156Chapter 8
war, and they could coin money—but feudal kingdoms
were inherently unstable because the crown held no
monopoly on the use of force. Such a monopoly could
be achieved only by eroding the foundations of feudal-
ism itself. Until then, good governance would be largely
a matter of personal character and good luck. For most
of the Middle Ages, Europe would remain politically
fragmented while retaining a social structure that con-
served feudal privilege long after its original justification
had passed.Illustration 8.6
Illumination from the Uta Codex.
This magnificent example of Ro-
manesque manuscript illumination was
commissioned by Uta, abbess of the
convent at Niedermünster, and com-
pleted between 1002 and 1025, probably
by the nuns in her own scriptorium. Uta,
who appears in the upper right-hand
corner, was one of many powerful
abbesses in the Ottonian Empire.
Women frequently served as manuscript
illuminators. The subject here is “Saint
Erhard Celebrating Mass.”