Introduction: Peacemaking and the Restraint of Violence in High Medieval Europe

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book explores an aspect of how conflict was regulated and mitigated, and how peaceful relations were established, in high medieval Europe. It investigates the development of ritual submission as a method by which disputes were resolved within the Roman-German Empire without the need for further bloodshed. The book then notes that acts of submission were increasingly used within the process of dispute resolution to settle conflicts in a non-violent manner. It also highlights the importance of recognising that all disputing parties, not just the victor, were involved in the mechanisms which curbed violence. The book shows that negotiation, discussion, and compromise were important aspects of many of the mechanisms which facilitated the settlement of disputes and thus the restraint of violence during conflicts in high medieval Europe.