The Frankish state features the formation of early feudal statehood. Features of the emergence of the state among the Franks

EARLY FEUDAL MONARCHY (STATE OF THE FRANKS)

The emergence of the Frankish state is associated with the name of one of the military leaders, Clovis from the Merovingian clan. Under his leadership at the turn of the V-VI centuries. The Franks conquered the main part of Gaul. The formation of a new state was accompanied by the development of feudalism in the depths of Frankish society, the formation of new property relations and the formation of new classes.

The development of the feudal state among the Franks can be divided into two stages: 1) VI-VII centuries. - the period of the Merovingian monarchy and 2) VIII century. - first half of the 9th century. - the period of the Carolingian monarchy.

Politically, the Frankish kingdom under the Merovingians was not a single state. After his death, the sons of Clovis began an internecine war, which lasted with short interruptions for more than a hundred. But it was during this period that new social-class relations were formed. In order to attract the Frankish nobility, the kings practiced widespread distribution of land. Donated lands became hereditary and freely alienable property (allod). Gradually, the transformation of warriors into feudal landowners took place.

Important changes also took place among the peasantry. In the mark (the peasant community of the Franks), private ownership of land (allod) was established. The process of property stratification and landlessness of the peasants intensified, which was accompanied by the attack of the feudal lords on their personal freedom. There were two forms of enslavement: with the help of precarity and commendation. A precarity was an agreement under which the feudal lord provided the peasant with a plot of land under the conditions of fulfilling certain duties. Formally, this agreement did not establish personal dependence, but created favorable conditions.

Commendation meant transferring oneself under the protection of the feudal lord. It provided for the transfer of ownership of the land to the master with its subsequent return in the form of holding, the establishment of personal dependence of the “weak” on his patron and the performance of a number of duties in his favor.

All this gradually led to the enslavement of the Frankish peasantry. The distribution of land by the Frankish kings led to an increase in the power of noble families and a weakening of positions royal power. Over time, the position of the nobles became so strong that they essentially ruled the state, holding the post of mayor. At the turn of the 7th-8th centuries. this position becomes the hereditary property of the noble and wealthy Carolingian family, which laid the foundation for a new dynasty.

In the first half of the 8th century. The major from this family, Charles Martell, carried out a number of reforms that had major consequences for the structure of Frankish society. The essence of the reforms was as follows. The lands and the peasants who lived on them began to be transferred not into full ownership, but into a conditional lifelong holding-benefice. The holder of the benefice had to perform service, mainly military, in favor of the person who handed over the land. The volume of service was determined by the size of the benefit. Refusal to serve deprived the right to benefits. Thus, a well-armed cavalry army was created, strengthening the position of the central government. Gradually, in addition to the head of state, large feudal lords began to distribute benefits. This is how relationships of subordination of feudal lords began to develop, which later became known as vassalage.

The growth of feudal agriculture was accompanied by the strengthening of the military, financial and judicial power of the feudal lords over the peasants living on their lands. This was expressed in an increase in the so-called immune rights of feudal lords. The feudal lord, who received a charter of immunity from the king, exercised full financial, administrative and judicial power in the territory under his control without the intervention of royal officials.

The evolution of the political system during this period went in two directions: the strengthening of royal power itself and the elimination of local self-government.

Already the first Frankish kings had considerable power. They convene the national assembly, the militia and command it during the war, issue generally binding orders, establish the highest court in the state, and collect taxes. Failure to comply with the royal command was punishable by a large fine or self-harm, even death.

Local forms of self-government were gradually eliminated: traditional meetings of villages and their associations (hundreds). The country was divided into districts headed by a royal official (count). He exercised administrative, judicial and military power in the entrusted district. The central administration at that time was relatively simple: the majordomo was the first dignitary (under the Carolingians this post was abolished); marshal-leader of the royal cavalry (often commanded the entire army); Count Palatine - headed the court; referendar-head of the office; thesaurary - “guardian of treasures”, in fact state treasurer, etc.

Royal officials were awarded estates and had a portion of the collected court fees. Over time, the estates became the feudal property of their owners, and the title of the position became an honorary hereditary title.

The source of law during this period is custom. During the period V-IX centuries. On the territory of the Frankish state, the customs of the tribes were recorded in the form of the so-called “barbarian truths”. Salic, Rinoir, Burgunsky, Allemansky and other truths are created. In 802, by order of Charlemagne, the truths of the tribes that were part of his state, but by that time did not have records of customary law, were compiled. As royal power increases, monarchs begin to create legislative regulations- capitularies that had mandatory significance. The sources of early feudal law also include immunity charters and formulas. Charters of immunity issued by the king to the feudal lords removed the given territory from the judicial, financial and police jurisdiction of the state, transferring these powers to the feudal lords.

The formulas were samples of letters, contracts and other official documents.

The highest judicial power in the kingdom of the Franks belonged to the monarch. Locally, most cases were heard in the “courts of hundreds,” but gradually judicial power was concentrated in the hands of feudal lords.

At the beginning of the 9th century, after the death of Charlemagne, the Frankish monarchy ceased to exist and disintegrated into a number of independent states.

The French kingdom arose after the collapse of the Carolingian Empire and went through the following stages in its development: 1) seigneurial monarchy (IX-XIII centuries); 2) class-representative monarchy (XIV-XV centuries); 3) absolute monarchy (XVI-XVIII centuries).

The emergence of a state among the Franks is associated with the name of one of the military leaders - Clovis from the Merovingian clan. Under his leadership at the turn of the V-VI centuries. The Franks conquered the main part of Gaul. The formation of a new state was accompanied by the development of feudalism in the depths of Frankish society, the formation of new property relations and the formation of a new type of law.

The development of the feudal state among the Franks can be divided into two stages:

1) VI-VII centuries. - the period of the Merovingian monarchy and 2) VIII century. - first half of the 9th century. -period of the Carolingian monarchy.

Politically, the Frankish kingdom under the Merovingians was not a single state. After his death, the sons of Clovis began an internecine war, which continued with minor interruptions for more than a hundred years. But it was during this period that new social-class relations were formed. In order to attract the Frankish nobility, the kings practiced widespread distribution of land. Donated lands became hereditary and freely alienable property (allod). Gradually, the transformation of warriors into feudal landowners took place.

Important changes also took place among the peasantry. In the mark (the peasant community of the Franks), private ownership of land (allod) was established. The process of property stratification and landlessness of the peasants intensified, which was accompanied by the attack of the feudal lords on their personal freedom. There were two forms of enslavement: with the help of precarity and commendation. A precarity was an agreement under which the feudal lord provided the peasant with a plot of land on the terms of fulfilling certain duties; formally, this agreement did not establish personal dependence, but created favorable conditions.

All this gradually led to the enslavement of the Frankish peasantry.

The distribution of land by the Frankish kings led to an increase in the power of noble families and a weakening of the position of royal power. Over time, the position of the nobles became so strong that they essentially ruled the state, holding the post of mayor. At the turn of the 7th-8th centuries. this position becomes the hereditary property of the noble and wealthy Carolingian family, which laid the foundation for a new dynasty.

In the first half of the 8th century. The major from this family, Charles Martell, carried out a number of reforms that had major consequences for the structure of Frankish society.

The essence of the reforms was as follows. The lands and the peasants who lived on them began to be transferred not into full ownership, but into conditional lifelong holding - benefices. The holder of the benefice had to perform service, mainly military, in favor of the person who handed over the land. The volume of service was determined by the size of the benefit. Refusal to serve deprived the right to benefits. Thus, a well-armed cavalry army was created, strengthening the position of the central government. Gradually, in addition to the head of state, large feudal lords began to distribute benefits. This is how relationships of subordination of feudal lords began to develop, which later became known as vassalage.

The growth of feudal land ownership was accompanied by the strengthening of the military, financial and judicial power of the feudal lords over the peasants living on their lands. This was expressed in an increase in the so-called immune rights of feudal lords. The feudal lord, who received a charter of immunity from the king, exercised full financial, administrative and judicial power in the territory under his control without the intervention of royal officials.

The strengthening of central power led to the proclamation in 751 of Charles Martel's son, Pepin, king of the Franks. Under his son Charles, nicknamed the Great, the Frankish kingdom reached its peak. And in 800, Charlemagne took the title of emperor. The evolution of the political system during this period went in two directions: the strengthening of royal power itself and the elimination of local self-government.

Local forms of self-government - traditional meetings of villages and their associations (hundreds) - were gradually eliminated. The country was divided into districts headed by a royal official (count). He exercised administrative, judicial and military power in the entrusted district.

The central administration at that time was relatively simple: majordomo - the first dignitary (under the Carolingians this post was abolished); marshal - leader of the royal cavalry (often commanded the entire army), palatine - headed the royal court, referendar - head of the chancellery, thesaurary - “guardian of treasures”, in fact the state treasurer, etc.

With the increase in royal power, monarchs began to create legislative decrees - capitularies, which had universally binding significance. The sources of early feudal law also include immunity charters and formulas. Charters of immunity issued by the king to the feudal lords removed the given territory from the judicial, financial and police jurisdiction of the state, transferring these powers to the feudal lords.

The formulas were samples of letters, contracts and other official documents.

At the beginning of the 9th century, after the death of Charlemagne, the Frankish monarchy ceased to exist and disintegrated into a number of independent states.

In the 5th century Gaul, a former Roman province attacked by barbarian Germans, was divided between the Visigoths, Franks and Burgundians. The most powerful among them were the Salic Franks. Franks- a Germanic tribe with two main branches: the Salic (maritime) Franks and the Ripuarian (river) Franks.

In the 80s V century Clovis the Great became the tribal leader of the Salic Franks, who began active operations of conquest and actually became the founder of the Frankish state. Under Clovis the Great, the Salic Franks adopted Christianity.

In the VI-VII centuries. (officially until 751) the ruling Frankish dynasty were Merovingians, whose family, according to legend, went back to the legendary “old man of the sea” In 751–843. The Frankish state was led Carolingians, although in fact they took the reins of government (still as majordomos) earlier.

The Frankish state was an early feudal monarchy. It was dominated palace control system. The manager of the royal household - the majordomo (majordomo) - was especially towering.

The founder of the dynasty of majordomos (and later the royal dynasty) of the Carolingians was Pepin of Geristal(late 7th century).

Son of Pepin of Geristal, majordomo (715–741) Charles Martell, carried out a number of reforms to strengthen the Frankish state. In 732, the Franks under the command of Charles Martell managed to defeat the Arabs at Poitiers, thereby protecting the whole of Europe from the Muslim invasion of the Pyrenees. To create the cavalry army necessary for the defense of the country, Charles Martel began confiscating the lands of his political opponents and partial secularization. He distributed the received land on the terms not of allods, but of benefices (conditional inheritable land ownership), which laid the foundation for the feudal system. Everyone who received benefits from Charles Martell was obliged to provide a certain number of armed men at his disposal, and he himself had to come “on horseback and in arms,” that is, to be a knight.

Son of Charles Martel Pepin the Short, in 751 he overthrew the last Frankish king of the Merovingian dynasty, thereby founding the Carolingian royal dynasty.

Son of Pepin the Short, king Charlemagne, ruled the Franks from 768–814. Under King Charlemagne, the Frankish state occupied the territories of the following modern Western European countries: France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland, western lands Germany, northern provinces of Italy and Spain. In 800, the Pope crowned Charlemagne with the imperial crown. Thus the Western Roman Empire was formally restored.

Once a year, all free Franks gathered for the “March Fields” (under the Carolingians - “May Fields”) - an anachronism left over from the times of military democracy.

The positions (later developed into hereditary titles) of counts (local rulers) and dukes (military rulers of several counties) were introduced.

Lecture outline

1. The emergence of early feudal society and state among the Franks.

2. Evolution public administration Franks in the Merovingian era (VI–VII centuries)

3. Characteristics political system Frankish Empire in the Carolingian era (VIII-IX centuries).

4. The emergence of feudal Western European states on the ruins of the Frankish Empire.

ADDITIONAL READING:

1. Gurevich A.Ya. Problems of the genesis of feudalism in Western Europe. M., 1970

2. Gurevich A.Ya. Individual and society in barbarian states. Collection: Problems of the history of pre-capitalist societies. M. 1963

3. Kolesnitsky N.F. Feudal state (U1-XV centuries) M., 1967

4. Korsunsky A.R. Formation of early feudal states in Western Europe. M. 1963

5. Neusykhin A.I. Problems of European feudalism. M., 1974

WITH ancient times in that part of Europe that is bounded by the Rhine in the West and the Elbe (Elbe) in the East, numerous Germanic tribes lived - Teutons, Vandals, Saxons, Alemanni, etc.

In 486 AD Germanic tribes, known as the Salic (maritime) Franks, who had previously lived in the northwestern corner of the Roman province of Gaul, attack the Roman governor in Soissons, defeat his army and capture the entire country as far as the Loire River. The military successes of the Franks are associated with the name of their king - the famous Clovis - a strong man and unscrupulous in his means. Subsequent campaigns brought almost all of Gaul into the power of Clovis, with the exception of Burgundy. She was subsequently captured too.

This was the beginning of the Frankish state. At the end of the 5th century AD. Clovis, for political reasons, insisted on accepting the Christian faith.

The property and social differentiation among the Franks, which had emerged even before moving to their new homeland, sharply intensified during the conquest of Gaul. Each new campaign increased the wealth of the Frankish military-tribal nobility. When dividing the spoils, she received best lands, a significant number of colons, cattle, etc. Ordinary Franks at first also did not experience strong economic oppression. They settled in rural communities (marks) on the conquered lands. The mark was considered the owner of all the land of the community, which was divided into plots and quickly became the hereditary use of families.

The Gallo-Romans found themselves in the position of a dependent population, several times larger than the Franks. At the same time, the Gallo-Roman aristocracy partially retained its wealth. The unity of class interests marked the beginning of a gradual rapprochement between the Frankish and Gallo-Roman nobility, with the dominance of the former necessary in order to form a system of power with which the conquered country could be kept in subjection. The previous tribal organization could not provide this, since using the means of the old tribal system, it was quite difficult to manage such a vast state.

The military leader (king) and his squad come to the fore, i.e., the army, which is no longer militia, but composed of service people of the new nobility. The king and his entourage decide everything most important issues life of the country. A new “public power” is being formed with a specific system of institutions. Although in the initial period, popular assemblies and some other institutions of the former Frankish system were still preserved.

A new territorial division of the country is being introduced. The lands inhabited by the Franks began to be divided into “pagi” (districts), consisting of smaller units (hundreds). Management in them is entrusted to the king's proxies. In the conquered southern regions of Gaul, the Roman administrative-territorial division was initially preserved. But here, too, the appointment of officials depends on the king.

The main process of formation of Frankish society was the emergence and development of feudal relations within its depths. Their formation occurred extremely unevenly in different regions of the country, since the Franks entered the era of feudalism from the initial boundaries of the barbarian, pagan, and still primitive communal system, and the Gallo-Romans - from an already civilized, Christian, slave-owning system. In this regard, an important feature was observed: the two main paths of development of feudalism mutually influenced each other, thereby accelerating the formation of a new socio-economic formation.

In the development of feudalism in the Frankish state, two large periods can be traced: the first - VI-VII centuries, known in historiography as the time of the Merovingian monarchy, the second - VIII-IX centuries. - reign of the Carolingian dynasty.

Merovingian monarchy. After the death of Clovis, the Frankish state experienced a long period of feudal strife. Only at the beginning of the 7th century did some stabilization occur. By that time, the land was largely concentrated in the hands of the nobility and was hereditary, freely alienable property (allod). The Christian Church became the largest landowner.

On the other hand, the redistribution of property entails the process of landlessness among peasants. The loss of land was accompanied by an attack on the personal freedom of the peasants. Most often they were enslaved with the help of precaria (request). At first, part of the master's land was transferred to the peasant for use on the terms of fulfilling a number of duties (work in the master's fields, paying him part of the harvest, etc.).

Later, “precarious granted” became widespread. An impoverished peasant “donated” his plot to the master, who returned it, sometimes with an additional allotment, but for use, and with the obligation to bear certain duties.

The institution of patronage is also becoming widespread. Giving under patronage (commendation) was a widespread phenomenon. It provided:

Transfer of ownership of land to the master with its subsequent return in the form of holding;

Establishing the personal dependence of the “weak” on his patron;

Perform a number of duties.

All this led to the gradual enslavement of the Frankish peasantry.

Two categories of dependent peasantry can be distinguished: serfs and villans. The legal status of serfs as personally dependent people is to a certain extent inherited from slavery. The serfs were seen as simply belonging to the land. They paid a poll tax/servage/annual dues and performed corvée work. Serv could not marry without the consent of the master, be a witness in trial or participate in a judicial duel, etc. The first to fall into the category of serfs were the colons and slaves of the south of the state.

However, the personal dependence of the serfs did not lead to their transformation into serfs. The scope of their duties was strictly determined by legal customs. The servant could sell his plot or simply leave the lord, since in France there was no nationwide investigation of peasants.

Another group of dependent peasants were the villans, who were considered personally free holders of land belonging to the feudal lord. The villans paid a quitrent (tag) less than the serfs. The capitation tax was considered an honor to the lord, and not a manifestation of personal dependence. From the 12th century, peasants began to redeem their obligation to pay a special fee for receiving land plots by inheritance.

The strengthening of feudal statehood, expressed primarily in the improvement of the mechanism of suppression, was not accompanied by an increase in the power of kings. From the middle of the UP century, during the era of the so-called “lazy kings,” the nobility took the reins of power into their own hands. The main manager of the royal palace, and then the head of the royal administration, is the chamber mayor, or mayor ("senior of the house"), whose power was strengthened in every possible way in the conditions of the incessant campaigns of the king, who ruled his territories "from the saddle." At the turn of the 7th - 8th centuries. this position becomes the hereditary property of a noble and wealthy family, which marked the beginning of the Carolingian dynasty.

A very important change in the socio-political structure of Frankish society is associated with the name of one of the representatives of this family, the mayor Charles Martell (first half of the 8th century). Thanks to the reforms he carried out, he managed to strengthen for a certain time the unity of the state, which was experiencing a long period of political destabilization.

Firstly, the mayor created a well-armed cavalry army subordinate to the head of state. Secondly, having confiscated some of the church and monastic lands, Charles Martell began to distribute it in a new way. The previous procedure for donating lands as full ownership was done away with. Instead, the lands began to be handed over to conditional lifelong holding - benefice(good deed). The holder of the benefice was obliged to bear military service as a heavily armed cavalry arming himself at his own expense. Refusal to serve deprived the right to benefits.

The reform not only contributed to the growth of land ownership and the further enslavement of the peasantry, it led to the establishment of special conditions for the subordination of some feudal lords to others. Contractual relations were established between the owner of the benefice and the person who handed over the land (vassal-seigneur), the main element of which was military service.

In addition to the head of state, the largest feudal lords also began to distribute benefits, acquiring their own vassals. Thus, vassalage relations began to form, covering the entire class of feudal lords. In the 9th century, benefice was replaced by feud (hereditary ownership).

The growth of the power of the feudal lords was accompanied by the strengthening of their military, judicial and financial power over the peasants. The possessions of feudal lords who received the king's charter of immunity were not subject to the authority of government officials.

In 751, the son and successor of Charles Martell, Pepin, not wanting to even formally recognize the king, carried out a coup d'etat, imprisoned the last reigning Merovingian in a monastery and took his throne.

The system of immunities inevitably entailed increased fragmentation and local separatism. But under Charlemagne (768 - 814), the Frankish state reached its greatest power, covering a vast territory. As a result of great aggressive approaches, it included territories that now make up West Germany, Northern Italy, Northern Spain and a number of other lands. Moreover, Charles in 800 was crowned by the pope in Rome with the imperial crown, which emphasized his strength as the successor to the power of the Roman emperors.

The strengthening of the personal power of the emperor was also facilitated by the rapid process of enslavement of the peasants at this time. In conditions of predatory seizure of land in the 8th-19th centuries. the king acts as the highest lord, the highest manager of the land, securing land holdings at the expense of the communities in the interests of large landowners.

The imperial administrative apparatus was also adapted to perform the functions of the emperor as a “guardian of the world.” The council, consisting of the highest representatives of the spiritual and secular nobility, decided all matters “related to the good of the king and the kingdom.” This aristocratic body ensured Charlemagne the obedience of his subjects. Under his own weak successors, he directly imposed his will on him. In addition, a congress of all the nobility (Great Field) was convened almost annually.

To the features of public administration Frankish kingdom under the Carolingians the following features were included:

1. The officials who headed the economic management of the feudal lords' estates simultaneously exercised administrative and judicial power over the population living there. Political power was "an attribute of land ownership."

2. The reward for service was land grants, as well as the right to withhold part of the taxes from the population in their favor.

3. There was no consistent distinction between the individual spheres of public administration and the court; officials combined functions. Only in the central management system has there been some demarcation of competence.

The role of senior officials gradually increased - ministries. Initially, they were the main managers of the royal household. At that time, no distinction was made between state and personal royal property; national issues were considered as personal affairs of the royal house. Due to this, the ministers actually headed public administration and the courts.

The most important ministries included:

1) Majordomo. The hereditary holders of this position abolished it after they themselves took the royal throne.

2) Palatine Count. Initially he supervised the royal servants, then he headed the palace court.

3) Marshal. Once the eldest in the royal stable, he was the head of the cavalry army.

4) Archchaplain. The king's confessor, the eldest among the palace clergy, an indispensable participant in the royal council.

Local authorities public administration. The entire territory of the country was divided into districts - "pagi". Management of the district was entrusted to the count. He had at his disposal a military detachment and a people's militia.

The districts were divided into hundreds. They were headed by centenaries in the North and vicars in the South. They obeyed the counts.

The communities (marks) of the Franks retained self-government. Larger territorial associations were created on the borders of the country - duchies . The dukes who ruled them were entrusted with the defense of the borders; otherwise, their functions coincided with those of the counts.

In the eastern (German) regions, ducal power had a slightly different character; it went back to the times of tribal leaders who became dukes of the Frankish kings.

Gradually (beginning of the 8th century) all the king's delegates, primarily dukes and counts, became large landowners. The edict of King Clothar the Second (614) was the legal basis for this process. Only the landowner of the corresponding pagi could become a count. Increasingly, positions are inherited, becoming the privilege of individual families.

At the same time, the immunity rights of individual lords are growing. A bizarre mosaic of the possessions of individual feudal lords, interconnected by relations of vassalage, is gradually replacing the previous administrative-territorial division.

1. The emergence of early feudal society and state among the Franks.

2. The evolution of government of the Franks in the Merovingian era (VI – VII centuries)

3. Characteristic features of the state system of the Frankish Empire in the Carolingian era (VIII-IX centuries).

4. The emergence of feudal Western European states on the ruins of the Frankish Empire.

ADDITIONAL READING:

1. Gurevich A.Ya. Problems of the genesis of feudalism in Western Europe. M., 1970

2. Gurevich A.Ya. Individual and society in barbarian states. Collection: Problems of the history of pre-capitalist societies. M. 1963

3. Kolesnitsky N.F. Feudal state (U1-XV centuries) M., 1967

4. Korsunsky A.R. Formation of early feudal states in Western Europe. M. 1963

5. Neusykhin A.I. Problems of European feudalism. M., 1974

Since ancient times, in that part of Europe bounded by the Rhine in the West and the Elbe (Elbe) in the East, numerous Germanic tribes lived - Teutons, Vandals, Saxons, Alemanni, etc.

This was the beginning of the Frankish state. At the end of the 5th century AD. Clovis, for political reasons, insisted on accepting the Christian faith.

The property and social differentiation among the Franks, which had emerged even before moving to their new homeland, sharply intensified during the conquest of Gaul. Each new campaign increased the wealth of the Frankish military-tribal nobility. When dividing up the spoils, she received the best lands, a significant number of colones, cattle, etc. At first, ordinary Franks also did not experience strong economic oppression. They settled in rural communities (marks) on the conquered lands. The mark was considered the owner of all the land of the community, which was divided into plots and quickly became the hereditary use of families.

The military leader (king) and his squad come to the fore, that is, an army that is no longer a people’s militia, but made up of serving people of the new nobility. The king and his entourage decide all the most important issues in the life of the country. A new “public power” is being formed with a specific system of institutions. Although in the initial period, popular assemblies and some other institutions of the former Frankish system were still preserved.

In the development of feudalism in the Frankish state, two large periods can be traced:

1. first – VI-VII centuries, known in historiography as the time of the Merovingian monarchy,

second - VIII - IX centuries. - reign of the Carolingian dynasty.

It is spreading and institution of patronage. Giving under patronage (commendation) was a widespread phenomenon. It provided:
- transfer of ownership of land to the master with its subsequent return in the form of holding;
- establishing the personal dependence of the “weak” on his patron;
- performing a number of duties.
All this led to the gradual enslavement of the Frankish peasantry.
Two categories of dependent peasantry can be distinguished:

2. villans.

Legal status servs how personally dependent people are to a certain extent inherited from slavery. The serfs were seen as simply belonging to the land. They paid a poll tax/servage/annual dues and performed corvée work. The servant could not marry without the consent of the master, be a witness in a trial or participate in a judicial duel, etc. The first to fall into the category of serfs were the colons and slaves of the south of the state.

Another group of dependent peasants were villans, who were considered personally free holders of land belonging to the feudal lord. The villans paid a quitrent (tag) less than the serfs. The capitation tax was considered an honor to the lord, and not a manifestation of personal dependence. From the 12th century, peasants began to redeem their obligation to pay a special fee for receiving land plots by inheritance.

Firstly, the mayor created a well-armed cavalry army subordinate to the head of state. Secondly, having confiscated some of the church and monastic lands, Charles Martell began to distribute it in a new way. The previous procedure for donating lands as full ownership was done away with. Instead, the lands began to be handed over to conditional lifelong holding - benefices (good deeds). The beneficiary holder was obliged to perform military service as a heavily armed cavalryman, armed at his own expense. Refusal to serve deprived the right to benefits.

The system of immunities inevitably entailed increased fragmentation and local separatism. But under Charlemagne (768 - 814), the Frankish state reached its greatest power, covering a vast territory. As a result of large aggressive approaches, it included territories that now make up Western Germany, Northern Italy, Northern Spain and a number of other lands. Moreover, Charles in 800 was crowned by the pope in Rome with the imperial crown, which emphasized his strength as the successor to the power of the Roman emperors.

The features of government of the Frankish kingdom under the Carolingians included the following features:

2. The reward for service was land grants, as well as the right to withhold part of the taxes from the population in their favor.

The role of senior officials - ministerials - gradually increased. Initially, they were the main managers of the royal household. At that time, no distinction was made between state and personal royal property; national issues were considered as personal affairs of the royal house. Due to this, the ministers actually headed public administration and the courts.

The most important ministries included:

1) Majordomo. The hereditary holders of this position abolished it after they themselves took the royal throne.

2) Palatine Count. Initially he supervised the royal servants, then he headed the palace court.

3) Marshall. Once the eldest in the royal stable, he was the head of the cavalry army.

4) Archchaplain. The king's confessor, the eldest among the palace clergy, an indispensable participant in the royal council.

Local government bodies. The entire territory of the country was divided into districts - "pagi". Management of the district was entrusted to the count. He had at his disposal a military detachment and a people's militia.

The districts were divided into hundreds. They were headed by centenaries in the North and vicars in the South. They obeyed the counts.

The communities (marks) of the Franks retained self-government. Larger territorial associations - duchies - were created on the country's borders. The dukes who ruled them were entrusted with the defense of the borders; otherwise, their functions coincided with those of the counts.

In the eastern (German) regions, ducal power had a slightly different character; it went back to the times of tribal leaders who became dukes of the Frankish kings.

Court. The highest judicial power belonged to the monarch. He carried it out jointly with representatives of the nobility. The most dangerous offenses were subject to consideration by the Royal Council.

The main judicial institution of the country, where the vast majority of cases were heard, were the “courts of the hundred.” Their form has not undergone major changes over the course of several centuries.

However, gradually judicial power was concentrated in the hands of feudal lords. Initially, the count, centenary or vicar only collected the Malberg - a collection free people hundreds who chose judges - Rakhinburgs and the chairman of the court - Tungin. All full-fledged residents of the hundred (men) had to be present at the trial.

The king's people, who at first only monitored the correctness of legal proceedings, then become chairmen of the courts. The Carolingians completed this process. Their envoys - the missions - received the right to appoint members of the court - the Skabins. The obligation of free people to attend the trial was abolished. Thus, the people's judges distanced themselves from the people themselves.

The subsequent development of feudalism led to a radical change in the entire judicial structure. The lords are expanding their rights in the field of court over the peasants living in their domains.

At the beginning of the 9th century, the Frankish state was at the zenith of its power. However, even then it carried elements of approaching collapse and decline. Created through conquest, it represented a conglomerate of nationalities with nothing more than military force not related. The local government structures were the administrations of governors and counts, who shared power with the bishops, as officially evidenced by the capitulary of Charles 1. An important role was played by the margraves, who monitored the security of the borders and order in the border counties.

Charles exercised control through the administrative and judicial apparatus of “sovereign envoys” scattered throughout the empire, who implemented royal orders. These people, consisting of one secular and one clergyman, annually traveled around the districts, which included several counties. They monitored the proper management of royal estates, the correct performance of royal rites, the activities of royal judges, and considered appeals against decisions of local courts on serious crimes. They could demand the extradition of a criminal who was located on the territory of the possession of a particular feudal lord. Disobedience of the latter threatened them with a fine. In general, this system of power testified to the weakness of the center, which did not have firm support in the localities.

Gradually the feudal lords lost their former interest in single state. In addition, the economy was of a closed natural character. did not exist and national connections, because nations had not yet been formed. This led to the separation of feudal estates, which ultimately completed the country's path from a feudal monarchy to a period of feudal fragmentation.

After Charlemagne's death in 843, the schism was legally formalized in a treaty concluded at Verdun by his grandchildren. Three kingdoms became the legal successors of the empire: West Frankish, East Frankish and middle (future France, Germany and partly Italy). The early feudal monarchy is being replaced by a new feudal state form - the seigneurial monarchy.

A state similar to the Frankish one was called early feudal. It is characterized by:

The transitional nature of the feudal monarchy, when it, expressing the interests of the feudalizing military and bureaucratic nobility, was forced to get along with ancient forms of self-government;

The gradual transformation of free communal peasants into serfs;

Transfer of land from the ownership of the rural community to the ownership of feudal lords. All this indicates that the primitive communal system gave way to feudalism.

State

feudal France

Lecture outline

1. The formation of a feudal state in France in the form of a seigneurial monarchy in conditions of political decentralization (9th-13th centuries).

2. Features of the process of formation of estates and the establishment of an estate-representative monarchy in France (XIV-XV centuries).

3. Absolute monarchy in France (XVI-XVIII centuries).

ADDITIONAL READING

1. Batyr K.I. History of the feudal state of France. M., 1975.

2. Galanza P.N. The feudal state and the law of France. M., 1963

3. Grigulevich I.R. History of the Inquisition. M., 1970.

4. Lyublinskaya A.D. French absolutism in the first third of the 15th century. M.-L., 1965.

5. Khachaturyan N.A. The emergence of the States General in France. M., 1976

6. Khachaturyan N.A. Estate monarchy in France (XIII-XV centuries) M., 1994

After the collapse of the empire of Charlemagne, the West Francian state included the lands west of the Rhine: Aquitaine, Neustria, Brittany, Gascony, Septimania, and the Spanish March. However, France (the name itself was established in the 10th century) was a single kingdom only nominally, as its territorial disintegration continued.

The process of redistribution of land property between lords was completed in the 1X-13 centuries. From now on, only relatively small plots (parcels) of the master's land were in constant use, and in some cases in the possession of peasants. The expropriation of peasant lands was accompanied by the further enslavement of the peasants themselves, turning them into feudal dependents. The forms and degrees of dependence were very diverse. Most of the peasants became serfs or villans.

They were ruinous for the peasants platitudes- the monopoly right of ownership of the lords to bread ovens, mills, etc., coupled with the obligation of the peasants to use them for a fee.

The economy was of a distinctly subsistence nature; there were no stable economic relations between the regions of the country. During the period under review, there was a slight increase urban population. Handicraft production has received some development. In an effort to curb feudal strife, judicial reform was carried out. In the royal domain, “private war” was prohibited, i.e. clarification of relations between seniors. Opponents had to go to the royal court. In the rest of the territory, the so-called 40 days of the king were introduced, during which the feudal lords could not begin military operations, so that the disputing parties could also appeal to the royal court.

To implement this decision locally, royal judges were sent to almost all regions of the country, whose importance gradually increased so much that not only lords, but also all free citizens dissatisfied with the decisions of the lord's court began to turn to them.

From the royal Curia, a judicial chamber was separated - the Parisian Parliament - consisting mainly of professional lawyers.

The financial reform of Louis 1X also contributed to the acceleration of the process of centralization of the country. In the royal domain, the royal gold coin is introduced as a unit of account. It is gradually pushing local money out of circulation. The royal treasury thus received a new source of income.