Charlemagne’s empire depended on monasteries for money, soldiers, and political support—but only male abbots could bargain with the king as equals, while female houses were treated as family property. This project tackles a blind spot in medieval history. Scholars have long studied Carolingian rulers and monasteries as separate entities, but the abstract shows they were fully interdependent—and that gender shaped who held power. Female monasteries were resources for royal families; male monasteries actively built and deployed royal authority themselves. The research will rewrite how we understand early medieval “patrimonial” rule, showing that kings did not govern alone but through networks of male monastic communities. The impact is primarily scholarly: a monograph, articles, and an edited volume will reshape the field. But the public engagement strand—a major exhibition at the John Rylands Library titled “Church and State: from Charlemagne to King Charles”—will bring this fundamental research into public view, connecting medieval power structures to modern debates about religion and governance. A-level teaching materials and widening-participation workshops will extend the reach. This is curiosity-driven history, not applied science, but understanding how gender and institutions shaped early European statecraft offers a deeper foundation for thinking about power today.
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Monasteries and rulers were not only entangled but fully interdependent in the Carolingian Empire (a polity encompassing much of Western Europe from 751-888). Rulers sought to regulate the practices of monastic life, while at the same time depending on monastic resources; monasteries sought to secure royal patronage and to shape royal policies. Yet these relationships diverged along gendered lines: while female monasteries were largely treated as Carolingian familial resources, abbots of male monasteries exerted significant agency in building institutional relationships with royal power. This study will underscore the gendered foundations of Carolingian monasticisms and provoke a reappraisal of Carolingian 'patrimonial' rule, in which royal authority, far from being vested solely in the person of the ruler, was actively constructed and deployed by male monastic communities. This project will proceed in three strands, the first of which is based around my individual research programme; this will result in a sole-authored research monograph, peer-reviewed article, and four conference/seminar papers. Second, I will co-lead an international collaboration, which will take the form of two closed workshops, presentation at a public conference, and the preparation of a peer-reviewed edited volume (to which I will contribute a book chapter and a co-written introduction). Both of these research-focused strands will allow me to develop my research profile and to expand and consolidate research networks; the collaboration will further enhance my skills in research leadership. Third, and finally, this project will include a substantive public engagement strand. This will centre around the design of a major exhibition at the John Rylands Research Institute and Library on the theme of 'Church and State: from Charlemagne to King Charles'. While this is due to open to the public in autumn 2026 (soon after the conclusion of the grant), the intellectual work to design and organize the exhibition (and its accompanying events) will take place during the period of funding. During the period of the grant, I will also work with an educational consultant to design materials for A-Level educators and students in Religious Studies, here drawing on exhibition materials; I will also organize and design Widening Participation workshops for A-Level students from the Greater Manchester area (to be held at the Rylands in autumn 2026 during the period of the exhibition). This research-led public engagement programme will present cutting-edge research, highlighting its relevance to current issues and debates.
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