The Penitential State: Authority and Atonement in the Age of Louis the Pious, 814-840
In 833 emperor Louis the Pious, Charlemagne's son, submitted to a public penance in the wake of a rebellion by his three elder sons. This penance amounted to a deposition, for Louis was to atone for his sins for the rest of his life. However, only half a year later, he was back on the throne again. In this evaluation of Louis' reign, Mayke de Jong argues that his penance was the outcome of a political discourse and practice in which the accountability of the Frankish ruler to God played an increasingly central role. However heated their debates, this was a moral high ground Louis shared with churchmen and secular magnates. Through a profound re-reading of texts by contemporary authors who reflected on legitimate authority in times of crisis, this book reveals a world in which political crime was defined as sin, and royal authority was enhanced by atonement.
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The Penitential State: Authority and Atonement in the Age of Louis the Pious, 814-840
In 833 emperor Louis the Pious, Charlemagne's son, submitted to a public penance in the wake of a rebellion by his three elder sons. This penance amounted to a deposition, for Louis was to atone for his sins for the rest of his life. However, only half a year later, he was back on the throne again. In this evaluation of Louis' reign, Mayke de Jong argues that his penance was the outcome of a political discourse and practice in which the accountability of the Frankish ruler to God played an increasingly central role. However heated their debates, this was a moral high ground Louis shared with churchmen and secular magnates. Through a profound re-reading of texts by contemporary authors who reflected on legitimate authority in times of crisis, this book reveals a world in which political crime was defined as sin, and royal authority was enhanced by atonement.
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The Penitential State: Authority and Atonement in the Age of Louis the Pious, 814-840
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The Penitential State: Authority and Atonement in the Age of Louis the Pious, 814-840
340Paperback(Reissue)
$47.99
47.99
In Stock
Product Details
ISBN-13: | 9780521205207 |
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Publisher: | Cambridge University Press |
Publication date: | 04/28/2011 |
Edition description: | Reissue |
Pages: | 340 |
Product dimensions: | 5.90(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.00(d) |
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