Assembly politics in western Europe from the eighth century to the twelfth
Timothy Reuter|Janet L. Nelson
The phrase ‘assembly politics’ in the title is deliberately ambiguous: it refers both to politics conducted through assemblies and at assemblies. To address this apparently narrow theme fact a much wider problem: as we shall see, was mainly that early high medieval polities were able act indeed exist. ‘Polities’ ‘politics’ are here merely neutral signifiers for past human activities which would probably apply similar terms our own societies; their use does not imply prominent lay ecclesiastical personages period conceived of any or regna within they operated ‘polities’. Indeed, make point precisely raise issue how avoid anachronism dealing with remote pasts. principal approaches on offer duck difficulty. We can write conventional political history by casting accounts strategies tactics pursued actors attempts acquire retain enhance power ways these conflicted each other. But if do smooth out lumpiness past. Conventional presents rulers ruled engaged continuously activity calculation: sources may so present them, but narrative implicit such writing will reframe look like this, just film – unless very experimental assumed be implied being action even when off camera.
Cambridge University Press eBooks