"Pipinus Rex": Pippin's Plot of 792 and Bavaria
Carl Hammer
"PIPINUS REX": PIPPIN'S PLOT OF 792 AND BAVARIA By CARL I. HAMMER 1. "A Plot Most Foul" Two serious internal challenges to Carolingian royal authority disturbed the middle years of Charlemagne's reign. Neither is mentioned in officially approved recensions Frankish Royal Annals, but Einhard tells us about both them twentieth chapter that ruler's "Life," and various information was included other annalistic traditions (Exhibit I).1 In 785/86 a group magnates Eastern Francia Thuringia opposed policies denied or renounced their loyalty king; opposition aggravated, no doubt, by demands campaigns against Saxons, which placed heavy burdens on adjacent territories.2 The second, 792, centered around palace at 1 editions sources cited Exhibit text are order: Annates Regni Francorum [= A RF] et qui dicuntur Einhardi Recension E: Reviser], ed. F. Kurze, MGH, Scriptores Rerum Germanicarum Usum Scholarum (Hanover, 1895); Laureshamenses, G. Pertz, 1826), 22-39; Mosellani: a. 704-797, Lappenberg, 16 1859), 491-99; Petaviani, Pertz. 7-18; Murbach Annals W. Lendi, Untersuchungen zur frühalemannischen Annalistik: Die Murbacher Annalen mit Edition, Scrinium Friburgense (Freiburg [Switzerland], 1971); Vita Karoli magni, O. Holder-Egger, 1911); Anon., "Vita Hludowici" Thegan, "Die Taten Kaiser Luduiigs "; Astronomus, "Das Leben Ludwigs," trans. E. Tremp, Separatim Editi 64 1995). D with an abbreviated entry seems have East provenance. short notice Pippin's revolt also one B recension manuscript (B3), now Vatican, perhaps from Rheims; it absent A-C recensions. 2 This rebellion usually identified leaders, Count Hardrad; not entirely clear varied besides whether F'rankish Thuringian were united two separate groups different agendas. See most recently R. McKitterick, Perceptions Past Early Middle Ages, Conway Lectures Medieval Studies 2004 (Notre Dame, 2006), 68-80 texts references. There surprisingly little secondary literature either these events, are, course, all general accounts period: e.g., Collins, Charlemagne (London , Toronto, Ruffalo, 1998), 56, 125-26; Schieffer, Karolinger, Urban Taschenbücher 411, 3rd (Stuttgart, 2000), 80-90. best specialized discussion probably still K. Brunner, Oppositionelle Gruppen im Karolingerreich, Veröffentlichungen des Instituts für österreichische Geschichtsforschung 25 (Vienna, Cologne, Graz, 1979), 47-53, 60-65. 236TRADITIO Regensburg Danube where had been since spring 791 order direct operations Avars suppress any lingering Bavaria, he annexed barely three earlier 788. noteworthy aspect this second domestic insurrection participation senior member family itself: 's oldest son, Pippin, who born mid-to-late 760s and, thus, certainly major age responsible adult capable independent rule. It "familiar" found particularly disturbing, for attaches his account directly sympathetic chapters 18 19, gives priority over evidently more widespread possibly dangerous 785/86. Nevertheless, saw common thread between events: they provoked crudelitas, extraordinary harshness, wife, Fastrada, subverted normal clemency king's rule.3 Indeed, Einhard's version Pippin himself only hapless pawn real conspirators, "certain leaders," "had won him (inlexerant) pretending offer the...
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