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The Role Of State And Government In The Middle Ages

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In order to successfully assess the systems of state and government in the Middle Ages, it is important to first ascertain what is meant by both the word ‘state’ and ‘government’, and in what context can they be applied to the structure of society in the Middle Ages. By modern definition a state is a type of polity that is an organised political community living under a single system of government, where a government is given by the definition of; the group of people with the authority to govern a country or state. Both the terms state and government are often used as synonyms with both words referring to an organised political group that exercises authority over a particular territory. Human societies have been governed by states for millennia, …show more content…

The progression of the new Carolingian empire required innovative ways of government and administration. The history of the rise of the Carolingians is consequently the history of the development of new European identities, fundamentally innovative modes of government, and creative forms of royal legitimation . The Carolingians used a blend of Late Roman military organisation along with the incremental changes that occurred between the fifth and eighth centuries. Because of the defensive strategy the Romans had instigated during the Late Empire, the population had become militarised and were thus available for military use. The existence of the remaining Roman infrastructure that could be used for military purposes, such as roads and fortified cities meant that the rehabilitated strategies of the Late Romans would still be pertinent. This is important to the development of medieval history because without such a military organisation and without an ostentatious strategy, the Carolingians would not have successfully become kings of the Franks and the revival of the Roman Empire in the West is likely to have not occurred. By around 1000, the political map of Christian Europe was much as it would be for the rest of the Middle Ages. The leading state was the Holy Roman Empire which had been restored by the Carolingians. But the centralisation of the Carolingian state was not long a source of political stability in Western Europe in the early Middle Ages. In areas where the Carolingian Empire had little influence, and at times in the regions which were controlled by Carolingian rulers, individual safety and security were the key concerns for most members of society . In conditions that branded strong central government impossible, individual security was

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