Zurich Model United Nations www.zumun.ch

Historical Crisis

Charlemagne, the Papacy and the

World Politics in the 8th and 9th Century

Study Guide for Zurich Model United Nations Written by Shuting Ling, Michal Alinski, and Noah Sutter April 14th to 17th 2016 Zurich, Switzerland

INTRODUCTION AND HISTORICAL BACKGROUND 3

A GENERAL ASSEMBLY IN THE MIDDLE AGES Ð CRISIS IN THE 8TH CENTURY 3 THE SITUATION BEFORE 774 4 WHAT HAPPENED IN 774? 5 WHY DID ATTACK THE ? Ð THE HISTORY BEHIND THE ANIMOSITY 6 QUESTIONS THAT SHOULD BE DISCUSSED 7 SPECIAL MEASURES OF MEDIEVAL DIPLOMACY 8

THE DELEGATIONS 9

THE “GLOBAL PLAYERS” 10 CHARLEMAGNE Ð KING OF THE FRANKS 10 LEO IV. / CONSTANTINE VI. / EIRENE OF ATHENS Ð ROMAN EMPIRE 11 POPE ADRIAN I. 13 CALIPH ABU DSCHA’FAR AL-MANSUR Ð ABBASID EMPIRE 16 REGIONAL POWERS IN ITALY: 18 ADALGIS Ð KING OF THE LOMBARDS 18 PIPPIN Ð KING OF THE LOMBARDS 19 AREGIS II. Ð DUKE OF BENEVENTO 19 MAURIZIO GALBAIO Ð DOGE OF VENICE 19 ELPIDIUS Ð STRATEGOS OF 20 REGIONAL POWERS IN EUROPE: 21 TASSILO III. Ð DUKE OF BAVARIA 21 OFFA Ð KING OF MERCIA 21 ®THELBERHT Ð KING OF EAST ANGLIA 22 SILO Ð KING OF ASTURIAS 22 ABD AL-RAHMAN I. Ð EMIR OF CÓRDOBA 22 WIDUKIND Ð LEADER OF THE SAXONS 23 THE KHANATES: 24 KHAN KARDAM Ð RULER OF BULGARIA 24 KHAN OF THE PANNONIAN AWARES 25 KHAGAN BEK OBADIAH - RULER OF THE 25

HISTORICAL GEOGRAPHY 26

APPENDIX TO THE ZUMUN RULES OF PROCEDURE 28

FURTHER READING 29

BIBLIOGRAPHY 31

REGISTER OF ILLUSTRATIONS 32

FOOTNOTES 33

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Introduction and Historical Background

Introduction

Distinguished Delegates, we are delighted to welcome you to the ZuMUN 2016 Historical Cricis Committee.

We, Shuting and Michal, will be your chairs in this committee. Shuting is pursuing her Bachelor in Political Science and Michal is also a Bachelor student at the UZH. Together with the members of the Crisis Team Lea and Lucas, we have been preparing this exciting debate and hope it will be a special experience for you all.

Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact us anytime. We are looking forward to a vivid and creative debate and a great time with you in Zurich!

Shuting & Michal

A General Assembly in the Middle Ages Ð Crisis in the 8th and 9th Century

Charlemagne conquered Pavia in 774. What seems like an minor event in world history Ð Pavia had already been conquered by the Romans, by the Ostrogoths and by the Lombards and will be conquered and besieged many more times in the following centuries Ð in fact, caused a major stir in European politics. In fact international politics and diplomacy perhaps were already an as complicated and tangled affair as in the 21st century. Moreover, as will become clear, medieval leaders were guided by rational geopolitical interests similar to the interests of today and didn’t take irrational decisions. To demonstrate that, to dive into policy-making in the Middle Ages and to enable you to represent “countries” you’ve never represented before are the goals of this Study Guide and the Historical Crisis Committee.

We are aware of the fact that this is just a simulation and although we try to be as historically accurate as possible in the Study Guide, it is no Illustration 1 simulation of any assembly that has ever really existed. Diplomats were already a common thing in the 8th century and the rulers had diplomatic relations with each other. Also, “international conferences” (the word is inappropriate since the kingdoms and empires are no nations) for bishops, so-called ecumenical councils and other bi- or multilateral diplomatic meetings already took place, but there has never been a council where