Charles Martel, Alamannia and the Lex Alamannorum

With almost 50 surviving manuscripts, the Lex Alamannorum is among the most widely disseminated legal codes of the early Middle Ages. Its origins in the 8th century are as disputed as the political context that led to the development of the two extant versions. This lecture provides an overview of the problems encountered in tracing the origins of the Lex Alamannorum. It also explores the role of Charles Martel and the Alemannic dukes in this process.