Introduction |
Questions to Consider |
Source
Louis the Fat Dispenses Justice
(1144)
Abbot Suger of St. Denis
Introduction
The reign of Louis VI "the Fat" (r. 1108-1137) marked a
turning point in the fortunes of the Capetian dynasty of France.
Louis expanded the authority of his largely symbolic monarchy by
asserting control over local vassals around Paris, forming a close
alliance with the papacy, and matching some of his more powerful
neighbors in battle. We can attribute much of his success to his
close advisor, Suger, abbot of the monastery of St. Denis
(1081-1151). Best known as the harbinger of the new Gothic
architectural style, magnificently displayed by the renovations of
St. Denis's abbey church in the 1140s, Suger served Louis as his
chief domestic administrator, establishing the foundations of a royal
bureaucracy. Suger's Life of Louis the Fat guaranteed the reputation
of his late friend and provided Suger with a vehicle to air his own
views on kingship.
Questions to Consider
-
How do the episodes related in this selection illustrate the
weakness of the title "King of France" during the early Capetian
period?
-
What qualities does Suger consider to be essential to
kingship?
Source
The young hero, Prince Louis, gay, gracious, and so friendly to
all that he passed with some for a person of no force, had hardly
come to man's estate when he proved himself an illustrious and
courageous defender of his father's realm. He provided for the needs
of the Church, and strove to secure peace for those who pray, for
those who work, and for the poor. And no one had done this for a long
time.
Now it came to pass at this time that certain disputes arose
between Adam, the venerable abbot of St. Denis, and a nobleman,
Burchard, lord of Montmorency [his vassal], concerning certain
customs. The controversy waxed so hot and reached such extremes of
irritation that all ties of homage were broken between vassal and
lord, and the two disputants betook themselves to arms, war, and
fire.
When the affair came to the ears of Lord Louis he was sorely
vexed. He delayed not, but ordered the aforesaid Burchard, duly
summoned, to appear before his father in the castle of Poissy for
judgment. Burchard lost his cause, but refused to submit to the
judgment. He was not taken prisoner, for that is not the custom of
the French, but having withdrawn to his estates, he straightway
learned what manner of injury and calamity the king's majesty can
inflict on his disobedient subjects. For this famous youth [Prince
Louis] carried arms thither against him and his criminal allies,
Matthew, count of Beaumont, and Dreux of Mouchy-le-châtel,
vigorous and warlike men. He laid waste the land of Burchard with
fire, famine, and the sword; and overthrew all the defenses and
buildings, except the castle itself, and razed them to the ground.
When his enemies undertook to defend themselves in the castle he
besieged them with the French and the Flemish troops of his uncle
Robert, as well as with his own. By these and other means he brought
the humiliated Burchard to repentance, bent him to his will and
pleasure, and satisfactorily adjusted the dispute which had given
rise to the trouble.
A king, when he takes the royal power, vows to put down with his
strong right arm insolent tyrants whensoever he sees them vex the
state with endless wars, rejoice in rapine, oppress the poor, destroy
the churches, give themselves over to lawlessness which, and it be
not checked, would flame out into ever greater madness; for the evil
spirits who instigate them are wont cruelly to strike down those whom
they fear to lose, but give free rein to those whom they hope to
hold, while they add fuel to the flames which are to devour their
victims to all eternity.
It is known that kings have long arms; and to show that the king's
strength was not confined within the narrow boundaries of certain
places, a man, Alard de Guillebaut by name, a clever man, with an
oily tongue, came from the frontiers of Berri to the king. He laid
the grievance of his stepson before his lord the king, and entreated
him right humbly, that he would summon by his royal authority a
certain noble baron, Aymon by name, surnamed Vais-Vache, lord of
Bourbon, who refused to do him justice. Moreover he asked that the
king should restrain Aymon from despoiling, with presumptuous
audacity, his nephew, the son of his older brother, Archambaut, and
to fix according to French custom what portion of goods each of them
ought to have.
Now the king loved justice and had compassion on the churches and
the poor. And he feared lest these wars should make wickedness
flourish, and lest the poor might be vexed and bear the punishment
for the pride of others. So, after vainly summoning Aymon, who would
not trust himself to trial and refused to obey the summons, Louis
gave way neither to pleasure nor to sloth, but marched with a great
army toward the territory of Bourges. There he directed his forces
against Aymon's castle of Germigni, which was well fortified, and
strove to reduce it by a vigorous assault.
Then did Aymon see that he could not hold out, and he gave over
hoping to save himself or his castle. He saw only this one way to
safety--that he should throw himself at the king's feet. There
he prostrated himself again and again, while all the crowd marveled,
and prayed the king to have compassion upon him. He gave up his
castle, and, humble now as he had once been proud, submitted himself
utterly to the king's justice. The king kept the castle and took
Aymon into France to be judged there; and right justly and piously,
by the decision and arbitration of the French, did he settle the
dispute which had arisen between the uncle and nephew.
King Louis spent freely both of money and the sweat of his brow to
relieve the sufferings and oppressions of many. He was used to make
many such expeditions throughout the country for the relief of
churches and of the poor, but we must pass over these, as it would
but weary the reader to narrate them.
Source: James Harvey Robinson, ed., Readings in
European History (Boston: Ginn, 1904), 1:199-205.
