Charlemagne and Alcuin: Diplomatic Studies in Carolingian Epistolography
Luitpold Wallach
Legislative documents from the rulers of Germanic states established in former Roman territories are frequently work men descent. Thus Leo Narbonne was probably main helper Visigothic King Euric, and Gallo-Roman Syagrius, Burgundian Gundobad. The Ostrogoths had jurists their service; one these wrote Edictum Theoderici . Cassiodorus is author not only Variae , a selection composed by him as chancellor Theoderic Great, but also Athalarici. Merovingians Chlodewig Childebert I employed administrators; patrician Parthenius an official Austrasian Theudebert I. need for officials governments disappeared largely with growth genuine political legal institutions. Charlemagne's leading helpers were therefore no longer descendants old senatorial nobility which survived Gaul Italy, mostly origin. On other hand, all brilliant scholars Saxon, Lombard, Spanish-Gothic, Italic origin cosmopolitan entourage, man alone achieved great prominence: Alcuin, Saxon nobleman British kingdom Northumbria. A little-known phase his activities empire Charlemagne will be investigated here.
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