This is the problem with history, as it is often subjective to the propoganda of the time etc. Some sources (usually from UFO sites) state that fire rained down upon the gathered armies, but I have not seen allusion to an original source that backs this claim up. At most, it usually states that the army were frightened by the signs in the sky and ran, and killed each other ot get away etc.
However there is also an interesting passage from "Flowers of History" by Roger of Wendover writting in the 13th century that states
Quote
In the year of our Lord 776, fiery and fearful signs were
seen in the heavens after sunset ; and serpents appeared in
Sussex, as if they had sprung out of the ground, to the great
astonishment of all.
What could this passage mean? the first part could be taken to mean a vivid auroral display (which would fit in well with the 14C enrichment if due to a solar super flare) of course or perhaps a meteor storm (after all 776 close to a peak year of leonid out bursts that occur every 33/34 years on average). Celestial events can be seen as omens or auspicious events for the "good guys" (read that as the winners) of events. So the question comes down to whether a celestial (or lets say meteorological event) actually occur and the story made up as propoganda, or did the event actaully occur which was interpreted as a divine omen from God for Charlamange's cause.
Thanks for the references though. I shall have a good plunder through them. To put it into context though, I think it may have been a bit premature fo the authors of the nature paper to state that there is no historical evidence of supernovae or aurora in the sky at the time, when there are some sources that indicate that there may have been (roger of Wendover for example). After all, is it possible that writing over 500 years after the event that Roger of wendover got the year of the event wrong?
But as you are most likely painfully aware, history is not my area of expertise.
Jonny
The path to good scholarship is paved with imagined patterns. - David M Raup
