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What were Charlemagneās capitularies used for?
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Charlemagne
Charlemagne, oil on limewood by Albrecht DĆ¼rer, 1512; in the collection of the German National Museum, NĆ¼rnberg, Germany.
Capitularies were quasi-legislative ordinances, divided into articles, used by Charlemagne and his successors to administer the Carolingian realm. These documents served as a vital communication tool between the central government and local authorities, allowing for greater precision and uniformity in transmitting the kingās will.21
Capitularies generally addressed issues of public order, justice, royal domains, and ecclesiastical matters. They functioned in three primary ways:2
- Legal Supplementation: They were used to modify or supplement existing national laws, particularly regarding penal, private, or procedural rules.2
- Agreements: Some ordinances resulted from agreements between the king and his assembly of notables, directing how subjects should relate to the realm.2
- Administrative Oversight: They provided specific instructions for the missi dominiciāroyal emissaries sent to provinces to supervise local administration, gather information, and ensure obedience to royal commands.21
Because the Carolingians did not follow a fixed legislative system, these categories are approximate, and no original copies of these documents survive today.2