Byzantine Influenced Costume
Charlemagne rarely departed from the costume of his people the Franks, and for the most part his descendants also continued this custom; however, there are some notable exceptions. When political or religious symbolism would serve them, these kings deviated to the imperial robes of the Byzantine Empire. For example, on a few occasions after Charlemagne was anointed emperor, the popes requested that he appear wearing “Greek” clothes so that he would look more imperial. It is easy to imagine the dazzling impression that the long tunic and mantel made of gold cloth, the jeweled shoes, the golden brooch for his cloak, and the golden crown covered in precious stones which Einhard describes would have made on the elite audience surrounding the king.[1] Charlemagne was dressed in the manor of the Byzantine and Roman emperors. He was their equal. Charlemagne’s grandson, Charles the Bald, took the strategic implementation of fashion changes to the next level.
Charles’ reign was deeply connected with the symbolic nature of clothes. While he was still struggling for power against his brothers, it is told, he was surprised as he was rising from his bath by the arrival of a shipment of new clothes for him and the clergy accompanying him. Charles interpreted this “miraculous” timing of new royal robes as he rose from the cleansing water as a type of baptism – God had chosen to provide him with the tools he needed to look like the king he was trying to become.[2] Costume continued to play a major role in Charles’ political image throughout his reign. Like his grandfather, Charles the Bald also worn Byzantine royal robes after he was crowned by Pope John VIII, but unlike Charlemagne who wore his robes at the request of the popes, Charles the Bald chose to wear Byzantine robes whenever he needed to associate himself specifically with imperial power. For example, he began a month long gathering of the leaders of the church and other elite wearing the Frankish costume, but finished the meeting in the clothing of a Byzantine emperor.[3] Charles clearly utilized the robes of the Byzantine monarch to emphasize his political position as emperor, but images of the emperor wearing these same robes in illuminated copies of the Bible and other ecclesiastical books drew visual associations with another source of power.
Charles’ reign was deeply connected with the symbolic nature of clothes. While he was still struggling for power against his brothers, it is told, he was surprised as he was rising from his bath by the arrival of a shipment of new clothes for him and the clergy accompanying him. Charles interpreted this “miraculous” timing of new royal robes as he rose from the cleansing water as a type of baptism – God had chosen to provide him with the tools he needed to look like the king he was trying to become.[2] Costume continued to play a major role in Charles’ political image throughout his reign. Like his grandfather, Charles the Bald also worn Byzantine royal robes after he was crowned by Pope John VIII, but unlike Charlemagne who wore his robes at the request of the popes, Charles the Bald chose to wear Byzantine robes whenever he needed to associate himself specifically with imperial power. For example, he began a month long gathering of the leaders of the church and other elite wearing the Frankish costume, but finished the meeting in the clothing of a Byzantine emperor.[3] Charles clearly utilized the robes of the Byzantine monarch to emphasize his political position as emperor, but images of the emperor wearing these same robes in illuminated copies of the Bible and other ecclesiastical books drew visual associations with another source of power.
The Carolingians had to balance how much they associated themselves with Byzantine strength. They needed to show that they had power like Byzantium but not to infer that they got their power from Byzantium – that they were subject to Byzantium. They were able to use Byzantine costume to their advantage because, through depictions in illuminated manuscripts and other types of art such as poetry, they reminded their audience that both they and the Byzantines ultimately received their authority from the same source in the divine history of kingship. Christ was the ultimate ruler of the universe and the emperors all received their power from him. The Carolingians and the following leaders of the Holy Roman Empire wanted to be associated with the holy kings and leaders in the Bible who had preceded them in the role of the shepherd of God’s chosen people. Those kings (like David and Solomon) were clearly appointed by God and as long as they followed his will, they and their kingdoms had food, wisdom, health, peace, and success in battle.
Jennifer Ball writes in her book, Byzantine Dress: Representations of Secular Dress in Eighth- to Twelfth-Century Painting, that biblical images created in Byzantium in this period echoed reality.[4] In other words, an image of King David would be clothed in the costume of a Byzantine emperor. According to Michael Moore, there was already a tradition of depicting Christ wearing a chlamys.[5] Carolingian kings integrated themselves into the chain of power by continuing to depict these rulers in Byzantine dress alongside images of themselves clothed in the same manner. For example, look at the images of Charles the Bald (above left), Christ (above center), and David (above right) all from the Vivian Bible, also known as The First Bible of Charles the Bald. Charles, Christ, and David are all dressed in the Byzantine chlamys. While the chlamys is the only textiles David is wearing, Christ and Charles are both swathed in luxurious gold fabric over a tunic of colors laden with symbolism. The white of Christ’s tunic can symbolize completion or the cleansing of baptism, while the red of Charles’ tunic may represent royalty or the blood of Christ. Both Christ and Charles are enthroned on seats which symbolize their domains; while Charles sits on a throne, Christ sits on a globe. The hand of God descends from above Charles showering him with blessing.
For another example of the visual parallels Carolingian kings fostered between themselves and biblical leaders, examine the image of Charles from the Codex Aureus (above left) from 870 CE, and the depiction of King Solomon from the San Paulo Bible (above right) made around 870-875 CE. Again, both kings wear the chlamys, but this time the rest of the images are nearly identical as well. Both kings are gesturing similarly. Both are seated on centralized thrones below a vaulted baldachin with Solomonic pillars likely meant to represent Solomon’s Temple. Each is flanked by attendants, including a man to their right sides who holds their swords. The image of Charles again shows the hand of God blessing from above, but the image of Solomon shows smaller scenes which emphasize his divine kingship and the wisdom with which God blessed him. All of these images demonstrate how the Carolingian kings, and Charles the Bald in particular, used the chlamys to visually align themselves with the abstract idea of divine kingship.