Holy Wars- Week 2 Flashcards
Prayer for the Carolingian Ruler
At a southern Italian monestery of San Vincenzo al Volturno this Psalm was created. They were more than personal acts of dynastic of religious devotion. They were acts of loyalty to the monarch and failure to perform them was grounds for an accusation of infedelitas
Royal litanies (Laudes Regiae)
Way of Carolinigian ruler to win divine favour. There were performed at a royal presense at Church councils, adventus ceremonies, coronation, and festival crown-wearing, and on high feast days
When are the earliest litanies against pagans or barbarians
Avar campaign of autumn 791, it consisted of 3 days of litanies, in the hope that God might grant them peace, health, victory and successful campaign. Everyone must abstain from wine and meat
Purpose and function of Carolingian itanies compared to royal sacring and general oaths of fidelity to ruler
The spiritual measures consist of prayers and fasts. Every bishop is to recite three masses and three psalters, one for the lord, one for the army, and one for the famine (or situation at hand). In addition, a two day fast is imposed on the whole clergy, their household dependents, and the grandees.
Gregory the Great’s justification of war
“for the sake of enlarging the res publica in which we see God worshipped, so that the name of Christ spreads in every direction through the subject nations, by preaching the faith”
Charlemagne’s Saxon Wars
The long saxon wars are explicitly characterised in religious terms. Charlemagne’s objective was to get them to abandon the cult of demons and receive the sacraments of the Christian faith and religion. And to get them to maintain Christianity and faithfulness to King Charles under oath in 777.
Frankish knowledge of Islam
Frankish sources show little sense of Islam. In sources the most common word used was Saracen or Agarene, which is derived from the names Sarah and Hagar, the wife and slave and Abraham. Carolingians accused Muslims of hiding behind the name sarah to hide their shameful true descent from Hagar
Agarenes
In sources the most common word used was ‘Saracen’ or ‘Agarene’, which is derived from the names Sarah and Hagar, the wife and slave of Abraham. Carolingians accused Muslims of hiding behind the name Sarah to hide their shameful true descent from Hagar
Alcuin’s letter to Pope Leo III
A letter justifying the attacks on ‘pagans’ and ‘infidels’ and the spreading of the Catholic word. It also speaks how they do it in Pope Leo III name, and ask for him to aid their armies, alongside the aid of God
The Franks in the Sacramentaires of Angouleme and Gellone
This service asks for God to intervene to ensure that ‘the Christian people have no danger of loss to the infidels’. Both masses beg for the divine support for a Christian king and his army going to war, against a non-christian enemy.
Theodulf’s poem on Pippin’s victory over the Avars:
Written in 796, the Bishop or Orleans composed a poem for the Frankish king over his achievements. He celebrated how the once fierce savages are now humbled in faith. He suggests that both possessed of a savage nature and this nature can be tamed by the Carolingian force.
Ernold on Louis the Pious’s siege of Barcelona
In a poem in 801, he discusses some complex themes in his work, with questions about the justice of this war. He also discusses the justifies the siege partly on the grounds of Saracen raiding, presenting Barcelona as a ‘haven for Moorish bandits’. The impression Ernold wants to give is that this war is being fought on Christian grounds. A recurring theme in the poem is emphasising Louis’ pietas and the incident confirms this quality in Ernold’s narrative.
