Remember:  you will be called upon to answer at least one of the questions as part of the debate; you may (should) also take part in other parts if you have things to say that differ from what your teammates have said.

 

Debate:

 

Team 1:  argue for the Proposition

 

Team 2:  argue against the Proposition

 

 

Assigned questions - Team 1:

 

1.  Background - Who was Gerald of Aurillac?  Tell some things about him and what he did relative to monastic reform?

2.  Background - What were the circumstances of the founding of Cluny?  Give dates, names, reasons.

3.  Background - How did Clunaic monasticism spread?  Why?

4.  Presentation of the proposition:  what is the topic?  what is the basis of your argument?

5.  Arguments - select one significant sentence from the primary sources that that favors your side, and explain what it means

6.  Arguments - select one significant sentence from the primary sources that that favors your side, and explain what it means

7.  Arguments - select one significant sentence from the primary sources that that favors your side, and explain what it means

8.  Do the summary, summarizing your team's arguments and state why they are preferable (you can't do this ahead of time).

 

Assigned questions - Team 2:

 

1.  Background - Who was Notker?  What sort of things does he say about Charlemagne?

2.  Background - What is a "lay proprietor"?  What does (or could) he do?

3.  Background - What were the popes doing in the late ninth and early tenth centuries?

4.  Presentation of the proposition:  what is the topic?  what is the basis of your argument?

5.  Arguments - select one significant sentence from the primary sources that that favors your side, and explain what it means

6.  Arguments - select one significant sentence from the primary sources that that favors your side, and explain what it means

7.  Arguments - select one significant sentence from the primary sources that that favors your side, and explain what it means

8.  Do the summary, summarizing your team's arguments and state why they are preferable (you can't do this ahead of time).

 

 

 

Primary source evidence

 

Charlemagne's General Capitulary to the Missi contained a section on monks, which can be found here.

 

In 883/884, a monk in the monastery of St. Gall called Notker wrote a biography of Charlemagne, which was dedicated to the emperor Charles the Fat; it presents an interesting take on Charlemagne 70 years after his death, and an interesting take on the role of kings in the church.  Most of it can be found online; read esp. chs. 1-19.

 

The foundation charter of the monastery of Cluny can be found online.

 

 

Links to information on monasticism and Cluny

 

Some background material on Cluny, from Rosamond McKitterick's book The Frankish Kingdoms under the Carolingian, has been scanned in and placed on Oncourse under "Resources".

 

A summary of church affairs in 10th c. Europe can be found here.

 

A survey of Cluny and its architecture can be found on my website here; note that you will have to use the username "student" and the password "medieval".

 

Information about Notker Balbulus can be found here.