Relics
Sir: Your reviewer Eric Christiansen (Books, 12 October) clearly enjoys having fun at the expense of authors; but he goes further than this in reviewing my Restless Bones: The Story of Relics, accusing me of scholarly incompetence. In fact, Archbishop Fulcro of Rheims and Henry II of Brunswick are not, as he alleges, 'im- aginary figures'. The archbishop (known in French as Foulques or FouIque) certainly existed and died in 900. Henry II was a crusader perfectly capable of bringing back bits of a relic from Mount Sinai — though I am sorry my text inadvertently elevated him to a king. As for the accusation that I do not know when St Cuthbert died, I give this date on page 54 of my book.
I apologise for misdating Thomas Fuller, and I admit to mistyping 'ancestor' for 'successor' with regard to Louis the Pious. In spite of Mr Christiansen's assertion, I nowhere of course make the suggestion that Charlemagne begat his own ancestor.
James Bentley
6 Arborfield Close, Slough, Berkshire
Previous page
