Institute for Medieval Studies

Session	1105
Title	Texts and Identities, VIII: Government, Mobility, and Communication in the Carolingian Empire under Louis the Pious (814-840), i
Date/Time	Wednesday 14 July 2010: 11.15-12.45
Sponsor	Hludowicus Project: www.hludowicus.eu, Agence nationale de la Recherche / Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft / Institut für Mittelalterforschung der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, Wien
Organiser	Philippe Depreux, Historisches Seminar / Exzellenzcluster 'Understanding Written Artefacts', Universität Hamburg
	Maximilian Diesenberger, Institut für Mittelalterforschung, Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften, Wien
	Stefan Esders, Friedrich-Meinecke-Institut, Freie Universität Berlin
	Steffen Patzold, Seminar für mittelalterliche Geschichte, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen
Moderator/Chair	Mayke de Jong, Utrecht Centre for Medieval Studies, Universiteit Utrecht
Paper 1105-a	Missi and Inquisition Procedure under Louis the Pious: A New Style of Government? (Language: English) Stefan Esders, Friedrich-Meinecke-Institut, Freie Universität Berlin Index Terms: Law; Political Thought
Paper 1105-b	From Theory to Practice: Top-down Government and Long Distance Communications in Louis the Pious' ordinatio of 825 (Language: English) Martin Gravel, Département d'Histoire, Université Paris 8, Vincennes-Saint-Denis Index Terms: Law; Political Thought
Paper 1105-c	Videte ut nullam negligentiam habeatis: Reception of the King's missi, tractoria and the Carolingian Sense of Proportion for Hospitality of Travelling Agents (Language: English) Philippe Depreux, Historisches Seminar / Exzellenzcluster 'Understanding Written Artefacts', Universität Hamburg Index Terms: Law; Political Thought
Abstract	The second half of the reign of Louis the Pious is usually considered a time of decline, in which the Frankish empire started to dissolve amid internal rebellions and external pressure. However, the manifold challenges of that prolonged crisis also served as points of departure for new ideas and concepts for dealing with the current dangers. Rethinking the obligations of kingship, ecclesiastical office, and the lay aristocracy, the period in question can also be pictured as a time of transformation, in which new ways of doing things were settled. Stefan Esders analyses the institution of the missi dominici to show the rethinking of governmental intervention in local affairs while Martin Gravel studies the ordinatio of 825 as a testimony to the emperor's vast communication efforts. Finally, the activities of the missi as well as the conditions of their work are the subject of the paper presented by Philippe Depreux.