Die Geheimnisse der Königin
L.J.M.C. Dohmen
According to Regino of Prüm, in 887 the Frankish emperor Charles Fat broke off with his closest advisor Bishop Liutward Vercelli “accusing him crime adultery because he was mixed up queen’s secrets more intimately than appropriate”. In early medieval historiography accusations against queens and royal counsellors were recorded rather frequently, yet Regino’s phrasing, allusion “the secrets” is unique. Following on semantic range secretus Carolingian political historiography, this article argues for a close connection between ‘secret’, ‘counsel’ generally ‘Herrschaft’. Comparing account another notorious scandal, namely case Empress Judith Count Bernard Barcelona 830, its representation contemporary reveals how that concern no one less king, appear as ‘uttering unutterable’, or - secret.
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