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Secondary sourceBook1861

The Monks of the West, Volume II

Charles Forbes, comte de Montalembert · 1861

A 19th-century history book devoting a major section to Saint Benedict's founding of Western monasticism.

This 19th-century history book devotes a major section to Benedict's life, miracles, and founding of monasticism.

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About this source

What it is

This is the second volume of a multivolume history of Western monasticism, written by Charles de Montalembert, a French count and member of the French Academy, and published in 1861.

The book's fourth section is devoted to Saint Benedict, covering his early life, his retreat at Subiaco, his founding of Monte Cassino, his relations with rulers of his time, and an analysis of the Rule he wrote for monastic life.

Why it matters

Montalembert's account shaped how 19th-century readers understood Benedict as the founder of organized monastic life in a time of political upheaval in Europe. It reflects both what earlier sources recorded about Benedict and the interests of a 19th-century Catholic historian writing about the Church's past.

Look closer

  • Why might a 19th-century writer be especially interested in telling Benedict's story?
  • How might a historian writing centuries later differ from someone who knew Benedict personally?
  • What parts of Benedict's life does the table of contents suggest get the most attention?

This book is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Saint Benedict on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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