is reflected in the church-state controversies in England. Anselm outlined this method to his successor at Bec, showing him an effective way of advancing and enriching his monastery.Anselm had a definite program of reform for the English church. From the beginning he had a vision of the archbishop of Canterbury as primate of Britain, a co-ruler of the kingdom. Anselm also claimed certain specific rights: to recognize and contact the papacy; to hold councils for the reform of the church; to receive the archbishopric free from simony; to hold the lands of Canterbury free from the king's control or from extraordinary taxes; and to ban lay investitute.During his rule Anselm accomplished all these goals, one by one, by taking advantage of times when the kings were faced with political crises and pressing his claims just then. He acted shrewdly, at times with ‘holy guile’, at times with skilful negotiation, but always aware of the potent effect of public opinion. Thus Anselm reflected the growing concept of raison d'état in the Anglo Norman state, and thereby used his raison d'église more effectively.