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Medieval Kings

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  Quote Odin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Medieval Kings
    Posted: 16-Jun-2008 at 04:45
I've always liked Alfred the Great of England. He was both a brilliant ruler and administrator who forged a unified Anglo-Saxon state and gave it institutions, such as the shire system, that were inherited and improved by the Normans and lasted until recently and were a major part of England's rise as a great power. He was also a bit of an intellectual; he encouraged literacy and the translation of classical texts into English. Alfred himself even did some of the translating, most notably he translated the philosophical work The Consolation of Philosophy by the last Roman philosopher, Boethus.
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  Quote Yugoslav Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20-Jul-2008 at 23:33
Many of those mentioned are not Kings.
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  Quote Joinville Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24-Jul-2008 at 10:50
Originally posted by kasper

When I use the word superpower, I say it in context to the High Medieval period and to the rest of Europe at the time. Even though 13th century France had many rebellious regions (as did every other medieval kingdom), it still did not greatly affect the king's influence or his ability to muster large, effective armies.

I agree with that assesment.

And adding that it was in the 13th c. that the kings of France 1) managed to get actual control over the south of modern France (not just nominal), 2) opening up the Med to the political ambitions of the kings of France.

This turned France from a small northern kingdom with regional ambitions around the Low Countries, the Rhine and the Channel, into a major player in Mediterranean politics.

So, you get a situation when French nobles, often as not vassals of the kings of France, occupy the thrones of places like Jerusalem, the Latin Empire of the East (Byzantium), and culminating with the conquest of Sicily (including half of Italy proper) by Charles of Anjou, brother of king Louis the Holy.

I'd say that's the pinnacle of French medieval power, before the HYW, when the better organised English kingdom gave it a run for its money.
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  Quote beorna Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24-Jul-2008 at 22:40
Originally posted by es_bih

He did not subdue the Saxons, Charlemagne subdued them through slaughter, and repression. He didn't defeat a real invading Islamic army either. However, he did strengthen the Frankish kingdom as its virtual ruler, and made it possible for his son Pipin to take the title of King.
It is a very difficult question, who conquered the Saxons. It is correct, that Charlemagne subdued them at least. It is not clear if they were an independent nation before that, it is even clear if they were a nation or only one nation before Charlemagne. It seems as if the saxones were part of the frankish regnum since about 531. Charles Martell, Karlmann and the Franks led campaigns against saxones in 718, 720, 722, 724, 738, 743, 744 and later under Pippin III. in 748, 753 and 758. It is not unlikely that the problems the karolingian  "Hausmeier" (maior domini) had with the saxones resulted from the opposite between the Merovingian kings and the Karolingians. In these conflict the saxones or just saxones stood at the side of the Kings. So neither Charles Martell nor Charlemagne subdued the Saxons to the Franks but the Merovingians after there victory over the Thuringians.
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  Quote Turenne Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11-Sep-2008 at 16:04
I would say that the most interesting King would be the one who, in a way, was the first renaissance type king, Louis XI of France, also knowned as the Universal Spider.  A real political genious who ended the state of feodality in France, ended the threat of England and destroyed the Burgundian power.


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  Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12-Sep-2008 at 15:18
look up your last few posts for further instructions, this type of trolling is not welcome


Edited by es_bih - 12-Sep-2008 at 15:35
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  Quote Penelope Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13-Sep-2008 at 07:59
If this was solely a "dark ages" thing, then Charles The Great would be a very huge contendor for the title of "greatest king of the dark ages".
The direct use of force is such a poor solution to any problem, it is generally employed only by small children and large nations.
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  Quote Berengina Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04-Oct-2008 at 15:52
Almost a king - John of Gaunt (Ghent) is very interesting!

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  Quote Frederick Roger Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04-Oct-2008 at 21:54
Originally posted by Berengina

Almost a king - John of Gaunt (Ghent) is very interesting!
 
A fascinating character, indeed. Love his approach to politics and unusual devotion to the women around him (apart from his second wife, obviously - she would fit under the politics part LOL).  
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  Quote Berengina Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05-Oct-2008 at 13:49
Originally posted by Frederick Roger

Originally posted by Berengina

Almost a king - John of Gaunt (Ghent) is very interesting!

 

A fascinating character, indeed. Love his approach to politics and unusual devotion to the women around him (apart from his second wife, obviously - she would fit under the politics part LOL).  


Second Wife? Do you refer to Katherine Swynford? I thought that marriage was a love match, not a political one.

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  Quote Melisende Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18-Oct-2008 at 07:17
Katherine was his mistress then third wife - his first wife was Blanche of Lancaster - then he married Constance / Constanza of Castile.  Then Katherine.
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