Question: Historical Memory of Pre-Carolingian Europe

This, this is an odd question, but one that I've been mulling over a bit as I prepare the newest chapter of my Amalingian timeline. In the course of my writing the timeline, I've come to realize that *modern readers in that world seem to have a much clearer understanding of the events that transpired during the period of the OTL Early Middle Ages (in the ATL, it would be known as the Restoration Era). Now, there are numerous in-world explanations to help explain this, and I won't go into them here, as it doesn't matter.

However, while mulling this all over, I began to wonder how Europeans outside of the English speaking world view that era, and whether they have a clear historical and emotional memory and attachment to it. Whereas many of we English speakers can list many important later Medieval people and events from history (King John, Richard the Lion-Hearted, the War of the Roses, the Bruce's rebellion, and so forth) and some of us have a particular emotional attachment to some of them, it would seem that our emotional connection and memory of pre-1066 history is hazy at best. Although there are those who still passionately argue that Richard III was a victim of horrid propaganda and a good king, it strikes me that very few are going to get worked up about the Mercian Ascendancy, or the Raid at Lindisfarne, let alone spend much time writing poetic depictions of the kings who hell against the Great Heathen Army. This isn't exactly because of lack of sources - Anglo-Saxon English is actually pretty well sourced after all, especially during the later years - but there seems to be an emotional disconnect, which I attribute to the Norman Conquest. (Now, I should take this time to admit that I'm writing from the point of view of an American and, naturally, our national mythology and what we are taught in public schools is different from an Englishman, Scot, Welshman or Irishman).

So, what I'm asking is - how well are the early Middle Ages remembered in other nations in Europe? I'm not talking just about how well the past is documented, but how well it is remembered (i.e. do people have an emotional connection to it, at all). We know that the Matter of France is a collection of great stories inspired by the Court of Charlemagne, so it would seem that Charles the Great still holds a strong emotional connection to the French, but are stories of the Merovingians well remembered by many people? If I mentioned Queen Brunhilde and her horse-driven drawn and quartering to someone in France, would that get a reaction? Are there many Germans who still fondly remember Windukind and the Saxon resistance to the Franks?

Its just an interesting thought I've been mulling over recently, and I would love your input on it. it strikes me that History isn't just what happened, but how its remembered, and the impact it plays upon the present.
 
are stories of the Merovingians well remembered by many people?

Nope. I consider myself to know quite a lot about the dark ages, Charlemagne in particular, and even I hardly know anything before about 730 in this regard, apart from a couple of general trends.

If I mentioned Queen Brunhilde and her horse-driven drawn and quartering to someone in France, would that get a reaction?

I've never heard of Brunhilde (or maybe I did and then forgot), so I'm guessing an average Frenchman would give you this reaction: "What?"

Are there many Germans who still fondly remember Windukind and the Saxon resistance to the Franks?

I think Hitler did. In that regard though, Widukind is roughly the equivalent of say Joan of Arc for the Saxons. Or at least what I have read suggests this. I'm not from Saxony.

how well are the early Middle Ages remembered in other nations in Europe?

The question is really "how well is anything before about 1900 remembered by anyone"? The answer to that is, apart from a couple of 'legends' (this can include real people eg. King Alfred), who most people will know of but not about, no-one knows anything much at all. I remember asking my physics teacher who Jefferson Davis was (I know, I was just seeing if he did), and he had no idea. I'm from Australia, not the Southern USA, so that probably affected things a bit, but I think this is pretty good proof that people only know anything about stuff they are specifically interested in.

- BNC
 
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