TSR Wiki > Study Help > Subjects and Revision > Revision Notes > History > Evaluation of Charles the Bald in relation to his predecessors
INTRO
- Examine success different rulers – as we shall see different measures different context
- Context crucially important – inherited reign and circumstance, esp. C the Bald difficult to follow
- Careful not o go wholly fo military success – much more than that.
WHAT SUCCESS? SUCCESS OF HIS PREDECESSORS
- Military success high 1,2000,000 – huge empire, not all centrally ruled, upmost limits by 806
- Pippin reestablishment of political consensus, inspired cooperation – Charles Martel Saxony, Bavaria, Aquitaine, Burgundy – winning internal power – reduce power independent lordships
- 751 Pippin military impossible to bear 0 war every year, Saxons, Aquitaines, waiting to crush Lombardy when threatens 774– links to Pope Stephen II, never fully beats the Saxons – admin reforms – ecclesiastical reform, recovering property and reinstitution ecclesiastical immunities – loads of power East of the Rhine -Hesse, thrunigan diocesan structure of West
- Charlemagne great leader, energy enthusiasm, battles Saxons – coronation 800 – 774 responds to Lombardy request for help, beats Saxons loyalty og subjects shown – 791-96 remarkable victory and importantly plunder against the Aavrs – keeping Italy secure, legitimize emperor – never mastered living in peace – towards end of reign increasingly concerned getting military service and support – optimistic view of internal reforms missi scabini – did actually have any effect?
CHARLES LAND GAINS
- No imperial expansion – Verdun 843 – limited land without eastern frontier - Lothar, Louis trade offs – 843-79 series of ephemeral maps of Carolingian regna
- Charles works hard to defeat usurper Pippin II in Aquitaine, not the easiest place to fight- charters and coins
- Faces threats 854 and 858,
- Obligaory rebellion of own son – 860s
- Took aachen in 869 – imperial capital vacant family situation Louis recovered
- 870s – Lothar’s uncles divide up kingdom, does not get Aachen – provokes Carloman rebellion – ferociously put down by Charles Loses 876 Lotharingia acquired 843 - loses at Andernach
- Into Italy 877 and dies – pretty powerful by then
- Impact northmen raids difficult to judge – river defenses and negotiation – not that bad market as well as ravages. – reputation.
Danes, Sales Anglo –Saxons – two need Navy and plunder poor
Left with sustainable empire and defensio patriae
PROBLEMS OF END EMPIRE
Charles Martel fighting war every year – plunder and tribute in various forms – direct to King, even plunder, loot from avar raid in Ireland, Rome and Britain – circulation of goods and gifts – largely controlled by the King inflow of plunder and tribute – language through which to express power relationships. Problems income
War weariness – nobility fight in expansionary wars for gains – defensio patriae – defense of realm C the B good at – difficulty, even Louis the Pious and Charlemagne difficulty in raising these troops as no rewards
Nature – tribute and plunder difficult for warriors – won’t fight defensio patriae as easily
Difficult for C the B where does he get resources from – tribute, plunder language of over West Francia – distributing gifts, benefices and allowing local, loyal aristos. to rule random parts of the empire – needs money to utilize church and aristocratic support
ECONOMIC REFROMS
Reform money system, exertion taxes, tools trading routes, market licenses, coinage debasement – no control but let it happen and developed new way of extracting wealth.
POLITICAL BEHAVIOUR
Affirms loyalty, incorporation with centralized regime – lay abbacies crucial support of the church, maintenance missi dominici etc
Inherently count ships – argued this highly destructive – M. 12 th century houses of France – links not that strong, local roots – concept Konigsnahe still important – magnates pretty fluid
Robert the stronger etc not direct linkage – other choices?
CONCLUSION
Militarily less successful – but empire expansion left an entirely different context to judge Charles – maintenance Gaul, even though his rule not long erm and ways of restructuring methods of rule innovative and long lasting – still successful.
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