What are Medieval abbots?

Answer 1

Abbots were the highest grade within the monastic system, answering directly to the Pope. In England Abbots were generally appointed by the king but with input from the monks of the particular monastery; they selected a few candidates from their own fellow monks and the king chose one of them.

Not all monasteries had an Abbot in charge. Smaller monasteries (called priories) were headed by a brother Prior who was one grade below an Abbot. In the abbeys an Abbot might have a Prior and even a sub-Prior to assist him.

Some Abbots were granted the same rights as a bishop. They were then called "mitred Abbots" since they were entitled wear a bishop's mitre and ceremonial vestments, and carry a crozier.

Answer 2

It is not possible to answer that question for several reasons:

• The specific start date of the medieval period is still argued about by historians; some take the medieval period as starting with the fall of the Roman Empire (and even that event is credited to many different dates), others insist that true "medieval" begins around 1050 or 1066.
• The word "abbot" has changed its meaning over the past 2,000 years and was originally applied to any monk living in Syrian and Egyptian monasteries; then it meant a priestly superior in the Carolingian and Merovingian royal courts; afterwards it could mean the head of a group of monastic communities; then (by the true medieval period) the head of a larger monastic house.
• Not all medieval abbots were of the same "rank" in the Church hierarchy; some were granted bishops' mitres and meant they had almost the same authority as a bishop.

Among the earliest "abbots" in the sense of the heads of monasteries were:

Pachomius, head of 9 Christian monasteries in Egypt by 346 AD.

Augustine, head of a monastery in North Africa in 388 AD.

Martin of Tours, head of a monastery in Liguge, France in 361 AD.

There are many historians who would not count these as being "medieval".

Answer 3

The role of an abbot was to head an abbey, which was usually a large-size monastery with up to 150 monks. The Rule of St Benedict sets out the kind of man an abbot ought to be and states that he should act as father to the monks, who regarded each other as brothers.

The abbot was the decision maker, business manager, councillor and judge for his monastic community. Every day after Prime there was a meeting in the Chapter House where the abbot would allocate work tasks, hear grievances, punish offences and discuss business issues with all the monks; they were permitted to voice opinions and offer advice, but it was always the abbot who had final say in all matters connected with the monastery.

An abbot would often not only be in charge of a large monastic precinct, but also many outlying farms called granges and sometimes small "cells" where a few monks were sent at a time to meditate and pray in isolation from the main buildings.

He had to encourage, support and correct new novices, stamp out any dissent or incorrect behaviour, arbitrate between different factions, supervise the daily affairs of the abbey - and at the same time ensure the smooth running of the daily routine, consisting of study, work and prayer. Nothing must be permitted to interfere with this, since all three were considered sacred obligations.

Abbots were also frequently summoned to travel to "synods", which were major Church councils where important religious matters were discussed. It was not unusual for an English abbot to have to travel to Germany of France or Italy to attend these meetings.

Abbots were also in charge of all legal and financial aspects of their respective monasteries, including the payment of any taxes levied by the king.

Answer 4

a man who is the head of an abbey of monks

Answer 5

To run the abbby and over see the monks.