Orderic Vitalis

Orderic Vitalis
Modern plaque commemorating Orderic Vitalis at the Abbey of Saint-Evroul, Normandy
Born	Orderic 16 February 1075 Atcham, Salop
Died	c. 1142 (aged c. 67) Ouche Abbey, Duchy of Normandy
Other names	Ordericus Vitalis
Occupation(s)	Oblate (1085–1090) Monk (beginning 1090) Subdeacon (1091–1093) Deacon (1093–1107) Priest (beginning 1107) Chronicler
Notable work	Historia ecclesiastica (Orderic Vitalis)  [la]
Father	Odelerius of Orléans
Personal
Religion	Catholic
Teachers	Siward Jean of Reims
Monastic name	Vitalis
Organization
Order	Benedictine

Orderic Vitalis (Latin: Ordericus Vitalis; 16 February 1075 – c. 1142) was an English chronicler and Benedictine monk who wrote one of the great contemporary chronicles of 11th- and 12th-century Normandy and Anglo-Norman England.^[1] Working out of the Abbey of Saint-Evroul, he is credited with writing the Historia Ecclesiatica, a work detailing the history of Europe and the Mediterranean from the birth of Jesus Christ into his own age. The son of a cleric, he was born into a noble family, claiming both English and Norman heritage. While he is known primarily for the Historia Ecclesiastica, he also was able to ascend to various positions within the church including that script master, librarian, and cantor. A prolific writer, he spoke on various topics in his writings both religious and secular. Modern historians view him as a reliable source.^[1]