Abstract
This study examines the brief reference in the early 9th - century Annales Mettenses priores to an ecclesiastical synod ostensibly convoked in the last decade of the 7th century by Pippin II. The annals suggest that the council's agenda was devoted to the protection of churches, orphans, and widows. While this council is not attested by any contemporary sources, Pippin's collaborations with the episcopate are well documented, and his involvement in conciliar convocation is possible if not demonstrable. Nevertheless, the annalist's description of the council's agenda is more suggestive of the era in which the annals were written-the first decade of the 9th century-than late Merovingian Francia, by closely echoing both the phrasing and ideology of Charlemagne's imperial capitularies, which stressed Charlemagne's own responsibility for the care of the vulnerable, a responsibility that superseded traditional episcopal prerogatives. While the council's existence cannot be definitively proven or disproven, the description of its agenda should be read in the context of the annalist's efforts to rewrite Merovingian history from a triumphalist Carolingian perspective.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.