Episcopal Power, Clergy and Diocesan Patrimony in the Visigothic Realm (589- 711)

Abstract

The Visigothic synods have a two-faced character: whether, on the one side, they are a major agency of Episcopal power since they transmit the rules of an ordered situation headed by the bishop; on the other they are the main instrument of negotiation within the clergy, in view of the fact that they mediate conflicts that eventually could put a strain on the Episcopal power. Managing the ecclesiastic patrimony, priestly ordenations and his own patrimony, the bishop proceeds with the clergy primarily as a dominus, making use of the law only under situations of conflict. In a juncture marked by fierce competition, the bishop only imposes hegemony inasmuch as he can strategically manage the instruments he has at his disposal.