capitulary

A capitulary was a collection of capitula, which were originally short chapters or headings that later developed into legislative or administrative enactments. In the context of the Frankish kingdoms, particularly during the Carolingian Empire, capitularies were royal decrees issued by the king or emperor. These documents covered a wide range of subjects, from church affairs to military organization, legal matters, and the administration of the realm.

Capitularies were not codified laws in the modern sense. Instead, they were often issued as needed to address specific issues or to provide guidance to royal officials, such as counts and bishops, who were responsible for implementing them in their respective territories. The content of capitularies varied greatly depending on the reign and the prevailing concerns of the time. Some were administrative instructions, while others contained new laws or modifications to existing ones.

The practice of issuing capitularies was common among Carolingian rulers like Charlemagne and his successors. They served as a crucial tool for centralizing power and attempting to standardize governance across the vast and diverse empire. Over time, the nature of capitularies evolved, and their legislative significance diminished as other forms of lawmaking became more prominent. While the term capitulary is most closely associated with the Frankish period, similar legislative collections existed in other medieval societies.