Secular canons in Medieval Europe

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While regular canons and monasticism have received substantial scholarly attention, the history of secular canons remains relatively underexplored. This oversight may stem from the absence of formal orders or congregations among secular canons, leading most research to focus on individual cathedrals or collegiate chapters rather than the broader phenomenon. The current publication adopts a comparative approach, examining the establishment of secular canons across Europe, from the Polar Circle to Southern Italy. It considers cathedral and collegiate chapters in Scandinavian, German, Polish, and Italian regions, as well as the career paths of the canons involved. The essays primarily focus on the high and later middle ages, up to the Reformation, when these chapters flourished, rather than delving deeply into the early middle ages when canons lived a cloistered communal life. The collected essays are derived from a series of sessions held at the International Medieval Congress 2018 in Leeds, featuring contributions from esteemed historians such as Antonio Antonetti, Anna Minara Ciardi, Emanuele Curzel, Sigrun Høgetveit Berg, Jochen Johrendt, Anna Kowalska-Pietrzak, Arnold Otto, Kirsi Salonen, and Jörg Wunschhofer.