ABSTRACT
During the early medieval period, the church bettered its secular opponents, extracting resources from the social surplus at a phenomenal rate. To be sure a powerful ruler like Charlemagne maintained an opulent court, albeit one dedicated to Christian worship. Still under his guidance and the wisdom of his successors, resources were found permitting the court to acquire ancient Greek and Latin texts, scribes being employed in the task of transferring their contents to durable vellum (instead of papyrus). 1 As well, fielding armies was a costly business. Charlemagne induced Pope Leo III to crown him Holy Roman Emperor on Christmas day, 800, because he had led troops over the Alps, defeating Lombard troops threatening the territorial claims of the papacy. 2 The pope was prepared to market titles, to confer legitimacy of secular rulers, provided a material quid-pro-quo was in the offing.
