Power and Religion in Merovingian Gaul

This book examines the political and social effects brought about by the establishment of Columbanian monasteries in seventh-century Gaul.

This is the first thorough investigation of the activities of the Columbanian congregation and their role in the development of Western monasticism. It discusses the tremendous influence Columbanian monasteries had on the formation of the Merovingian elites and on the ways piety and power were expressed in Frankish society.This study is the first to attempt a thorough investigation of the activities of the Columbanian congregation, which played a significant role in the development of Western monasticism. This was a new form of rural monasticism, which suited the needs and aspirations of a Christian elite eager to express its power and prestige in religious terms. Contrary to earlier studies, which viewed Columbanus and his disciples primarily as religious innovators, this book focuses on the political, economic, and familial implications of monastic patronage and on the benefits elite patrons stood to reap. While founding families were in a privileged position to court royal favour, monastic patronage also exposed them to violent reprisals from competing factions. Columbanian monasteries were not serene havens of contemplation, but rather active foci of power and wealth, and quickly became integral elements of early medieval statecraft.