history paper.

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The Ideal Medieval King

There is no doubt that all medieval kings are being unique individuals. They have had different outlooks on various positions in the course of history. However, the main point is that they are all involved to the church but they dealt with it in different ways depending on the their different visions and rules for their kingdoms. Charlemagne’s letter to Abbot Baugaulf, for instance, betrays the fact that during his time, there was need to stimulate learning in the empire so that the teaching on the Word of God could be spread further than had been the case. But when in Charlemagne’s time the interest was to promote the spread of God’s word and protecting the church, the Constitutions of Clarendon were a set of legal policies passed by Henry II of England to ensure that the authority the Church possessed in England was curbed. The legal powers that the Church had initially enjoyed were abolished so that royal prerogatives that existed before Stephen’s reign would be reinstituted. With just these two examples so far, it is clear that the ideal king in the middle ages was a different creature, both in duty and behavior specially with the church. Comment by Sarah: This is your thesis. Good! Comment by Sarah: This is good that you are alerting your reader which kings and sources you will be looking. Revise this slightly to emphasize that you will be looking at Charlemagne, Henry II, and Louise IX in particular to see how each king related to the Church in their particular time period. This will emphasize the difference in their interactions/concerns with the Church over the periods of time (9th century, 12th, and 13th).

In looking at the Charlemagne text, it is noted that the king was most concerned with need for learning as well as understanding the scripture. As Charlemagne conceived himself to be a Christian king, it comes as no surprise that he encouraged study so as to prevent the danger of uncouth expressions even where there was correct thoughts. In his assessment, a pious and

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devoted individual that had neglected proper study would necessarily utter uncouth expressions

or even fail to understand the Holy Scriptures in an appropriate manner.1 Comment by Sarah: Good. Be more clear what time period we are discussing. This will help emphasize how each king handled the Church in his own context and time period.

Charlemagne was

operating in a time when rulership had not as yet developed enough for people to understand that they needed to respect all the emperor’s possessions, acknowledge his protection, and even obey imperial commands. And even as he went as far as demand that his subjects to keep God’s commandments, he had to strictly define the concept of fidelity at the time as people had assumed that it only stretched so far as to mean a king’s life should not be threatened or enemies invited into the kingdom.2

In Charlemagne’s understanding, a king was essentially required to lead his subjects. Guided as he was by the rules defining the ideal conduct of princes as set forth in the Furst enspiegel treatises, the king was bound to protect the church, widows, and orphans. He was also expected to refrain from oppressing his subjects in an unjustified manner, but instead care for the

poor. The king was to fight against theft and other crimes, seek good counsel, and appoint good

officers. Most important, the king was expected to fight heresy.3

It follows, then, that

Charlemagne would go ahead in his letter to recommend that men with the will and ability to learn as well as a desire to instruct others be vested with the power to read letters. This way, they would much more easily understand the spiritual sense as communicated in God’s word in a bid

to fight heresy. It was Charlemagne’s assertion, indeed, that errors of understanding were much

1 "De Litteris Colendis," in Boretius, D. C. Munro (Dept. of History of the University of

Pennsylvania: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1900)

2 Matthias Becher, Charlemange, trans. David S. Bachrach (New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 1999), 100

3 Ibid, 100-101

more dangerous than the relatively dangerous errors of speech. Both, however, could be avoided by mastering the art of studying letters.4 Comment by Sarah: Good discussion here of how his rule and his desire to promote education with respect to the Church served one another. I would suggest showing some of what Charlemagne has to say, and then explaining how this proves his concerns and concept of rule. For example, showing your readers a quote from his Letter to Baugaulf that sums up his concern, and then explaining its importance allows your reader to see the medieval kings point of view a bit more clearly.

Comment by Sarah: Great transition here!

But while Charlemagne was keen to ensure that heresy was curbed and that the Church enjoyed protection from the kingdom in the 780-800 period, Henry II of England was keen to ensure that the legal powers that had been initially gave to the Church were abolished. Indeed, sixteen scripts came with the Constitutions of Clarendon that sought to restrict the ecclesiastical prerogatives the Church enjoyed even as they recognized some of the customs, liberties, and dignities that Henry II’s predecessors enjoyed – at least before the anarchy of Stephen’s reign came to pass. Henry II addressed this letter to the kingdom’s clergy, the archbishops and bishops, and to the earls, barons, and the great men of the kingdom so that he could inform them all of the changes that he expected.5

When Henry I took over the reins in England, he was not particularly loved. His leadership did, however, turn out to have a positive influence on the institution of the centralized state. During his reign, Henry I executed some populist moves such as imprisoning the previous king’s most hated tax collector and recalling the popular but exiled Archbishop of Canterbury, Anselm. It is his introduction of a comprehensive system of itinerant justices who were expected

to stage regular courts throughout the kingdom, however, that would give commoners an

4 "De Litteris Colendis," in Boretius, D. C. Munro (Dept. of History of the University of

Pennsylvania: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1900)

5 "Constitutions of Clanderon 1164," in Source Problems in English History, Albert

Beebe White and wallce Notestein (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1915)

( 8 "Saint Louis' Advice to His Son," in Medieval Civilization , Dana C. Munro and Geo r ge C. Sellery (New Y ork: The Century Compan y , 1910) )

opportunity to voice their grievances.6

Yet during King Stephen’s reign, the Church took

advantage of weak royal authority to gain certain privileges and dignities that extended its authority of interdiction in secular jurisdictions. The Church had taken to accusing and interdicting laymen even without accusers or witnesses, and the Henry II sought to put a stop to such practice. Indeed, other practices such the trial of clergy in ecclesiastical courts were affected as Henry II meant to ensure that such protections as were given to accused clergy would be stripped after a felon was convicted. In such cases, these same defrocked clergymen would now be fall under the jurisdiction of the royal court for trial for the crimes of which they had been Comment by Sarah: Good discussion here. To improve your analysis of the subject, show your reader some of the specific laws (quote them) and then discuss how they directly undermine Church authority and promote Henry II’s. This will showcase more of your analysis here.

accused.7 Henry II wanted to not only restore the judicial customs that were observed at the time

of his grandfather Henry I but also expand the royal jurisdiction into the Church and civil law.

Saint Louis, on his part, wrote a letter advising and offering guidance to his eldest son on what it meant to be a king. It is noteworthy that the first thing that St. Louis exhorted his son to do was look to God and love Him with all his strength. For St. Louis, salvation was a crucial element for a leader. Indeed, he did not expect his son Philip III to fall readily into mortal sin. Not, at the very least, putting up a strong fight.8 A king, then, ought to be morally upright and Comment by Sarah: Introduce St. Louis in some way and note that he is in the 13th century rather than the 12th. You’ll want to highlight the difference from what your reader just noted with Henry II and his viewpoints.

steadfast in his service to God and man. Attributes such as patience and thankfulness were also

mentioned in the letter to Philip III, just as a caution against pride was put forth. A relationship

6 Clifford R. Backman, The Worlds of Medieval Europe (New York: Oxford University

Press, 2015), 268

7 "Constitutions of Clanderon 1164," in Source Problems in English History, Albert

Beebe White and wallce Notestein (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1915)

between the church and the state can be deduced from the suggestion that the heir choose upright and sufficiently learned men as his confessors so that they could teach him how what to do and what to steer clear of. 9

St. Louis was widely regarded as medieval France’s greatest king. He had a great many personal virtue, and he was not only a pious ruler but a hardworking one. Among some of his deepest concerns was that justice was brought to his subjects. To this effect, he worked hard to redress some of the complaints that they had, particularly those that pertained overaggressive baillis and seneschals. In trying to ensure that his subjects were as entitled to their rights as he was, St. Louis created a body of royal officials who would travel the realm as they held open courts and listened to local grievances. When reports of abuses would reach him in Paris, he would take appropriate action. As the matters requiring the court increased, St. Louis established a permanent court in Paris which would serve timely justice to appellants.10

It is this background that may have led St. Louis to urge his heir-apparent to maintain good customs in the realm and make do without bad ones. The king delved into topics regarding the Holy Church and social status or class. His bias towards the poor in the society is also shown in the body of the letter as he advices Philip III in numerous instances to steer away from oppressing them. This magnanimity, however, does not stretch to the Jews who, in St. Louis’ Comment by Sarah: Again, good examples, but show your readers that they are coming from the text. Use Louis’s words to highlight his concept of how the Church should be something the King supports and analyze why that is important for the King’s rule.

opinion, are to be abhorred above all else for they qualify as heretics of the highest order.11 It

9 Ibid

10 Clifford R. Backman, The Worlds of Medieval Europe (New York: Oxford University

Press, 2015), 400-401

( 1 1 "Saint Louis' Advice to His Son," in Medieval Civilization , Dana C. Munro and Geo r ge C. Sellery (New Y ork: The Century Compan y , 1910) )

appears, then, that a king, in the estimation of the French royal St. Louis, is an individual who should strive to follow to as much degree as possible the doctrine of the Church, be moral and upright, and try to be as just as possible.

In conclusion, the idea of an ideal king changes as the times change in the Middle Ages. Charlemagne takes it upon himself to be the moral police of his people, deciding imperially that all must subscribe to the Christian faith. For him, heresy is a vice that must be rooted out even as he strives to enforce fidelity from his subjects. Henry II, on his part, is not keen in having the Church seemingly usurp state power. He aims to claw back some of its powers so that he can expand his authority as opposed to the papal one. Meanwhile, St. Louis is intent on ensuring the church plays a central role not only in guiding the affairs of the state but also those of the person of the king himself. Comment by Sarah: Good. Another line or two that emphasizes that while different, all interacted with the Church in some way will tie nicely back to your thesis and the main discussions throughout your paper.

"

Reference

Backman, Clifford R. The words of Medieval Europe. 3rd ed. New York: Oxford University

Press, 2015.

Becher, Matthias. Charlemange. Trans. David S. Bachrach. New Haven And London: Yale

University Press., 1999.

Constitutions of Clanderon 1164. Translated in Albert Beebe White and Wallce Notestein, eds., Source Problems in English History (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1915).

De Litteris Colendis. In Boretius, No. 29, p. 78, trans. by D. C. Munro, in - University of Pennsylvania. Dept. of History: Translations and Reprints from the Original Sources of European history, published for the Dept. of History of the University of Pennsylvania., Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania Press [1900]. Vol. VI, No. 5, pp. 12-14.

"Saint Louis' Advice to His Son." In Medieval Civilization, Dana C. Munro and George C.

Sellery, 366-75. New York: The Century Company, 1910. Web log post.