Home Region: Southern Europe (Europe)

Republic of St Peter I

752 CE 904 CE

D G SC WF R

EQ 2020 it_st_peter_rep_1 / ItStPet

Preceding Entity: Add one more here.

568 CE 751 CE Exarchate of Ravenna (it_ravenna_exarchate) [vassalage]

Succeeding Entity:

No Polity found. Add one here.

Displayed:

Learn more about polity border choices. Map Modern Map only Opacity Year Play rate (y/s)
Hit enter after changing the year or setting the play rate.

General Description

The Papal State originated in the Patrimony of St. Peter, which initially included over four hundred estates, many of them in Sicily. These came from donations from wealthy Christians, whose philanthropy accelerated after Emperor Constantine. ^[1] The eighth century popes called their state "The Republic of St. Peter". The popular name "Papal States" was only used from the late middle ages. ^[2]
The Republic of St Peter (711-904 CE) was under nominal Byzantine suzerainty until 781 CE when the capital of the Byzantine exarchate was at Ravenna ^[3] which was connected to Rome by the thin strip of Byzantine territory running across the Appennines and through Perugia. The Pope was elected by citizens and the army - usually based on the choice of the clergy. Representatives would the certify the choice to the Exarch in Ravenna for imperial approval. The Exarch could make the choice himself in case of disagreement. ^[4]
In 781 CE Charlemagne asserted Frankish suzerainty over the region. After this time, the years of the Byzantine Emperor’s reign were no longer used for dating Papal documents or on the minting of imperial coins in the mint of Rome. ^[5] During the ninth century the Papacy was released from Carolingian influence as the Frankish empire began to break up. ^[6]
This also meant that between the end of the ninth century and the 960s, the papacy had no powerful protectors outside Italy. Political power in Rome and Lazio lay in the hands of elite families, such as the Theophylacti and other powerful Roman baronial families. ^[7]
Papal governmental administration was small-scale but effective and organized into departments, with separate heads for the chancery and archives. ^[3] Notaries were career bureaucrats with the primicerius notariorum the head of college of notaries. ^[8] The governance of the wider mountainous region was characterised by small countships and marquisates centered upon a fortified rocca.
The population of the polity is hard to estimate but it is likely the city of Rome lost half its population between 800 CE and 900 CE when it held a mere 40,000 people.

[1]: (Brown 2003, 206) Brown, Peter. 2003. The Rise of Western Christendom. Triumph and Diversity, 200-1000. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing, Inc.

[2]: (Noble 2011, xxi) T F X Noble. 2011. The Republic of St. Peter: The Birth of the Papal State, 680-825, University of Pennsylvania Press.

[3]: (Partner 1972, 9) P Partner. 1972. The Lands of St. Peter: The Papal State in the Middle Ages and the Early Renaissance, University of California Press

[4]: (Trevor, 1869, 113) G Trevor. 1869. Rome and Its Papal Rulers, A History of Eighteen Centuries, The Religious Tract Society, London [1]

[5]: (Grierson and Blackburn 2007, 259)

[6]: (Barraclough 1968, 55) Geoffrey Barraclough. 1968. The Medieval Papacy Norwich: Harcourt, Brace & World, 1968.

[7]: (Stearns 2001 173) P Stearns. 2001. The Encyclopedia of World History. 6th Edition. James Clarke & Co Ltd. Cambridge.

[8]: (Richards 1979, 290-292) J Richards. 1979. The Popes and the Papacy in the Early Middle Ages, 476-752, Routledge & Kegan Paul

General Variables

Identity and Location

1 Utm Zone

1 Original Name

1 Capital

6 Alternative Name

Temporal Bounds

1 Peak Years

1 Duration

Political and Cultural Relations

2 Suprapolity Relations

1 Supracultural Entity

1 Succeeding Entity

1 Scale of Supracultural Interaction

1 Relationship to preceding Entity

1 Polity Succession

1 Degree of Centralization

Language

1 Linguistic Family

1 Language

Religion

1 Religion Genus

1 Religion Family

1 Religion

1 Alternate Religion

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale

2 Population of the Largest Settlement

1 Polity Territory

2 Polity Population

Hierarchical Complexity

1 Settlement Hierarchy

1 Religious Level

1 Military Level

1 Administrative Level

Professions

1 Professional Soldier

1 Professional Priesthood

1 Professional Military Officer

Bureaucracy Characteristics

1 Specialized Government Building

1 Full Time Bureaucrat

1 Examination System

Law

1 Professional Lawyer

1 Judge

1 Formal Legal Code

1 Court

Specialized Buildings: polity owned

1 Market

1 Irrigation System

1 Food Storage Site

1 Drinking Water Supply System

Transport Infrastructure

1 Road

1 Port

1 Canal

1 Bridge

Special-purpose Sites

1 Mines or Quarry

Information / Writing System

1 Written Record

1 Script

1 Phonetic Alphabetic Writing

1 Nonwritten Record

1 Non Phonetic Writing

1 Mnemonic Device

Information / Kinds of Written Documents

1 Scientific Literature

1 Sacred Text

1 Religious Literature

1 Practical Literature

1 Philosophy

1 Lists Tables and Classification

1 History

1 Fiction

1 Calendar

Information / Money

1 Token

1 Precious Metal

1 Paper Currency

1 Indigenous Coin

1 Foreign Coin

1 Article

Information / Postal System

1 Postal Station

1 General Postal Service

1 Courier

Information / Measurement System

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications

1 Wooden Palisade

1 Stone Walls Non Mortared

1 Stone Walls Mortared

1 Settlements in a Defensive Position

1 Modern Fortification

1 Moat

1 Fortified Camp

1 Earth Rampart

1 Ditch

1 Complex Fortification

Military use of Metals

1 Steel

1 Iron

1 Copper

1 Bronze

Projectiles

1 Tension Siege Engine

1 Sling Siege Engine

1 Sling

1 Self Bow

1 Javelin

1 Handheld Firearm

1 Gunpowder Siege Artillery

1 Crossbow

1 Composite Bow

1 Atlatl

Handheld weapons

1 War Club

1 Sword

1 Spear

1 Polearm

1 Dagger

1 Battle Axe

Animals used in warfare

1 Horse

1 Elephant

1 Donkey

1 Dog

1 Camel

Armor

1 Wood Bark Etc

1 Shield

1 Scaled Armor

1 Plate Armor

1 Limb Protection

1 Leather Cloth

1 Laminar Armor

1 Helmet

1 Chainmail

1 Breastplate

Naval technology

1 Specialized Military Vessel

1 Small Vessels Canoes Etc

1 Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service

Economy Variables (Luxury Goods) Coding in Progress.

Religion Variables Coding in Progress.

Crisis Consequence Cases Coding in Progress.

Power Transitions

22 Power Transition

Instability Events

11 Instability Event

NGA Settlements:

Year Range	Republic of St Peter I (it_st_peter_rep_1) was in:
(711 CE 903 CE)	Latium

Home NGA: Latium

General Variables

Identity and Location Republic of St Peter I (it_st_peter_rep_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Utm Zone	33 T	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Original Name	Republic of St Peter I	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Capital	Rome	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Alternative Name	Roman States	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Alternative Name	Ecclesiastical States	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Alternative Name	Papal States	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Alternative Name	Pontifical States	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Alternative Name	States of the Church	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Alternative Name	territorium Sancti Petri	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Temporal Bounds Republic of St Peter I (it_st_peter_rep_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More
Peak Years	[850 CE ➜ 900 CE]
Loading...

Duration	[752 CE ➜ 904 CE]
Loading...

Political and Cultural Relations Republic of St Peter I (it_st_peter_rep_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Suprapolity Relations	it_st_peter_rep_1 nominal allegiance to tr_byzantine_emp_1	711 CE 866 CE
Loading...

Suprapolity Relations	gb_england_norman alliance with it_st_peter_rep_1	1066 CE 1153 CE
Loading...

Supracultural Entity	Latin Christendom	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Succeeding Entity	Rome - Republic of St Peter II	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Scale of Supracultural Interaction	17,000,000 km²	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Relationship to Preceding Entity	vassalage	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Preceding Entity 568 CE 751 CE	Exarchate of Ravenna (it_ravenna_exarchate) [vassalage]
Loading...

Degree of Centralization	nominal	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Language Republic of St Peter I (it_st_peter_rep_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Linguistic Family	Indo-European	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Language	Latin	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Religion Republic of St Peter I (it_st_peter_rep_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Religion Genus	Christianity	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Religion Family	Catholic	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Religion	Roman Catholic	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Alternate Religion	Uncoded Undecided	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale Republic of St Peter I (it_st_peter_rep_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Population of the Largest Settlement	[70,000 to 100,000] people	800 CE
Loading...

Population of the Largest Settlement	40,000 people	900 CE
Loading...

Polity Territory	50,000 km²	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Polity Population	[440,000 to 1,333,000] people	800 CE
Loading...

Polity Population	[335,000 to 1,500,000] people	900 CE
Loading...

Hierarchical Complexity Republic of St Peter I (it_st_peter_rep_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Settlement Hierarchy	5	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Religious Level	5	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Military Level	5	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Administrative Level	6	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Professions Republic of St Peter I (it_st_peter_rep_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Soldier	Absent	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Professional Priesthood	Present	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Professional Military Officer	Absent Inferred	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Bureaucracy Characteristics Republic of St Peter I (it_st_peter_rep_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Government Building	Present	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Full Time Bureaucrat	Present	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Examination System	Absent	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Law Republic of St Peter I (it_st_peter_rep_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Lawyer	Present	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Judge	Present	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Formal Legal Code	Present	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Court	Present Inferred	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Specialized Buildings: polity owned Republic of St Peter I (it_st_peter_rep_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Market	Present	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Irrigation System	Present	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Food Storage Site	Present	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Drinking Water Supply System	Present	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Transport Infrastructure Republic of St Peter I (it_st_peter_rep_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Road	Present	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Port	Present	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Canal	Unknown Suspected	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Bridge	Present	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Special-purpose Sites Republic of St Peter I (it_st_peter_rep_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Mines or Quarry	Present	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Information / Writing System Republic of St Peter I (it_st_peter_rep_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Written Record	Present	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Script	Present	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Phonetic Alphabetic Writing	Present	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Nonwritten Record	Present	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Non Phonetic Writing	Absent	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Mnemonic Device	Uncoded Undecided	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Information / Kinds of Written Documents Republic of St Peter I (it_st_peter_rep_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Scientific Literature	Present Inferred	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Sacred Text	Present	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Religious Literature	Present	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Practical Literature	Present	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Philosophy	Present Inferred	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Lists Tables and Classification	Present	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

History	Present Inferred	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Fiction	Present Inferred	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Calendar	Present	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Information / Money Republic of St Peter I (it_st_peter_rep_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Token	Absent Inferred	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Precious Metal	Uncoded Undecided	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Paper Currency	Absent	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Indigenous Coin	Present	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Foreign Coin	Present Inferred	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Article	Present	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Information / Postal System Republic of St Peter I (it_st_peter_rep_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Postal Station	Absent	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

General Postal Service	Absent	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Courier	Present	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Information / Measurement System Republic of St Peter I (it_st_peter_rep_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications Republic of St Peter I (it_st_peter_rep_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wooden Palisade	Present Inferred	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Stone Walls Non Mortared	Present	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Stone Walls Mortared	Present	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Settlements in a Defensive Position	Present	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Modern Fortification	Absent	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Moat	Present	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Fortified Camp	Present	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Earth Rampart	Present Inferred	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Ditch	Present Inferred	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Complex Fortification	Unknown	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Military use of Metals Republic of St Peter I (it_st_peter_rep_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Steel	Present	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Iron	Present	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Copper	Unknown	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Bronze	Present	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Projectiles Republic of St Peter I (it_st_peter_rep_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Tension Siege Engine	Unknown	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Sling Siege Engine	Absent	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Sling	Unknown	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Self Bow	Present	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Javelin	Unknown	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Handheld Firearm	Absent	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Gunpowder Siege Artillery	Absent	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Crossbow	Unknown	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Composite Bow	Present	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Atlatl	Unknown	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Handheld weapons Republic of St Peter I (it_st_peter_rep_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
War Club	Absent	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Sword	Present Inferred	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Spear	Present Inferred	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Polearm	Absent	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Dagger	Present Inferred	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Battle Axe	Absent	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Animals used in warfare Republic of St Peter I (it_st_peter_rep_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Horse	Present	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Elephant	Absent	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Donkey	Unknown	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Dog	Unknown	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Camel	Absent	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Armor Republic of St Peter I (it_st_peter_rep_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wood Bark Etc	Present	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Shield	Present	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Scaled Armor	Present	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Plate Armor	Unknown	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Limb Protection	Present	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Leather Cloth	Present	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Laminar Armor	Unknown	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Helmet	Present	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Chainmail	Present	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Breastplate	Unknown	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Naval technology Republic of St Peter I (it_st_peter_rep_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Military Vessel	Present	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Small Vessels Canoes Etc	Absent	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service	Absent	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Economy Variables (Luxury Goods)

Religion Variables

Moralizing Supernatural Punishment and Reward Republic of St Peter I (it_st_peter_rep_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Moralizing Enforcement is Broad	Present	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Moralizing Supernatural Concern is Primary	Present	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Moralizing Enforcement is Agentic	Present	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Moralizing Supernatural Punishment And Reward	Present	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Moralizing Religion Adopted by Commoners	Present	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Moralizing Enforcement is Targeted	Present	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Moralizing Enforcement in Afterlife	Present	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Moralizing Religion Adopted by Elites	Present	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Moralizing Enforcement of Rulers	Present	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Moralizing Enforcement is Certain	Present	752 CE 904 CE
Loading...

Human Sacrifice Republic of St Peter I (it_st_peter_rep_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More