Precursors and Imitators of the Military Orders: Religious Societies for Defending the Faith in the Medieval West (11th–13th c.)
Damien Carraz
A considerable number of associations armed men existed during the central and high Middle Ages, fulfilling diverse purposes, such as defense churches or Christian territory fight against heresy, well preserving peace. Founded on a tradition brotherhood taken from Gospels, these militias had varying degrees organization. Some were juridically constituted confraternities, whereas others more loosely structured, following forms inherited monastic for laypeople. Between tenth thirteenth centuries, groups have been found Iberian peninsula, in southern France, Holy Land, Italy. Although some militarized brotherhoods already analyzed by historians, no study has yet examined this phenomenon comprehensive way. Analyzing various initiatives over three centuries within comparative approach reveals important observations about their recruitment among different social groups, reasons behind creation, role church legitimizing combat. Coming into existence eleventh to twelfth context Peace God sacralized warfare, century, became instruments religious control. However, most them disappeared fairly rapidly, they either too closely linked specific political contexts or, cases, judged subversive church. This broad investigation provides framework which understand origins development Military Orders.
Viator|HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe)