Archdiocese of Reims

Kings as well as their subjects were expected to obey in all matters of religion.

As the Archbishop of Reims wrote in the 9th century, The king is a man just like other men.

He ought to respect the church and the property of his neighbor.

His duties are the same as those of other Christians.

When Louis ascended to the throne, Ebbo was his chief librarian and counselor.

Two years into Louis' reign, he arranged to have his old playmate appointed as the Bishop of Reims, as we will remember, that being one of the most important bishoprics of old Gaul and still a religious center in the Frankish realms, probably only second or third in importance to Tours and Paris.

During his time as Bishop of Reims, in the Abbey of Hautvillers, just outside the town of Épernay, now famous as the home of Moët & Chandon and Mercier champagne houses, was produced one of the most incredible works of the Carolingian Renaissance.

They are called the Ebbo Gospels, named after the bishop and Louis' old friend.

I highly encourage you to have a look at the images produced in the Ebbo Gospels of the evangelists.

Louis the Pious, heir to Charlemagne, Emperor of the Franks, God's chosen on earth and the most powerful person in Western Europe, would be made to strip off his badges of office, his imperial clothes, and don the habit of a simple monk, prostrating himself on the ground and begging for forgiveness.

To add lustre to the occasion, Lothair arranged for Gregory IV, the Pope in Rome, to support this event, which was to take place just north of our city of Paris, in Soissons, the place where Clovis over 300 years before had established his presence on the scene and founded the Kingdom of the Franks.

And to preside over the ceremony was chosen an old friend and playmate of Louis the Pious, Ebo, Bishop of Reims.

I'll also mention here, I did briefly play as an ecclesiastical realm.

I tried a game as the Archbishop of Reims, I think, and a game as the Pope, and I just didn't find the gameplay to be all that compelling.

I thought there were some really cool features in the ecclesiastical domicile holding, and I think it's fun to kind of manage the different archdioceses and things, but ultimately I wouldn't want to build an entire campaign just around a single title.

I think I would either want to get a young character elected to my ecclesiastical title and then use them to like build a secular dynasty somewhere else or get a secular character into the priesthood and play as them after my like secular king died.

These distinctions speak to his character, holiness, and intelligence.

Canon Bruno spent the next 20-plus years in this capacity, after which time he was made chancellor of the Archdiocese of Reims.

While he was chancellor, a corrupt and worldly man named Manasses of Gournay was made Archbishop of Reims.

The honest canons firmly opposed the archbishop's ways, and Canon Bruno led the way.

The archbishop was deposed by a local council, but he appealed to the pope and became violent towards his opposition.

Kings as well as their subjects were expected to obey in all matters of religion.

As the Archbishop of Reims wrote in the 9th century, The king is a man just like other men.

He ought to respect the church and the property of his neighbor.

His duties are the same as those of other Christians.

Remigius, or Remy, was born of noble and pious parents.

At the age of 22, in spite of the canons and his own reluctance, he was acclaimed Archbishop of Reims.

He was unusually tall, his face impressed with blended majesty and serenity, his bearing gentle, humble, and retiring.

He was learned and eloquent and had the gift of miracles.

Kings as well as their subjects were expected to obey in all matters of religion.

As the Archbishop of Reims wrote in the 9th century, The king is a man just like other men.

He ought to respect the church and the property of his neighbor.

His duties are the same as those of other Christians.