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ME2003 > Politics and Chivalry > Flashcards

Politics and Chivalry Flashcards

1
Q

What is the nature of political bodies after the fracturing of Charlemagne’s empire in 843 (and Treaty of Verdun)?

A

Lots of independent polities rather than kingdoms

1035, King of France’s direct dominion is Paris and just outside it

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2
Q

What is seen in 1000?

A

Multiplication of Castles

Count Raymond III of Rouerge built castle to submit locals to his lordship

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3
Q

How does/doesn’t power evolve in France and Germany?

A

France becomes more feudalistic, Germany doesn’t really change

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4
Q

What is a fief?

A

Land/castle and its dependencies (including people) granted to the vassal by a lord

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5
Q

What is the term used to describe a relationship of dependence and loyalty?

A

Vassalage

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6
Q

What had developed by 1100?

A

Most lords/owners of fiefs had title/land inherited by sons

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7
Q

Who was a liege lord?

A

The main person you pay homage/fealty to, you pay homage to more than one man

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8
Q

Give an example of how vassals can often be of equal rank?

A

The king of England held Normandy and Gasconny as vassal to the king of France

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9
Q

Who owned 1/3 of land in Europe?

A

The Church

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10
Q

Are peasants vassals?

Describe the nature of vassalage

A

No, they are subjects

Vassalage is an honourable contract exclusive to elites; peasants are not free to leave the land so fealty doesn’t matter

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11
Q

In the early medieval period, how influential was state power on day-to-day life?

A

90% of people experience power as lordship from local lord only

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12
Q

What is the main propagator for tax officers?

A

Cash tax means lords want accountability which leads to officers

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13
Q

When does Capetian France see significant benefits from reforming their tax system?

A

Introduction of new officers (bailli) by Phillip II in 1190’s
Payed wage to collect taxes rather than taking a cut, books are checked, get richer from it

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14
Q

Who describes Phillip II’s reign in 1190’s as his “decisive decade”?

A

John W. Baldwin

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15
Q

What is homage?

A

Vassal’s act of submission to his/her lord

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16
Q

What is a promise of fidelity to one’s lords?

A

Fealty

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17
Q

How couldn’t a king behave?

A

Unilaterally (without consultation)

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18
Q

Although kings were nobody’s vassal, what is important to remember?

A

There is no such thing as absolutism or the divine right of kings in the middle ages

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19
Q

If a king does not rule by divine right, what is the nature of his rulership in the eyes of God?

A

Being chosen by God means you have to act within particular limits (consultation, custom, law - they ‘have’ to obey)
Kings have responsibility more than anything else

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20
Q

How is the sacrility of the king symbolised?

A

Coronation and appointment

Role as ‘Protector of the church’

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21
Q

What becomes more common in kingship from the late 12thCE?

A

Sedentary kingship and the establishment of capitals

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22
Q

With the evolution of rulership from late 12thCE, what become some new features of governance?

A
  • Firming up of borders and contiguous territorial kingdoms
  • Chanceries
  • Exchequers
  • Judiciaries = (Towards end of period, pro administrators with specialised jobs)
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23
Q

Describe the nature of professional administrators towards the end of the period

A
  1. Often uni trained and non-aristocratic
  2. Tended to become a distinct social group (‘more royalist than kings’)
  3. King loses a bit of influence, crown could become a depersonalised abstraction
24
Q

What are some of the key ‘virtues’ attached to a noble sense of ID?

A
  1. Prowess
  2. Wisdom
  3. Loyalty
  4. Fidelity
  5. Generosity
  6. Christian devotion
  7. Discretion
25
Q

How does honour play into medieval aristocracy?

A

Particular to (male) sense of self

26
Q

What is important to keep in mind when considering the values of the aristocracy?

A

It is the ethos of a warrior aristocracy

Think how virtues fit into the context of war, dependence and vassalage

27
Q

What are the three main columns of medieval society?

A
  1. Labourtories = Those who labour (farm)
  2. Oratories = Those who pray
  3. Boletouries = Those who fight
28
Q

Who are milites Christi and what is their function?

A

Knights of Christ

Used in any context for the church (not just eastern crusades) - an effort to harness violence

29
Q

Why was dubbing important?

A

Part of the ritual

30
Q

How does knighthood and chivalry grow/fall by the 14th/15thCE?

A

Less than half of French nobles are dubbed, but chivalry becomes more prevalent and important

31
Q

What does Richard W. Kaeuper say about chivalry?

A

“[Chivalry] could only function as a most ambivalent force for peace because it was so complicit in the violence that troubled a developing society”

32
Q

What is difficult about ruling the geographical area of Germany?

A

big complex geographical area where no one kingship style is gonna work everywhere

33
Q

How was the Holy Roman Empire divided in 1254?

A

Germany only one part, 3 main kingdoms:

  1. Kingdom of Romans (most of modern Germany)
  2. Kingdom of the Lombards (N. Italy)
  3. Kingdom of Arles (Provence/Burgundy)
34
Q

What two mains differences did Germany have with the rest of Europe?

A
  1. Middle nobility not aloud to marry (or even dance with) anyone of a lower class
  2. Castles remained important, even after 1400
35
Q

How did German bishops function?

A

‘Prince’ bishops

Act like secular princes, internationally recognised and insanely rich

36
Q

What was one step in the process of becoming emperor and how did this reflect the reality of it?

A 
Electoral kingship (was meant to be)
No defined process of election
37
Q

Who tried to make kingship in Germany hereditary?

A

Henry VI but didn’t cos of preparation for crusade

38
Q

After the death of Frederick, who were the electors of kings?

A
  • Bishops of Mainz, Trier and Cologne (Cologne anoints king of Romans)
  • King of Burgundy
  • Count of Palatine
  • Count of Bradenburg
39
Q

What was a German ambition that continued throughout history?

A

Drang nach Osten (push to the east)

40
Q

What was the Donation of Constantine?

A

9thCE forgery of a 4thCE document giving the Western Roman Empire to the pope to dispose of as he wishes

One reason the emperor is crowned by the pope (for Charlemagne too/why he forged it)

41
Q

How did tax work in Germany?

A

Emperor had few tax rights, only roads, gates and hospitality
Had to pay armies off of own back

42
Q

How did tax influence the behaviour of Emperors?

A

Always itinerant, don’t need to pay for themselves cos of duty of counts to host
Also constantly having to keep things in order

43
Q

Who was set to inherit the kingdom of Sicily which the papacy didn’t like

A

Frederick II (from mum Constance)

44
Q

Why did most Emperors get crowned in Rome?

A

Difficulty of crossing the alps and leaving Germany unattended for a long time - where most problems arise

45
Q

Who were ministeriales?

A

Unfree nobles who served the emperor

46
Q

Who were the Welf/Guelf?

A

An important noble family in the NW and Rhine region

Name of pro-papal factions in Italian towns

47
Q

Who were the Ghibelline

A

Name of Pro-imperial factions in Italian towns

48
Q

What causes political fragmentation in Germany?

A

Lots of local law codes

49
Q

What Henry V try do in 1103?

A

Introduce peace laws in certain regions, princes are supposed to enforce it

50
Q

What was the conventional format for bringing lords in line and why might it be done this way?

A

Always request to go to kings court first - always try sort it peacefully before war
Rule of law (king) rejected by the baddy - then war

Legitimacy of king by trying to sort it peacefully (upholding peace in realm) and letting baddy defy rule of law
Also cheaper to do things peacefully

51
Q

What is important to remember about courtly/ecclesiastical sources

A

All writers studied rhetoric

52
Q

Where does military action fall in the order of relationships between lords and that?

A

The final straw after honour, law, oaths etc

written about a lot in ‘The Life of King Louis the Fat’

53
Q

Why does law 34 of the Ustages mean a man can lose everything for deserting and not helping his lord in battle?

A

The whole point of a knight is to aid in battle, otherwise pointless .’. super disgraceful to desert when he could’ve aided

54
Q

What is the consequence of disobedience to your lord (36 of Ustages)?

A

“must LOSE FOREVER everything he holds from him [his lord]”, even stuff he owns that he didn’t receive from this lord

55
Q

What is stated in 122 of Ustages and how does this potray the prince?

A

“he who refuses judgement of the court, attacks the veracity of the court; and he who attacks the veracity of the court, harms the prince.”

Prince the lawgiver and keeper of order, hierarchy and peace in realm

56
Q

What does Thomas Aquinas think about the nature of laws?

A

“Every law comes from the reason and will of the legislator.” - the law is an extension of the king’s will

ME2003 (5 decks)

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