By the year 900, feudal regimes began to emerge in France, beginning a new era of local supremacy and disregard for the French throne. Indeed, at the commencement of the Capetian dynasty at the end of the 10th century, Hugh Capet’s immediate sphere of power was in the Ile de France. The rest of the France was under the direct authority of the counts of their individual territories. Around the beginning of the 12th century, an anonymous monk from Anjou, one of the many counties of medieval France, wrote Chroniques des Comtes d’Anjou et des Seigneurs d’Amboise, which provides a detailed, yet quite hyperbolic account of the rise of the counts of Anjou. He begins his narration at the end of the Carolingian empire and concludes with the death of
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Martin. Indeed, Fulk the Good was enrolled in the college of the monastery, a detail which would have been of significant value to the monk. It was relatively common for noble families to enlist their sons or daughters into monastic schools, however, considering the “mythological” aspect of the work, the monk may have added this to make Fulk the Good appear more religious. When Fulk the Pious, as he is also called, visits the church on certain feast days, he lodges with the priests, suggesting his dual authority as lord of the county and priest of the church while also implying a union between these two social classes. When lodging with the priests, Fulk the Good would leave the quarters well-adorned so that “ … his host, formerly of modest means should be enriched by the remains of the things which were left behind; he is known to have done this in not a few cases.” (Anonymous 4) The monk makes this comment benignly, but it can be inferred that Fulk the Pious’ kindness had ulterior motives. Much like his grandfather, he understood it was important to foster goodwill with the Church, the second most powerful entity in the county. A union between these two social classes is what allowed for their autonomy against the monarchy and mutual benefit. Of course, the Count’s time in the monastery would have cultivated within him an appreciation for the Church, but the power struggle between the classes and the desire to retain independent control from the Ile de France must not be ignored. Fulk the Pious’ son, Geoffrey Greymantle, is written in a similar pious
Martin. Indeed, Fulk the Good was enrolled in the college of the monastery, a detail which would have been of significant value to the monk. It was relatively common for noble families to enlist their sons or daughters into monastic schools, however, considering the “mythological” aspect of the work, the monk may have added this to make Fulk the Good appear more religious. When Fulk the Pious, as he is also called, visits the church on certain feast days, he lodges with the priests, suggesting his dual authority as lord of the county and priest of the church while also implying a union between these two social classes. When lodging with the priests, Fulk the Good would leave the quarters well-adorned so that “ … his host, formerly of modest means should be enriched by the remains of the things which were left behind; he is known to have done this in not a few cases.” (Anonymous 4) The monk makes this comment benignly, but it can be inferred that Fulk the Pious’ kindness had ulterior motives. Much like his grandfather, he understood it was important to foster goodwill with the Church, the second most powerful entity in the county. A union between these two social classes is what allowed for their autonomy against the monarchy and mutual benefit. Of course, the Count’s time in the monastery would have cultivated within him an appreciation for the Church, but the power struggle between the classes and the desire to retain independent control from the Ile de France must not be ignored. Fulk the Pious’ son, Geoffrey Greymantle, is written in a similar pious