[gothic-l] Re: Gothic christianity

[Dr. Dirk Faltin <dirk@smra.co.uk>]

> >
> >Overall, the d'Hautevilles were not naturally 'tolerant' people, 
but they were mainly mercenaries who sought to establish their own 
principality. They had no material 
> >interest in supressing other religions and therefore abstained 
from doing so. 
> >
> Regarding that the most outstanding enlightened and humanistic and 
> tolerant emperor, Frederic II, was raised within the the house of 
> d'Hautville you must consider them untimely tolerant.
> 


Hi Ingemar,

I missed this part from your post. Clearly, Friedrich II von 
Hohenstaufen was perhaps the most remarkable ruler of the middle 
ages; stupor mundi, the astonishment of the world as he was called. 
He was used to move in very heterogeneous circles in Palermo at the 
court of his relatives the d'Hautevilles and had contact with many 
cultures. However, his religious tolerance ended exactly at the point 
were his political interests were at stake. The Saracenic uprising of 
1222 is a good example. When Fridrich had subdued the uprising he 
treated the Moslem leaders with extraordinary cruelty in order to set 
an example. Yet, the survivors, who submitted to him were allowed to 
resettle to the Italian mainland and continue the practicing of Islam.

I think that Gothic tolerance under Theoderic the Great was very 
similar to Friedrich. Theoderic also could be cruel to his enemies, 
but he was smart enough to avoid creating uncessary internal strife 
through religious intolerance. Thus, it was not tolerance per se, but 
tolerance with a political objective attached. If the objective 
changed, tolerance could easily turn into persecution was the example 
of the Vandals shows.

best regards
Dirk 






> Best
> Ingemar
> 
> ---------------------------------------------------------------
> Ingemar Nordgren, Ph.D.
> Sjögrässtigen 15
> SE-533 73 KÄLLBY
> 46-510-541851


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