Fathers and sons: preparing noble youths to be lords in twelfth-century Germany
Jonathan R. Lyon
The most prominent noble lineages of the twelfth-century German empire drew much their authority from scattered collections heritable rights and properties, a state affairs that led each family to exercise its lordship in unique manner. As result, it was important for success lineage heirs understood diverse administrative, political, diplomatic military foundations family's power before they came into inheritance. This article argues on basis evidence several leading houses — including Staufen, Welf, Zähringen, Wittelsbach, Andechs Wettin fathers played an essential role training sons succeed inherit. For Germany, therefore, period life known as youth principally time instruction preparation. Models emphasise adventurousness rebelliousness during central middle ages are therefore insufficient explaining father-son relationships within imperial nobility.
Journal of Medieval History