«Benevolent Despotism, Softened by Charity»: Socio-Political Features of the Gallic Episcopate in the Historiography of the XIX – Beginning of XX Centuries

Abstract

This study is devoted to the analysis of the views of historians of the XIX – beginning XX century on the Gallic bishopric of late Antiquity. This topic was reflected not only in highly specialized works, but also in works devoted to general aspects of the history of the Frankish state. The author of the article notes that historians mainly rely on a similar range of sources (Gregory of Tours' History of the Franks, resolutions of the Gallic church councils, letters of bishops and popes), but, in general, adhere to a critical approach in their analysis. However, such an approach could lead to an overly critical assessment, when the negative aspects of the church practice of the former Roman Gaul were emphasized, first of all. For the analysis of the material, not only chronological, but also biographical (when the main object of research becomes a historical person, through whose biography the peculiarities of the church life of the region are revealed – for example, Gregory of Tours, Caesarius of Arles, Gregory the Great) and geographical (the study of the problem consistently in separate areas) approaches are actively used. Also, almost all studies note the fact that the relationship with the church was an important aspect of the formation of barbarian kingdoms, not only culturally, but also politically and administratively.