Charlemagne Capitulary for Saxony 775-790 Free Essay Example, 1000 words

This sent a strong message to the uncivilized Saxons that he was clearly supportive of the vast domain of the early Church, which also meant he had more wide spread support than just his kingdom. However, lines 11-14 establish civil laws that provide security for the upper class in that rape and murder were to also be punished by death; with the exception of the perpetrator revealing his crime to the Church and receiving punishment. At that time in history, punishment for crimes usually involved long prison sentences as well as public humiliation and financial remuneration. Most prisoners didn’t live through their sentences; those that did were helpless and often physically and mentally ill. For sure, no one in his right mind would admit a crime to the Church to be subjected to such punishment. Often people wanting to create problems for each other perjured information leading to the arrest and prosecution of those they had a vendetta against. This document more than likely s erved as a charter of sorts for these newly established dioceses. We will write a custom essay sample on Charlemagne: Capitulary for Saxony 775-790 or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/page While it is not certain that Charlemagne was so much a devout Christian, he was a civilized man who understood that the only way to keep the Saxons subdued and civilized was through the guise of the Church. This document was his way to stabilize the region and prevent regression to the former unrest that created many problems for early Europe as well as the early Church; it was a safeguard for his empire. He was later credited with being the father of Europe. (Sacher, 1912) Lines 15-18 revert back to support for the Church, mandating that each parish provide a home, land, and financial support for their overseers; the Church. He had ready made managers to ensure the stability of his empire without having to divide his forces that were being used for expansion purposes in other battles. Lines 4 and 6, in addition to putting a stop to pagan practices, it also put a stop to cannibalism which was widespread in the early Saxon culture.