The Capitulary of Quierzy () was a

capitulary A capitulary (medieval Latin ) was a series of legislative or Public administration, administrative acts emanating from the Franks, Frankish court of the Merovingian and Carolingian dynasties, especially that of Charlemagne, the first Holy Roman Em ...

of Emperor Charles II that had a series of measures to safeguard the administration of his realm during his second Italian expedition, as well as directions for his son

Louis the Stammerer Louis the Stammerer (; 1 November 846 – 10 April 879) was the king of Aquitaine and later the king of West Francia. He was the eldest son of Emperor Charles the Bald and Ermentrud ...

, who was entrusted with the government during his father's absence. It has traditionally been seen as the basis on which the major vassals of the kingdom of France such as the counts of Flanders, were enabled to become more independent. It was promulgated on 14 June 877 at

Quierzy-sur-Oise Quierzy (), also known as Quierzy-sur-Oise (; formerly in , ''Carisiacum'', ''Charisagum'', ''Karisiacum''), is a commune in the Aisne department in Hauts-de-France in northern France, straddling the Oise River between Noyon and Chauny. Hi ...

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

(''

département In the administrative divisions of France, the department (, ) is one of the three levels of government under the national level (" territorial collectivities"), between the administrative regions and the communes. There are a total of 101 ...

'' of

Aisne Aisne ( , ; ; ) is a French departments of France, department in the Hauts-de-France region of northern France. It is named after the river Aisne (river), Aisne. In 2020, it had a population of 529,374. Geography The department borders No ...

), the site of a

Carolingian The Carolingian dynasty ( ; known variously as the Carlovingians, Carolingus, Carolings, Karolinger or Karlings) was a Frankish noble family named after Charles Martel and his grandson Charlemagne, descendants of the Arnulfing and Pippinid c ...

royal palace, before a great concourse of clergy and nobles. Among the participants were

Hincmar, Archbishop of Reims Hincmar (; ; ; 806 – 21 December 882), archbishop of Reims, was a Frankish jurist and theologian, as well as the friend, advisor and propagandist of Charles the Bald. He belonged to a noble family of northern Francia. Biography Early life Hincm ...

; Gauzlin, Bishop of Paris; and

Reginar, Duke of Lorraine Reginar Longneck or Reginar I ( 850–915), or ''Ragenerus Longicollus'', was a leading nobleman in the kingdom of Lotharingia, variously described in contemporary sources with the titles of count, margrave, missus dominicus and duke. He stands ...

. In the document, Charles took elaborate precautions against Louis, whom he apparently deeply distrusted. He forbade him to stay in certain palaces and particularly forests and compelled him to swear not to despoil his stepmother, Richilde, of her allodial lands and benefices. Charles also refused to allow Louis to nominate to the countships that were left vacant in the emperor's absence. In principle, the ''honores'' (benefices) and the office of a deceased count had to be given to his son, who would be placed provisionally in possession by Louis. The definitive investiture, however, could be conferred only by Charles. The capitulary thus served as a guarantee to the

aristocracy Aristocracy (; ) is a form of government that places power in the hands of a small, privileged ruling class, the aristocracy (class), aristocrats. Across Europe, the aristocracy exercised immense Economy, economic, Politics, political, and soc ...

that the general usage would be followed and was also a means of reassuring the counts who had accompanied the emperor into Italy as to the fate of their benefices. It cannot, however, be regarded as introducing a new principle, and the old opinion that the capitulary was a legislative text to establish the hereditary system of fiefs has been proved to be untenable. An earlier capitulary of Charles the Bald was promulgated at Quierzy on 14 February 857 and aimed especially at the repression of

brigandage Brigandage is the life and practice of highway robbery and plunder. It is practiced by a brigand, a person who is typically part of a gang and lives by pillage and robbery.Oxford English Dictionary second edition, 1989. "Brigand.2" first recorded ...

References

*Full English translation: http://turbulentpriests.group.shef.ac.uk/winning-political-consent-carolingian-style/ *Capitulary of Quierzy (Kiersky), ''Encyclopædia Britannica, 11th Edition'', 1911 *Nelson, Janet L., ''Charles the Bald'', Longman Publishing, London, 1992, pages 248-250 *Bury, J. B. (Editor), ''The Cambridge Medieval History, Volume III: Germany and the Western Empire'', Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1922 *E. Bourgeois, ''Le Capitulaire de Kiersy-sur-Oise'' (Paris, 1885), and ''L'Assemblée de Quierzy sur-Oise'' in ''Études d'histoire du moyen âge, dédiées à

Gabriel Monod Gabriel Monod (7 March 1844 – 10 April 1912) was a French historian, the nephew of Adolphe Monod. Biography Born in Ingouville, Seine-Maritime, he was educated at Le Havre then went to Paris to complete his education, lodging with the de Pr ...

'' (Paris, 1896). {{EB1911 article with no significant updates Carolingian Empire 877

See also

References