School of History and Classics
Charlemagne and his World ca. 750-900
(60-credit whole-year course)
2006-2007 Programme
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This handbook contains important information. It is a condition of acceptance on the course that
you familiarise itself with its contents. It should be read in conjunction with the History Honours
handbook (http://www.shc.ed.ac.uk/undergraduate/documents/HistoryHonoursHandbook.pdf)
Meeting times: The class is scheduled to meet once a week in Semesters One and Two on Mondays
from 2.00 to 3.50 in Room 307, W.R.B. Since contact hours are precious under the new system all
students must arrive before the start time. `The course organiser will attempt to be available after the
class to discuss reading, seminar topics each week,
Staff: The course will be mainly taught by Dr Tom Brown (office: Room 307, WRB), who is the
course organiser. Email: [email protected]
Contact: The course organiser is most easily contacted by email (or phone). Consultation hours are
11.30 - 12 on Mondays, Tuesday, Thursdays and Fridays.
Students have an obligation to read email sent to their university email accounts regularly and to
respond promptly to official messages.
There is now a course Web CT site, which should consult regularly.
Assessment: The course is assessed by two two-hour papers in the final examination. Two questions
have to be answered in each paper, from a choice of between six and eight. Essays will marks will
count one third towards the final assessment. Since this is a 60-credit course (for this year only) the
total assessment will count as three nominal papers in Finals. The division between the two papers is
essentially chronological, and reflects the two semesters’ work of the course, dividing at 814. The nost
recent exam paper is appended at the end of this handbook. For full details of the assessment system
see the History Honours handbook:
http://www.shc.ed.ac.uk/undergraduate/documents/HistoryHonoursHandbook.pdf
Disabled Students: We welcome disabled students (including those with specific learning difficulties
such as dyslexia) and are working to make all our courses accessible. If you wish to talk to a member
of academic staff about the course requirements and your particular needs please contact Dr David
Greasley; email: [email protected]; Tel: 650 3838.
You can also contact the Disability Office, 6 - 8 South College Street, Telephone 650 6828 and an
Advisor will be happy to meet with you. The Advisor can discuss possible adjustments and specific
examination arrangements with you, assist you with an application for Disabled Students' Allowance,
give you information about available technology and personal assistance such as note takers, proof
readers or dyslexia tutors, and prepare a Learning Profile for your School which outlines recommended
adjustments. You will be expected to provide the Disability Office with evidence of disability - either
a letter from your GP or specialist, or evidence of specific learning difficulty. For dyslexia or
dyspraxia this evidence must be a recent Chartered Educational Psychologist's assessment. If you do
not have this, the Disability Office can put you in touch with an independent Educational Psychologist.
Aims of the course: The course is intended to meet the general objectives of the Honours courses of
the School of History and Classics. It also has the following specific aims:
1) To impart an overall knowledge of the political, economic and cultural developments of a key period
of European history from the decline of the Merovingians to the collapse of the ideal and reality of a
unified Frankish polity and the emergence of distinct French and German kingdoms c. 900.
2) To make students familiar with recent historiographical work on the Carolingians which has led to
radical reassessment and clarification of the problems and achievements of the period.
3) To enable students to examine in considerable detail aspects of the period which they find
particularly interesting and important and to present their results through group discussion which
develops various transferable skills
4) To acquaint students with some of the most important and representative literary and other sources
for the Carolingian period and to develop skills in the analytical use of such evidence.
As with all history courses the course also aims to impart important transferable skills, such as
articulate oral presentation, ability to present written work clearly and well, time management, and the
collection, organisation and analysis of complex material.
Seminars: Seminars will be 110 minutes in duration and attendance is compulsory. The format will
vary throughout the year. In some cases a staff-led overview will be followed by general class
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discussion of particular themes. A few meetings will be devoted to group study and discussion of key
documents and texts. Most seminars will however follow the format of a student paper on a particular
topic followed by discussion. Each member of the class will be expected to deliver one paper each
semester, of around 15 minutes duration. Each member of the class will also be expected to act once a
semester as a chairperson and respondent, whose duty will be to liaise with the speaker to ensure an
effective session, introduce the paper and discussion, and comment on the issues raised by the paper. In
most cases one or more brief texts will be signaled for reading by everyone before each seminar.
Presenters are welcome to use visual aids an/or handouts if appropriate.
Essays: One essay is required each semester. Two copies should be submitted. Essays should be
around 3,000 words in length and should be submitted by 12 noon of the Friday of week 10 in each
semester, Friday 24 November and Friday 16 March, at the latest. The new university standard penalty
for lateness is 5% per working day for one week, with a mark of nil for work submitted after that date.
Allowance will be made for serious personal problems such as illness, but in such cases directors of
studies must be informed and a form passed by him sent to the course organiser.
Essays should be accompanied by a bibliography: footnotes are not usually necessary, unless
one is quoting directly from a primary source or secondary authority. The essay lists given here do not
include book lists: this is to encourage individual research and the compilation of bibliographies from
seminar lists, etc. Dr Brown will however be happy to give additional bibliographical advice,
especially if students know languages other than English. Students are welcome to opt for an essay
topic not covered by the list, but must have the subject approved by Dr Brown. Typing/wordprocessing of essays is not compulsory, but highly desirable. Essays will be returned individually.
Plagiarism: Plagiarism is the act of copying or including in one's own work, without adequate
acknowledgement, intentionally or unintentionally, the work of another, for one's own benefit. It is
dishonest, can usually be detected easily, and is a serious breach of university discipline. For fuller
details of the strict policy of the School of History and Classics on this see either the History Honours
handbook or the university’s guide for students http://www.aaps.ed.ac.uk/regulations/Plagiarism/130404/StudentGuidance.doc
Attendance: The University now permits schools to make attendance at courses obligatory. The
School of History has adopted such a policy in the case of third- and fourth-year seminars. Students
who repeatedly miss classes without satisfactory explanation will be deemed not to have passed the
work of the course. The same will apply to students who have not submitted all the required work. For
further details of mark penalties for absence see the History Honours handbook. Unexplained absence
also harms the atmosphere of the class, antagonises the tutor and will result in tutors and directors
mentioning the fact in job references.
Class Materials: In most cases at least one copy of books recommended will be found in the
University Library. In some cases additional copies will be found in the Reading Room or short loans
collections (third and first floor respectively. Xeroxes and/or communal copies of key texts and
secondary material will be issued from time to time in class. Members of the class should familiarise
themselves with this and also with the New College Library. It may also be necessary to use the
National Library of Scotland's collections for particular books; students should compile a list of books
not available in EUL, and then obtain a letter from a librarian in order to gain access to the NLS. Most
journals are available in EUL: however Francia is only available in the National Library, and
Frühmittelalterliche Studien only in the Society of Antiquaries' Library, in the National Museum of
Scotland. Some journals are available on-line, either through JSTOR or through EUL electronic
subscription (access though ATHENS)
General Introductory Bibliography
Abbreviations used throughout this course programme: EUL = Edinburgh University Library, NCL =
New College Library, NLS = National Library of Scotland; EHR = English Historical Review, TRHS
= Transactions of the Royal Historical Society; NCMEDH ii = New Cambridge Medieval History, ii,
ed. R. McKitterick (the most authoritative and up-to-date scholarly survey).
* indicates books available in paperback which are worth buying.
Scholarship on Charlemagne's reign took a great leap forward in the 1960s, partly as a result
of the work of François Ganshof and mainly because of the impetus given by the mammoth Karl der
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Grosse four-volume collection of studies, published in 1965. The significance of the work done around
that is surveyed by D. Bullough in his demanding but very important article 'Europae pater', EHR, 85
(1970), 59-105.
In general we shall only look at pre-1965 works where these are important for their narrative or
historical content, or when they deal with very specific issues. The bibliography has grown greatly in
quantity and to a large degree in quality since 1970, especially in English. The most significant pre-1970
books are L. Halphen, Charlemagne and the Carolingian Empire (first published in France in 1947), H.
Fichtenau, The Carolingian Empire (first published in Austria in 1949) and J. Boussard, The Civilization
of Charlemagne (1968). There are early English studies by H.W.C. Davis, Charlemagne: Hero of the
Nations (1899) and R. Winston Charlemagne: from the hammer to the cross (1956). More interesting, at
least from a historiographical point of view is C. Dawson, The Making of Europe (1932). E.S. Duckett,
Carolingian Portraits (1962) has interesting character sketches.
The best English-language survey of the whole period is the fairly recent New Cambridge
Medieval History, ii, ed. R. McKitterick, which has good chapters on all the relevant topics. This
summarizes the results of a new 'golden age' of Carolingian studies which has dawned in recent years. A
newish general book on Charlemagne by Roger Collins is particularly useful. Especially helpful are the
recent papers on various topics in J. Story, ed. Charlemagne: Empire and Society
There is a very full bibliography of English-language books and articles on a web site run by the
University of Western Michigan: Unfortunately it only goes up to 1997.The URL is:
http://www.wmich.edu/medieval/rawl/carolingian/index1.html (See page at end)
There is also a useful on-line bibliography produced by the late Patrick Wormald of Oxford:
http://www.history.ox.ac.uk/currentunder/bibliographies/fhs-gh-3.pdf
Introductory Bibliography (* denotes text available in
Sources in English Translation:
Selections: *P.E. Dutton, Carolingian Civilization: a Reader (very useful and full selection: the expanded
second edition was published in 2004).
P. King, Charlemagne: translated sources is poorly printed but has some invaluable texts not available
elsewhere (e.g. Codex Carolinus)
H. Loyn and J. Percival, ed., The reign of Charlemagne: documents on Carolingian government and
administration, is narrower and more date, and still has some useful items
S.C. Easton and H. Wieruszowski, eds., The Era of Charlemagne is quite good but not in EUL. The NLS
shelfmark is 5.2407.
Individual texts:
Annals of Fulda, trans. T. Reuter
Annals of St. Bertin, trans. J. Nelson (both these texts are available on-line through Manchester Medieval
Sources online; http://www.medievalsources.co.uk/sources.htm
A. Cabaniss, Son of Charlemagne ('Astronomer', Life of Louis)
A. Cabaniss, Charlemagne's Cousins (lives of Adalhard and Wala)
S.C. Easton and H. Wieruszowski, eds., The Era of Charlemagne (useful but only in NLS)
Fredegar, The Fourth Book of the Chronicles and the Continuations of Fredegar
P. Godman, Poetry of the Carolingian Renaissance
R. Gerberding The Rise of the Carolingians (Liber Historiae Francorum)
B.W. Scholz, Carolingian Chronicles (Royal Frankish Annals and Nithard)
*Two Lives of Charlemagne (Einhard and Notker) trans. L. Thorpe: you should obtain a copy of these
key texts.
A full annotated translation with good introduction and other texts by E is in P. Dutton, Charlemagne’s
Courtier
Dhuoda, Manuel pour mon fils: French translation by P. Riché: Full edition in Dhuoda, handbook for her
warrior son: Liber manualis , edited and translated by Marcelle Thiébaux.
Carolingians in general:
M. Becher, Charlemagne (published in English translation in 2003)
A. Barbero, Charlemagne: Founder of a Continent (recent fairly popular work by an Italian academic) –
still the best oveall introduction
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D. Bullough, Age of Charlemagne
D. Bullough, 'Europae pater', EHR, 85 (1970), 59-105.
*R. Collins, Charlemagne
F.L. Ganshof, The Carolingians and the Frankish monarchy
P. Godman, Poets and emperors : Frankish politics and Carolingian poetry
*R. McKitterick, The Frankish Kingdoms under the Carolingians 751-987
P. Munz, The Origin of the Carolingian Empire
P. Riché, The Carolingians: a Family who made Europe is a disappointing general study by an eminent
scholar. He also compiled a useful bibliographical appendix to the most recent (French) edition of
Halphen's standard work.
*J. Story, Charlemagne. Empire and Society. An excellent and up-to-date collection of essays.
Textbooks which deal with the Carolingians include J.M. Wallace-Hadrill, The Barbarian West and R.
Collins, Early Medieval Europe , 300-1000. J. Herrin, The Formation of Christendom is interesting
because it attempts to place Charlemagne in a broader East-West context.
Church
R. McKitterick, The Frankish Church and the Carolingians
R.E. Sullivan, Christian missionary activity in the early middle ages (Aldershot, 1994) - a collection of
essays.
J.M. Wallace-Hadrill, The Frankish Church
Carolingian Renaissance
B. Bischoff , Manuscripts and libraries in the age of Charlemagne
D. Bullough, Carolingian Renewal - a collection of essays
J.H. Burns, ed., Cambridge History of Medieval Political Thought
J.L. Nelson, Politics and Ritual in Early Medieval Europe
J. Contreni in W. Treadgold, Renaissances before the Renaissance
J. Contreni, The Cathedral School of Laon
D. Ganz, Corbie and the Carolingian Renaissance (not in EUL)
M.L.W. Laistner, Thought and Letters in Western Europe, A.D. 500-900
J. Marenbon, From the Circle of Alcuin to the School of Auxerre
J. Marenbon, Early Medieval Philosophy (480-1150): an introduction
D. Moran, The philosophy of John Scottus Erigena
C.H. Beeson, Lupus of Ferrières (not in EUL)
*R. McKitterick, ed., Carolingian Culture: emulation and innovation
R. McKitterick, The Carolingians and the Written Word
P. Riché, Education and Culture in the Barbarian West
G. Trompf, 'The concept of the "Carolingian Renaissance,"' Journal of the History of Ideas, 34 (1973) 326.
Ideology:
R. Folz, The Coronation of Charlemagne
K.F. Morrison, The Two Kingdoms
W. Ullmann, The Carolingian renaissance and the idea of kingship
Society
G. Duby, The Early Growth of the European Economy
T. Reuter, ed. The Medieval Nobility
Women
S.F. Wemple, Women in Frankish society: marriage and the cloister, 500 to 900
L. Bitel, Women in early medieval Europe
Later Carolingians
P. Godman and R. Collins, eds., Charlemagne's Heir. New Perspectives on the Reign of Louis the Pious
*J. Nelson, Charles the Bald
M. Gibson and J. Nelson, eds., Charles the Bald: Court and Kingdom
Regional Studies:
H. Atsma, ed. La Neustrie (not in EUL)
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J. Dunbabin, France in the making 843-1180
E. James, The Origins of France
*T. Reuter, Germany in the Early Middle Ages 800-1056
J. Smith, Province and Empire, Brittany and the Carolinians
C. Wickham, Early Medieval Italy
Art:
J. Beckwith, Early Medieval Art
G. Henderson, 'Carolingian art' in McKitterick, Carolingian Culture; Emulation and Innovation
R. Hinks, Carolingian Art
P. Lasko, Ars Sacra
J. Hubert, J. Porcher, W.F. Volbach, Carolingian Art
L. Nees, 'Art and Architecture' in NCMedH, ii, 809ff.
Fuller bibliography is given for individual seminar topics.
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Sample Page of Carolingian Bibliography Web-site
E. Agriculture and Rural Settlement
1. Georges Duby, Rural Economy and Country Life in the Mediaeval West, trans. Cynthia Postan (London
and Columbia, SC, 1968, 1990).
2. B. H. Slicher van Bath, Agrarian History of Western Europe, AD 500-1850 (London, 1963).
3. Karl W. Butzer, "The Classical Tradition of Agronomic Science: Perspectives on Carolingian
Agriculture," in Butzer and Lohrmann, Science in Western and Eastern Civilization, (see XIII. B. 5), pp.
1539-95.
4. Richard Koebner, "The Settlement and Colonization of Europe," in M. M. Postan, ed., The Cambridge
Economic History of Europe, Vol. 1: The Agrarian Life of the Middle Ages (Cambridge and New York,
1941), pp. 1-91.
5. Hans-Jürgen Nitz, "The Church as Colonist: The Benedictine Abbey of Lorsch and Planned Waldhufen
Colonization in the Odenwald," Journal of Historical Geography, 9 (1983), 105-26.
6. Hans-Jürgen Nitz, "Feudal Woodland Colonization as a Strategy of the Carolingian Empire in the
Conquest of Saxony: A Reconsideration of the Spatial Patterns of Expansion and Colonial Settlement in
the Leine-Weser Region," in B. K.Roberts and R. Glasscock eds., Villages, Fields and Frontiers: Studies in
European Rural Settlement in the Medieval and Early Modern Periods (Oxford, 1983), pp. 171-81.
7. Hans-Jürgen Nitz, "Settlement Structures and Settlement Systems in the Frankish Central State in
Carolingian and Ottonian Times," in Della Hooke, ed., Anglo-Saxon Settlements (Oxford and New York,
1988), pp. 249-73.
8. Helena Hamerow, "The Archaeology of Rural Settlement in Early Medieval Europe," EME, 3 (1994),
167-79.
9. W. Groenman-Van Waateringe and L. H. Van Wijngaarden-Bakker eds., Farm Life in a Carolingian
Village: A Model Based on Botanical and Zoological Data from an Excavated Site (Assen, 1987).
10. Charles Parrain, "The Evolution of Agricultural Technique," in M. M. Postan and H.J. Habukkuk eds.,
The Cambridge Economic History of Europe, Vol. 1: The Agrarian Life of the Middle Ages 2nd ed.
(Cambridge, 1966), pp. 126-79.
11. Lynn Townsend White, "The Agricultural Revolution of the Early Middle Ages," in his Medieval
Technology and Social Change (Oxford, 1962), pp. 39-78.
12. Adriaan Verhulst, "The 'Agricultural Revolution' of the Middle Ages Reconsidered," in Bernard S.
Bachrach and David Nicholas eds., Law, Custom and the Social Fabric in Medieval Europe: Essays in
Honor of Bryce Lyon (Kalamazoo, MI, 1990), pp. 17-28.
13. Josiah Cox Russell, Late Ancient and Medieval Population, Transactions of the American
Philosophical Society, n.s. 48 (Philadelphia, 1958).
14. Josiah Cox Russell, "Population in Europe, 500-1500," in Carlo Cipolla, ed., The Middle Ages,
Fontana Economic History of Europe 1 (London, 1972), pp. 25-70.
15. G. M. Schwarz, "Village Populations According to the Polyptyque of St. Bertin," Journal of Medieval
History, 11(1985), 31-41.
16. Chris Wickham, "Pastoralism and Underdevelopment in the Early Middle Ages," SSCI, 21 (1983),
401-55. [collected papers26]
17. Chris Wickham, "Problems of Comparing Rural societies in Early Medieval Western Europe," SSCI 27
(1989), 479-548. [collected papers 26]
18. Wendy Davies, Small Worlds: The Village Community in Early Medieval Brittany, (London, 1988).
19. Léopold Genicot, Rural Communities in the Medieval West,(Baltimore and London, 1990).
20. Chris Wickham, "European Forests in the Early Middle Ages: Landscape and Land clearance," SSCI,
37 (1989)479-548.
21. Chris Wickham, "Rural Society in Carolingian Europe," NCMH, pp. 510-37.
22. David Herlihy, "The Agrarian Revolution in Southern France and Italy, 801-1150," Speculum, 33 (1958),
23-37. Charlemagne and his World
6
Seminar Programme for 2006/2007
The class will meet once a week for just under two hours.
Each student is required to give one informal seminar paper each semester. Everyone should
read some items as background for each seminar. For each topic a key question is suggested (KQ): you
should think of others. The bibliography for each topic only lists items in English; although Englishspeaking scholarship has become increasingly important, remember that the continental scholarship is
vast and you should ask TSB for additional items if you can read other languages. Topics may be
modified in response to individual interests. Xeroxes and collective copies of important works will be
circulated for particular topics. Students should also make use of the Introductory Bibliography for
more general works. L. Halphen, Charlemagne and the Carolingian Empire, is particularly useful for
political narrative.
Note that since the first Monday of week one was a holiday the class will continue until the Monday of
week 12 (4th December). If this does not suit anyone we shall reschedule one class at a different time.
First semester seminars (c. 751-814): Background and Charles' reign
Week 2 (Seminar 1): (Note time: 25 September at 14.00)
Introduction and organization: the historical and historiographical issues of the Carolingian
period; Sources and bibliography
KQ1: Can the Carolingian era be seen as a turning point in European history?
KQ2: How extensive are the sources for the period and what are their main problems?
Excellent new pamphlet by Janet Nelson, Charlemagne and the paradoxes of power – I shall distribute
a copy.
D. Bullough, 'Europae pater', EHR 85 (1970), 59-105
R.E. Sullivan, 'The Carolingian Age: Reflections on its place in the History of the Middle Ages'
Speculum, 64 (1989), 267-306
For a traditional 'Christian' view, C. Dawson, The Making of Europe
On its importance in one aspect of life see M. Rouche, 'The Early Middle Ages in the West' in P. Ariès
and G. Duby, eds., A History of Private Life, i, 411-549
Good outline on sources in Collins and also R. McKitterick, The Frankish Kingdoms under the
Carolingians, ch. 1; also McKitterick in NCMEDH ii, 3-17.
Source collections: P. Dutton, Carolingian Civilization. A Reader
P.D. King, Charlemagne: Translated Sources
H.R. Loyn and J. Percival, The Reign of Charlemagne
There are also some useful texts in D. Herlihy, History of Feudalism
Week 3 (Seminar 1): (2 October at 14.00): Gaul in the Merovingian and early Carolingian Period
(up to 741)
KQ1: Why were the later Merovingian kings so weak?
KQ2: What factors enabled the early Carolingians to take over effective royal power and ultimately
the royal title?
P. Fouracre, The Age of Charles Martel
P. Fouracre, ‘The long shadow of the Meovingians’, in J. Story, ed., Charlemagne. Empire and Society
D. Bullough, Age of Charlemagne, ch.1
P. Geary, Before France and Germany
Ian Wood, The Merovingian Kingdoms, 481-751, esp. chs. 13, 15, 16
P. Fouracre, Later Merovingian France
J.M. Wallace-Hadrill, The Long-Haired Kings
E. James, The Origins of France
M. Costambeys, 'An aristocratic community on the Frankish frontier 690-726' Early Medieval Europe,
3, i (1994), 39-62
P. Fouracre, 'Merovingians, mayors of the palace and the notion of a "low-born" Ebroin', Bulletin of
the Institute of Historical research 57 (1984), 1-14
I. Wood, 'Administration, law and culture in Merovingian Gaul' in R. McKitterick, ed., The Uses of
Literacy in Early Medieval Europe, 63-81
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J.M. Wallace-Hadrill, The Long-Haired Kings
E. James, The Origins of France
R. McKitterick, The Frankish Kingdoms under the Carolingians, ch. 2
R. Gerberding, The rise of the Carolingians and the 'Liber Historiae Francorum'
For this and other seminars, P. Fouracre, 'Frankish Gaul to 814', NCMedH ii, 85-109
Week 4 (Seminar 3): Pepin III and the early years of Charles: Charles’ personality
KQ1: How much of the early expansion under Charles was building on the work of his father?
KQ2: How important was Charles' early life and upbringing, and how significant was involvement in
Italy (c. 754-774)?
Source: The view of Charles’ personality given in Einhard, the letters of Alcuin and his own letters
J. Nelson, ‘Charlemagne the man’ and D. Ganz, “Einhard’s Charlemagne: the characterization of
greatness’ in J. Story, ed., Charlemagne. Empire and Society
P. Fouracre M. Becher, Charlemagne, ch. III
D. Bullough, Age of Charlemagne, ch.2
R. McKitterick, The Frankish Kingdoms under the Carolingians, ch. 3
H. Fichtenau, The Empire of Charlemagne
T.F.X.Noble, 'The papacy in the eighth and ninth centuries' NCMEDH ii, 567-8
J.T. Hallenbeck, Pavia and Rome: the Lombard monarchy and the papacy in the eighth century
D.H. Miller, 'The Roman revolution,' Medieval Studies, 36 (1974), 79-133
S Airlie on Charles’ mastering of Bavaria in TRHS, 6th ser. 9 (1999), 93ff.
M. Becher, Charlemagne, ch 3.
Einhard, Life of Charlemagne, trans. L. Thorpe is the best guide to C’s personality. See discussions in
P. Dutton, Charlemagne’s Courtier and J. Smith, ‘Einhard: the sinner and the saints’, trans. Roy. Hist.
Soc., 6th ser., 13 (2003), 55-77.
T Noble, ‘From brigandage to justice. Charlemagne, 785-794’ in C. Chazelle, ed. Literacy, Politics
and Artistic innovation in the early medieval West, 49-75. (NOT IN EUL: TSB has a copy)
Week 5 (seminar 4): Charlemagne's military organization wars and conquests, especially Saxony
KQ1: Did the military strengths of the Carolingians up to 814 far outweigh their weaknesses?
KQ2: Why did the Carolingians experience such difficulties in conquering Saxony?
Source: military capitularies, plus Royal Frankish Annals in B. Scholz, trans., Carolingian Chronicles
B.S. Bachrach, Early Carolingian warfare: prelude to empire
B. Bachrach, 'Charles Martel, mounted shock combat, the stirrup and feudalism', Studies in medieval
and renaissance History, 7 (1970), 49-75 reprinted in his Armies and Politics in the Early Medieval
West (NLS)
B. Bachrach, Early Carolingian warfare: prelude to empire
B. Bachrach, 'Charlemagne's cavalry: myth and reality' in his Armies and Politics in the Early
Medieval West (NLS)
T. Reuter, 'The end of Carolingian military expansion' in P. Godman and R, Collins (eds.),
Charlemagne's Heir, 391- 405
T. Reuter, 'Plunder and tribute in the Carolingian Empire', TRHS, 5th ser., 35 (1985), 75-94 (a key
article)
S. Coupland, 'Carolingian arms and armor', Viator, 21 (1990), 29-50
H.W. Goetz, "Social and military institutions; NCMEDH ii, 451-80.
Also on military technology L. White, Jr., Medieval Technology and Social Change, ch. 1 but note the
criticisms of P. Sawyer in Past and Present,m. Innes, What was Chalemagne’s 24
On Saxony: look at the Royal Annals (in Scholz), the two Saxon capitularies (nos. 11 and 12 in Loyn
and Percival) and read Collins, Charlemagne, ch. 3.
On Bavaria: R. Collins, Charlemagne, ch 5.
S. Airlie, “Narratives of triumph and rituals of submission: Charlemagne’s mastering of Bavaria’,
TRHS, 6th ser., 9 (1999), 93-119.
K. Pearson, Conflicting Loyalties in early medieval Bavaria (not in EUL, but in NLS)
On ITALY: P. Delogu, 'Lombard and Carolingian Italy' NCMedH, ii, 290-319.
G. West, ‘Charlemagne’s involvement in central and southern Italy’, Early Medieval Europe, 8 (1999),
341ff.
8
R.Hodges 'Excavations at S. Vincenzo al Volturno' in R. Hodges, ed., S. Vincenzo al Volturno, i, 1-35;
also his Light in the Dark Ages. the Rise and Fall of S. Vincenzo al Volturno
K.F. Drew, Law and Society in Early Medieval Europe, papers IX and X.
On land D Herlihy, Social history of Italy and Western Europe, papers III and V.
G. Tabacco, The Struggle for Power in Medieval Italy (difficult but important)
C. Wickham, Early Medieval Italy, 47-60
Week 6 (Seminar 5): Government and the aristocracy under Charlemagne
KQ1: What the basis of Charlemagne’s rule? Was his government a) effective b) innovative?
KQ2: How big a threat was the aristocracy, and how did Charles control it?
M. Innes, "What was Charlemagne’s government?’ in J. Story, ed., Charlemagne. Empire and Society
D. Bullough, Age of Charlemagne, ch.3
R. McKitterick, Frankish Kingdoms, ch. 4
F.L.Ganshof, Frankish Institutions under Charlemagne (not in EUL)
F.L. Ganshof, The Carolingians and the Frankish Monarchy, chs. V-IX
K.F. Werner, "Missus, marchio, comes. Entre l'administration centrale et l'administration locale de
l'empire carolingien' in W. Paravicini and K.F. Werner, Histoire comparée de l'administration (IVeXVIIIe siècles), 191-239 (also in his Structures politiques – see below)
Janet Nelson 'Literacy in Carolingian government', in R. McKitterick, ed., The Uses of Literacy in
Medieval Europe, 258-72.
C. Nelson, "Kingship and Royal government', NCMedH, ii. 383-430.
H. Fichtenau, The Carolingian Empire, esp. chs 5 and 6, gives an interesting down-beat assessment
F. Fouracre, Carolingian justice’, in La Giustizia.nell’alto medioevo. Settimane di studio 42 (1995),
771-803 (Per. 9(401)CEN in EUL)
Good on the aristocracy is S. Airlie. ‘The captains and the kings’, in J. Story, ed., Charlemagne.
Empire and Society
T. Reuter, ed., The medieval nobility, esp. K. Werner, 'Important Noble Families in the Reign of
Charlemagne'
Anne J .Duggan (ed.), Nobles and Nobility in medieval Europe: concepts , origins, transformations,
especially paper by P. Fouracre.
P. Riché, Daily Life in the World of Charlemagne, chs. 8-12
S.Airlie, 'The aristocracy’, NCMEDH ii, 431-50
S. Airlie, 'Bonds of power and bonds of association in the court circle of Louis the Pious', in P.
Godman and R. Collins, Charlemagne's Heir, 191-204
There is a good recent study of one particular area in M. Innes, State and Society in the Early Middle
Ages: the middle Rhine valley, 400-1000
If you read French or German K.F. Werner, Structures politiques du monde franc, VIe-XIIe siècles is
useful.
Week 7 (seminar 6):
Charlemagne and the Church: policies, institutions, and innovations
KQ1: Did Charlemagne use the Church or did it use him?
KQ2: How important were the ecclesiastical innovations of Charles’ reign?
Also find out what you can about the Libri Carolini and the synod of Frankfurt: see T. Noble,
‘Tradition and learning in search of ideology: the Libri carolini’, in R.E. Sullivan, ed., The Gentle
Voices of Teachers, 227-60; Ann Freeman, ‘Theodulf of Oeleans and the Libri Carolini’, Speculum ,
32 (1957), 663-705, eadem. “Carolingian orthodoxy and the fate of the Libri Carolini’’ Viator, 16
(1985), 65-108, reprinted in her Theodulf of Orléans: Charlemagne's spokesman against the Second
Council of Nicaea; also R. Collins, Charlemagne, ch. 8.
In general:
M. De Jong, ‘Charlemagne’s church’, in J. Story, ed., Charlemagne. Empire and Society
F.L. Ganshof, The Carolingians and the Frankish Monarchy, ch. xi
J.M. Wallace-Hadrill, The Frankish Church
F. Kempf, The church in the age of feudalism (= Handbook of Church History, ed. Hubert Jedin and John
Dolan, Vol.3.)
9
a) the papacy (other aspects covered in seminar 9)
T.F.X. Noble, The Republic of St. Peter. The Birth of the Papal State
T.F.X. Noble, 'The papacy in the eighth and ninth centuries' NCMEDH ii, 563-86
W. Ullmann, Short History of the medieval papacy
W. Ullmann, The growth of papal government in the Middle Ages
b) bishops, monks and missions (concentrate on practical aspects of this)
R.McKitterick, The Frankish Church and the Carolingian reforms
R. Sullivan, 'The Carolingian missionary and the pagan', Speculum 28 (1953), 705-40 and his
'Carolingian missionary theories', Catholic Historical Review, 42 (1956), 273-95. Both are reprinted in
his Christian missionary activity in the early middle ages
On saints, relics, tithes etc.:
One useful source is Einhard’s Translation and Miracles of… Marcellinus and Petrus, in P. Dutton, ed.
Charlemagne’s courtier, 69ff.
Chapters by R. Reynolds and Julia Smith in NCMedH, ii, on church organisation and religion and lay
society respectively.
Thomas F. X. Noble and Thomas Head, "Introduction," in Soldiers of Christ
Thomas Head, Hagiography and the Cult of Saints. The Diocese of Orléans, 800-1200
Megan McLaughlin, Consorting with Saints: Prayer for the Dead in early Medieval France
Julia M. H. Smith , ‘The Problem of Female Sanctity in Carolingian Europe, 750-920’, Past and
Present, 146 (February 1995), 3-37
Patrick J. Geary, Living with the Dead in the Middle Ages
Julia M. H. Smith, "Early Medieval Hagiography in the Late Twentieth Century’, Early Medieval
Europe, 1 (1992), 69-76
Frederick S. Paxton, Christianizing Death: The Creation of a Ritual Process in Early Medieval Europe
Patrick J. Geary, Furta Sacra: Thefts of Relics in the Central Middle Ages
Felice Lifshitz ‘The Migration of Neustrian Relics in the Viking Age: the Myth of Voluntary Exodus,
the Reality of Coercion and Theft,’ Early Medieval Europe 4 (1995), 175-192.
Week 8 (seminar 7): Charlemagne's commitment to learning and the arts
First be clear about the terms 'renaissance' and renovatio.
KQ1: Did Charles' personal support for learning lead to a 'cultural revolution'?
KQ2: How high was the quantity and quality of artistic production North of the Alps in Charles' reign?
Sources: relevant letters and capitularies in the source collections are worth studying. We shall look at
perhaps the most important source, Alcuin’s letters in seminar 10.
D. Bullough. ‘Three men of God in Charlemagne’s service: Alcuin, Hildebald, Arno’, and R. Mckitterick,
‘The Carolingian Reanaissance of culture and learning’, in J. Story, ed., Charlemagne. Empire and Society
J.M. Wallace-Hadrill, The Frankish Church
D. Bullough, The Age of Charlemagne, ch. 4
M. Garrison, 'The emergence of Carolingian Latin literature and the court of Charlemagne' and other
studies in R. McKitterick, ed., Carolingian Culture, 111-140
J.J. Contreni, 'The Carolingian Renaissance: education and literary culture', NCMedH ii, 709-57.
J. Contreni in W. Treadgold, Renaissances before the Renaissance
W. Ullmann, The Carolingian renaissance and the idea of kingship
J. Nelson, 'On the limits of the Carolingian Renaissance', Ecclesiastical History Society. Studies in
Church History, xiv (1973), 51-70
G. Trompf, 'The concept of the "Carolingian Renaissance’, Journal of the History of Ideas, 34 (1973)
3-26.
D. Bullough, Age of Charlemagne, ch. 5
R. Hinks, Carolingian Art
J. Beckwith, Early Medieval Art
K.J. Conant, Carolingian and Romanesque Architecture
L. Nees, 'Art and architecture', NCMedH, ii, 809-44.
G. Henderson, 'Carolingian art' in R. McKitterick, Carolingian Culture
P. Lasko, Ars Sacra
J. Hubert, J. Porcher, W.F. Volbach, Carolingian Art
There is a lot of good stuff, including English papers by McKitetrick and others in a conference volume
10
on patronage: Committenti e produzione artistico-letteraria nell’alto Medioevo occidentale
(Settimane di studio del Centro italiano di studi sull’alto medioevo, 39) in EUL at .9(401) CEN
R. Krautheimer, ‘The Carolingian Revival of Early Christian Architecture.’ Art Bulletin 24 (1942),
pp. 1-38.
P. Riché, Daily Life in the World of Charlemagne, tr. J.A. McNamara, chs 6, 12
J. Nelson, 'Kingship and Royal Government' in NCMedH, ii, 383-430
On the key figure of Einhard: P. Dutton, Charlemagne’s Courtier and J. Smith, ‘Einhard: the sinner and
the saints’, Trans. Roy. Hist. Soc., 6th ser., 13 (2003), 55-77.
D. Bullough, 'Aula renovata: the Carolingian court before the Aachen palace' in D. Bullough,
Carolingian Renewal
P. Godman, Poets and Emperors
B. Bischoff. 'The Court library of Charlemagne' in Manuscripts and Libraries in the Age of
Charlemagne, ch. 3
Note that in this week (TUESDAY 7TH NOVEMBER) the distinguished Carolingian scholar Professor
Dame Janet Nelson (King’s College, University of London), will give the Fennell lecture on the topic
of ‘Why the early medieval state matters’.
Venue: Lecture Room C, DHT at 5pm. Everyone is very welcome, and strongly advised, to attend.
Week 9 (Seminar 8): Foreign and Diplomatic Relations
KQ1: Were diplomatic relations a high priority for the Carolingians, and if so why?
KQ2: How important for both sides were trade and diplomatic relations between Francia and England?
Sources: Einhard and Notker have interesting references to embassies.
M. McCormick, ‘Diplomacy and the Carolingian encounter with Byzantium down to the accession of
Charles the Bald', in B. McGinn and W. Otten, ed. Eriugena. East And West (Notre Dame, 1994), 1548. (Not in EUL, but TSB has a Xerox copy).
M. McCormick, 'Byzantium and the West, 700-900' NCMedH, ii, 349-80
And recently M. McCormick, Origins of the European Economy, especially part 2 (on envoys).
P. Grierson, 'The Carolingian Empire in the eyes of Byzantium' Settimane di Studio, 27 (1981), 885918 (.9CEN in EUL)
F.L. Ganshof, The Carolingians and the Frankish Monarchy, ch. X
J. Herrin, 'Constantinople, Rome and the Franks' in J. Shepard and S. Franklin, eds., Byzantine
Diplomacy, 145ff.
J. Story, Carolingian Connections (on links with England)
J.M. Wallace-Hadrill, 'Charlemagne and England' in his Early Medieval History
R. Hodges, 'Trade and market origins in the ninth century: relations between England and the
Continent', in M. Gibson and J. Nelson, Charles the Bald. Court and Kingdom, ch. 12
Week 10 (Seminar 9): 794, 800 and all that: background and significance of two key years
KQ1. How significant were the events of 794?
KQ2: Should the coronation be seen as the improvised solution to a little local difficulty, with no longterm significance?
Collins, Charlmagne, chs.. 8 and 9
On 794 find out what you can about the Libri Carolini and the synod of Frankfurt: see T. Noble,
Tradition and learning in search of ideology: the Libri carolini’, in R.E. Sullivan, ed., The Gentle
Voices of Teachers, 227-60; Ann Freeman “’Theodulf of Oeleans and the Libri Carolini’, Speculum ,
32 (1957), 663-705, eadem. “Carolingian orthodoxy and the fate of the Libri Carolini’’ Viator, 16
(1985), 65-108. These are all in her Theodulf of Orléans : Charlemagne's spokesman against the
Second Council of Nicaea
Aachen is surpisingly neglected in the English literature but look at:
D. Bullough, 'Aula renovata: the Carolingian court before the Aachen palace' in D. Bullough,
Carolingian Renewal
M. Garrison, 'The emergence of Carolingian Latin literature and the court of Charlemagne' in R.
McKitterick, ed., Carolingian Culture, 111-140
P. Godman, Poets and Emperors
11
B. Bischoff. 'The Court library of Charlemagne' in Manuscripts and Libraries in the Age of
Charlemagne, ch. 3
On 800:
M. Becher, Charlemagne, ch. 1
R. Collins, Charlemagne, ch. 9
R. Collins. ‘The imperial coronation and the Annals of Lorsch’, in J. Story, ed., Charlemagne: Empire
and Society
J. Herrin, The Formation of Christendom
R.E. Sullivan, The Coronation of Charlemagne
R. Folz, The Coronation of Charlemagne
F.L. Ganshof, The Carolingians and the Frankish Monarchy, ch. iv
M. Alberi, 'The evolution of Alcuin's concept of the Imperium Christianum', in J. Hill and M. Swan,
eds., The Community, the Family and the Saint, 3-17
M. McCormick, 'Byzantium and the West' (see seminar 14 bibliog.)
H. Mayr-Harting, ’Charlemagne, the Saxons and the Imperial Coronation’, Eng. Hist Rev., 111 (1996),
1113ff. (a controversial new view).
On Rome: P. Llewellyn, Rome in the Dark Ages, chs 8 and 9
N. Christie in J. Story, ed., Charlemagne: Empire and Society
R. Krautheimer, Rome profile of a city, 312-1308
J. Smith ed., Early medieval Rome and the Christian West
Week 11 (Seminar 10): An Englishman in New Rome: scholarly achievement, conflicts and
propaganda at the Carolingian court
KQ1: Has the contribution of Alcuin to the Carolingian achievement been exaggerated?
KQ2: Were the Annals and Histrories associated with Charles’ court intended as propaganda, and if
so, what were their ideological aims?
Source: many of Alcuin’s letters are translated in Allott (see below).
There is now a very detailed study of A’s career up to 796 in D. Bullough, Alcuin: achievement and
reputation
S.J. Crawford, The Anglo-Saxon Influence on the Continent
W. Levison, England and the Continent in the Eighth Century
J. Story, Carolingian Connections
Also her ’Charlemagne and the Anglo-Saxons’ in J. Story, ed., Charlemagne: Empire and Society
S. Allott, Alcuin of York, c. A.D. 732 to 804 his life and letters
E.S. Duckett, Alcuin, friend of Charlemagne. His world and his work
C.J.B.Gaskoin Alcuin his life and his work
A.J. Kleinclausz Alcuin (in French)
L. Wallach Alcuin and Charlemagne
E.S. Duckett, Anglo-Saxon Saints and Scholars
On the court see the works listed under seminar 9 (especially Godman).
On the Life of Alcuin’s great rival Theodulf, see the works of Anne Freeman listed under seminar 9
On court histories as propaganda the best source is the Royal Frankish Annals, trans. B. Scholz.
Unfortunately not in the Library, but I shall make a copy available. It is also worth looking at Einhard’s
Life and Paul the Deacon’s History of the Lombards, trans. W. Foulke.
Reading: start with Collins, Charlemagne, pp. 1-15 on the sources.
See the crucial articles by R. McKitterick, ‘Constructing the past in the early middle ages: the case of
the royal Frankish Annals’, TRHS, 6th ser., 7 (1997), 101-29 and “Political ideology in Carolingian
historiography in Y. Hen and M. Innes, The Uses of the past in the early Middles Ages, 162ff. Now
published in her History and Memory in the Carolingian World
The Hen and Innes volume also has useful papers by M. Garrison (on the Franks as the new Israel),
Hen (on the Annals of Metz) and Innes (on the Germanic past).
McKitterick has also come up with a Frankish interpretation of a Lombard historian who attended
Charles’ court – “Paul the Deacon and the Franks’, Early Medieval Europe, 8 (1999), 319ff.
Week 12 (Seminar 11): Charlemagne's last years and his achievement
KQ1 Were the last years of Charles a period of decline and apprehension?
12
KQ2: How great was Charles’ overall achievement?
Sources: Look at later capitularies and the Royal Annals for 804 on. Also the divisio of 806 and the
Diet of Aachen, 813 (items 22 and 23 in Dutton, Carolingian Civilisation).. The king’s will is in
Einhard’s Life. For a slightly later, hostile view of Charles see Walahfrid Strabo's Visio Wettini, trans.
D.A. Traill (also in a number of collections).
F.L. Ganshof, The Carolingians and the Frankish Monarchy, chs. xii and xiii
(For a different view see P.D. King, Charlemagne, 45-7)
H. Fichtenau, The Carolingian Empire, ch. 7.
P. Dutton, 'Beyond the topos of senescence: the political problems of aged Carolingian rulers', in M.
Sheehan, Aging and the Aged in Medieval Europe, 75ff.
D. Bullough, Age of Charlemagne, ch. 6
M. Innes, 'Charlemagne's Will: Ideology, Inheritance and the Imperial Succession in the early ninth
century', English Historical Review 112 (1997), 833-55gne, ch. 1, and McKitterick in Innes and
McKitterick, ed. Carolingian Culture, 193ff.
13
Second Semester: Charlemagne’s successors; the breakup of the empire and the broader issues
of the period
Note: fFor this semester’s work there are a lot of useful studies: in R. Le Jan, ed. La royaute et les
elites dans l’Europe carolingienne: début IXe siècle aux environs de 920 (some in English, as well as
French)
Week 1: (Seminar 12): Louis the Pious (814-840) early promise, ultimate failure?
KQ1: Was Louis an overall success in the period 814-829 (or 814-823)?
KQ2: Were the troubles of 829-840 caused by the faults of Louis and/or his wife Judith and/or his sons,
or by institutional weaknesses within the empire?
Source: A. Cabaniss, Son of Charlemagne (= biography by the 'Astronomer'). The other Life, by
Thegan, is most conveniently in Dutton, Carolingian Civilization, item 25.
On this and subsequent political topics J. Nelson, 'The Frankish Kingdoms 814-898: the West',
NCMedH, ii,, 110-41
F.L. Ganshof, The Carolingians and the Frankish Monarchy, ch. xiv
T.F.X. Noble. 'Louis the Pious and his piety reconsidered', Revue Belge de Philologie et d'Histoire, 58
(1980)
T.F.X. Noble 'The monastic ideal as a model for empire: Louis the Pious reconsidered', Revue
Benedictine, 86 (1976), 235-50
T.F.X. Noble, 'The revolt of king Bernard of Italy in 817: causes and consequences', Studi Medievali,
3rd ser., 15 (1974), 315-26
R.P. McKeon, 'The empire of Louis the Pious: faith, politics and personality', Revue Benedictine, 90
(1980), 50-62
R.P. McKeon, 'Archbishop Ebbo of Rheims', Church History (NCL), 43 (1974), 437-47
J. Smith, Province and Empire, Brittany and the Carolingians is good on Louis’ relatively successful
handling of Brittany.
Janet Nelson, 'The last years of Louis the Pious' in P. Godman and R. Collins (eds.), Charlemagne's
Heir, 147-159
Mayke de Jong 'Power and humility in Carolingian society: the public penance of Louis the Pious',
Early Medieval Europe, 1 (1992), 29ff
G. Schmitz, 'The capitulary legislation of Louis the Pious' in P. Godman and R. Collins (eds.),
Charlemagne's Heir, 425-36.
D. Ganz, 'The Epitaphium Arsenii and Opposition to Louis the Pious' in P. Godman and R. Collins
(eds.), Charlemagne's Heir
Interesting on attitudes to Charlemagne in Louis’ reign is R. Collins, “Charlemagne and his critics, 84829’ in R. le Jan ed., La royauté et les élites dans l'Europe carolingienne
On the key figure of Judith: E. Ward, 'Caesar's wife: the career of the Empress Judith' in P. Godman
and R. Collins (eds.), Charlemagne's Heir, 205-27. Ward, 'Agobard of Lyons and Paschasius Radbertus
as critics of the Empress Judith', in Studies in Church History, 27 (1990), 15-25 and the index to
Nelson’s book on Charles.
Week 2: (Seminar 13): Civil wars, the division of 843 and a semi-detached `Carolingian success
story (Italy)
KQ1: What according to Nithard was at stake in the civil war and the treaty negotiations?
KQ2: Assess the content and purpose of the Treaty of Verdun
KQ3: Did Italy benefit from a kind of benevolent Carolingian devolution in the period c.790-875
Source: Nithard, Histories, trans. B. Scholz, Carolingian Chronicles
J. Nelson, 'Public Histories and private history in the work of Nithard', Speculum, 60 (1985), reprinted
in her Politics and Ritual in Early Medieval Europe
K. Leyser, 'Nithard and his Kings' in his Communication and Power in Medieval Europe, i, 19-26
J. Nelson, Charles the Bald – chs. 5 and 6 on civil war and the early difficulties of Charles’s reign
F.L. Ganshof, The Carolingians and the Frankish Monarchy, ch.xvi (on Treaty of Verdun)
On Italy: P. Delogu, 'Lombard and Carolingian Italy' NCMedH, ii, 290-319.
14
C. Wickham, Early Medieval Italy
G. West, “Charlemagne’s involvement in central and southern Italy’, Early Medieval Europe, 8 (1999),
341ff.
P. Llewellyn, Rome in the Dark Ages, chs 8 and 9
R. Krautheimer, Rome profile of a city, 312-1308
R.Hodges 'Excavations at S. Vincenzo al Volturno' in R. Hodges, ed., S. Vincenzo al Volturno, i, 1-35;
also his Light in the Dark Ages. the Rise and Fall of S. Vincenzo al Volturno
K.F. Drew, Law and Society in Early Medieval Europe, papers IX and X.
On land D Herlihy, Social history of Italy and Western Europe, papers III and V.. C. Wickham, Early
Medieval Italy
G. Tabacco, The Struggle for Power in Medieval Italy
D.Bullough, on the vassus and count Leo in Le Moyen Age, 3 (1961) 2211ff., on Pavia in Papers of the
British school, 3 (1966), 82ff. and his 'Baiuli in the Carolingian regnum Langobardorum and the career
of Abbot Waldo (†813), EHR 77 (1962), 625-37
Unfortunately there is no good study on Louis II, although there is an article on his wife: C E.
Odegaard, ‘The Empress Engelberga’, Speculum 26 (1951).
On Louis' problems in the South, B. Kreutz, Before the Normans. Southern Italy in the Ninth and
Tenth Centuries, esp. ch. 3
F.E. Engreen, "Pope John VIII and the Arabs', Speculum, 20 (1945), 318-30
H. Kennedy. 'The Muslims in Europe' NCMedH, ii, 249-71
F.Gabrieli, Muhammed and the Conquests of Islam
L. Musset, Les invasions: le second assaut contre l'Europe chrétienne
T.S. Brown, 'The Background of Byzantine Relations with Italy' Byzantinische Forschungen 13 (1986)
27-45
Week 3 (Seminar 14): Women in the Carolingian period and their role in politics
KQ1: Can one generalize as to whether the position of women in the Carolingian world was improving
or deteriorating?
KQ2: What do the cases of Judith and Teutberga reveal about the political power which a queen could
influence?
S F. Wemple, Women in Frankish society
E. Ennen, The Medieval Woman
L. Bitel, Women in early medieval Europe, 400-1100
On queens a reveaking case is Judith second wife of Louis the Pious (see E. Ward, 'Caesar's wife: the
career of the Empress Judith', in Charlemagne's
Heir, ed. P. Godman et al. And E. Ward, 'Agobard of Lyons and Paschasius Radbertus as critics of the
Empress Judith', in Studies in Church History, 27 (1990), 15-25 On Queen Theutberga's divorce see J.
Nelson, Charles the Bald (1992), pp. 198-223.)
There is a good study of Charlemagne’s wives, mistresses and daughters by Janet Nelson: "Women at
the Court of Charlemagne; A Case of Monstrous Regiment?", in John Carmi Parsons, ed., Medieval
Queenship (New York, 1993), pp. 43-61
On women and the religious life:
J. Martindale, 'The nun Immena and the foundation of the abbey of Beaulieu: a woman's prospects in
the Carolingian church', in Studies in church history, 27 (1990), 27-42.
Women and the family:
S. Wemple and J. McNamara, 'Power through the family in early medievalworld', Clio's Consciousness
raised, ed. M. Hartmann and L. Banner
D. Herlihy, 'Land, family and women in Continental Europe', Traditio, 18 (1962).
For a primary source: Dhuoda's 'Manual for her son' - translated extracts can be found in Carolingian
Civilisation: a reader, ed. P.E. Dutton (1993) and Women's Lives in Medieval Europe, ed. E. Amt
(1993), 123-9. Full edition in Dhuoda, handbook for her warrior son : Liber manualis , edited and
translated by Marcelle Thiébaux. TSB has another translation, by C. NEES.
For discussion : M.A. Claussen, 'God and man in Dhuoda's Liber manualis', in Studies in church
history, 27 (1990), 43-52. P. Dronke, Women Writers of the Middle Ages, ch.2; J. Nelson, Charles the
Bald (1992) - use the index to look up Dhuoda, Bernard of Septimania, William and Bernard, sons of
Bernard of S. and Dhuoda Also; J. Nelson, 'Kingship and Empire', in Cambridge History of Medieval
Political Thought, ed. J. Burns, pp. 221-2.
On literacy: R. McKitterick, The Carolingians and the Written Word (1989), esp. pp. 7-22, 223-7
15
Stofferahn, Steven A., ‘Changing views of Carolingian women's literary culture: the evidence from
Essen,’ Early Medieval Europe 8:1 (1999), 69-97.
Janet Nelson. 'Gender and genre in women historians', 'Women and the word in the earlier Middle
ages' and 'Women at the court of Charlemagne' in her The Frankish World, 750-900
P. Riché, Daily Life in the World of Charlemagne,. 97-99
On Teutberga, estranged wife of Lothar II: Valerie I. J. Flint, ‘Susanna and the Lothar Crystal: A
Liturgical Perspective,’ EME, 4 (1995), 61-86 (with references to the earlier literature by G.
Kornbluth)
S. Airlie, 'Private bodies and the body politic in the divorce case of Lothar II', Past and Present 1998, 338
K. Heidecker, 'Why should bishops be involved in marital affairs? Hincmar of Rheims on the divorce
of King Lothar II (855-869), in J. Hill and M. Swan, eds., The Community, the Family and the Saint,
225-35
Week 4 (Seminar 15): The Middle Kingdom and the East Frankish Kingdom c. 843-876
KQ1: Does the apparent strength of the East Frankish kingdom under Louis stem from its
aggressiveness towards its western and eastern neighbours?
KQ2: Was the Middle Kingdom an impractical nonsense from the start?
Main source: Annals of Fulda, trans. T. Reuter. Available at:
http://www.medievalsources.co.uk/sources.htm
T. Reuter, Germany in the Early Middle Ages
E. Goldberg, The Struggle for Empire (a study of Louis the German)
J. Fried, 'The Franks kingdoms 814-911: the East and Middle kingdoms', NCMedH, ii, 142-68
F. Dvornik, The making of central and Eastern Europe, 68-83, 206-9
G. Barraclough, The Crucible of Europe, 68-83, 106-9
M. Innes, State and Society in the Early Middle Ages: the middle Rhine valley, 400-1000
Eric J. Goldberg, ‘Popular Revolt, Dynastic Politics and Aristocratic Factionalism in the Early Middle
Ages: The Saxon Stellinga Reconsidered’, Speculum, 70 (1995), 467-501
Carl I. Hammer Jr., ‘Family and familia in Early Medieval Bavaria," in Richard Wall et al. eds., Family
Forms in Historic Europe, .217-248
C.R. Bowlus, Franks, Moravians, and Magyars : the struggle for the Middle Danube, 788-907 has
much information but watch for its eccentric location of Moravia, one of the Franks’ main enemies.
M. Innes, 'Franks and Slavs, 700-1000', Early Medieval Europe 6 (1997) gives a broad picture of
Frankish-Slav relations.
Week 5 (Seminar 16): Charles the Bald: his personality, reign and kingship
KQ1: Do you agree with Nelson's revisionist assessment of Charles as a generally strong and
successful king?
KQ2: How novel and how effective was the exalted ideology and ritual of kingship evolved in Charles
the Bald's reign? (we shall try to relate Charles’ ideology to the practical problems of government.)
Sources: Dutton, ch. 5; Janet Nelson, trans., The Annals of St-Bertin: Available on-line at:
http://www.medievalsources.co.uk/sources.htm
J. Nelson, Charles the Bald. NB also her survey in M. Gibson and J. Nelson, Charles the Bald. Court
and Kingdom and her essays in Rulers and Ruling families in medieval Europe
J. Nelson, 'The Frankish Kingdoms 814-898: the West', NCMedH, ii,, 110-41
J.M. Wallace-Hadrill, 'A Carolingian Renaissance Prince. Charles the Bald' Proceedings of the British
Academy, 64 (1978), 155-84
On kingship: J. Nelson, 'Kingship and empire' in J.H. Burns, ed. Cambridge History of Medieval
Political Thought, 211-51
J.L. Nelson, 'Kingship, law and liturgy in the political thought of Hincmar of Rheims', in her Politics
and Ritual in the early Middle Ages, 133-71
J.L. Nelson, “Hincmar of Rheims on king-making’ in her Rulers and Ruling Families in early medieval
Europe
W. Ullmann, The Carolingian Renaissance and the Ideal of Kingship
K.F. Morrison, The Two Kingdoms. Ecclesiology in Carolingian political thought
16
J.M. Wallace-Hadrill, 'The Via Regia of the Carolingian age', in B. Smalley, ed., Trends in Medieval
Political Thought
R. Deshman, 'The exalted servant: the ruler theology of the prayer book of Charles the Bald,' Viator, 11
(1980), 385-417
E.H. Kantorowicz, 'The Carolingian king in the Bible of S. Paolo fuori le Mura', Selected Studies, 8294
Week 6 (seminar 17): The Carolingian Renaissance in its later phase: patronage, scholars and art
KQ1: How crucial to art and scholarship was the patronage of Charles the Bald?
KQ2: Was the literary and philosophical output of Charles the Bald's reign the work of a few gifted
individuals or the result of a benign cultural policy?
R. McKitterick, 'The Palace school of Charles the Bald' in M. Gibson and J. Nelson, Charles the Bald.
Court and Kingdom, ch. 20
F. Mutherich, Carolingian painting; also her 'Book illumination at the court of Louis' in P. Godman and
R. Collins, eds., Charlemagne's Heir
H.L. Kessler, The Illustrated Bibles from Tours
L.Nees, in M. Gibson and J., Nelson, Charles the Bald. Court and Kingdom
We also look at some of the important figures of the later 'Carolingian renaissance': Lupus, Walafrid,
Sedulius, Gottschalk, Hincmar and John the Scot:
There are brief discussions in M.L.W. Laistner, Thought and Letters in Western Europe 500-900
J, Marenbon, 'John Scottus and Carolingian Theology' in M. Gibson and J. Nelson, Charles the Bald.
Court and Kingdom, ch. 19
Also his 'Carolingian thought' in McKitterick, Carolingian Culture, 171-92
D. Moran, The philosophy of John Scottus Eriugena a study of idealism in the Middle Ages
J.J. O'Meara Eriugena
H. Bett, Johannes Scotus Erigena
J.J. O'Meara and L. Bieler, eds., The mind of Eriugena
J. Marenbon, From the Circle of Alcuin to the School of Auxerre
R. Gariépy, 'Lupus, Carolingian scribe and critic', Medieval Studies, 30 (1968), 90-105.
J. Devisse, Hincmar, Archévêque de Reims
K.F. Morrison, 'Unum ex multis' in Settimane di studio, 27, 583ff.
D. Ganz, 'The debate on predestination' in M. Gibson and J. Nelson, Charles the Bald. Court and
Kingdom, 283-302
Week 7 (Seminar 18): The Church and mentalities
This is intended as an opportunity for a general discussion about the mind-set of the Carolingians. One
way of getting into the question is by re-reading Notker: another is examining contemporary dreams
and visions. We shall continue to look at the lives of churchmen such as Hincmar, and also look at
some aspects which we did not cover in seminar 6 in semester 1.
KQ1: How important and varied were changes to belief brought about by the increased power of the
Church
KQ2: Does the work of Notker and other writers suggest that the Carolingian world-view dominated
by superstition and apocalyptic pessimism?
Sources: Dutton, texts 26 (Benedict of Aniane), 31 (Agobard of Lyons on popular beliefs), 34 (Einhard
on relics) 35 (Claudius of Turin on images0, 36 (penitential of Halithar) , 37 (wealth of St Riquier), 42
(Life of St Leoba) 50 (Gottshalk), 60 (St Remi of Rheims)..
On the Church see the bibliography for last semester’s seminar 6.
On mentalities a valuable source is: Notker, Life of Charlemagne in Two Lives of Charlemagne, trans.
L. Thorpe (NB the discussion of Notker in M. Innes, 'Memory, Orality and Literacy in an Early
Medieval Society', Past & Present 158 (1998), 3-36. Background in S. Maclean, Kingship and policy in
the late ninth century : Charles the Fat and the end of the Carolingian Empire
P. Dutton, The Politics of Dreaming in the Carolingian Empire
Also worth considering are attitudes to the poor and minorities, such as Jews: see B. Blumenkranz,
Juifs et Chrétiens dans le monde occidental 430-1096 and M. Mollat, Les pauvres au moyen age: etude
sociale
There are some pointers in H.-W. Goetz, 'Social and military institutions', NCMedH, pp. 451-480
17
There are some insights in M. Rouche, 'The Early Middle Ages in the West' in P. Ariès and G. Duby,
eds., A History of Private Life, i, 411-549, and in P. Riché, Daily Life in the World of Charlemagne.
There has also been some interesting work done on magic: e.g. V.I.J. Flint, Early Medieval Magic; R.
Meens, 'Magic and the Early medieval World View,' in J. Hill and M. Swan, eds., The Community, the
Family and the Saint, 285-296
There are relevant observations in H. Fichtenau, Living in the Tenth Century, especially ch. 14,
although it deals with a later period.
Week 8 (seminar 19): Economic life: General consideration, towns, trade and agriculture
KQ1: To what extent did trade and urban life expand in the Carolingian period?
KQ2: Were the villae a dynamic or a regressive force in Carolingian economic and social life?
J. P. Devroey, ‘The economy’; in R. McKitterick, Early medieval Europe
The best short general study is now A. Overhauls, The Carolingian economy
Short surveys in J. Story, ed., Charlemagne: Empire and Society; C. Loveluck, 'Rural settlement
hierarchy' and F. Vehaeghe, ‘Urban developments’.
M, McCormick, Origins of the European economy (vast but sometimes interesting).
His arguments are summarised in his “New light on the ‘dark ages’: how the slave trade fueled the
Carolingian economy” Past and Present (2002), 17-54
R. Hodges, Dark Age Economics (controversial and jargon-laden)
R. Hodges and D. Whitehouse, Mohammed, Charlemagne and the Origins of Europe
There are a lot of older studies of variable quality:
R-H. Bautier, The economic development of medieval Europe
R. Doehaerd, The early middle Ages in the West. Economy and Society
A. Verhulst, 'Economic organisation', NCMedH, ii, 481-509
On towns and trade in Carolingian Europe
W. Jansssen, ‘The rebirth of towns in the Rhineland', in R. Hodges and B. Hobley, The Rebirth of
Towns in the West, 47-51
W.J. H. Verwers, 'Dorestad: a Carolingian town?' in R. Hodges and B. Hobley, The Rebirth of Towns
in the West, 52-6
D. Metcalf, 'The prosperity of North Western Europe in the Eighth and Ninth Centuries', Economic
History Review, 2nd ser., xx (1987)
H. Pirenne, Medieval Cities
E. Ennen, The Medieval Town
R. Latouche, The Birth of the Western Economy, 235-67
M. Barley, ed., European Towns (especially papers by Brooke and Brühl)
On agriculture:
Source: relevant capitularies, especially Capitulary de villis, and texts in G. Duby, Rural economy and
country life in the medieval West
C. Wickham, 'Rural society in Carolingian Europe' NCMedH, ii, 510-37.
A. Verhulst, The Carolingian economy
G.Duby, Rural economy and Country Life
A.Verhulst, Rural and urban aspects of early medieval northwest Europe
H-W. Goetz, 'Serfdom and the beginnings of a "seigneurial system" in the Carolingian period; a survey
of the evidence', Early Medieval Europe, 2 (1993), 29ff.
Week 9 (seminar 20): The Viking raids and the rise of aristocratic families in Charles’ reign
KQ1: Would you agree that the effect of Viking raids on the Carolingian regna was marginal for most
of the ninth century?
KQ2: What factors led to the increase in aristocratic power in West Francia in the later ninth century?
P. Sawyer’s famous work The Age of the Vikings is disappointing on Francia.
S. Coupland and J. Nelson, 'The Vikings on the continent' in History Today, December 1988, 12-19
S. Coupland, 'The Vikings in Francia and Anglo-Saxon England', NCMedH, ii, 190-209
J, Nelson, in P. Sawyer, ed. Illustrated Oxford History of the Vikings
J, Nelson,, ‘England the Continent in the Ninth Century: II. The Vikings and Others’, Trans. Royal
Hist. Soc., 6th ser., 13, (2003), 1-28
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S. Coupland, 'From poachers to gamekeepers: Scandinavian warlords and Carolingian kings,' Early
Medieval Europe, 7, i (1998), 85ff.
J.M. Wallace-Hadrill, 'The Vikings in Francia', in his Early Medieval History, 217-36
N.S. Price, The Vikings in Brittany
Simon Coupland, "The Rod of God's Wrath or the People of God's Wrath? The Carolingians' Theology
of the Viking Invasions," Journal of Eccl. History, 42 (1991), 535-54.
Simon Coupland, ‘The Vikings on the Continent in Myth and History,’ History 88 (290), 186-203
M. Bloch, Feudal society associates the invasions strongly with social changes
On aristocracy:
j. Nelson, ‘Nobility in the ninth century,’ in Anne J .Duggan (ed.), Nobles and Nobility in medieval
Europe: concepts , origins, transformations, 43-51
J. Dunbabin, France in the making 843-1180, esp. chs. 3-5
G. Fourquin, Lordship and Feudalism in the Middle Ages, ch. 1
S. Reynolds, Fiefs and vassals, ch. 4- detailed usual information but the thesis is, I think, misguided.
C. Bouchard, 'Family structure and family consciousness among the aristocracy in the 9th to 11th
centuries', Francia, 14 (1986), 639-58 (in NLS)
C. Bouchard,, 'The origins of the French nobility: a reassessment', American Historical Review, 86
(1981), 501-52
J. Martindale, 'The French aristocracy in the early middle ages; a reappraisal', Past and Present, 75
(1977), 5-45
If you have French J. Dhondt Etudes sur les principautes territoriales and K.F. Werner, 'La genèse des
duchés' in Settimane di studio 27 (1981), 175ff. are important.
The problem of feudalism is complex with a vast bibliography . For a flavour see E. Brown,
‘Feudalism; the Tyranny of a Construct' in American Historical Review, 79 (1974), 1063-88, T.
Bisson, 'The "Feudal Revolution"', Past and Present 142 (Feb. 1994), pp. 6-42 and debate in ibid. 152
(August 1996) and 155 (May 1997)
Week 10 (Seminar 21): The Carolingian crisis after c. 877
KQ1: Why was there such a general collapse of strong royal power in West Francia after 877?
KQ2: Why was Charles the Fat unable to revive a strong Carolngian realm?
First work out the rather complex series of short-lived kings in W. Francia and elsewhere from 877 to
898. From c. 875 the Carolingian kingdoms are considerably weakened with the succession of weak
figures and the fragmentation of political units. The rest of the course will try to explain this
phenomenon;.For a useful comparative study of two ambitious but failed rulers see S. Airlie, 'The
Nearly men: Boso of Vienne and Arnulf of Bavaria', in Anne J .Duggan (ed.), Nobles and Nobility in
medieval Europe: concepts , origins, transformations, 25-41
C. Bouchard, 'The Bosonids or rising to power in the late Carolingian age', French Historical Studies,
15, (1988), 407-31
On Francia: see items listed in seminar 9 bibliography.
Source: Notker, Life of Charlemagne in Two Lives of Charlemagne, trans. L. Thorpe
On the failure of Charles the Fat: Dutton, Carolingian Civilisation, ch. 6; T. Reuter, Germany in the
Early Middle Ages, 115-21 and most recently a more positive view in S. MacLean, Kingship and
Politics in the Late Ninth Century. Charles the Fat and the End of the Carolingian Empire
Various papers in R. led jn, ed. Les Elites – sadly in French
S. Airlie, 'After empire: recent work on the emergence of post-carolingian kingdoms, Early medieval
Europe, 2, ii (1993)
Week 11 (Seminar 22): Failures, legacies and overview
KQ1: Would you agree that Ottonian Germany was more ‘Carolingian’ than 10th-century France?
KQ2: Was the long-term legacy of the Carolingians positive or negative, unifying or separatist? You
can discuss this with reference to Europe as a whole, to individual countries, or to spheres such as
kinship or intellectual life.
Source: Notker, Life of Charlemagne in Two Lives of Charlemagne, trans. L. Thorpe
On Germany:
B. Arnold, Medieval Germany, 500-1300 : a political interpretation
K. Leyser, Rule and Conflict in early medieval Saxony
K. Leyser, 'The Battle of the Lech' in his Medieval Germany and Her Neighbours
19
J. Fleckenstein, Early Medieval Germany
G. Barraclough, The Crucible of Europe, is disappointingly superficial
K. Leyser, 'Ottonian Government' EHR 96 (1981) and in his Medieval Germany and Her Neighbours
K.F. Werner, 'L'empire carolingien et le saint empire' in M. Duverger, Le concept d'empire, 151-98
R.McKitterick, 'Continuity and innovation in tenth-century Ottonian culture', in L. Smith and B. Ward,
eds., Intellectual life in the Middle Ages, 15-24; also her 'Ottonian intellectual culture' in Early
Medieval Europe', 2, i (1993), 53ff.
On general legacies:
R. McKitterick, 'The Carolingian legacy' in her Carolingian culture
Studies of Nelson and Ullmann on kingship listed for seminar 16
H. Fichtenau, Living in the Tenth Century
For two views of 'Europe' D. Hay, Europe. The Emergence of an idea and R. Balzaretti 'The creation
of Europe', History Workshop, 33 (1992), 181-96.
Also interesting is the Carolingian impact on England from Alfred’s reign on : M.J. Enright, 'Charles
the Bald and Aethelwulf of Wessex' Journal of Medieval History, 5 (1979), 291-302
P. Stafford, 'Charles the Bald, Judith and England' in M. Gibson and J. Nelson, Charles the Bald. Court
and Kingdom; J. Nelson, 'The king across the sea: Alfred in continental perspective', TRHS, 36 (1986),
45-68 ; M. Wood, 'The making of King Aethelstan's Empire: an English Charlemagne?' in P. Wormald,
R. Collins and D. Bullough, Ideal and reality in Frankish and Anglo-Saxon society, 250-72
S. Keynes, 'King Athelstan's books', in M. Lapidge and H. Gneuss, Learning and Literature in AngloSaxon Englandergence of an Idea and R. Balzaretti 'The creation of Europe', History Workshop, 33
(1992), 181-96.
The image of Charlemagne in the central middle ages and beyond is a vast and specialist subject
but the following give some pointers on why Charlemagne and his empire exercised such a fascination
on later medieval generations:
R. Folz, The concept of empire in Western Europe from the fifth to the fourteenth century
R. Morrisey, Charlemagne and France
B. de Gaiffier, 'La légende de Charlemagne. Le péche de l'empereur et son pardon' in his Etudes
critiques d'hagiographie et d'iconologie 260-275
R. Folz, Le souvenir et la légende de Charlemagne dans l'Empire germanique medieval
L. Theis, L'heritage des Charles
La chanson de geste et la mythe carolingienne. Mélanges Réné Louis, 2 vols.
20
First Semester Essays (c. 750-814)
Essays should be not substantially greater or less than 3,000 words in length. Two copies
should be submitted, preferably in a folder or plastic envelope. A bibliography should be included, but
references are not necessary unless a primary or secondary source is being quoted directly or a precise
historiographical argument is being developed. Essays MUST be submitted by the end of week 10
(noon on Friday 24 November). It is a university rule that essays submitted after the due date will be
have marks deducted at the rate of 5 per working day. If not submitted after one week the mark will be
zero.
In the interests of choice and flexibility, you have a choice of three kinds of essay:
1) A subject which follows the lines of a seminar topic. This must not be a topic on which you have
given a report and you should finalize the precise title with TSB beforehand.
2) A topic which is of particular interest to you. Art, liturgy, music, the army etc., are possibilities
here, as are relations with particular peoples, e.g. the Saxons, Avars, Basques or Spanish Muslims.
Again you should finalize the precise title with TSB beforehand and discuss the bibliography.
3) One of the following general questions (all subject to negotiation and modification)
1. How did the Arnulfings emerge as the most powerful family in Francia in the alter Merovingian
period (c. 629-741)?
2. How important a factor was dynastic insecurity in the reign of Pepin III and the early years of
Charlemagne (c.741-780)?
3. Do you accept Nelson’s view that Charlemagne's rulership was generally effective despite the many
paradoxes associated with it?
4. Was Charles’ commitment to learning and art based on an altruistic love of culture or on political
and practical considerations?
5. To what extent do contemporary sources exaggerate the military qualities and achievements of
Charles and his armies?
6. “Inconsistent, ill-formed and generally unsuccessful’. Is this is a fair assessment of Charles’ policy
towards the Byzantine Empire?
7. How important was EITHER Aachen OR Rome to Charlemagne?
8. ‘The predominance of English-speaking scholars in Carolingian studies has led to an exaggeration
of the relations between England and Francia in the period up to 814’ Do you agree?
9. How successful was Charlemagne in absorbing non-Frankish ethnic groups into his realm? (You
can deal with one or more of the following: Germanic peoples beyond the Rhine, Italian, Aquitanians,
Bretons, Avars and Slavs).
10. Assess the effect of Charlemagne’s ecclesiastical reform on EITHER the papacy OR the secular
clergy of Francia (bishops and priests).
21
Second Semester Essays (814 - 900)
As before essays should be around 3,000 words in length. Two copies should be submitted,
preferably in a folder or plastic envelope. A bibliography should be included, but references are not
necessary unless sources are being quoted or a historiographical argument is being developed. Essays
must be submitted by noon on Friday 16 March (week 21). Marks will be deducted for late
submission (see first semester essay list).
Once again you have a choice of three kinds of essay:
1) A topic which follows the lines of a seminar topic. This must not be a topic on which you have
given a report and you should finalize the precise title with TSB beforehand.
2) A topic which is of particular interest to you. Art, liturgy, music, Germany, Spain and Italy are
possibilities here. Again you should finalize the precise title with TSB beforehand and discuss the
bibliography.
3) One of the following general questions (all subject to negotiation):
1. Was Louis the Pious’ devotion to the Church a source of strength or of weakness?
2. To what extent did the Franks retain a united identity and culture after 843?
3. Does the history of Charles the Bald’s reign suggest that his desire to emulate his grandfather and
namesake was a dangerous and destructive obsession?
4. Why did Carolingian power prove so fragile in EITHER West Francia OR Italy in the decades after
877?
5. Does the career of Hincmar of Rheims confirm that the Frankish episcopate as a whole enjoyed
increasing power in eth ninth century?
6. Apart from a few high-profile cases, queens exercised a very limited role in the Carolingian world’.
Do you agree?
7. Do you accept the generally positive assessment of the East Frankish kingdom between 840 and
887, which has been offered by recent scholars such as Reuter, Goldberg and MacLean?
8. Did the actual damage done by Viking raids in ninth-century Francia justify the concern expressed
by contemporary rulers, churchmen and writers?
9. Would you agree that “Closeness to the king’ (Konigsnahe) was the most important factor in the
growth of the wealth and power of aristocratic families in ninth-century Francia?
10. To what extent have forces retarding economic development been underplayed in recent ‘up-beat’
surveys of Carolingian commercial and agrarian activity?
11. Were the greatest legacies of the Carolingian period in the political, the cultural or the ideological
spheres?
You are again responsible for constructing the detailed bibliography from the issued course materials
and your own reading.
----The course organiser, Dr Tom Brown, would welcome comments, suggestions and criticisms
of the course at any stage of the year.
T.S. Brown September 2006
22
QuickTime™ and a
TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
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QuickTime™ and a
TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
24
The identity of candidates will not be made known to the markers of this
examination. Complete the top right corner of the examination script book and
seal. Please ensure that your EXAMINATION number (not matriculation
number) and the title of the examination are clearly written on the main cover of
the script book.
Candidates taking the course as part of the MA General or General with
Honours degree should put a tick in the designated box on the script book.
UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH
College of Humanities and Social Science
SCHOOL of HISTORY and CLASSICS
CHARLEMAGNE AND HIS WORLD: SOCIETY & EMPIRE IN
WESTERN EUROPE c.750-c.900
History 4 Hons
PAPER 1
Monday 25 April 2005 - 2.30pm-4.30pm
Convener of the Board of Examiners: Dr Richard Mackenney
External Examiner: Professor John Gillingham
ANSWER TWO QUESTIONS
1.
What does Charles Martel’s reign as mayor of the palace reveal about the
strengths and weaknesses of the Carolingian family’s position in early
eighth-century Francia?
2.
Which had greater implications for the Carolingians: Pepin III’s conquest of
Aquitaine or his involvement in Italy?
3.
Is it helpful to see government in Charlemagne’s reign as a struggle between
public authority and private power?
4.
How important were relations with the papacy to Charlemagne?
5.
What effect did the establishment of a royal residence at Aachen have on the
political, ideological and cultural policies of Charlemagne’s reign?
6.
Compare the contributions of Alcuin of York and Theodulf of Orleans to the
cultural renovatio of Charlemagne’s reign.
7.
According to Einhard, by the end of the reign Charlemagne ruled an area
twice the size of his father’s kingdom. How did he win so much territory?
8.
‘The last thirteen years of Charlemagne’s reign reveal a gradual
disenchantment with the imperial title’. Do you agree?
25
The identity of candidates will not be made known to the markers of this
examination. Complete the top right corner of the examination script book and
seal. Please ensure that your EXAMINATION number (not matriculation
number) and the title of the examination are clearly written on the main cover of
the script book.
Candidates taking the course as part of the MA General or General with
Honours degree should put a tick in the designated box on the script book.
UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH
College of Humanities and Social Science
SCHOOL of HISTORY and CLASSICS
CHARLEMAGNE AND HIS WORLD: SOCIETY & EMPIRE IN
WESTERN EUROPE c.750-c.900
History 4 Hons
PAPER 2
Monday 9 May 2005 - 2.30pm-4.30pm
Convener of the Board of Examiners: Dr Richard Mackenney
External Examiner: Professor John Gillingham
ANSWER TWO QUESTIONS
1.
What do the reigns of Louis the Pious OR of Lothar II OR both reveal about
the role of queens in Frankish politics?
2.
How adequate an explanation does Nithard offer of the conflicts which arose
in the later years of Louis the Pious and after his death?
3.
How great is the evidence for a surviving sense of Frankish unity after the
division of 843?
4.
Would you agree that the aristocracy became a dangerously powerful threat to
royal power in Charles the Bald’s reign?
5.
Compare the level of success of Louis the German and Louis II of Italy in
defending their kingdoms from external threats.
6.
Do you accept the view that significant economic expansion occurred in the
Carolingian period?
7.
Do you agree that the Viking incursions in the ninth century were a catalyst
for major social and political changes in Western Francia?
8.
Do you agree that the development of an elaborate ideal of Christian rulership
through art, ceremonial and ideological writings was one of the most
important and lasting legacies of the Carolingian period?
26
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27