Abbesses and Their Fighting Men
Jürg Gassmann
The position of male ecclesiastical princes – bishops and abbots as integral elements Carolingian military organisation is well established. Less investigated the corresponding role female princes, abbesses. This article demonstrates that function abbesses was not materially different to their colleagues-in-office, tracks legal political development into High Middle Ages considers some ramifications our findings. In particular, we conclude convents were politically powerful integrated secular organisation, but within context polity played a power-neutralising stabilising role.
Acta Periodica Duellatorum