Property and Power in the Early Middle Ages

A collection of original essays on the relationship between property and power in early medieval Europe.

Wendy Davies (Edited by), Paul Fouracre (Edited by)

9780521522250, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 8 August 2002

340 pages, 4 maps
22.9 x 15.3 x 2.3 cm, 0.545 kg

This is a collection of original essays on the relationship between property and power, a fundamental theme in medieval history. It addresses four main issues: the meaning of power over property; the ways in which property conveyed power; the nature of immunities; and the power of royal authority to affect property relations. The areas studied include Wales, England, France, Germany, Italy, and Byzantium, and the essays range across the period 650–1150. A substantial introduction is included, which explains the nature of the issues, and a conclusion expresses the team's overall view of the subject. Aimed at a wide readership of both scholars and students, the volume also includes a glossary to help readers who may be unfamiliar with the material or the period.

List of maps
Preface
Abbreviations
Introduction
1. The ideology of sharing: apostolic community and ecclesiastical property in the early middle ages David Ganz
2. Teutsind, Witlaic and the history of Merovingian precaria Ian Wood
3. Eternal light and earthly needs: practical aspects of the development of Frankish immunities Paul Fouracre
4. The wary widow Janet Nelson
5. Lordship and justice in the early English kingdom: Oswaldslow revisited Patrick Wormald
6. Adding insult to injury: power, property, and immunities in early medieval Wales Wendy Davies
7. Property transactions and social relations between rulers, bishops and nobles in early eleventh-century Saxony: the evidence of the Vita Meinwerci Timothy Reuter
8. Monastic exemptions in tenth- and eleventh-century Byzantium Rosemary Morris
9. Property ownership and signorial power in twelfth-century Tuscany Chris Wickham
10. Conclusion: property and power in early medieval Europe
Glossary.

Subject Areas: Early history: c 500 to c 1450/1500 [HBLC], European history [HBJD]