The ''Annales ianuenses'' (

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

: "Genoese annals") or ''Annali Genovesi'' form the

official history An official history is a work of history which is sponsored, authorised or endorsed by its subject. The term is most commonly used for histories which are produced for a government. The term also applies to commissions from non-state bodies includi ...

of the

Republic of Genoa The Republic of Genoa ( ; ; ) was a medieval and early modern Maritime republics, maritime republic from the years 1099 to 1797 in Liguria on the northwestern Italy, Italian coast. During the Late Middle Ages, it was a major commercial power in ...

during the

High Middle Ages The High Middle Ages, or High Medieval Period, was the periodization, period of European history between and ; it was preceded by the Early Middle Ages and followed by the Late Middle Ages, which ended according to historiographical convention ...

. It is the earliest medieval civic chronicle and the earliest set of annals composed by a layman. The ''Annales'' form a chronological account of the

history of Genoa Genoa, Italy, has historically been one of the most important ports on the Mediterranean. Prehistory and antiquity The Genoa area has been inhabited since the fifth or fourth millennium BC. In ancient times this area was inhabited by Ligures (a ...

from 1099 until 1294. The first annals were composed by

Caffarus Caffaro di Rustico da Caschifellone () was a statesman, diplomat, admiral and historian of the Republic of Genoa. Between 1122 and 1149 he served eight terms as a consul. His most enduring work was the ''Annales ianuenses'' ("Genoese annals"), the ...

, a private citizen, on his own initiative. In 1152, he petitioned the republic to keep a copy in the public archives (''comuni cartularium'') and thenceforth the annals were continued at public expense. Caffarus, who probably began the work around 1100, continued it himself down to 1163. A series of officials of the chancery continued the ''Annales'' between 1169 and 1197, when work was taken over by the scribe and diplomat Ogerius. He worked down to 1216; thereafter, the annalists were anonymous, and at times a committee, until the last entry was added in 1294. The public manuscript of the ''Annales ianuenses'' is now kept in the

Bibliothèque nationale de France The (; BnF) is the national library of France, located in Paris on two main sites, ''Richelieu'' and ''François-Mitterrand''. It is the national repository of all that is published in France. Some of its extensive collections, including bo ...

, lat. 10136. The content of the annals is confined to the names of the consuls, the changes to the constitution (the ''compagniae'' or sworn association), changes to the coinage and the victories of Genoa over her enemies, particularly

Saracens file:Erhard Reuwich Sarazenen 1486.png, upright 1.5, Late 15th-century History of Germany, German woodcut depicting Saracens ''Saracen'' ( ) was a term used both in Greek language, Greek and Latin writings between the 5th and 15th centuries to ...

and

Pisans Pisa ( ; ) is a city and ''comune'' (municipality) in Tuscany, Central Italy, straddling the Arno just before it empties into the Ligurian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa. Although Pisa is known worldwide for the Leaning Tow ...

. In Caffarus' own words to the republic in 1152, the purpose of the chronicle was "that henceforth for all time the victories of the city of Genoa be known to future men."

Editions

;Modern critical edition by the Instituto Storico Italiano: * * * * *

Notes

Sources

* * * {{Authority control History of the Republic of Genoa Bibliothèque nationale de France collections 12th-century books 13th-century books Italian chronicles