Charlemagne: Capitulary for Saxony 775-790 - Essay Example

Charlemagne: Capitulary for Saxony 775-790 The Capitulary for Saxony 775-590 was an ecclesiastical and civil ordinance written by Charlemagne for the people of Saxony after he conquered them. The Saxons were people of northern Europe, primarily associated with the early tribes of Germany. They were a pagan people who worshipped nature and had beliefs regarding the sacrifice of humans to their pagan gods and spirits. They were a very stubborn people who did not easily accept new traditions or rational thinking. The initial belief was that Rome had enlisted Charlemagne’s assistance in forcibly converting the Saxons as well as the Angles, people from the northern coast, to Christianity. Charlemagne was not a particularly religious man. It has never been supported through evidence that he was working under Pope Adrian I. While it is true that most of Charlemagne’s crusades were aimed at penalizing the Saxons for their annual practices of raiding and destroying the monasteries along the Rhine, where the clergy were killed, and their prisoners sacrificed to the pagan gods of that region, it became increasingly clear that his over all goal was to conquer, establish and expand his empire throughout Europe. In retaliation for their annual raids, he ordered the massacre of 4,500 Saxon prisoners; known as the Massacre of Verden. (Sacher, 1912) This document was written by Charlemagne as an attempt to force the Saxons to become subdued and civilized, while under the guise of complying with the beliefs of Christianity regarding the sanctity of the church. Though it appeared he was in support of Rome, he was actually trying to put a stop to the pagan and uncivilized Saxons from raiding the Christian establishments in Europe. It was a known fact that at this time in history the only people who were civilized were the ones under the direction of the Church. He was actually attempting to conquer these people in order to expand his empire. This document was most likely begun as a civil ordinance in 775 but was added to as needed until 790; when the Saxon people were no longer violating the Church’s interests in Europe. It was believed at that time that the only way peace would prevail was if the Saxons were also forced to convert to Christianity. After Charlemagne conquered the Saxons in 776, he divided them into missionary parishes, appointing a Frankish bishop to oversee them. Eventually peace and order prevailed, and the parishes became established dioceses. (Sacher, 1912) In lines 1-10 of the Capitulary, it establishes the Church and its laws as the new laws of the land, with every infraction punishable by death. This sent a strong message to the uncivilized Saxons that he was clearly supportive of the vast domain of the early Church, which also meant he had more wide spread support than just his kingdom. However, lines 11-14 establish civil laws that provide security for the upper class in that rape and murder were to also be punished by death; with the exception of the perpetrator revealing his crime to the Church and receiving punishment. At that time in history, punishment for crimes usually involved long prison sentences as well as public humiliation and financial remuneration. Most prisoners didn’t live through their sentences; those that did were helpless and often physically and mentally ill. For sure, no one in his right mind would admit a crime to the Church to be subjected to such punishment. Often people wanting to create problems for each other perjured information leading to the arrest and prosecution of those they had a vendetta against. This document more than likely served as a charter of sorts for these newly established dioceses. It contains accountability and consequences for civil and social disobedience. It established a civil, as well as religious code of behavior which was set to guide the actions of the newly conquered Saxons. It provided protection and provision for the church and its servants, as well as took a stand against the uncivilized practices of paganism. This Capitulary detailed precisely how the dioceses were to deal with every form of behavior; relating it to the practice of Christianity, as well as replacing the uncivilized pagan practices. While it is not certain that Charlemagne was so much a devout Christian, he was a civilized man who understood that the only way to keep the Saxons subdued and civilized was through the guise of the Church. This document was his way to stabilize the region and prevent regression to the former unrest that created many problems for early Europe as well as the early Church; it was a safeguard for his empire. He was later credited with being the father of Europe. (Sacher, 1912) Lines 15-18 revert back to support for the Church, mandating that each parish provide a home, land, and financial support for their overseers; the Church. He had ready made managers to ensure the stability of his empire without having to divide his forces that were being used for expansion purposes in other battles. Lines 4 and 6, in addition to putting a stop to pagan practices, it also put a stop to cannibalism which was widespread in the early Saxon culture. (Sacher, 1912) Another thing Charlemagne did was prohibit the Saxons in the dioceses from having unrestricted meetings and public gatherings. He did this under the guise of the Church; however it was really his way of preventing a public uprising from this warrior society. They were allowed to hold public meetings and conduct civil and jurisdictional proceedings, however it had to be done with the priests and church leaders in attendance to ensure that things wouldn’t be done in secret or get out of hand. Lines 19-21 revert back to support for the Church in the way of social monitoring and accountability for new additions and marriages; which almost always produced new citizens. The Church’s stance was that new citizens born must be baptized in order to be recorded as a part of its ever expanding influence on the civilized world. It was also a way for Charlemagne to keep a record of his empire and the civil dealings involved. In line 33; he doesn’t care what they do with perjuries, lying and causing false statements against each other. Therefore, it is assumed that this document was created to appear religion oriented, when in reality, it was more of a strict civil code that established the Church as the monitor of the people while at the same time establishing his authority over them. By the people dividing against themselves, it would be easier to control them. Charlemagne’s main goal was to expand his empire and unite the Frankish empire. His conquests and establishment of the Frankish empire later made a path for the Ottoman takeover of the region. References Halsall, Paul. Charlemagne: Capitulary for Saxony, 775-790. The Internet Medieval Sourcebook. Updated November 16, 2010. Web. April 22, 2011. http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/sbook.html Sacher, Hermann. "Saxony." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 13. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1912. 22 Apr. 2011. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13497b.htm Read More