Chartres Cathedral: Platonism, Carts Campaign, and Trade Glass

Chartres, a renowned intellectual hub, rivaled Paris from the late 10th century. Its significance grew with Fulbert's arrival from the Cathedral School of Reims, marking Chartres as the entry point for Platonism in Western Europe, particularly the study of Plato's Timaeus concerning the creation of the world. This contrasted with Paris, which focused on Aristotelianism and dialectics, as exemplified by Abelard.

Fulbert's Influence and the Cathedral's Early History

Fulbert served as Bishop of Chartres and taught at the Cathedral School from 990 until his death in 1028. He was instrumental in teaching medicine and introducing the astrolabe to medieval Europe. The cathedral Fulbert built was destroyed by fire in 1134. The subsequent cathedral, which itself burned in 1194, was constructed through a remarkable collective effort known as the "campaign of carts." This event is documented in Jean Maran's miracle number 17 and a chronicle by Robert de Torigni, Abbot of Mont Saint-Michel.

The Campaign of Carts

In 1194, people in Chartres, and across much of France and Normandy, began to voluntarily transport materials for the rising church towers. This involved men and women dragging wagons laden with stone, wood, grain, and other supplies. This period was characterized by widespread humility, affliction (the reading of penitential psalms while prostrate), penance, forgiveness, mourning, and contrition. Accounts describe individuals, including women, dragging wagons through swamps on their knees, self-flagellating, and offering hymns and canticles to God, with numerous wonders reportedly occurring.

Royal and Local Contributions

King Philip Augustus visited Chartres in 1210 and provided funds for the north portal. His son, Louis VIII, and grandson, Louis IX (Saint Louis), also contributed to the cathedral's construction. Saint Louis's mother, Blanche of Castile, donated the north rose window and the lancets.

The townspeople of Chartres also played a crucial role, benefiting financially from the immense construction project and worshipping in the cathedral. Local merchants donated 43 stained glass windows, their signatures appearing in over a hundred scenes depicting the city's daily economic activities. These windows, particularly in the lower quadrants, showcase the trades of a bustling urban economy.

Depictions of Trades in Stained Glass

The stained-glass windows offer a unique glimpse into the medieval trades:

• Master Builder: A window depicts the master builder with a measuring rod, seemingly directing two men working at a table. One holds a rolled-up scroll, and the other uses a compass on a sheet of paper, illustrating a clear plan for a cathedral choir.
• Masons: Other windows show building masons laying courses of stone and sculpting masons carving a statue for the south portal. One scene details the roughing out of stone on the left and the intricate detailing of a sculpture on the right.
• Carpenters: In the Noah window, a carpenter sharpens an axe while a colleague builds a barrel. In the center, carpenters shape planks with an adze, with a saw hanging on the wall. Another section shows carpenters fitting beams for the roof structure, clearly positioned above the masonry and windows.
• Butchers: The butchers contributed to the "miracles window."
• Bakers: A window illustrates bakers making dough, kneading it, and hanging it to dry. In the center, they exchange baked loaves and rolls for money.
• Armorers: Armorers are shown fashioning a sword on an anvil and fitting a shield.
• Shoemakers: Shoemakers are depicted cutting leather, making shoes on a last, and selling shoes to a seated customer.
• Money Changers: A scene shows money changers weighing gold on a scale.
• Furriers: A furrier displays pelts to a customer, with an assistant stacking wares.
• Clothiers: A clothier shows wares to a customer at the bottom of the Charlemagne window.
• Water Seller: A water seller gathers water from a stream and distributes it.

Completion and Uniqueness

Most of Chartres Cathedral was completed by 1223, though the north transept remained unfinished until 1230. This relatively short construction period contributes to Chartres' aesthetic unity, distinguishing it from many other cathedrals built over centuries. The original plan for nine steeples was abandoned in the 1260s.

Chartres is particularly notable for being one of the least damaged cathedrals during the French Revolution. However, the famous statue of the Black Virgin, "Our Lady of the Crypt," was burned in front of the royal portal on December 20, 1793, when Chartres Cathedral was rededicated as a "Temple of Reason."