Taking ritual too far: A review of Geoffrey Koziol's The politics of memory and identity in Carolingian Royal Diplomas: The West Frankish Kingdom (840-987)
Bernard S. Bachrach
Geoffrey Koziol, professor of medieval history at the University California, Berkeley, has written an important book, which, once his unfortunate involvement with arcane if not, in fact, downright useless terminology literary theory is bypassed, works toward validating use Diplomas, traditionally called charters, as narrative sources a very broad sense.1 A warning required: The Politics Memory and Identity Carolingian Royal Diplomas: West Frankish Kingdom (840-987), Koziol enthusiastically believes that he made discovery, but these documents are to be used for purpose writing history, explicit details fundamental their issue (e. g., time, place, identity beneficiaries, witnesses) must established exactly possible help construct context each document not only terms its juridical contents regard what likes think performance power focused on ritual. In short, act issuing charter ritual meaning both actor, i.e., king, audience, those attendance who learn occurred. some contexts, takes argument step further claims physically charters themselves serve old-style photographs purposes enhancement royal power.As makes clear, acta, like any account, cannot read plain text even when contextualized, evaluated carefully parti pris king issued them, least, many most all participants: rules. Ultimately, particularly because, unlike contemporary chronicles other sources, ways similar capitularies letters, we understand them correctly they provide direct aims interests himself particular temporal, spatial, political without intermediary chronicler or annalist who, despite much to-ing fro-ing by historians, invariably had own agenda selected include work how chose treat information used. Once this hurdle cleared, however, additional question arises accurately represents man it wanted accomplish which was issued, mention others played one another role act. Here, there hermeneutic gap discovered exploited, method does exploit.Koziol identifies exploited evidential selection taken from hundreds surviving acts kings beginning reign Charles Bald 840 ending know have been permanent disestablishment dynasty election Hugh Capet rex Francorum 987. Even monograph more than 600 pages every during period almost century half, nor ruled Francia. For example, Louis III (879-882), Carloman II (879-884) Fat (884-888) either treated systematic way.As cases available evidence made, reader required examine criteria, implicit, author employs justify choice selects treat, well generalizations finds tenable regarding discusses sample. There two good reasons cautious. First, survive constitute fuzzy set insofar do relation sample total corpus originally existed. …