Gerson, Paula Lieber. Abbot Suger and Saint-Denis: A Symposium ; [ Held in Conjunction with an Exhibition at The Cloisters Entitled "The Royal Abbey of Saint Denis in the Time of Abbot Suger (1122 - 1151)" ]. New York, USA: Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1987.
1. Suger’s most important success was his organizational Skills
In my view, Giles Constable holds the view that Suger’s administrative qualities and organizational skills were most important in his reform agenda and his continual connection with the monarch. In his reforms, Suger was deeply committed to two major strongly held beliefs: One was a stable central authority consisting of a strong monarch and a respected papacy and the glorification of the church to both outshine and serve as an example to others. Still, some of Sugers’s exceptional skills were his administrative and organizational aptitudes. With strict adherence to details, Suger was able to reorganize and greatly increase revenue collected from St. Denis. Some of Suger’s accomplishments include his renovation of run down properties, attempts to recover land owned by the Church, and development of unused land and the establishments of fairs.
2. The Church as Most important than the Monarchy
Suger’s landmark success was the building of the new church. Dagobert had built the old Church. The church was not to be touched because it was relic. Suger had to build the new church while surrounding the old church. This was done in order to preserve the arrangements of the old order. However, building of the Church marked something more important that Suger’s administrative competent. It severs to show the weird relationship between the Church and the state in Capetion societal arrangement.
This arrangement placed the church at the zenish of the society over the monarchy. While many scholars can dispute these assertion, the Church during the time of the Capetian monarchy was more powerful than the monarchy itself. Indeed it was St.Dennis that gave life to the monarchy. Here several examples to prove this argument. William of St. Dennis who was a personal secretary wrote that Suger’s primary goal was to constantly raise the noble monastery of St. Dennis to every glory and to honor, and arrange things in a religious manner that makes the Church rich in revenues better endowed with buildings, adorned with ornaments (p.17).
In the article, “ The Cult of St. Dennis, and the Capetian Kingship, Gabrielle explores the connection of Saint Dennis and the French monarchy. She refers to Saint Dennis as the principle protector of the French realm under intense pressure. She argues that the connection between the French monarchy and Saint Dennis, is much more than personalities like Suger and the rest, it is about expansion, style, and culture (Gabrielle, 142).As such the Church held more influence than the monarchy.
References
Gerson, Paula Lieber. Abbot Suger and Saint-Denis: A Symposium ; [ Held in Conjunction with an Exhibition at The Cloisters Entitled "The Royal Abbey of Saint Denis in the Time of Abbot Suger (1122 - 1151)" ]. New York, USA: Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1987.
