THE MEN WHO WOULD BE KINGS: THE ‘SUPERMAGNATES’ AND THE ‘RISE OF THE ARISTOCRACY’
Simon MacLean
In the year 880, four surviving Carolingian rulers met at Vienne to draw a line under revolt of Boso and seal succession division treaty which led period renewed concord in royal dynasty. One their more specific goals was make kingship accessible nobility Lotharingia, symbolically strategically important central Frankish realm had been thrown into turmoil by events 879. this aim, broadly similar most other family settlements. The point subkingship, for example, not only keep junior members house happy allowing them tangible share power, but also give provincial aristocracies ‘own’ king, who would often be married local note. A nearby court less hindrance than potential source opportunity regional aristocrats, serving as offices help entrench standing, doorway leading onto grander stage imperial politics. Equally, Carolingians, lacking institutions decayed Roman state, needed aristocracy, whose power rooted control land, act means transposing authority from palace localities.
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