According to legend, one of the ancestors of the kings of the Merovingian dynasty was the leader of the Salic Franks, Merovey, who ruled from approximately 448 to 457. It is to him that the Merovingians owe the name of their dynasty. Historians have questioned its very existence, but the Merovingians were convinced that it once existed and were proud of their descent from it.
Its origin is covered in legends. It was believed that the ruler was born from a sea monster. Sometimes Merovey himself is called a monster who emerged from the depths of the sea. The legend about his birth is as follows: while pregnant, Merovey's mother, the wife of King Clodio (Chlodion), went to swim in the sea, where she was kidnapped by a sea monster. It was believed that the blood of the Frankish king Chlodion and the sea monster flowed in Merovey's veins. This legend, when viewed rationally, points to an international dynastic marriage. The origin of the king is thus connected with something overseas. Merovingian Frankish Empire vassalage
The descendants of this dynasty possessed in the eyes of the Franks a sacred, mysterious power that brought good to the entire people. This was also indicated by one characteristic feature in the appearance of the Merovingians: they wore long hair, and cutting it meant the loss of the ability to carry out a high mission. The Franks believed that the Merovingians had sacred magical powers, which consisted in the extremely long hair of their owners. This hairstyle separated them from their subjects, who wore short haircuts, popular in the Roman era, considered a sign of the low status of a servant or slave. Cutting off hair was considered the gravest insult for a representative of the Merovingian dynasty; in practice, it meant the loss of rights to have power
The true founder of the kingdom of the Franks is the son of Childeric Clovis (about 481-511), grandson of Merovey. He pursued an active policy of conquest and significantly expanded the possessions of the Franks, becoming the founder of the Frankish kingdom. Clovis annexed the north of Gaul to his lands, having won a victory over Syagrius in 486, who declared himself “king
Around 498, Clovis was baptized and thereby received the support of the Gallo-Roman nobility and clergy. Throughout his reign, Clovis carried out numerous raids on the lands of the Visigoths, finally defeating them in 507 at the Battle of Vouille. In addition, during his reign, the Salic Truth was published, and Paris became the capital. Clovis marks the beginning of the so-called “Merovingian period” in the history of France, which lasted from the end of the 5th century to the end of the 7th century.
According to German tradition, after the death of Clovis, the kingdom was divided between his four sons: Theodoric became king of Reims, Clodomir of Orleans, Childebert of Paris and Clothar king of Soissons. The fragmentation of the kingdom did not prevent the Franks from uniting their efforts for joint action against the Burgundians, whose state was conquered after a protracted war in 520-530.
In 558, all of Gaul was united under the rule of Chlothar I, who ruled it until his death in 561. But he also had four heirs, which led to a new division of the state into three parts - Burgundy, Austrasia and Neustria
All Germanic peoples had a tradition of hereditary division of property: after the death of the king, all his male children had to receive their share, since the kingdom was considered the personal property of the previous ruler. Consequently, the kingdom was constantly fragmented, and the desire to gather as much territory as possible under its rule led to fratricidal conspiracies and wars. In the end, Fredegonda's son Clothar II (613-628) managed to unite the three kingdoms of the Franks under his rule.
He was able to achieve this thanks to the support of the local nobility and clergy, as he pledged not to interfere in their affairs, which significantly strengthened the landowning magnates, counts and bishops. After the death of Clothar II, he was succeeded by his two sons - Dagobert and Charibert. Dagobert's reign (629-639) was particularly successful, as he was able to briefly strengthen the prestige of royal power and pursue a successful policy of conquest. He managed to annex the lands of the Alemanni to his kingdom, made several campaigns in Italy, Spain and the Slavic lands of Central Europe, and even briefly captured Brittany.
Dagobert died in 639 and was buried in the Basilica of Saint-Denis, which from that moment became the main tomb of the French kings.
Despite the short-lived strengthening of royal power under Dagobert, the mayors in all three kingdoms gained more and more power. They were in charge of the income and expenses of the royal court, commanded the guards and acted as representatives of the kings before the nobility. The period of inaction of kings and the actual rule of majordomos is usually called the period of “lazy kings”. But still, the name and sacred status of the Merovingians allowed the heirs of Dagobert to remain in power for some more time.
The fall of the Merovingians dragged on for a century. After Grimon's failure, the mayors sought to use the sacred status of kings in the political struggle: after the defeat of Austrasia in the war against Neustria, the powerless Austrasian king was taken to Paris, which meant the loss of Neustria's independence. In the second half of the 7th century, the Frankish state disintegrated again, but in the first third of the 8th century it was united by Charles Martel, the powerful winner of the Battle of Poitiers. Despite his successes, Charles did not dare take the throne. For a long time, the majordomo, who took the title of viceroy instead of the throne, chose a different tactic. The throne remained vacant until the sons of Charles Martel elevated Childeric III, who had until that time been imprisoned in a monastery, to it.
Mayor Pepin the Short, son of Charles Martel, suppressed external and internal enemies, and then decided to destroy the fictitious royal power of the Merovingians. After negotiations with Pope Zechariah, Pepin was anointed and proclaimed king of the Frankish kingdom. The last Merovingian, Childeric III, was shaved and imprisoned by Pepin in a monastery in November 751.
The truth about the Merovingians, like the rest of the past of our ancestors, also did not escape the fate of complete distortion of the truth and almost complete oblivion. The Merovingians were northern Rus who came to teach the distant ancestors of Europeans - the free Franks (the word “Franks” means free) in the art of war, government of the country, politics and science, the Vedic worldview (so they went to all other countries, being born for learning and good other living people). The Rus taught not only future Europeans. They transmitted the light of knowledge to all peoples who, by the will of fate, found themselves on our planet and survived after the world war and planetary catastrophe about 13,000 years ago. They tried to help them rise to a new, higher level of evolutionary development, and shared the knowledge that these peoples were able to assimilate. And they were called correctly - Meravingley, which means we-Ra-in-England; we, the children of Ra, bringing Light in our native Pristine England. But, of course, then this word, like many other things, “ simplified"... and it began to sound like "Merovingians". Thus a new “history” was created, which said that the name Merovingians came from the name of the Frankish king - Merovia. Although to King Merovius this name had nothing to do with it. Moreover, King Merovius was already thirteenth according to the Merovingian kings. And it would be more logical to name the entire dynasty after first of the reigning kings, and not the thirteenth?!
The Meravingli were a bright, intelligent and gifted dynasty of northern Rus, who voluntarily left their great homeland and mixed their blood with the highest dynasties of the then Europe, so that from this a new powerful Family of magicians and warriors would be born, who could wisely rule the countries and peoples that inhabited that time time for semi-wild Europe. They were wonderful magicians and warriors, they could heal the suffering and teach the worthy.
All Meravingli, without exception, had very long hair, which under no circumstances agreed to cut hair, because they drew Living Power through them. But, unfortunately, this was also known to the Thinking Dark Ones - this is the Dark Circle, which includes “gray” Magi, “black” magicians, money geniuses - their own for each new period of time - and much more like that. In simple terms, this is a unification of “dark” forces, both on Earth and in the Universes. That is why the most terrible punishment was the forced tonsure of the last Meravingl royal family.
After the betrayal of the royal Jewish treasurer, who with lies and cunning set brother against brother, son against father in this family, and then easily played on human pride and honor... So for the first time in the royal family of Meravingley, the former stronghold was shaken. And the unshakable faith in the unity of the Family gave the first deep crack...
The centuries-old war of the Meravingleys with the opposing clan began to come to its sad end... The last real king of this wonderful dynasty - Dagobert II (life: 650-679 AD, reign: 675-679 AD), turned out to be again, treacherously killed on December 23, 679 - he died while hunting at the hands of a bribed killer who hit him in the back poisoned spear.
In such a vile way, the most gifted dynasty in Europe, which brought light and strength to the unenlightened European people, was exterminated.
The Meravingli brought Vedic signs and symbols with them to Europe, such as the trefoil - the battle sign of the Slavic-Aryans.
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Part 1. Historical era and cultural and political context
Europe of the Merovingian era was an amazing and unique phenomenon. On the fragments of the ancient world and ancient pagan culture, the foundation of a new European civilization was laid, and a mysterious transition from antiquity to the Middle Ages took place. It's hard not to make a pun using the word "transition" - when studying historical materials relating to that era, one gets the impression that both Europe and Asia were in incredible flux. Peoples were constantly moving from place to place (including, one cannot fail to mention the Great Migration of Peoples, which begins around the 3rd century AD and ends (also approximately) by the 10th century AD), powerful powers left the political arena, often yielding place for “nomadic empires,” and the main driving force of the era was the fighting squads and their heroic leaders. A fantastic mixture of traditions and styles touched all aspects of every person’s life. The luxury of Rome, and subsequently Byzantium, seemed dazzling to the ancient barbarian tribes. Once upon a time, the Turkic Kagan wrote to Emperor Justinian: “Your empire has everything, including, it seems, even the impossible.”
The crisis of the vast Roman Empire, and with it the late ancient civilization, had been brewing for a long time. By the end of the 2nd century, the borders of the empire reached their maximum, Rome had a huge number of provinces and federates, clients and allies. Although it seems incredible, yesterday’s barbarians are firmly part of the state system of Rome. Around the 3rd century, the Great Migration of Peoples began, and, at the same time, the state crisis of the Roman Empire itself. In the 4th century, Rome ceased to dominate - the capital was moved to Constantinople, and a new state religion was adopted - Christianity. Real power is gradually moving from West to East, from Rome to Byzantium. By the fateful fifth century, in the Roman army, which was one of the most important pillars of the empire, not a single ethnic Roman remained; young men from among the federates were recruited into the troops, who, however, still consider Rome their homeland. The Roman army environment was a fantastic mixture of peoples and cultures - Goths, Huns, Gepids, Alans, Moors, Persians, Franks, Rugs, Vandals, Slavs, Lombards, Armenians. The language of communication for all these people was Latin. It was in the era of mixing of late antique and barbarian culture that not only the foundation of the territorial, political, cultural and military structure of the early barbarian kingdoms that arose on the ruins of the Great Roman Empire - the powers of the Merovingian era - was laid, but also the huge cultural and political base of European civilization. A militarized society with a special culture will remain so for centuries, and will lay the foundation for medieval knightly states and cultural traditions.
End The 5th century was marked by a catastrophe - the collapse of the Western Roman Empire on August 23, 476. And from the 6th century, Byzantium became the main political force in Europe, the stronghold of Christianity, the keeper of high cultural traditions and the trendsetter.
Traditionally, the Merovingian era begins at the end of the 5th century and ends in the middle of the 8th century, during the reign of the ancient royal dynasty of the Franks. This dynasty had a number of features that were remembered by many generations.
Firstly, royal power was transferred only to long-haired heirs. Losing hair led to losing the throne. Secondly, none of the king’s children should have been left without an inheritance, which led to the constant fragmentation of the lands. The situation was aggravated by the polygamy of kings. Is it possible that the original pagan tradition implied some kind of ritual duel in which the strongest had to survive? One way or another, all the Merovingians were constantly at enmity with each other, and the confrontation between the two queens of their clan - Fredegonda and Brunhilda - is included in the epic as the enmity of Brunhilda and Kriemhilda. Thirdly, there is the legendary origin of the royal family and the many legends associated with these kings. In 451, the famous Battle of the Catalaunian Fields takes place, the symbol of the trophies of which becomes the famous treasure of the Goths, a golden dish of unimaginable value (and it is quite possible that this particular dish will end up in the code of legends about the Holy Grail as a symbol of the Earth). Prosper of Tiron in his Chronicle (14th century) reports that at that time “the Franks had no kings, they were content with leaders.” The Franks (and, possibly, the ancestor of the first royal dynasty - Merovey) take part in this battle. There is a curious legend about the birth of the legendary Merovey, after whom the Frankish kings began to be called “Merovingians,” recorded in the “Chronicle of Fredegar”: “...At noon ( those. king, husband of Merovei's mother - approx. author) the wife was possessed by Neptune's beast, similar to a quinotaur. Subsequently, having become pregnant either from an animal or from a man, she gave birth to a son named Merovey, and after him the Frankish kings then began to be called “Merovingians” ... ".
There is another popular version of the origin of the Merovingian family. This version says that the kings come from the line of Christ and Magdalene. Both versions seem to me to be somewhat artificial. The “Beast of Neptune” and his paternity of the Merovingian dynasty remind me of another legend, much more ancient - this is the legend of the royal heir Theseus, whose divine father was Poseidon (Neptune), and whose earthly father was Aegeus. Regarding the second version, I can say that the “Gospel of Magdalene” does not contain any mention of this marriage; on the contrary, Christ everywhere addresses her as “sister,” and utters the phrase “I have left nothing in the hands of the evil one,” which would hardly have been heard if he had a wife and children left in this world. Convincing evidence of the origin of the Merovingians from Christ has not yet been provided, although very interesting versions appeared in the novel by M. Bagent, R. Ley and H. Lincoln “The Holy Blood, the Holy Grail” and the book by L. Gardener “The Realms of the Lords of the Rings”. However, referring to the ancient customs of matriarchy, divine succession and other, no less interesting traditions, one cannot fail to mention that the ancient Copts had a mystical teaching about the female trinity (Virgin-Nymph and Mother-Elder), a three-faced goddess who incarnated as Mary Magdalene - Mary the Mother of God - Mary of Cleopas (sometimes, since the feminine number of the Goddess is also “5”, like the five states of a person, Veronica and Salome are included here). Magdalene can only automatically be a Maiden, perhaps she is the first Maiden of the Grail. And the behavior of the Merovingian dynasty, in which relatives lead a dissolute lifestyle, violating all the commandments and constantly, with amazing deceit, killing each other, does not fit with the precepts of the meek Christ, who preached love and truth to the world! For some reason, many historians turn a blind eye to these facts, simply removing them from their narrative. As well as the fact that the first Merovingians considered themselves vassals of the Roman Empire and borrowed ideas from the Byzantine court. It is quite possible that the kings of the Franks were traditionally considered the children of the gods and the heirs of the ancient right of the king, therefore adherents of the theory of the origin of the Merovingians from Christ simply transferred ancient pagan traditions to the cultural soil of a new religious teaching. In addition, Arianism, which denied the divine origin of Jesus Christ, was very widespread in Europe at that time.
Childeric becomes one of the most famous Merovingians, in whose grave a massive gold ring with a portrait image was found. It is difficult to judge the similarity, but two details are striking - long curly hair, and weapons similar to ancient examples. Clovis the Merovingian is considered the founder of the Frankish state. Under Clovis I, the lands that would later become part of France officially adopted Christianity. Also known is the “good king” Dagobert I (629-638), whose reign is considered the golden age of the Franks and who is canonized. This is what the Merovingian tried to get the legendary Treasure of the Goths - a golden dish. The biography of Dagobert II (b. 651 - d. 679), from birth to death, is similar to the famous medieval legends, beautiful and terrible. It is believed that it was with his death that the eldest and main branch of the Merovingian family came to an end, and then the heirs of the younger family, the “lazy kings,” ruled. Nominally, Merovingian rule lasts until 752, the time when Childeric III is dethroned by Pepin the Short, the founder of the Carolingian dynasty. The fate of the last Merovingian is sad - he is imprisoned, his head is shaved bald. Four years later he dies.
I can’t resist a little lyrical digression. It is impossible not to mention that the legendary Arthur, King of Britain, lives in the same era, in whose legends the legend of the Holy Grail also falls. Some researchers associate Arthur with the Merovingians. By the way, after the fall of Rome, Arthur could nominally claim the title of emperor if, according to the hypothesis of John Rhys, he had the position of Comes Britanniae. However, Arthur's story begins later than the fall of Rome, and the last Roman legion was withdrawn from Britain in 408, leaving pre-Arthurian Britain completely drained and undefended. And in order to participate in the Battle of Badon in 536, Arthur must be born at least at the end of the 5th century! Additionally, I have found no mention of hair length having any significance to Arthur, or that the Merovingian dynasty ruled Britain. However, some motives for the appearance of the “true king” can still be traced in the legends of the Round Table, especially in the Grail cycle.
The same motif appears in Tolkien, in whose books one can find many concepts that are present in both ancient and medieval chronicles. This is the royal place of Ireland, Lo-Rien, and Mordor, the land of the ancient Picts, and the revived forest (how often it appears in legends about dynastic feuds!), and the conflict of kings and majordoms (though in Tolkien, Aragorn (the conventional “Merovingian”) triumphs ), and Avalon, and even the iris valley, in which Isildur dies (according to my recent theory, one of the “rulers with a star on his forehead”), but Clovis Meroving (who, based on the theory of the authors of “The Sacred Blood...”, can be called “The King-from-behind-the-Sea”, which again makes me think of Tolkien).
Sources:
“Chronicles of Long-Haired Kings”, compiler and translator - N. Gorelov.
“The Age of the Merovingians - Europe without Borders” exhibition and booklet of the Pushkin Museum. Pushkin
“Treasures of the Ecumene. The Great Migration,” edited by A. Zhuravlev
Own smart thoughts J
At the end of the 6th - beginning of the 7th century. in the Merovingian kingdom, after the short-term unification of the state by Chlothar I in 558-561, a long period of wars began between his heirs. The winner, however, was the Frankish nobility. In October 614, the nobility, in addition to the Aquintanian one, gathered in Paris for a national meeting and invited Clothar to it. On October 18, 614, the king issued an edict in which he made significant concessions to the secular and spiritual aristocracy.
All land grants made by previous kings were confirmed. All “unjust” taxes, from the point of view of the nobility, were destroyed. On the contrary, the existing duties were approved. The freedom of episcopal elections and the jurisdiction of clergy in their courts, as well as the patronage of the church over freedmen, were declared. Counts were appointed only from among local property owners. The property of those who die without a will is inherited by relatives, and not by the treasury; wills in favor of the church become legal.
The Roman heritage was mastered and internally transformed. Early feudalism arose on the ruins of late antique and early Merovingian societies. Its striking external, political manifestation was the struggle for the position of mayor. In the course of long civil strife, regional communities of nobility are formed, led by their most powerful magnates-majors.
Thus, in Austrasia, Major Pepin and Bishop Arnulf of Metz became advisers to the young regional king Dagobert. Their children Anzegisel and Begga, by marriage, gave rise to the Arnulfing/Pipinid dynasty (the future Carolingians). The Merovingians found themselves after 639 under the control of their majordomos, receiving the nickname “lazy kings” from their later contemporaries.
From now on, it is not the kings, but the mayors, who are waging fierce wars for power among themselves. Second half of the 7th - beginning of the 8th century. passed under the sign of endless wars, intrigues, coups, executions of mayors and magnates, overthrow of “lazy kings”.
In 687, Pepin II of Geristal from Austrasia managed to defeat the Neustrian troops and become the sole mayor of the entire kingdom (687-714). With it, the mayordomat finally becomes hereditary.
Shortly before his death, a power crisis broke out again in the kingdom, which ultimately ended with Pepin's son Charles Martel (the Hammer) (c. 688 - 741) becoming the sole majordomo. Charles pacified the trans-Rhine part of Austrasia, destroyed the duchy of the Central Rhine Franks of Franconia around 716 (Thuringia lost its ducal status back in 700), splitting it into smaller counties, and even managed to conquer the renegade Aquitaine. In 743, the last king of the Merovingian dynasty, Chilperic III, was enthroned, who ruled until the change of dynasties at the end of 751.
B VI-VII centuries. the only centers of education were episcopal and monastic schools. Religious literature and works of ancient authors (mainly Virgil’s Aeneid) were copied in monastic scriptoria (workshops for handwritten books).
In almost every workshop there were local differences in writing and in the decoration of manuscripts (colored headpieces, initials and np.).Brief records of events (annals) were also kept mainly in monasteries. At the same time, in the 6th century.
The ancient historiographical tradition has not yet completely disappeared. Bishop Gregory of Tours compiled the “History of the Franks,” which contains a brief world chronicle and history of Gaul. Gregory of Tours describes in particular detail the events of 573-591. This work was written not in literary Latin, but in a language that was close to colloquial (vulgar) Latin.
B VI century Among the Franks, ancient epic legends and songs in honor of leaders in the Frankish dialect were widespread (they were partially used by Gregory of Tours), as well as hagiography, i.e. lives of the saints.
The architecture of the Merovingian period largely repeated the techniques of ancient stone architecture. The villas of magnates and bishops were built on the model of surviving Roman villas, the churches - on the model of early Christian basilicas. Churches were decorated with marble Columns from destroyed ancient buildings, wall paintings and mosaics.
Monuments of wooden architecture brought by the Germans have not survived.
THE CAROLINGIAN AGE
The Frankish state at the end of the 7th - beginning of the 7th centuries. presented a picture of complete fragmentation. Despite the victory of Pepin of Geristal at the Battle of Tretry, the magnates of Neustria and Burgundy continued to feel quite independent from the central government. She completely separated and did not recognize the authority of the Austrasian Duke of Aquitaine. The Trans-Rhine tribes - the Alemanni, Frisians, Saxons and Bavarians - also fell away. A serious Arab danger emerged in the southwest, which grew into a direct threat of Arab conquest of the entire Frankish state.
The son of Pepin of Geristhal, Charles Martell (“Hammer”), who became the mayor of the Frankish state in 715 and ruled until 741, made a series of campaigns across the Rhine, into Thuringia and Alemannia. Charles Martell subjugated both of these regions, which became independent under the “lazy” Merovingian kings. He forced the Saxons and Bavarians to pay him tribute again and annexed Frisia, or Friesland (the country of the Frisian tribe), to the Frankish state.
At the beginning of the 8th century. Arabs entered southern Gaul from the Iberian Peninsula. Their goal was to separate Southern Gaul from the Frankish state. The Arab light cavalry advanced very quickly along the old Roman road, which led from the south to Poitiers, Tours, Orleans and Paris. Charles Martell hastily assembled military detachments to repel the Arabs. The Arabs had already captured Southern Gaul, the Rhone Valley and were approaching Laura. Near Poitiers, they were stopped by a militia of Franks and other Germanic tribes assembled by Charles Martel. In the seven-day battle, the German warriors withstood the onslaught of the Arab cavalry and could hardly believe victory when it turned out that the Arabs had abandoned the camp and fled. Although the Arabs still had several fortified places in Gaul, the movement of Islam to the west after this battle (732) stopped.
Five years later, the Arabs again attempted to capture southern Gaul, but Charles Martell defeated them a second time.
The fight against the Arabs caused major changes in the military structure of the Franks. The old German army was mainly on foot. To repel Arab attacks it was necessary to create cavalry. Charles Martell increased the number of his warriors and demanded that they serve on horseback or bring several horsemen. A mounted warrior, well armed, capable of making long journeys on horseback, became the main force of the new Frankish army.
With the reform of Charles Martel, peasants were almost excluded from military service. Large landowners and the most prosperous free Franks served as the basis for the formation of a new professional cavalry army.
Charles Martel pursued a special land policy. Needing well-armed and financially secure warriors, he widely practiced the distribution of lands from the state fund (replenished as a result of conquests and confiscations of the lands of the rebellious nobility) into military benefices. Not limiting himself to state lands, Charles Martel partially used church lands for this purpose. He confiscated the estates of those bishops and abbots of monasteries who took part in the uprisings against him. There were many of these in Neustria and Aquitaine. The lands confiscated from the clergy were turned into benefices. In the history of Western Europe, this was the first major secularization, i.e. transfer of church property into secular hands.
Charles Martel overthrew all the bishops he disliked. He did not fill the vacated episcopal seats for a long time, appropriated income, and distributed property. Episcopal rank was often received by people who did not have church degrees, who did not even know how to read, and who spent their lives hunting and feasting. At the same time, they had to appear to the king in a timely manner with a military retinue. The clergy responded to this policy with open hostility. A legend spread that holy people saw Charles Martel in the next world in great torment, and when they dug up his grave, they found a snake instead of his body.
Pepin the Short, who began the new Carolingian dynasty on the throne of the Frankish kings, was the son of Charles Martel. He received his nickname for his short stature. At first, Pepin the Short also bore the title of majordomo. The Merovingian kings continued to follow one another in the usual manner, without taking any part in governing the state. Pepin considered it possible to overthrow the dynasty that had lost power.
Under Pepin, the Arabs were finally expelled from Gaul.
Pepin sought support in the church. He carried out the Christianization of Germanic tribes in the Trans-Rhine regions, where the cult of Wodan, the god of war and victory, was strong. As the divine ideal of the leader of the squad, Wodan embodied military valor, intelligence, the ability to conjure, eloquence and generosity. Only those who fell in battle fell into his heavenly palaces (Valhall). Someone who died a natural death could not claim to stay in Valgala, participate in luxurious feasts and constant battles there; his lot
was to endure need in the underworld (Gel),
In some places there were also human sacrifices. Many Germans who converted to Christianity, although they recognized the primacy of God over their other gods, secretly continued to pray to them and made sacrifices. Some priests themselves performed sacrifices, ate sacrificial animal meat, and then performed Christian rituals. Others wrote texts from the Bible on letters and hung them on skins around their necks as an amulet against the evil eye or illness. New preachers tried to eradicate these customs and improve morals: they wanted to strengthen the family, prevent the easy dissolution of marriages, and instill in the people the concept of purity of life, as they understood it.
Monasteries brought people together to work. Monks, novices and peasants under their protection cut down the forest for arable land and raised the still untouched lands. The monasteries, similar to large estates with extensive services, barns, and mills, united settlers around them.
The Pope of Rome appointed Boniface archbishop of the Franks. On behalf of the pope, Boniface took part in large Frankish synods, which attracted bishops and secular nobles. He preached a stricter lifestyle for the clergy, prohibiting clerics from carrying weapons, feasts, hunting and battles.
In Hesse, Boniface himself cut down the sacred oak of the god Wodan to demonstrate the powerlessness of the pagan gods.
Priests and monasteries had to submit to the authority of bishops, the authority of archbishops was established over bishops, archbishops were subordinate to the pope, who confirmed them in office by sending them a pallium - a white woolen ribbon with black crosses. It was also decided to return to the church the property confiscated under Charles Martel. But this was done only partially, because the military could not take away the plots that they received as a reward.