Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
DINBILIMLERI AKADEMIK ARASTIRMA DERGISI-JOURNAL OF ACADEMIC RESEARCH IN RELIGIOUS SCIENCES, cilt.23, sa.1, ss.129-168, 2023 (ESCI)
Europe was one of the places where Christianity was most intense during the Middle Ages of about 1000 years. The most important reason for this is that the church was the only institution that survived the collapse of the Western Roman Empire. Since there is no solid civil administration, all kinds of responsibilities are left to the clergy. The most important duty of these clergymen is, of course, to spread their religion. In the early Middle Ages, especially in the 5th century, there was a very suitable setting for this. People who found the support and help they sought in religious institutions and the clergy quickly accepted Christianity. Still, it should not be thought they threw aside their beliefs and traditions in this process. They blended Christianity with their traditions. As long as the church is not very contrary to Christianity, some pagan customs and holidays have been included in Christianity by slightly changing their form and content. Thus, it became more accessible for people to accept this religion.In the 6th century, there was now a political formation in Europe: the Franks. All Frankish leaders who came to the throne issued laws one after another to manage the people properly and prevent problems that may arise. When the laws that have survived to the present day are examined, it is seen that a significant part of the instructions in them concern the clergy. Perhaps the first reason for this is that Frankish leaders are religious, but that is not the only reason. They know that one of the ways of governing the people of the period, who washighly religious and whose priority was to prepare for the afterlife, was through the clergy. The better the life, education, and characteristics of the clergy, the better they will guide the people and set an example for people. For this reason, during the reign of Frank Emperor Charlemagne (768-814), a renewal -education campaign called the Carolingian Renaissance, whose main goal was to fill the education deficiency of the clergy, was initiated. Nevertheless, improvements in every field, including education, have been tried to be realized through laws.The fact that a king who left his mark on medieval Europe published the first law as soon as he ascended the throne and the expressions used to show that both the king was very religious. The clergy wasvital and protected in this period. Of course, many similar publications were made until the 8th century, when the capitulary was published. Utilizing them and taking some items without changing them reveals the importance of the issues and the respect for the ancestors, their activities, and their decisions.The first thing generally emphasized is the need for the bishops' permission. The capitulary provides striking examples of when it is necessary. Perhaps the most notable is that clergy can only be tried with the bishop's consent. This capitulary is also essential for legal historians because of some information, such as the punishments they received and which crime requires what punishment. In addition, it is understood that a lot is expected from the bishop or priest, the clergy, their duties, and responsibilities are very diverse, they were highlyinfluential in the administrative, civil, and religious structure of the mentioned century, and they cooperated with the civil administration on some issues.