Lordship/Holy Roman Empire

Question 1

Impact of the Carolingian Empire

Answer 1

• Treaty of Verdun - split of empire
• breakdown in centralised power
• viking invasions
• local fragmentation

Question 2

Rise of Lordship

Answer 2

loss of accountability
multiplication of castles
rise of knights
increase in feudal ties

Question 3

A Feudal Revolution?

Answer 3

Duby - elites seized power for themselves
Bisson - lordship was power, not a form of government
very france-focused views, germany very different
no clearly defined definition of feudalism

Question 4

Lordship in practice

Answer 4

oath of fidelity - act of mutual trust
feif granted by lord to vassal
both lordship and vassalage become hereditary over time
not necessarily hierarchical relationships - could hold a feif from your equal
peasant are not vassals!

Question 5

Lordship as form of government

Answer 5

by mid 12th Century
castles seat of administration
lords as judiciaries
collection of taxes

Question 6

growth of kingdoms

Answer 6

No absolutism!
power is supreme- no delegation, overlordship
no divine right as can be taken away
coronation and anointment
2 swords of state 
lawgivers
quasi-supernatural abilites

Question 7

administrative kingship

Answer 7

growth of independent states 
sedentary kings, new capital cities 
firm borders 
growth of bureaucracies - exchequers, courts 
new core of professionals

Question 8

Holy Roman Empire

Answer 8

not called ‘holy roman’ until 1250s
not hereditary - through election
7 great princes as electors
crowning at aechen - links to charlemagne
crowning by pope- aspirational ideal some of time

Question 9

Roman Emperors relationships

Answer 9

Pope - frequent clashes eg Investiture crisis
very much first amongst equals with other princes
little revenue - therefore limited power
dependent on family lands

Question 10

Administration of Holy Empire

Answer 10

bureaucracy of ministeriales nobles
usually a chancellor
no central court - itinerant
importance f travelling and displaying themselves
no codification of law until 13th Century
maintenance of peace hugely important
emperor issues laws to be locally enforced

Question 11

German Lordship

Answer 11

hierarchy of dukes and counts - not just emperor
importance of emperor keeping as many of these on side as possible
Ministeriales- nobles, but unfree until mid 13th century
importance of free cities - used by emperors to bypass legal structures/sure up power

Question 12

Sources

Answer 12

Usatges of Barcelona - problems of lordship
life of louis the fat - problems of lorship/ how to control lords
physical evidence of castles