The Republic of St. Peter
Author | : Thomas F. X. Noble |
Publisher | : University of Pennsylvania Press |
Total Pages | : 416 |
Release | : 1984 |
ISBN-10 | : 0812212398 |
ISBN-13 | : 9780812212396 |
Rating | : 4/5 (98 Downloads) |
Book excerpt: The Republic of St. Peter seeks to reclaim for central Italy an important part of its own history. Noble's thesis is at once original and controversial: that the Republic, an independent political entity, was in existence by the 730s and was not a creation of the Franks in the 750s. Noble examines the political, economic, and religious problems that impelled the central Italians--and a succession of resolute popes--to seek emancipation from the Byzantine Empire. He delineates the social structures and historical traditions that produced a distinctive political society, describes the complete governmental apparatus of the Republic, and provides a comprehensive assessment of the Franco-papal alliance.