Royal Capetian Fortresses of Languedoc

Empowering Lordship in the Registers of Homage to Charles VI (Languedoc, 1389-1390)

A study of medieval homage registers reveals that lordship and nobility were distinct yet malleable concepts, challenging traditional models of feudal power. Analyzing records from King Charles VI's 1389-1390 visit to Languedoc, researchers found that while aristocratic power was reinforced through royal interaction, it did not align neatly with categories of high or low justice. The findings suggest a decentralized and dynamic political structure in late medieval France, where seigneurial authority was negotiated rather than imposed top-down.