Home Region: Western Europe (Europe)

Proto-French Kingdom

987 CE 1150 CE

D G SC WF R

EQ 2020 fr_capetian_k_1 / FrCaptE

Preceding Entity: Add one more here.

840 CE 987 CE Carolingian Empire II (fr_carolingian_emp_2) [continuity]

Succeeding Entity: Add one more here.

1150 CE 1328 CE French Kingdom - Late Capetian (fr_capetian_k_2) [continuity]

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General Description

The Capetian period in France began with the accession of Hugh Capet to the Frankish throne in 987 CE. In the early period (987-1150 CE), the area under the control of the Capetian monarchs was relatively restricted in comparison to the late period (1150-1328 CE), which saw a massive expansion in territory and increasing urbanization. ^[1]
Population and political organization
The Capetian monarchs ruled their kingdom via decree. Louis VI (r. 1108-1137 CE) was recognized as the legitimate ruler by his vassals and, after the early 12th century, the great lords of France generally submitted to Capetian authority. ^[2] However, the dynasty had less power outside the region of Paris and the Counts of Bois and Troyes were arguably more powerful than the king in some respects. The Capetians drew their legitimacy from their stronger links to the Catholic church. ^[2]
Before Philip II (r. 1180-1223 CE), government was very simple and closely linked to the king’s court, which was still itinerant, moving wherever the king went. ^[3] At the core of the French king’s government were a few major officials with household titles (chancellor, seneschal, butler, chamberlain and constable). ^[4] From the 12th century onwards, these positions were the preserve of the aristocracy. ^[4] ^[5] The clergy of the Church provided a pool of ’educated, literature and numerate subjects’ and were a vital resource for the government and administration of the Capetian Kingdom. ^[6]
Innovations in agriculture resulted in population increases during this period, especially in northern and western France, but demographic expansion would not begin in earnest until the later Capetian era. ^[7] From the 11th to the 14th century CE, the French population almost quadrupled from about 4 to 15 million. ^[7]

[1]: (Turchin and Nefedov 2009, 111) Turchin, Peter, and Sergey Nefedov. 2009. Secular Cycles. Princeton: Princeton University Press. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/7MDE5MUH.

[2]: (Bouchard 1995, 313-17) Bouchard, Constance B. 1995. “Capetian Dynasty.” In Medieval France: An Encyclopedia, edited by William W. Kibler, Grover A. Zinn, Lawrence Earp, and John Bell Henneman, Jr., 312-17. New York: Garland Publishing. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/2SNRCJVG.

[3]: (Clark and Henneman 1995, 1317) Clark, William W., and John Bell Henneman, Jr. 1995. “Paris.” In Medieval France: An Encyclopedia, edited by William W. Kibler, Grover A. Zinn, Lawrence Earp, and John Bell Henneman, Jr., 1314-30. New York: Garland Publishing. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/HS8644XK.

[4]: (Bradbury 2013, 249) Bradbury, Jim. 2013. Philip Augustus: King of France 1180-1223. London: Routledge. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/XSFRWX7E.

[5]: (Pegues 1995, 1333) Pegues, Franklin J. 1995. “Parlement de Paris.” In Medieval France: An Encyclopedia, edited by William W. Kibler, Grover A. Zinn, Lawrence Earp, and John Bell Henneman, Jr., 1332-33. New York: Garland Publishing. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/HHFUSQER.

[6]: (Bradbury 2013, 248-49) Bradbury, Jim. 2013. Philip Augustus: King of France 1180-1223. London: Routledge. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/XSFRWX7E.

[7]: (Percy, Jr. 1995, 1416) Percy, Jr., William A. 1995. “Population and Demography.” In Medieval France: An Encyclopedia, edited by William W. Kibler, Grover A. Zinn, Lawrence Earp, and John Bell Henneman, Jr., 1415-17. New York: Garland Publishing. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/QI73FMSM.

General Variables

Identity and Location

1 Utm Zone

1 Original Name

1 Capital

2 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

2 Polity Succession

2 Degree of Centralization

Language

1 Linguistic Family

3 Language

Religion

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale

1 Population of the Largest Settlement

1 Polity Territory

1 Polity Population

Hierarchical Complexity

1 Settlement Hierarchy

1 Religious Level

2 Military Level

1 Administrative Level

Professions

1 Professional Soldier

1 Professional Priesthood

1 Professional Military Officer

Bureaucracy Characteristics

1 Specialized Government Building

1 Merit Promotion

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 Non Phonetic Writing

Information / Kinds of Written Documents

1 Sacred Text

1 Religious Literature

1 Practical Literature

1 Philosophy

1 History

1 Fiction

Information / Money

1 Paper Currency

1 Indigenous Coin

1 Foreign Coin

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

1 Long Wall

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

2 War Club

1 Sword

1 Spear

1 Polearm

1 Dagger

2 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

5 Power Transition

Instability Events

25 Instability Event

NGA Settlements:

Year Range	Proto-French Kingdom (fr_capetian_k_1) was in:
(987 CE 1149 CE)	Paris Basin

Home NGA: Paris Basin

General Variables

Identity and Location Proto-French Kingdom (fr_capetian_k_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Utm Zone	31 U	987 CE 1150 CE
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Original Name	Proto-French Kingdom	987 CE 1150 CE
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Capital	Paris	987 CE 1150 CE
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Alternative Name	Capetian dynasty	987 CE 1150 CE
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Alternative Name	House of Capet	987 CE 1150 CE
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Temporal Bounds Proto-French Kingdom (fr_capetian_k_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More
Peak Years	1150 CE
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Duration	[987 CE ➜ 1150 CE]
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Political and Cultural Relations Proto-French Kingdom (fr_capetian_k_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Suprapolity Relations	fr_aquitania_duc_2 nominal allegiance to fr_capetian_k_1	987 CE 1137 CE
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Suprapolity Relations	none	987 CE 1150 CE
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Supracultural Entity	Latin Christendom	987 CE 1150 CE
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Succeeding Entity	French Kingdom - Late Capetian	987 CE 1150 CE
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Scale of Supracultural Interaction	17,000,000 km²	987 CE 1150 CE
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Relationship to Preceding Entity	continuity	987 CE 1150 CE
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Preceding Entity 840 CE 987 CE	Carolingian Empire II (fr_carolingian_emp_2) [continuity]
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Succeeding Entity 1150 CE 1328 CE	French Kingdom - Late Capetian (fr_capetian_k_2) [continuity]
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Degree of Centralization	nominal	987 CE 1150 CE
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Degree of Centralization	loose	987 CE 1150 CE
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Language Proto-French Kingdom (fr_capetian_k_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Linguistic Family	Indo-European	987 CE 1150 CE
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Language	Occitan	987 CE 1150 CE
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Language	French	987 CE 1150 CE
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Language	Langues dOil	987 CE 1150 CE
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Religion Proto-French Kingdom (fr_capetian_k_1)

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

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale Proto-French Kingdom (fr_capetian_k_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Population of the Largest Settlement	25,000 people	987 CE 1150 CE
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Polity Territory	[12,000 to 18,000] km²	987 CE 1150 CE
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Polity Population	[500,000 to 1,000,000] people	987 CE 1150 CE
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Hierarchical Complexity Proto-French Kingdom (fr_capetian_k_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Settlement Hierarchy	4	987 CE 1150 CE
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Religious Level	[6 to 7]	987 CE 1150 CE
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Military Level	5	987 CE 1090 CE
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Military Level	[5 to 6]	1091 CE 1150 CE
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Administrative Level	4	987 CE 1150 CE
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Professions Proto-French Kingdom (fr_capetian_k_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Soldier	Present Inferred	987 CE 1150 CE
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Professional Priesthood	Present	987 CE 1150 CE
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Professional Military Officer	Present Inferred	987 CE 1150 CE
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Bureaucracy Characteristics Proto-French Kingdom (fr_capetian_k_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Government Building	Unknown Suspected	987 CE 1150 CE
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Merit Promotion	Absent Inferred	987 CE 1150 CE
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Full Time Bureaucrat	Absent Inferred	987 CE 1150 CE
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Examination System	Unknown Suspected	987 CE 1150 CE
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Law Proto-French Kingdom (fr_capetian_k_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Lawyer	Absent	987 CE 1150 CE
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Judge	Absent Inferred	987 CE 1150 CE
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Formal Legal Code	Absent	987 CE 1150 CE
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Court	Absent Inferred	987 CE 1150 CE
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Specialized Buildings: polity owned Proto-French Kingdom (fr_capetian_k_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Market	Present	987 CE 1150 CE
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Irrigation System	Present	987 CE 1150 CE
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Food Storage Site	Unknown Suspected	987 CE 1150 CE
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Drinking Water Supply System	Present	987 CE 1150 CE
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Transport Infrastructure Proto-French Kingdom (fr_capetian_k_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Road	Present	987 CE 1150 CE
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Port	Absent	987 CE 1150 CE
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Canal	Unknown Suspected	987 CE 1150 CE
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Bridge	Present	987 CE 1150 CE
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Special-purpose Sites Proto-French Kingdom (fr_capetian_k_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Mines or Quarry	Present	987 CE 1150 CE
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Information / Writing System Proto-French Kingdom (fr_capetian_k_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Written Record	Present	987 CE 1150 CE
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Script	Present	987 CE 1150 CE
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Phonetic Alphabetic Writing	Present	987 CE 1150 CE
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Non Phonetic Writing	Absent	987 CE 1150 CE
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Information / Kinds of Written Documents Proto-French Kingdom (fr_capetian_k_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Sacred Text	Present	987 CE 1150 CE
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Religious Literature	Unknown Suspected	987 CE 1150 CE
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Practical Literature	Present	987 CE 1150 CE
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Philosophy	Present	987 CE 1150 CE
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History	Present	987 CE 1150 CE
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Fiction	Present	987 CE 1150 CE
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Information / Money Proto-French Kingdom (fr_capetian_k_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Paper Currency	Unknown Suspected	987 CE 1150 CE
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Indigenous Coin	Present Inferred	987 CE 1150 CE
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Foreign Coin	Present	987 CE 1150 CE
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Information / Postal System Proto-French Kingdom (fr_capetian_k_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Postal Station	Absent Inferred	987 CE 1150 CE
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General Postal Service	Absent Inferred	987 CE 1150 CE
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Courier	Present	987 CE 1150 CE
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Information / Measurement System Proto-French Kingdom (fr_capetian_k_1)

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

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications Proto-French Kingdom (fr_capetian_k_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wooden Palisade	Present	987 CE 1150 CE
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Stone Walls Non Mortared	Unknown Suspected	987 CE 1150 CE
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Stone Walls Mortared	Present	987 CE 1150 CE
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Settlements in a Defensive Position	Present	987 CE 1150 CE
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Modern Fortification	Absent	987 CE 1150 CE
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Moat	Present	987 CE 1150 CE
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Fortified Camp	Unknown Suspected	987 CE 1150 CE
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Earth Rampart	Present	987 CE 1150 CE
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Ditch	Present	987 CE 1150 CE
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Complex Fortification	Present Inferred	987 CE 1150 CE
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Long Wall	absent	987 CE 1150 CE
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Military use of Metals Proto-French Kingdom (fr_capetian_k_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Steel	Present	987 CE 1150 CE
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Iron	Present	987 CE 1150 CE
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Copper	Present Inferred	987 CE 1150 CE
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Bronze	Present Inferred	987 CE 1150 CE
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Projectiles Proto-French Kingdom (fr_capetian_k_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Tension Siege Engine	Present Inferred	987 CE 1150 CE
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Sling Siege Engine	Absent	987 CE 1150 CE
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Sling	Present Inferred	987 CE 1150 CE
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Self Bow	Present	987 CE 1150 CE
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Javelin	Absent Inferred	987 CE 1150 CE
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Handheld Firearm	Absent	987 CE 1150 CE
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Gunpowder Siege Artillery	Absent	987 CE 1150 CE
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Crossbow	Present	987 CE 1150 CE
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Composite Bow	Present	987 CE 1150 CE
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Atlatl	Absent	987 CE 1150 CE
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Handheld weapons Proto-French Kingdom (fr_capetian_k_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
War Club	Unknown Suspected	987 CE 1049 CE
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War Club	Present	1050 CE 1150 CE
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Sword	Present	987 CE 1150 CE
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Spear	Present	987 CE 1150 CE
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Polearm	Present Inferred	987 CE 1150 CE
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Dagger	Unknown Suspected	987 CE 1150 CE
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Battle Axe	Unknown Suspected	987 CE 1049 CE
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Battle Axe	Present	1050 CE 1150 CE
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Animals used in warfare Proto-French Kingdom (fr_capetian_k_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Horse	Present	987 CE 1150 CE
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Elephant	Absent	987 CE 1150 CE
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Donkey	Unknown Suspected	987 CE 1150 CE
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Dog	Unknown Suspected	987 CE 1150 CE
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Camel	Absent	987 CE 1150 CE
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Armor Proto-French Kingdom (fr_capetian_k_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wood Bark Etc	Present	987 CE 1150 CE
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Shield	Present	987 CE 1150 CE
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Scaled Armor	Unknown Suspected	987 CE 1150 CE
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Plate Armor	Absent Inferred	987 CE 1150 CE
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Limb Protection	Present	987 CE 1150 CE
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Leather Cloth	Present	987 CE 1150 CE
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Laminar Armor	Unknown Suspected	987 CE 1150 CE
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Helmet	Present	987 CE 1150 CE
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Chainmail	Present	987 CE 1150 CE
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Breastplate	Absent Inferred	987 CE 1150 CE
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Naval technology Proto-French Kingdom (fr_capetian_k_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Military Vessel	Unknown Suspected	987 CE 1150 CE
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Small Vessels Canoes Etc	Present Inferred	987 CE 1150 CE
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Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service	Unknown Suspected	987 CE 1150 CE
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Economy Variables (Luxury Goods)

Religion Variables

Moralizing Supernatural Punishment and Reward Proto-French Kingdom (fr_capetian_k_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Moralizing Enforcement is Broad	Present	987 CE 1150 CE
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Moralizing Supernatural Concern is Primary	Present	987 CE 1150 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Agentic	Present	987 CE 1150 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement in This Life	Present	987 CE 1150 CE
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Moralizing Supernatural Punishment And Reward	Present	987 CE 1150 CE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Commoners	Present	987 CE 1150 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Targeted	Present	987 CE 1150 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement in Afterlife	Present	987 CE 1150 CE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Elites	Present	987 CE 1150 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement of Rulers	Present	987 CE 1150 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Certain	Present	987 CE 1150 CE
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Human Sacrifice Proto-French Kingdom (fr_capetian_k_1)

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