Transition to outside lordship of monasteries
Steve Wood
There is little evidence in pre-Carolingian Europe for real long-lasting family control, from outside the community, of succession heads monasteries, such as would demonstrate — or constitute lordship. Many most still designated their successors; doing this an abbot was with varying degrees explicitness giving something his own to heir choice; and good bad reasons which could include political pressure he might sooner later choose a pupil favourite not kin, give church away greater church. How power disposal affected interests must be examined detail. Behind it may lie tensions between ideas natural chosen heir: that have been present act foundation, where founder making special arrangements one children, indeed setting up holy man distant land.
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