Revision:Logistics of Power

Carolingians – Charlemagne could not visit or directly rule various lands – local and regional aristocracies remained – Bavarians fought as Bavarians – establishment of a son in a sub-kingdom recognition of regional power more than an attempt to control more tension from relationship of son to ruler (Charlemagne’s reorganisation of Louis’ fisc) and ruled than resentment to central directives – few and far between.

Royal household structure managed by a leading aristocrat who used positions of household as power tools etc.

Court also forms part of centralised government – Francis – size of empire, volume of business, generated new requirement for delegation an coordination for multiplying of royal agents – new forms of communication between agents and kin

Notaries and charters important in expressing legitimacy to land and importance, viability of the king’s power. 9th century Carolingian kings when settling in permanent residence built archive –c written messages did not replace oral ones – courtiers and envoys, whose comings and goings annalists of court depended for their information and instruction must have used spoken word more than written word.

Counts essential middle men between ruler and people in Carolingian kingdom, all purpose agents.

Carolingian capitularies three main roles for counts 1. social order, justice, crime 2. look after royal estates an 3. summon men when the king campaigned. Less tidy than this, overlapping authorities, some counties larger some more wealthy. Counts as missi and aristocrats first and royal agents second – around their own and, countships hereditary.

Frankish aristocratic collaborators made possible expansion and prime beneficiaries – honoures in acquired regna – conquest Aquitaine appointment franks to key countships an to Italy “to enforce the authority of laws and cause the custom of the Franks to be observed”- Charlemagne’s acquisition of Bavaria abandonment of Tassilo by key members Bavarian aristocracy – Lombardic and Bavarians allowed to keep own laws – much in terms self consciousness and autonomy – law territorial not personal.

Who will guard those guards? Ruler himself -Charlemagne employs missi dominici to hear grievances against counts, to choose, supervise selection knowledgeable men to serve in comital courts.

Carolingians used Vassi – vassals, due to royal land, could function as agents in centre and in the province – no progression vassal to count so perhaps recruited from meidocres.

Bishops similar role to counts – Charles the Bald may have used bishops instead of counts.

Sanctions non fulfilment of duties: deprivation of patrimonies – threat of royal intervention often enough to impel count to do justice.

Carolingians formally dissolved jurisdiction to regional princes who functioned like ub-Kings – counts and peasants to princes and war bands – government multi layered – small worlds remained part of greater ones. Carolingians trade offs between local aristocratic power and royal power – good deal subsidiarity etc.

Regnal order never clearer than when King summoned an assembly – royal government applied to every time of problem – 794 Frankfurt – clearing up rebellion 792, faithless from faithful, confirming downfall of Tassilo of Bavaria, serious famine, prices, punishing profiteers etc.

Much disorder – but Kings took seriously God-sent obligation to preserve peace and order in their realms and strove to engage their people along with them.

Military obligation fundamental, failure to perform serious breach ruler’s authority

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