IMC 2013: Sessions
Session 1503: The Reign of Louis the Pious and the Productivity of an Empire, I: High Fidelity
Thursday 4 July 2013, 09.00-10.30
| Sponsor: | Sonderforschungsbereich 700 'Governance in Räumen begrenzter Staatlichkeit', Freie Universität Berlin / Université de Limoges |
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| Organiser: | Rutger Kramer, Institut für Mittelalterforschung, Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften, Wien |
| Moderator/Chair: | Jinty Nelson, Department of History, King's College London |
| Paper 1503-a | There Can Be Only One: Co-Emperorship under Charlemagne and Louis the Pious (Language: English) Index terms: Historiography - Medieval, Law, Mentalities, Political Thought |
| Paper 1503-b | Administering Fidelity in Carolingian Italy under Lothar I: An Original List Recording the Names of 173 fideles (Language: English) Index terms: Administration, Law, Manuscripts and Palaeography, Political Thought |
| Paper 1503-c | Administered Fidelity: The Onomastic Structure of Lothar I's Italian Oath List (Language: English) Index terms: Administration, Law, Manuscripts and Palaeography, Onomastics |
| Abstract | The Carolingian dynasty managed to consolidate its power to a large extent due to the increasingly sophisticated ways the rulers had developed to share governmental responsibility within the political framework as it took shape under Charlemagne and Louis the Pious. As everybody would partake in the ruler's ministerium, the obedience of subjects would become more than a matter of law, but of true fidelity as well. To celebrate the 1200th anniversary of Louis the Pious' elevation to the co-emperorship, this session aims to shed more light on how this system worked at the highest level of the Carolingian imperium. First, Sören Kaschke will show the development of this concept of co-emperorship, by showing the opportunities offered, and pitfalls created, by this system. Then, Stefan Esders and Wolfgang Haubrichs will present various aspects of a specific case-study, based on a list of 173 fideles (currently Codex 4/1 of the Stiftsbibliothek of Sankt Paul im Lavanttal) who in 825 pledged their loyalty to Lothar I, son of Louis the Pious. Their presentations will not only go into the understanding of rulership and fidelity that can be gleaned from the existence of this list, but also on the regional and ethnic background of the persons who pledged their name. |