Charlemagne's monastic policy and the Regula Benedicti, Frankish capitularies from 742 to 813

grantor: University of TorontoThe political implications of Charlemagne's promulgation of the 'Regula Sancti Benedicti' (RB) to Carolingian monasteries are enormous, but the political motivations for his decision and the legislative background have not been explored. The author examines the relevant capitularies and compiles extensive appendices, identifying 'themes' in the legislation. A group of five themes connected with the implementation of the RB are examined, and a chronology is developed. A shift from a 'soft' policy on the use of the RB to a 'hard' policy is identified at c794. The political motivations for this shift spring most immediately from a series of political reversals Charlemagne had to overcome. The more fundamental political cause was an ineluctable weakness of the government: the lack of the means to compel allegiance. The RB was selected from among other rules in part because it combined a highly authoritarian structure with a recognition of episcopal authority, making it suitable to the king's political needs.M.A