(Book IV, pg. 210) “The Franks were furious with Lothar: they rushed at him, tore his tent to pieces, heaped insults upon him, dragged him out with great violence and swore that they would kill him if he refused to accompany them. When he saw how matters stood, King Lothar marched against his will.”
I found this passage interesting because it provides a little insight into what the power structure was during this time period and how it worked. My first observation is the fact that the Franks forced their king into battle. It shows that the king was not all-powerful. The way the Franks opposed their leader reminds me of rebellions. However, they rebelled not for rights or equality, but to be able to wage war against the Saxons. Eventually, the Franks persuaded Lothar to wage war. My second observation is the Franks’ refusal to wage war without their king. For some reason, no Frank chose to take the king’s position and lead them into battle. They apparently needed Lothar in order to fight. They did threaten Lothar, but that was not until he had rejected their demands multiple times. In this passage, the Franks showed both a power over and dependency on their leader.