October 15, 2020
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess , https://www.openedition.org/12554
Kristjan Toomaspoeg, « Manquements et dérèglements dans l’ordre Teutonique (xiie-xve siècle) », Éditions de la Sorbonne, ID : 10.4000/books.psorbonne.56703
The Teutonic Knights represent a very special case of members of a religious order, living in a “semi-closed” space. The paper proposes some considerations on the relationship between the normative acts and the daily reality of the Knights, willing to understand, to what extent a rule or statutes may preserve the integrity a religious community heavily influenced by the secular world. The first part presents the statutes of the Teutonic Order, consisting in rule, “laws”, customs and some additional standards. Subsequently, the question is to perceive how the Teutonic law was adapted to the necessities of everyday life of the Knights, examining first of all the chapter Des freres qui vont en chemin of their rule. The central part of the communication studies the transgressions and punishments provided by the Teutonic statutes, inspired by the constitutions of the Dominican Order. Finally, the last section looks at the application of these standards, starting from the example of the possessions of the Teutonic Order in the Italian peninsula. The statutes of the Teutonic Knights are a very sophisticated example of medieval statutory legislation, that seeks to adapt itself to the multiplicity of actions of the Knights and unites the concept of obedience and discipline with the principles of collegiality and solidarity. However, as indicated by the comparative sources, this was not enough to face the changes and difficulties of the Order and its internal divisions.