VASSALS OR FREEMEN? RETHINKING MILITARY ORGANIZATION DURING CHARLEMAGNE’S REIGN (R. 768 – 814)

• Authors: Beňa Samuel
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

In this study, the author examines the military organization of the Frankish Empire during the reign of Charlemagne (768 – 814) and his successors. The article aims to summarize the dominant military-historical perspectives on this subject. The study highlights two main paradigms through which historians have viewed the military structure of the Frankish Empire. A further objective of this study is to attempt a synthesis of both viewpoints. Drawing on methodological perspectives from military sociology and an analysis of period sources, this study demonstrates a possible symbiosis between both types of military organization. Special attention is paid to the social composition of Frankish forces, as well as the relationship between power distribution in the Frankish Empire and its impact on the mobilization and military-strategic potential of the Carolingian dynasty’s armed forces.

Keywords

EN

CHARLEMAGNE; CAROLINGIAN MILITARY ORGANIZATION; FRANKISH EMPIRE; FRANKISH VASSALS; FRANKISH FREEMEN

• Publisher: Vojenský historický ústav Bratislava
• Journal: Vojenská história
• Year: 2025
• Volume: 29
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 7 - 16

Contributors

author

Beňa Samuel

• Central European University, Quellenstraße 51, A-1100, Wien, Austria

• https://orcid.org/0009-0004-1783-9985

Identifiers

DOI

https://doi.org/10.69809/vojhist.2025.29.1.1