Search

This paper looks at evidence from ecclesiastical institutions situated in the Southern Low Countries to argue that, during the final decades of the eleventh century, ecclesiastical discourse in conflicts with their enemies of the middle and lower groups of the secular elite shifted from a "culpabilizing" to a "penitential" one. While the effects of this shift are difficult to assess, the authors argue that there are indications that it may have been helpful in at least two respects. On the one hand, it allowed religious institutions to create new amicitiae with individuals and communities who had previously been refused such privileged relations. On the other, the instrumentalization of a penitential discourse in contemporary politics provided opportunities for lay people to demonstrate their ability to participate in the peaceful management of society. This in turn allowed the established ecclesiastical and lay elites to adapt themselves to the rapidly changing political, social, and economic realities of their time.

Outils Cardini, Franco, « Guerre et croisade », dans Dictionnaire raisonne de l’Occident medieval, dir. Jacques Le Goff, Jean-Claude Schmitt, Paris, Fayard, 1999, p. 435‑449. Gauvard, Claude, « Justice et paix », dans Dictionnaire raisonne de l’Occident medieval, op. cit., p. 587‑594. Solere, Jean-Luc, « Paix », dans Dictionnaire du Moyen Âge, dir. Claude Gauvard, Alain De Libera, Michel Zink, Paris, Presses Universitaires de France, 2002, p. 1034‑1035. Ouvrages generaux sur la paix Ebner, He...

International audience

The ecclesial enclosure of La Digne d’Aval (Aude) : new archaeological data (XIth-XIXth centuries). Undoubtedly appearing at the end of the Xth century or beginning of the XIth century, the village of ecclesial origin of la Digne d’Aval is located in the Cougain valley, in the south-east part of the Bas-Razès (Aude). Fortified at the end of the XIIth century, and even may be since the previous century, this little enclosure of 34 m of diameter has been almost totally maintained up to now. After preventive excavations carried on in 2009 over a tiny surface near the north wall of the Saint-Jacques church, several settlement phases from between the XIth century and the contemporaneous era have been identified. They are mainly characterised by vestiges of silos, ground and recharge levels, and a “ calade” or paved way of the modern era. In total, almost 1200 items have been gathered, among which a great part are Middle Ages ceramics (XIth-XIIth centuries). The interest of these observations rests on the fact that the most ancient structures may be put in relationship with the ensagrerament process during the Romanesque era, this is the attractive power of the church and its Peace circle over the storing and/ or habitat units, and particularly over the pits for cereals storage. In addition, it is probable that the ecclesial enclosure of La Digne d’Aval, still active during the Middle Ages, had naturally known at that time the function of reduced area or village fort, by perpetuating on site the original functions of storing area and refuge., Sans doute apparu à la fin du Xe ou au début du XIe siècle, le village d’origine ecclésiale de la Digne d’Aval se trouve dans la vallée du Cougain, dans la partie sud-est du Bas-Razès (Aude). Fortifié à la fin du XIIe siècle, et peut-être même dès le siècle précédent, ce petit enclos de 34 m de diamètre a été presque intégralement conservé jusqu’à nos jours. Suite à une fouille préventive réalisée en 2009 sur une surface exiguë près du mur nord de l’église Saint-Jacques, plusieurs phases d’occupation comprises entre le XIe siècle et l’époque contemporaine ont été identifiées. Elles sont principalement caractérisées par des vestiges de silos, des niveaux de sol et de recharge, et une calade d’époque moderne. Au total, près de 1200 objets ont été recueillis, dont une grande majorité de céramiques médiévales (XIe-XIIe siècles). L’intérêt de ces observations réside dans le fait que les structures les plus anciennes peuvent être mises en relation avec le processus d’ensagrerament pendant l’époque romane, c’est-à-dire avec le pouvoir attractif de l’église et de son cercle de Paix sur des unités de stockage et/ ou d’habitat, et notamment sur les fosses destinées à la conservation des céréales. Par ailleurs, il apparaît probable que l’enclos ecclésial de La Digne d’Aval, toujours actif au bas Moyen Âge, ait tout naturellement connu à cette époque un fonctionnement de réduit ou de fort villageois, en pérennisant sur place les fonctions d’entrepôt et de refuge originelles., El cercado eclesial de La Digne d’Aval (Aude) : nuevos datos arqueológicos (siglos XI-XIX). Apareciendo sin duda a finales del siglo X o a principios del siglo XI, la aldea de origen eclesial de la Digne d’Aval se ubica en el valle del Cougain, en la parte sureste del Bas-Razès (Aude). Fortificado a finales del siglo XII, e incluso a lo mejor desde el siglo anterior, este pequeño cercado de 34 m de diámetro ha sido casi completamente conservado hasta hoy. Tras excavaciones preventivas efectuadas en el 2009 sobre una superficie estrecha cerca de la pared norte de la iglesia Saint-Jacques, varias fases de ocupación comprendidas entre el siglo XI y la época contemporánea han sido identificadas. Se caracterizan principalmente por vestigios de silos, niveles de suelo y de recarga, y una “ calade” o calle de adoquines de la época moderna. En total, cerca de 1200 objetos han sido recogidos, entre los cuales una gran cantidad de cerámicas medievales (siglos XI-XII). El interés de estas observaciones reside en el hecho que las estructuras más antiguas pueden estar puestas en relación con el proceso de ensagrerament durante la época románica, es decir el poder atractivo de la iglesia y de su círculo de Paz sobre las unidades de almacenamiento y/ o de hábitat, y en particular sobre las fosas destinadas a la conservación de las cereales. Por otra parte, aparece como probable que el cercado eclesial de La Digne d’Aval, siempre activo en la baja Edad Media, haya naturalmente conocido en aquella época un funcionamiento de habitáculo o de fortín de aldea, al perennizar en el mismo sitio las funciones de almacén y de refugio originales., Loppe Frédéric, Baudreu Dominique, Lespes Carole. L’enclos ecclésial de La Digne d’Aval (Aude) : nouvelles données archéologiques (XIe-XIXe siècles). In: Archéologie du Midi médiéval. Tome 29, 2011. pp. 95-122.

Both studies deal with the special protection for certain persons and goods under the Peace of God during the 11th and 12th centuries. The first one deals with the "peace circles" (sacraria) that can be found in South France and Catalogne. The second study deals with the violence against clerks (bishops in particular), and the role in this context of the Peace of God. Los dos trabajos tratan de la protección especial de ciertas personas y de bienes en base de la Paz de Dios durante los siglos XI y XII. En el primer análisis nos dedicamos a los círculos de paz (sacraria) que nos encontramos en el Sur de Francia y en Cataluña. El segundo estudio trata de la violencia contra los clérigos, en particular los obispos, y el papel de la Paz de Dios en este contexto.

The attitude of the medieval church towards violence before the First Crusade in 1095 underwent a significant institutional evolution, from the peaceful tradition of the New Testament and the Roman persecution, through the prelate-led military campaigns of the Carolingian period and the Peace of God era. It would be superficially easy to characterize this transformation as the pragmatic and entirely secular response of a growing power to the changing world. However, such a simplification does not fully do justice to the underlying theology. While church leaders from the 5th Century to the 11th had vastly different motivations and circumstances under which to develop their responses to a variety of violent activities, the teachings of Augustine of Hippo provided a unifying theme. Augustine’s just war theology, in establishing which conflicts are acceptable in the eyes of God, focused on determining whether a proper causa belli or basis for war exists, and then whether a legitimate authority declares and leads the war. Augustine masterfully integrated aspects of the Old and New Testaments to create a lasting and compelling case for his definition of justified violence. Although at different times and places his theology has been used to support a variety of different attitudes, the profound influence of his work on the medieval church’s evolving position on violence is clear.