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ISSN 1689- 9601
Rafał Marek
From Roman Immunitas to Merovingian Emunitas - Remarks on
the Evolution of Roman Fiscal Concepts in the Germanic
Realms.
Streszczenie
Kodeks Teodozjański zawierał liczne prawa mające na celu zapewnienie uprzywilejowanego
statusu Kościoła i kleru. Prawa owe były elementem szerszej polityki skierowanej na umocnienie
chrześcijańskiego imperium rzymskiego. Zwolnienia fiskalne grały tu znaczną rolę. Po upadku
Zachodniego Cesarstwa, regna barbaro-rzymskie zachowały rzymskie dziedzictwo prawne i
koncepcje prawodawcy oraz właściwego modelu relacji władzy monarszej i duchowieństwa.
Utrzymano też w dużej mierze rzymskie rozwiązania skarbowe. Rozwijały się tez nowe idee i
instytucje ustrojowe. Immunitety skarbowe Merowingów są tu dobrym przykładem. Królowie z
tej dynastii starali sie naśladować wzorce cesarskiej polityki wobec duchownych. Jednak
zmienione okoliczności polityczne i gospodarcze sprawiały, że rzymskie instytucje
przekształcały się w więzi feudalne.
Słowa kluczowe: Prawo rzymskie, historia prawa średniowiecznego, immunitet, prawo
frankijskie, historia średniowiecza, imperium rzymskie.
(^) PhD candidate, Chair of General History of Law and State, Jagiellonian University, Cracow.
1). Roman legal heritage a). Introduction When the end of the old order had come and the new Earth was being born in pain - with those words begins a hymn in honour of Saint Benedict of Nursia^1. The epoch of saints like Benedict was a time of destruction and decay, but it was also the time of innovation and evolution. In this paper, I would like to focus on one aspect of this process, namely on the changes and accommodations of Roman ecclesiastical privileges in fiscal matters as they oc- curred in the Germanic states of Latin Europe. The new realms, established on the remains of Roman social structure, had to keep in- ternal coherence and efficient mechanisms of power in the profoundly changed social and economic circumstances. They utilized a number of Roman political and cultural ideas and notions. Still those had to be accommodated, also in the fiscal sphere, to the conditions of the predominantly rural economy and "feudal" mentality of the ruling elite, especially in the Mer- ovingian domains. No matter how different from late Roman aristocracy, the new elite was Christian almost from the beginning and included prominent churchmen. In the epoch under discussion the Universal Church, which was one of the few institutions which did not cease to continue their existence. In spite of the fall of imperial rule in the West, it functioned as a union of numerous local communities under bishops' power and with the recognition of papal primacy and the communion of faith^2. In Roman times, the city church with a bishop as its head was the basic (^1) Liturgia Horarum, (Liturgia Godzin, Poznań 1996) feast of Saint Benedict of Nursia, Patron of Europe (11th of July), Hymn for the Officium Lectionis, the first two verses. (^2) See examples of use in the texts and understanding of the word ecclesia collected by H. Leclercq s.v. Eglise,Dic- tionnaire de`Archelologie Chretienne et de Liturgie , Paris, 1907-1953, (hereafter DACL) IV.2, cols. 2220-2238. The catholicity of the Church found its expression in the Roman Canon of the Mass, which is of a very early origin (3rd century?; see e.g. B.Nadolski, s.v. Kanon Rzymski , s.v. Te Igitur [in:] Leksykon Liturgii , Poznań 2006), in the words pro Ecclesia tua Sancta Catholica, quam adunare, pacificare et custodire digneris toto orbe terrarum (…); also the Mozarabic liturgy has similar wording: Ecclesia toto orbe in pace diffusa; per universum orbem in tua pace diffusa ; commemoration of the Pope of Rome is confirmed in the 5th century Milan, in 529 it was recommended by the Council of Vaison, (B. Nadolski, loc.cit ). See also from the newer works e.g. C. Hovorun, Evolution of church governance: from the diaspora-model to pentarchy , IURA ORIENTALIA IX
parts of legislation can be understood as an inspiration and a source of general directives also in the Germanic kingdoms. For example, in C.Th. 16.5.47 (409 AD ) salus communis was declared to be synoymous with utilitas of the Catolic Church : Si quis contra ea, quae multipliciter pro salute communi, hoc est pro utilitatibus catholicae sacrosanctae ecclesiae, adversus haereticos et diversi dogmatis sectatores constituta sunt, etiam cum adnotationis nostrae beneficio venire temptaverit, careat impetratis^8_._ Const. Sirm. 13. (419 AD) makes a clear statement that the empire has the ecclesiasticae defensionis munimen , which is part of or similar to imperial humanitas, which estalibshes the real equity or fairness. The Novella Maioriani VI in the proemium declares, that the emperor shall reflect on how the state ( res publica ) is conserved and flourishes owing to the laws, the army and the religionis reverentia^9. Subsequently, those three must cooperate to ensure the well-being of the Roman body politic. A concept of symphonia is implicitly introduced here. Such ideas are also visible in the proemium of Nov. 17 (445 AD) of Theodosius and Valentinian. It is noticeable that C. Th. 16.2.16 (361 AD)^10 served as a kind of a "general clause" and a directive of interpretation for the proper application of fiscal laws as it states that persons of "great virtue" shall live in "perpetual safety" ( securitas perpetua). This wording provides a reason for various privileges of the clergy, especially freedom from the munera. General jus- tifications of legal policy of Christian emperors are visible in other laws of the epoch. For example, C.Th. 16.5.1 declares, that privilegia were granted because of the contemplatio reli- gionis (scil. ortododoxae) and they shall be cherished only by catholicae legis observatories
- followers of the orthodox doctrine^11. All the constitutions dicussed above provide general interpretative directives and rationes legum for particular laws concerning the privileges of the Church and the clergy. (^8) Cf. the wording in Const. Sirm. 9. (408 Nov. 27): [...] Utinam quidem ii tantum clericorum nomen induerent, quorum in deteriorem partem relabi vita non possit. Esset laetitia communis et facile pios ritus cultusque divinos veneratio humana sequeretur. [...] and expressions like cultus pietatis aeternae , sacrosanctae religionis obsequium employed in the Const. Sirm. 11 (412 AD). (^9) Cf. also the wording of Nov. Valentiniani III (439 AD) proemium , mentioning catholica religio servata in the context of the confirmation and renovation of older laws aimed at the public good. (^10) See in addition C.Th. 16.2.47 (425 AD) proemium and sec. 1; also similar wording of Const. Sirm. 6. (^11) Cf. C.Th. 16.5.1 (326 AD), which explains that exceptions can be enjoyed only by the orthodox priests.
Those laws will be shortly characterized in order to provide an outline of the most important part of the "legal environment" of the issues under discussion. C.Th. 16.2.1 is of rather a detailed character as it provides freedom of the clergy from nominationes - appointments to perform curial duties, and susceptiones - obligations to act as a tax collector. C.Th. 16.2.2 provides freedom of the clergy from the burdens of public service ( qui clerici appellantur, ab omnibus omnino muneribus excusentur )^12. The law allowed argu- ing in favour of a rather general immunity of the clergy from any public duties. C.Th. 16.2.10^13. exempts clergy from taxes and grants freedom from the munera and payment of immovable property tax for clerics, their wives, children and servants. It also confirms freedom of the clergy engaged in trade from paying chrysargyron^14. C.Th. 16.2.8 is addressed not to an imperial official, but to the clergy. This is unique in the entire Code^15. Clerics obtained here an exemption from new taxes, whereby they were not obliged to bear fiscal burdens introduced after the constitution became valid. Moreover, they did not have to provide accommodation for the soldiers and public officials ( hospitalitas )^16. In addition, freedom from the payment of chrysargyron^17 was confirmed. Also in C. Th. 16.2.15 ( 360 or 359 AD ) , clerics received an exemption from the chrysargyron due from revenues of the petty trade carried on to provide for their families^18. (^12) See Е. В. Сильвестрова, Второй Титул Шестнадцатой Книги Кодекса Феодосия , Вестник православного Свято-Тихоновского гуманитарного университета, 30 (2010), p. 36. (^13) See L. Bove, Immunita... , p. 891. and C.Th. 16.2.4.4.and C.Th. 16.2.14 of confirmatory character. (^14) Cf. Syro-Roman Law Book ( Fontes Iruis Romani Anteiustiniani , ed. V. Aragnio-Ruiz et al ., Firenze 1968,vol.
- p. 749): Constantinus ... liberavit κληρικούς omni tributo ut neque argentum capitis dent neque χρυσάργυρον neque quid eiusmodi. See also about the proper reading of this law: Theodosiani libri XVI... op.cit. vol. II,p. 838, J. Godefroy, Codex Theodosianus cum perpetuis commentariis, vol. 6.1, Leipzig 1743, p. 40, About C.Th. 16.2.10: L. Bove L. Immunita fondiaria di chiese e chierici nel Basso Impero , Synteleia Vincenzo Arangio-Ruiz.
- Vol. 2, pp. 890- 891. (^15) Е. В. Сильвестровa, Второй титул..., , p. 42. (^16) Cf. Е. В. Сильвестровa, Второй титул..., , p. 42. (^17) In 401 AD the C.Th. 16.2.36 ordered that priests who sell food supplies according to law, were free from paying collatio lustralis , that is chrysargyron , or, as the text of the law has it, auraria pensio. Thus the terminology was vague.
18 Late imperial law tried to prevent the clergy from conducting secular activities (Novel 35 of Theo-
dosius and Valentinian of 425 AD, 7; C. Th. 16.4.24. = C. I. 1.3.17). This corresponded with the
Scripture, church canons and papal admonitions.
In the C.Th. 16.2.40 (412 AD) the emperors confirm and justify the duty of " ecclesiae urbium singularium " to pay the land tax^24. The law in clearly declares that the canonica illatio is to be paid by the churches. This law can be seen as a testimony to a tendency to establish equal imposition of the land tax in the whole state with no privileged groups or individuals^25. As for real estate tax, imperial policy seems to be quite strict. However, it is good to remember that lack of permanent and full exemption of the church real estate from the prop- erty tax was considered as justified by Ambrosius of Milan^26 and Gregory the Great^27. The conclusion that the church paid real estate tax is supported indirectly by the contents of C. Th. 11.1.37 (436 AD) as it grants to the Bishop of Afrodisis a privilege to pay the tax in gold, which indicates that no immunity was granted. C.Th. 11.24.6 (415 AD) also allows one to argue that there was no general immunity of the ecclesiastical property^28. Such a situation demonstrates that neither emperors nor the ecclesiastical circles regarded ecclesiastical privi- leges as a total exclusion of any obligation towards the state. That attitude is corroborated by, for example, C.Th. 16.2.40 (412 AD), mentioned above. This law granted immunity to the ecclesiastical immovable property, termed as praedia usibus caelestium secretorum dicata^29 , which belonged to the ecclesiae urbium singularum. They were to be free from munera sordida and from taxation except canonica illatio. C.Th. 11.1.33 (424 AD) corroborates the full immunity of the Church in Thessalonica^30. In the Theodosian Code, the law still seems to be binding only locally. Nonetheless, the author (^24) This law is also conserved as Const. Sirm. 11; shortened and slightly changed version: C. 1.2.5. (^25) L. Bove , Immunita ..., p. 894. (^26) Ambrosius, Ep. 22, C. Auxent , 33 (PL 16. 1017B): Si tributum petit, non negamus. Agri Ecclesiae solvunt tribu- tum: si agros desiderat imperator, potestatem habet vindicandorum; nemo nostrum intervenit. Ibidem, 35: (PL 16.1018B): solvimus quae sunt Caesaris Caesari et quae sunt Dei Deo. tributum Caeasaris est, non negatur. Ecclesia Dei est, Caesari utique non debet addici ., also remarks in Comm. in epist. ad Rom , 13.1-7 (PL 17.162- 164B). (^27) Ep. I.66.: (...) Clericorum siquidem vel aliorum consuetudinem te oportet illibatam servare, eisque annis singulis quae sunt consueta transmittere. Nobis autem de caetero, ne quid transmittere debeas, inhibemus. PL 77.523A (cf. Joannes. Diaconus, Vita Gregorii Magni, 3.24., PL75.144). (^28) L. Bove, Immunita, pp. 896-900, see also C.I. 1.3.16. (^29) Praedia dicata may signify, if understood in a restrictive manner, only the property with churches and other consecrated buildings in which sacraments ( caelestia secreta) were to be celebrated or bodies of saints kept ( martyria). (^30) L. Bove, Immunita ... p. 895.
of this paper thinks that it could be interpreted as a general law and applied as a basis of extensive and "friendly" interpretation of the privileges established in other imperial enact- ments^31 , However, it is good to remember that such a directive did not allow anyone to act contra or praeter legem and create new privileges without legal sanction. In spite of intensive legislative policy towards ensuring the privileged status of the clergy and safeguarding their freedom from burdensome secular duties, it was already in 423 AD that the C.Th. 15.3.6 repealed the exemption from the obligations of financing the mainte- nance of public roads and bridges^32. In 441 Valentinian III decided to declare expressly that the obligation to pay taxes is of general character: Nov. 10: Neque domum divinam neque ecclesiam aut aliquam persona a quolibet munere publico excusandam. He justified his deci- sion with the requirements of justice and urgent needs of the treasury^33. However, generally speaking, the privileged status of the clergy and of the church possessions survived the hard- ships of the 5th century. 2). Barbarian kingdoms and the ecclesiastical immunity - continuation and change a). Law, taxation and the royal treasury Roman law as such played important role in the early Middle Ages^34. After the fall of the Roman rule in the West, "Roman law" came to be understood there as the Theodosian Code and the rules were contained in the so-called Leges Romanae Barbarorum. The official col- lections partially reflected the so-called "vulgar law" or "Germanic Roman law". (^31) See Ibidem , p. 895. Many other confirmatory laws have been preserved: C.Th. 16.2.13 (357 AD); C.Th. 11.16. and 16.2.30 of 397 AD, C.Th. 16.2.34 (399 AD), C.Th.16.2.38 (407 AD).; C.Th. 16.2.46, (425 AD), see also J. Godefroy, Codex Theodosianus ..., pp. 43-44. (^32) This was justified by a statement that such a duty does not belong to munera sordida , cf. C.1.2.. (^33) L. Bove, Immunita ... pp. 901-902. This law was promulgated for the West, cf. C.I. 1.2.11 (445 AD) and J. Gaudemet, L'Église... pp. 314 and 179. (^34) Cf. W. E. Brynteson, Roman Law and Legislation in the Middle Ages , Speculum, Vol. 41, No. 3 (Jul., 1966), p.
than created. Still, it is worth noticing^42 that Isidore of Seville knew well that law could be established, not only "discovered"^43. Isidore had a certain general knowledge about Roman law and about the rules of legislation^44. He stated, that lex is a source of law^45 .His writings show that customs were not the unique source of law in the early Middle Ages. In certain situations they could be considered just as an auxiliary source of law^46. Such a statement is justified by the legislation, diplomas and regal policy in the field of fiscal immunities, where the late Roman policy of ecclesiastical privileges was continued and developed further. Isidore also noticed that law should be drafted pro communi utilitate^47. This idea reflects statements conserved in the Theodosian Code and Novels about the purpose of legislation in ecclesiastical matters. Additionally, the Interpretatio to the Breviarium 5.12.1 states that con- suetudo can replace leges only as long as this is not against public interest^48. Custom gains the force of law only if there is no proper legislation or when the interpretation of existing law is not clear^49. Preservation of the tranquilitas regni is synonymous with the enforcement of common utility^50. (^42) Cf. W. E. Brynteson, Roman Law ..., p. 423. (^43) Etymologiae , 5.5.20: Factae sunt autem leges ut earum metu humana coercetur audacia, tutaque sit inter inpro- bos innocentis, et in ipsis improbis [inpiis], formidato supplicio, referentur nocendi facultas. (^44) W. E. Brynteson, Roman Law ..., p. 423. (^45) Etym. 5.3.1-4.: Ius generale nomen est, lex autem iuris est species. Ius autem dictum, quia iustum [est]. Omne autem ius legibus et moribus constat. [2] Lex est constitutio scripta. Mos est vetustate probata consuetudo, sive lex non scripta. Nam lex a legendo vocata, quia scripta est. [3] Mos autem longa consuetudo est de moribus tracta tantundem. Consuetudo autem est ius quoddam moribus institutum, quod pro lege suscipitur, cum deficit lex. (...). The ideas of Isidore are similar to the words of D. 1.3.32, (see W.E. Brynteson, Roman Law and New Law: the Development of a legal idea , RIDA 3rd ser. XII (1965, pp. 61-81). Still, it is hard to talk about any "Isidorian theory of legislation" (W. E. Brynteson, Roman Law ... p. 423). (^46) W. E. Brynteson, Roman Law ..., pp. 423- 424. (^47) Etym. 5.21. (^48) W. E. Brynteson, Roman Law ..., p. 424. (^49) Ibidem. (^50) Cf. the proemium to the Nov. 114 of Justinian.
A statement of the law of Recceswinth about the statute as a medicamentum , and the idea of a monarch as a doctor bears obvious similarities to the concept of lex salubris of the The- odosian Code^51. The statement in the Leges Visigothorum I, II. 2: Lex est emula divinitatis, antestis religionis, fons disciplinarum, artifex iuris, boni mores inveniens adque conponens, gubernaculum civitatis, iustitie nuntia, magistra vite, anima totius corporis popularis^52 men- tions at the same time the divinitas , religio and disciplina , thus stressing the strict cooperation of the royal and church power in the proper government of society and the establishment of the common good. Consequently, it is not surprising that a kind of imitation of Roman legislation is notice- able. The very titles of Salic and Burgundian leges barbarorum were borrowed from the The- odosian Code. Roman lawyers were active in the writing down of Germanic customary law. It is also worth noticing that Childebert II’s last edict is attested by Asclepiodotus, who was previously active as a referendary to Guntram. His name suggests that he was of Gallo-Roman descent^53. The establishment of the Italian Kingdom of the Ostrogoths did not cause changes in the administrative staff or in the legal situation of the Church^54 .Certain laws promulgated by the new rulers were intended to apply both to the Romans and the Barbarians. The preface to the Edict of Theodoric, which mentions general validity of leges and ius publicum, and the Edict of Athalaric are good examples^55. Similar legislation was prepared in the Burgundian realm^56. (^51) W.E. Brynteson, Roman Law ... pp. 424-425 cf. T. M. Charles-Edwards [in:] CAH vol. 15, pp. 265-285 about the Brugundian law, about the Lex Salica as a piece of legislation, ibidem, pp. 275-278; use of Roman legal termi- nology to talk about a king as a judge: Remigius of Reims; Epist. Austras ., no. 1 (MGH, Epistolae Merowingici et Karolini Aevi , ed. Gundlach, Berlin 1892, pp. 112 - 113): Dominus meus, repelle de tuo corde tristitiam ( ...) regnum sagacius gubernare, erectiora sumentes studio sereni tatis consilia. Laetum cor membra conforta; ( ...) , acrius invigilabitis ad salutem : manet vobis regnum administrandi et, Deo auspice, properandi. Populorum caput estis et regimen sustinetis (...). (^52) MGH Leges Nationum Germanicarum , Hannover, Leipzig 1902, p. 41. Compare this wording with the one of Nov. Just. 105 2.4 in fine about the lex animata : Omnibus enim a nobis dictis imperatoris excipiatur fortuna, cui et ipsas deus leges subiecit, legem animatam eum mittens hominibus :, and W. E. Brynteson , Roman Law and Legislation ... pp. 425-426. (^53) T. M. Charles-Edwards [in:] CAH 15, p. 270. (^54) L. Duchesne, Early history of the Christian Church,. ., tr. C. Jenkins, London 1909-1924, vol. III, p. 450. (^55) T. M. Charles-Edwards, [in:] CAH 15, p. 283. (^56) Ibidem, p. 284; Constitutiones Extravagantes (MGH Leges Nat. Germ., Hannover 1892, pp. 120-121), XIX (a letter to "all counts"), XXI.11 ( ut omnes comites, tam Burgundionum quam Romanorum ).
Church hierarchs to join the Catholic Church and abolish their particular status^62. Decurions of the city councils played the same role as under Roman rule. The Breviarium includes a variety of imperial laws promulgated with a view to preventing decurions from the evasion of their fiscal duties^63. The privileges of the members of the imperial senate were not included in the Breviarium , which is significant when compared with the inclusion of a law granting privileges to the clergy. However, the application of the law in practice, especially forcing the most potent landowners to pay the due tax could be complicated^64. Under the Merovingian rule, annona, vestis militaria, aurum coronarium, gleba senato- ria had disappeared, and also units of tax assessment– capita and iuga - ceased to be used. It seems that in Merovingian domains curiales ceased to be authorized and responsible for the collection of land-tax, which was probably collected by representatives of a comes^65_._ Roman munera , at least some of the wide catalogue, known from the Theodosian Code, were replaced by a new duty of providing hosting and upkeep of the travelling king and his officials^66 .Yearly tributes from private lands paid by Romani possessores to the royal treasury were called con- suetudinariae functiones^67. Tributum was paid by free royal subjects. It was collected through tax farming carried out by local officials. Such practice could lead to abuses and seeking royal protection, especially through diplomas, which granted immunity or royal munde- burgium. (^62) E.g. M. Jaczynowska Historia …,, p. 645-46. About the specific method of tax collection on two levels ( coloni
- latifundists - royal treasury) see W. Goffart, Barbarians and Romans A.D. 418-584: The Techniques of Accom- modation , Princeton 1980, pp. 78-79, 92, 101. (^63) H.W.G. Liebeschuetz [in:] CAH vol. 15 pp. 207-208, 231-232. (^64) Ibidem , p. 232. (^65) HF. 4.2, 5.34, 9.30; H.W.G. Liebeschuetz [in:] CAH,vol. 15 p. 235. HF. 10.7 mentions tax collectors – exactores , W. Goffart ( Old and New in Merovingian taxation, Past & Present 96/1982, p. 3 n. 2) argues that such collectors cannot be identified with the curiales. (^66) HF 6.45; 8.42, W. Goffart ( Old and New … ) characterizes this obligation as a conversion of Roman fiscal duties towards the cursus publicus , especially when compared with the Nov. Maior. 7.13; 17 (458 AD); Lex Burgundi- onum 38; Cass. Var. 5.14.5,7; 12.15.6-7.Felix Dahn ( Zum merowingischen Finanzrecht [in:] Germanistische Abhandlungen zum 70. Geburstag Konrad von Maurers , Gottingen 1893 p. 345) argued, that at the beginning of the Merovingian rule, the whole Roman tax system stayed unchanged (after W.Goffart, Old and New … pp. 4-5; Cf. also his, Caput and Colonate: Towards a History of Late Roman Taxation (Phoenix suppl. vols. XII, Toronto 1974, pp. 22-30). (^67) See A.C. Murray, Immunity, Nobility, and the Edict of Paris , Speculum, 69⁄ 1 (January, 1994), p. 20.
It is interesting that even the Lex Baiuvariorum in Chapter 1.13 demonstrates a kind of preservation of Roman ideas, at least in ecclesiastical circles, as it regulates peasants' or serfs' duties towards the Church in a manner similar to the Roman delegatio^68. Additionally, a method used to level the amount of taxes called pearequatio or ordinatio was still in exist- ence^69. Certain duties could have been a continuation or transformation of Roman munera sordida and angariae^70. However, the same law introduces a number of new concepts - man- sus , denoting arable land area, used in the tax assessment, riga - a type of corvée and a special military tax - hostilicium. b). Immunitas in the new realms According to the Lex Romana Visigothorum ecclesiastical property was res divina^71. The Breviarium included the constitution C.Th.16.2.2 (= Breviarium Alarici , 16.1.1).The inter- pretatio of this law is interesting as it declares that the clergy are to be free from any munus. This munus is then briefly defined as any officium and any servitus. This is how the interpe- tatio interpreted the words ab omnibus omnino muneribus excusentur of the constitution. The clergy are not to be ordered to perform duties of tax collectors ( exactores, allecti). Any vio- lation of this precept was to be considered as a sacrilege^72 .The provision of the Breviary is (^68) See W. Goffart, From Roman Taxation to Mediaeval Seigneurie : Three Notes , Speculum 47 (1972), pp. 390-
(^69) W. Goffart, Merovingian Polyptychs: Reflections on Two Recent Publications , Francia, IX 1982. (^70) B. Guerard, Polyptyque de l`abbe Irminion , Paris 1844, 2 vols.; vol. I pp. 793-801; W. Goffart, From Roman Taxation … pp. 390-391 and note 202. In the manuscripts of the Lex Baiuvariorum the word angarias has a gloss added, which shortly defines it as " vel fuora opera ", therefore, the term meant any type of transport with carts and horses. (^71) Epitome Gai seu Liber Gai I [IX]. De Rebus : 1_. Omnes itaque res aut nostri iuris sunt, aut diuini, aut publici._ (...) Diuini iuris sunt ecclesiae, id est, templa Dei, uel ea patrimonia ac substantiae, quae ad ecclesiastica iura pertinent. (...). (^72) An 8th cent. Epitome of the Brev.. 13.2.2, prepared in the Frankish state, says: (...) Virgines, viduae, pupili non debent inter reliquam plebem censeri, sed immunes sunt, et hi, qui se sacrae religionis obsequio dedicaverunt. (Epitome suppl. lat. 215. ed. G.Haenel, Lex Romana Visigothorum , Leipzig 1849, p. 240 ). Canons of the Council of Clichy of 626 or 627, no. 7 and 8 (MGH Concilia Mer. Aevi, p. 198) attempted to reinforce Roman precepts as they stated that: 7. Si iudex cuiuslibet ordinis [also a fiscal or a private official] clericum publicis actionibus inclinare presumpserit aut pro quibuslibet causis absque conscientia et permissum episcopi distringere aut calumniis vel iniuriis affici presumpserit, a communione privetur , (...) 8. Hi vero, quos puplicus census expectat,
The Church presided over by Unscilla received annulment or exemption from certain sums due to be paid as a tax. However, its estates were still burdened with the superindicta. As a result, the bishop petitioned Theodoric to grant alleviation of the superindicta and ordi- nary land taxes. The king granted freedom from the superindictio due from the estates already possessed by the Church before the benefice was granted. The estates acquired later received no immunity at all^78. Also, Alaric II granted a kind of similar immunitas or, to be more precise, beneficium, from a certain number of capita to the Church of Arelatum^79. Such royal enactments of individual character served as a supplementation of general immunities granted by the imperial constitutions of the 4th and 5th centuries. The rather re- served attitude towards granting full exemptions is also noticeable. It can be seen as a kind of continuation of the imperial policy of the final years of the Western empire, when attempts to increase the revenue and prevent decay of public infrastructure were reflected in the legisla- tion. As the situation in the former Roman Gaul will be discussed now, it should be borne in mind that there were two main components of the Merovingian model of immunity: a). fiscal immunity - exemption from taxes and a determined fiscal burden. This type of immunity may be understood as a kind of continuation of Roman ideas^80 , still with certain modifications. This is the kind of immunity referred to by the 5th Canon of the Orleans Coun- cil of 511. This Canon mentions an immunitas concessa for the ecclesiastical real property. The funds saved^81 were to be spent on repairs of churches, support of the clergy, the needy (^78) W. Goffart, Old and New … p. 12; Cass. Var. 1.26.2-3. A similar case is mentioned in HF 3.25: (...) Erat enim regnum cum iustitia regens, sacerdotes venerans, eclesias munerans, pauperes relevans et multa multis beneficia pia ac dulcissima accommodans voluntate. Omne tributo, quod in fisco suo ab eclesiis in Arvernum sitis reddebe- batur, clementer indulsit. Cf. also HF 9.30.and HF 10.7: In supradicta vero urbe Childeberthus rex omnem tribu- tum tam eclesiis quam monasteriis vel reliquis clericis, (...) larga pietate concessit. Multum enim iam exactores huius tributi expoliati erant, eo quod (...) colligi vix poterat hoc tributum; quod hic, Deo inspirante, ita praecipit emendare, ut, quod super haec fisco debitur, nec exactore damna percuterent nec eclesiae cultorem tarditas de officio aliqua revocaret. (^79) Testamentum beati Caesarii : Nam absit ut de tua, piissime pontifex, inscientia inculperis; quia, ut supra jam dixi, pietas divina concessit ut per meam humilitatem immunitas Ecclesiae [H]in tot capitibus daretur. .(PL 67.1142B); Sidonius, Carmina. 13.20. (^80) A. Callander Murray, Merovignian Immunity Revisited , History Compass 8/8 (2010), p. 915. (^81) Those sums were saved thanks to the remissions of taxes known to the Roman fiscal law ( functiones publicae capitatio humana et terrena). There were also new tributes: bannus (heriban), freda, mansiones , certain compul- sory works, toll and market fees (H. Leclercq s.v. Immunite DACL, VII.1, 345-346); Cf. also diploma of Dago- bert I (Diplomata , ed. K. Pertz, pp. 16-17, n. 15: quicqud exinde fiscus forsitan de eorum hominibus aut de ingenuis aut de servientibus aut in eorum agris commanentibus vel undecumque poterat sperare, ex nostra In- dulgentia (…) tam nobis in Dei nomine viventibus quam per tempora succedentibus legibus debeant cuncta
and poor and for the redemption of captives. Additionally, Chlotar II decided that the Church should receive tithes from pastures and arable land^82. The same monarch granted to the clergy and churches an exemption from functiones^83. Merovingian rulers gradually immunized the clergy from the poll tax. The real estate tax (the land tax) was generally preserved, with many individual privileges, though. An exemption from onera canonica was understood as a special kind of immunitas or beneficium^84. Merovingian kings granted villae and other estates sicut a fisco nostro fuit possessa. This phrase meant a donation cum emunitate^85. b). "judicial" immunity, that is an explicit and strict prohibition of the entrance of royal "judges" ( introitus iudicum )^86 , especially counts and their functionaries, into the lands of the beneficiary to adjudicate, collect fines and court fees. This type of immunity first appeared in Merovingian diplomas in the 7th century^87 .In a similar manner, the edict of Chlotar II of 614^88 mentions the emunitas of the Church and potentes, described as an exclusion of royal (public) jurisdiction ( judices publici atque audientia). proficere ”, such clauses are typical of the Merovingian diplomas. They were effective cessions of public or regnal rights to the beneficiary. They can be seen as a kind of delegation of public duties together with fiscal revenues. (^82) [ A ] graria, pascuaria vel decimas porcorum , Boretius, Cap. I.19., MGH Capitularia Merovingici Aevi, p. 11. (^83) Ecclesia vel clericis nullam requirant agentes publici [ = missi regii ] functionem, qui avi vel genitoris [ aut ger- mani ] nostri immunitatem meruerunt .(MGH Capitularia vol. I,, ed. A. Boretius, Hannover 1893, p.19); Probably immunity granted by Chilperic and Chlotar I is meant here (Cf. G. Waitz, Deutsche Verfassungsgeschichte , vol. II (1882) p. 279, vol. IV (1885) p. 125; W. Goffart, Old and New …pp. 17-18). (^84) B.H. Rosenwein, Negotiating space : power, restraint, and privileges of immunity in early medieval Europe, Ithaca N.Y. 1999, p.29. (^85) H. Leclercq s.v. Immunite , DACL, VII.1, 335-336. (^86) E.g. Marculfi Formulae 1.14: “ decernemus (…) ut ipsa villa illa antedictus vir ille (…) in integra immunitate absque ullius introitus iudicum de quaslibes causas freta exigendum, perpetualiter habeat concessa ”. Diploma of immunity granted for the monastery in Rebais by the chancery of Dagobert I states: Ut nulli penitus judicium vel culibet hominum licentia sit de rebus praefati monasterii (...) aliquod defraudare aut termerario spiritu quicquam exinde sius usibus usurpare (…) ut nulla judiciaria potestas nec presens nec succidua ad causas au- diendum aut aliquod exactandum ibidem non praesumat ingredi. (Diplomata, ed. K. Pertz, MGH, n. 15, p. 16- 17).The issue if the judicial immunity was always coupled with the fiscal one is discussed (A. Callander, Murray, Merovignian immunity.... pp. 920-921). (^87) See A. Callander Murray, Merovignian Immunity..., p.. 915, who remarks that both privileges had a fiscal char- acter. Apart from the immunity, there were also exemptions from customs. (^88) MGH Capitularia vol. I,, p. 22.
important in the further development of the institution. According to the documents, immun- ities were perpetual, still, in practice, they could be revocable in an arbitrary manner^95. This may indicate why in the case of Unscilla discussed above royal fides is mentioned. It is worth mentioning here that Gregory of Tours wrote that the royal tax revenue be- came a kind of "luxury" of the king, a kind of occasional or unsure source of money. This is an exaggeration or a metaphor reflecting problems with the enforcement of fiscal regulations of Roman origin along with the new types of taxes. It may also reflect the spread of territorial immunity. The rulers needed land to reward their allies and followers and to be able to act as protectors and benefactors of the Church. They seem to have acted in such roles not by using monetary payments, but by donating estates and issuing immunity diplomas. What is specific and different from the Roman understanding of the fiscal immunitas is that the landowner granted with an immunity kept the tax which he received from the coloni or tenants and other people residing or economically active in the domain instead of passing it to the functionaries of the king^96. This encouraged particularism, decentralization and a certain type of financial autonomy and self-government. In the West, church building was temporarily interrupted by the turmoil and wars of the mid 5th century, but it is significant that it was resumed in the late 5th and 6th centuries. This growth corresponds with the policy of immunization. The decen- tralization and the development of countryside centres of ecclesiastical territorial power based on grants of the new type of immunity is visible already in the 6th century. We know of Nicetus, Bishop of Trier, who not only possessed his city residence in the town, but also a fortress (a castle) on the Moselle^97. This stronghold owned by a bishop indicates the arrival of a new era. 3). Conclusion - transition from an ancient empire to the feudal realms (^95) N.D. Fustel de Coulanges, Etude... , p. 24. (^96) J. Liebeschuetz [in:] CAH, v. 15, p. 235. (^97) Ibidem , p. 209, 229-236; Venantius Fortunatus, Carmina 3.12. (MGH Auctores antiquissimi 4.1, ed. F. Leo, Berlin 1881, p. 64), Cf.. About the new aims of being a town resident: Cass. Variae 8.31 and J. Liebeschuetz [in:] CAH, v. 15, p. 235, pp. 221-222, 232-233.
The Theodosian Code intended to strengthen the privileged position of the Christian Church in society^98. Laws addressing ecclesiastical matters create an impression that the em- peror drafted the core of their content by himself. However, it is more probable that the ini- tiative and proposals came from the bishops^99. Imperial law was often negotiated instead of being arbitrarily imposed in a political and intellectual vacuum^100 .Such negotiation and prep- aration of an act or a piece of legislation was present also in the new kingdoms, as it is clearly demonstrated in Merovingian capitularies and diplomas and in the work of Cassiodore. This approach corresponded well with one of the basic political responsibilities of Frankish kings, that is with the settlement of disputes and keeping the pacem atque disciplinam in the land. Here support of the clergy was of the utmost importance^101. The repetition of the law in the Theodosian Collection, which is visible also in the sec- tions devoted to the fiscal privileges of the Church, seems to indicate lack of proper enforce- ment of the law. Still, it could as well serve as a reminder and confirmation of the previous regulation. Moreover, emperors intended to be seen as supporters of the initiatives that were beneficial to the Commonwealth, although from the juristic point of view, there was no need to issue new regulations. Emperors tended to avoid being seen as neutral and passive rulers. The Code of 438 did not try to eliminate repetitions^102 .Such repetitions and corroborations seem to have added strength to and increased the implementation of the law^103. Tendencies to stress the prominent position of the law and to establish the rule of justice, which emanates from the person of the king as the supreme judge of his realm and protector of the Church, are clearly visible in Germanic states. The new rulers and their officials were under the influence (^98) A. Honore, Law... p. 124, Although the law in strong words condemned "old superstition" and declared privi- leges of pagan priests null and void (C.Th. 16.10.14), the Code of 438 was not going to depart from the intellec- tual heritage of the Roman jurists, also in the sphere of tax exemptions (Cf. A. Honore, Law... , pp. 124-125). What was useful was to be preserved and adapted. Can this legislation be considered as a programme of reform? See B. Sirks, Reform and Legislation in the Roman Empire https://mefra.revues.org/1871?lang=fr#bodyftn1, (re- trieved: 3.05.2016). (^99) A. Honore, Law ..., s. 133, Sozomen, HE 9.1.5-6. (^100) J. Harries, Law and empire in late antiquity, Cambridge, UK ; New York 1999 , p. 36; cf. p. 58. (^101) Cf. P. Fouracre, R. Gerberding, Late Merovngian France , New York 1996, p. 2 and I. Wood, The Merovingian Kingdoms 450 - 751, London-New York 1994, pp. 201-202. (^102) A. Honore, Law... p. 133-134, in a similar manner J. Harries, Law... pp. 78, 84-85. (^103) Ibidem ,. p. 86. Interpretationes and extracts also show that the law was studied and applied.
