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IMC 2014: Sessions

Session 613: Karolus litteratus, II: Karolus alloquens

Tuesday 8 July 2014, 11.15-12.45

Organiser:Marco Mostert, Onderzoekinstituut voor Geschiedenis en Kunstgeschiedenis, Universiteit Utrecht
Moderator/Chair:Marco Mostert, Onderzoekinstituut voor Geschiedenis en Kunstgeschiedenis, Universiteit Utrecht
Respondent:Marco Mostert, Onderzoekinstituut voor Geschiedenis en Kunstgeschiedenis, Universiteit Utrecht
Paper 613-aCommunication between Charlemagne and His Subjects
(Language: English)
Stuart Airlie, School of Humanities (History), University of Glasgow
Index terms: Administration, Language and Literature - Comparative, Literacy and Orality
Paper 613-bCommunication between Charles V and His Subjects
(Language: English)
Gabriele Haug-Moritz, Institut für Geschichte, Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz
Index terms: Administration, Language and Literature - Comparative, Literacy and Orality
Abstract

Was it necessary for medieval kings to be able to write? Or could they sometimes get by without possessing basic literacy skills themselves? Did they resort to writing in communicating with their subjects? If they used an administrative apparatus, did they understand the mechanisms of communication through documents? And did they use written texts for their own, personal edification and devotion? These are some of the fundamental questions that need to be asked by students of medieval royal literacy. We propose a series of four sessions and a round table on the comparative study of the literacies of three paradigmatic emperors, Charlemagne (r. 768-814), Charles IV Luxembourg (r. 1346-1378) and Charles V (r. 1519-1556). The second session is devoted to the Charleses' contacts with their subjects.