ABSTRACT
This chapter covers the first half of Charlemagne’s reign, investigating the period in Charlemagne’s reign about which we know the least. The goal of this chapter is to use royal proclamations, letters, and legislation from this early period to show his evolving understanding of royal responsibilities and his early experimentation with interpreting divine manifestations. These documents will be contextualized within the relevant works of the king’s early advisors and teachers (specifically, Cathwulf, Peter of Pisa, and Paul the Deacon). Their writings, often made at the behest of the king, or with him as their primary audience, reveal experimentation with two critical features of prophetic rhetoric: how to know God’s will and, by extension, how to maintain divine favor thus attaining temporal success and salvation. These discussions offered the young king distinct and tangible means to interpret God’s favor or displeasure with his rule. Simultaneously, these scholars often also reinforced the public image of the king personally leading in maintaining God’s support for a successful rule. The modes of revelatory authority used by his advisors to educate or admonish the ruler transition from page into practice as Charlemagne and his advisors legitimize their responses to various crises by claiming to know and act according to God’s will toward their resolution. This early period of Charlemagne’s reign established the forms, genres, and major rhetorical modes that were elaborated upon throughout the rest of his reign, and that of his son. Further, this early experimentation moves from the page into practice as Charlemagne and his advisors confront various crises by claiming to know and act according to God’s will toward their resolution.
