Test #2 - The Franks Flashcards
What is ‘Francisca’?
A throwing axe (root of Franks and France)
What were the two main groupings of the Franks?
Salian Franks (West - Salty Franks)
Ripuarian Franks (East of the Rhine)
Who are the Franks consolidated under?
The Merovingian Kings
- known as long hair kings as part of their divine nature was their hair (never cut it or shaved)
Who was the first of the Merovingian Kings that we have proof of?
Childeric
Who succeeded Childeric?
His 15 year old son, Clovis I
What were the three moves that Clovis made to consolidate his power?
- Retained the Roman administrative staff
- Defeated Roman troops join his army
- Maintained friendly relations with the Catholic hierarchy
IN 486, what did Clovis I do to retain power?
Defeated the Roman commander, Syagrius, at Soissons, and took over his land, title, money, offices, and army (came to power at 15 years old)
- only 1 Roman field army left in Gaul, at Soissons not far from Letitia (Paris)
- able to hold back Frankish expansion for a short period of time
Who created the first written law code and what was it called?
C. 507-511 Clovis creates the first written Frankish law code = The Salic Laws (Pactus Legis Salicae)
What were the main two types of religions of Franks?
- Mostly heathens/pagans
- Some Arian Christian (considered the wrong type of christians)
In 493 CE, what did the Gallo-Roman bishops convince Clovis to do and what happened after?
493 CE Gallo-Roman bishops convince Clovis to marry Clotilda (a Catholic Burgundian princess)
- Burgundian in south-east Gaul and is far more “romanized”
- Frans began to convert to “Roman Catholic” Christianity
What were the reasons for creating the Pactus Legis Salice (The Salic Law - first Frankish law code) ?
Frankish law was a customary, unwritten, oral tradition, handed down by the elders
Elders called together when needed to “speak the law” - left it open to interpretation and change
Justice in the hands of family and king - wanted to take this away to give King royal authority
Clovis realized this was not enough and that we need to create a law code
What was the impact of the Salic Code in Frankish society?
507-511 Salic Code is written as a single code for all his subject peoples
- aided by Roman scribes and legal experts, under authority of Clovis
- focused heavily on “personality of law” where each person could claim the laws of their ancestors (ex. if no law about killing rabbits, will do what your ancestors used to do)
- anything outside of the Frankish code was covered by local custom (Gallo-Roman law, Burgundian Code) = this is very Roman
How was the Pactus Legis Salicae organized?
Pactus Legis Salicae not terribly well organized or comprehensive
Long list of physical injuries with their associated fines
Minutely concerned with damages to domestic animals, orchards, vegetable gardens and fields (depending what vegetable you steal the fine is different)
What did the Frankish Judicial System look like under Clovis I?
Before Clovis, no judicial system
- courts did not distinguish between civil and criminal law (all treated as civil for damages)
- no police force to bring accused to trial, person who was injured or their family was responsible for bringing the accused to court (state would not intervene, only provide a tribunal to have the dispute adjudicated)
What ways could you show proof in a Frankish Court?
- Oath (comurgation)
- Ordeal
How did slaves prove their innocence in court?
Courts prejudice that slaves are probably guilty
- must confess through torture or be sent to the ordeal (determined by law, not the court)
- ordeal for slaves is casting lots: 12 sticks, one is long and rest are short, you randomly pick one and if you are right you are innocent (idea that God will ensure you pick the right one)
- no oath helpers = believed they do not deserve them as they are property not people
Explain how one proves innocence to court through the ordeal.
An appeal for divine intervention in the establishment of proof
Freedmen use ordeal of boiling water
1. plunge hand into cauldron of boiling water to retrieve a stone or other item (depth of water and object size varies based on crime)
2. Clean wound = innocent, dirty wound = guilty
- Psychological piece - if you are willing to go to ordeal and likely be very injured/die, people assume you are likely innocent
- If a good man, you usually had oath helpers. If suspicious reputation, you would go to the ordeal
Explain how one proves innocence in court through the Oath.
- Accused and accuser offered their oath
- Both supported by a number of “oath takers” or “oath helpers”
- Number would depend on seriousness of the matter
- “Oath helpers” do not act as witnesses or give evidence, they just say if you are telling the truth
- They swear their oath to support the oath of the accuser
- Case is lost if any oath helpers refuse to give their oath, are hesitant or misspeak their oath
*most widely form of proof given in Frankish courts, very formal
Why did Clovis over-collect taxes?
- used to reward retinue, retainers and administrators
- aided the church
- buy allegiance of others and rivals
What legal changes did Charlemagne make during his rule?
Issued numerous instructions that dealt with many aspects of the law (called capitularies from the habit of dividing them into chapters)
- adding additions/chapters adds case law but doesn’t change them
Define ‘Missi Dominici’
Those who are sent by the King that travel in pairs: one is a noble, one is a clergyman/churchman
*act as traveling judges
- they enforce justice, ensure taxes are collected and forwarded to the treasury, check that royal decrees are followed and laws are enforced appropriately, supervise work of the clergy
Who was the King of the Franks from 768-814?
Charlemagne/Charles the Great
- son of Pepin
- co-ruled with brother Carloman until his death in 771
- was 26 when took power in 768
- great warrior and empire builder
- defeated all enemies, expanded Frankish lands and brought greater unity
- did not extend Frankish laws to new conquests
What was created in 800 AD?
The Holy Roman Empire
- crowned Holy Roman Emperor by the Pope Leo III on Xmas day (he saved the pope from having his tongue and eyes cut out)
- this solidified the alliance of the Church and the Frankish state
What are the two Chief Judicial Officers in each Frankish district called?
The Court and the Hundredman (thunginus/centenarius)
- they were royal appointees and judges
- only presided over and administered the courts
- unlike Roman judges, they had little to do with interpreting the law
How were matters of the law settled?
7 respected members of the community called rachimburgi were chosen to speak the law from the community that knew the traditional law
What happens when one wants to appeal to the King?
The case could be appealed to the King (almost insulting as ignoring courts decision, so you can only appeal for serious stuff)
- King is the head of the judicial system and the ultimate source of law
- Can ignore, interpret or modify written law
- King would travel around kingdom on
- Very symbolic act of the king as he was “bringing justice” to his subjects
What was the process for sentencing?
Rachimburgi spoke the law and announced the penalty set out in the code, which was usually a money payment or compensation
What was required for an acceptance of payment?
The injured had to be satisfied with the judgment
What happened if the payment was not accepted?
If not recompensed, he or the family could wreak vengeance on the offender or his family through a blood feud
What were laws attempting to do?
Keep the peace and avoid costly and socially disruptive blood feuds
Could you decline weregeld?
Yes, but if you did, you could not complain you wanted vengeance later on
How long did Clovis I’s empire survive and how was it divided?
Clovis’ empire and administration survives quite well into the 6th and 7th centuries. His empire was divided among his sons
- lots of rivalry between sons about power and land
- families fighting with eachother
- bishops throwing their political power around
- Christians would leave their property to the church
- Kings become ineffective as there are too many powerful people (invasions, subdividing power between kings)
Define Patricius Romanorum
Patrician of the Romans
*This was the first recorded time that a civil ruler was crowned by the Pope
In 754 Pope Stephen annointed Pepin and gave him what title?
Patricius Romanorum
Who is Pepin?
754 Pepin III (the younger/the short)
- son of Charles Martel
- was also “Mayor of the Royal Palace”
In 754, Pepin III did what?
Took power, aided by the Pope and the Catholic Church, from the weak Merovingian Dynasty
What happened in the 6th century when the land began to replace money as the main source of wealth?
Created a problem with land as you eventually run out, so how do you reward people? The Kings ran out of ways to reward/buy/influence others.
Who was Charles ‘the hammer’ Martel?
Mayor of the Royal Palace
- really powerful noble family, runs the empire for the Kings like CEOs of the company and hand of the King
- powerful military guy
What happened in the late 6th century when Charles Martel was commander of the Frankish army?
Moors (army of Islam) crossed the Pyrenees from Spain and began raiding Frankish lands
What is the Frankish currency and fine called?
Denarii and Solidi (roman empire, roman coins)
In 6th century Salic law, how much was 1 solidi?
40 denarii
What is the weregeld of a common Frank?
200 solidi
Define Chrenecrude
The obligation of your immediate and extended family/relatives to help you in paying a weregeld fine
What happens if you are summoned to court and you do not show up?
You pay a fine of 15 solidi for ‘contempt of court’
If an innocent man is summoned to court but his accuser knows the accused cannot attend court, what happens to the accuser?
The accuser is fined 61 1/2 solidi (this is roughly 1/3 of the weregeld of a common Frank)
What is the death penalty for finding stolen goods hidden in your house, “under lock and key”?
Death
If someone accepts a bribe to conceal a theft, what are they guilty of?
Also found guilty of theft