The role of Clerics and Paladins in medieval europe

[Thorntangle]

I got such a great wealth of ideas in the thread about Polytheism in medieval europe , I thought I'd continue to probe for ideas on how to achieve a high degree on verisimilitude in a fantasy game.

Fresh off the subject of religion, I'd like to discuss the role of Clerics and Paladins in medieval europe. Religion in medieval europe was perhaps the most powerful aspect of day to day life. It shaped societies, molded world-views and spurred more killing and destruction than anything seen before. Clerics and Paladins are living, breathing agents of a deity. They walk the planet with the ability to heal, to discern truth and judge, to destroy. So, how would Clerics and Paladins fit into our medieval europe?

To address this question, I think we have to make some basic assumptions. In this post I'll make the assumption that Clerics and Paladins are uncommon - that there is not a cleric on every corner, or in every village for that matter. Of course, they could be quite common in some campaign worlds, which leads to a whole new set of theoretical issues.

In my opinion, a cleric or paladin, being the living representation of a deity to the average medieval european, would evoke great reverance and awe. They would wield enormous power and influence in almost all levels of society. Certainly much more so than some of the non-classed, lower hierarchy of the church. The appearance of a cleric or paladin on the streets could conceivably cause massive crowds to form and gather for a glimpse or a touch. Or conversely, people could flee in droves from the thought of a vengeful avatar of divine justice prowling the roads. A very powerful cleric or paladin could easily become the subject of direct worship much like the saints of our world.

Healing - The first and prime ability of a Cleric (and secondarily to a Paladin) is to heal. This alone has enormous implications and would lead me to believe that the life of a Cleric or Paladin would be highly structured and controlled. Access to and by the public would need to be restricted, much like that of a celebrity in today's society. To put this in context, think of this example: If your child/wife/parent were ill or injured in medieval europe, would you want to take them to a physician (sometimes a barber) or a powerful cleric? There is no doubt that a Cleric or Paladin would be constantly beseeched to provide healing unless a mechanism was in place to regulate access to divine healing.

Autonomy - Clerics and Paladins in D&D generally have a great deal of autonomy, mainly because it is desireable in the setting of an adventure game. However, it may or may not be realistic to expect this if they actually existed. As agents of a deity, they would also probably be agents of the church or state, depending on the organizational structure of their society (they would probably have more autonomy in a loosely structured society with no higher level authority organizations). A Cleric and Paladin would be a powerful tool in the hand of the church and/or state. One could make a strong argument that they would not be allowed to go on missions or adventures. Of course one could also make a strong argument that paladins are based on knights/crusaders and were meant to venture forth and were seen as the hand of god sent to do his work in distant lands. Regardless, I think to maintain a certain amount of verisimilitude A DM would need to come up with a compelling reason for the Cleric or Paladin to leave the side of the bishop/king besides the notion of slaying monsters and getting their gold.

Divine Agency - Another compelling argument that lends credence to the idea that Clerics and Paladins would be strictly controlled is that of divine agency. As we discussed in the previous thread, depending on the campaign world, a god may or may not communicate directly with his unclassed followers. However, a cleric is a direct conduit to a god (unless houserules deny augury, divination, commune, etc.). A cleric is a two-way radio to god. If I am a king and I need to make important decisions regarding the kingdom or I am a general and I am making important strategy decisions, it might be useful to get input from a god. I would not want my clerics fighting orcs in a dungeon. I would want them stationed with important leaders in my kingdom. And in a war this communication might not give any important advantage, but rather it might just keep me in the battle because the other side has clerics as well.

Given these factors, I don't think that playing a Cleric or Paladin is impossible. I just think that to achieve verisimilitude, a DM needs to provide a compelling reason for the Cleric or Paladin to be adventuring. A DM would also need to recognize the effect that a Cleric's or Paladin's appearance would have in their culture. Awe, fear, reverance, adoration, love, envy, hate. They would evoke a range of emotions wherever they travelled.

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

Well, I think that you're wrong about clerics or paladins not being able to be adventurers in a medieval europe game. The meaning of adventuring would just have to be redefined. It might be tracking down holy relics or vanquishing Dragons or fighting the Moorish army instead of robbing tombs and bilking thieves out of their loot but it would still be adventuring.

As to the specific contentions:

Healing: I'm not sure about this. I'm sure that a reading of the lives of the Saints--who were certainly believed to have such powers whether or not they really did--would indicate that their life wasn't one of constant besiegement and that the medical professions survived. A study of the Reformation opposition to Sacramentals (Baptismal water, for instance was believed to have magical curative power in many parts of early modern Germany) and Relic veneration (One of the things relics were supposed to do was relieve ailments) indicates that there would be other methods of supernatural healing available in a fantasy version of medieval Europe. In any case, it certainly reveals that there's no need to suppose a change in the historical order by the introduction of supernatural healing. The historical order of medieval Europe presupposed its availability.

Autonomy: This reflects an overestimation of the amount of control that either Church or State actually exercised over individuals. If the stories are true, St. Francis or St. Patrick might be accurately represented by the cleric or paladin class--some of the supernatural abilities were certainly credited to them. Yet they enjoyed quite a bit of autonomy. The same is true of the prototypical paladins--Roland and Galahad. Despite being in the service of their respective sovereigns, they both seem to have enjoyed enough autonomy to do what would rightly be considered adventuring.

Divine Agency: I think this reflects an overestimation of the D&D cleric's prophetic powers. At third level, the cleric has a chance of receiving a vague answer to a single question that reflects the next 30 minutes of time. It's not until 7th level that the cleric can get a vague answer on anything that might prove useful for the ruling of kingdoms. Scrying might change some things but doesn't give much more information than spying (and clergy might refuse to use it for spying). And, even if you take normal D&D level/population guidelines, it's unlikely that there are many clerics capable of casting Commune. (And it's not as if medieval bishops, etc didn't often fill an advisory capacity in the real world and often give good advice either. . . .)

On the whole I think that you're right in the final conclusion that clerics and paladins have a definite social role but incorrect in what you maintain it to be. I would relate them to the historical role of saints--many of whom were, in fact, not treated well at all while they were alive. Joan of Arc was a visionary and military leader and was adored by some of her contemporaries, thought of by some of her contemporaries as mad but useful. . . and by other of her contemporaries as a dangerous witch and blackguard who needed to be burned at the stake. A cleric or paladin in a fantasy medieval Europe could stir up any, all, or none of those emotions--it would depend upon the cleric or paladin in question.

That said, I'd also take issue with the contention that religion in medieval Europe spurred more killing and destruction than anything seen before. The medieval Europeans--yes, even during the Crusades were slouches compared to the Romans or even the Greeks. The armies and population of medieval Europe were far far far smaller than the armies and population of the classical age. IIRC, it wasn't until the early modern era that the populations and technology were advanced enough to do anything on on a scale never seen before.

 

[fusangite]

I had always assumed that the Paladins were supposed to be the Knights Templar. I see a 100% compatible medieval model for them in a Christian world.

As for clerics, this is somewhat more problematic. The idea of adventuring clerics is somewhat suggested by the mendicant Christian orders, the Franciscans and Benedictines. I think either a new mendicant order that shares some similarity with the templars, one could also use the Hospitalers; alternatively, one could have the Jesuits created early. They're pretty close to D&D clerics.

However, in a pagan medieval Europe, I have more trouble. So I'll stop writing, for now.

 

[Dr. Strangemonkey]

I had actually always assumed that clerics were analogous to the militaristic orders and paladins were more along the lines of highly faithful and chivalrous fighters, politicians, and enforcers of justice.

Maybe that's more of a 2e attitude, but I just don't think there could be any interpretation of medieval clergy as a whole that involved all of them learning how to use heavy armor.

Various members of the clergy were regularly expected to do adventurer duties for their local population. They were brought in to advice on any number of issues as the local intellectuals and their spiritual power was frequently used against profane spiritual manifestations. Not too mention very often leading the local communities generally and in battle. Wandering clerics and hermits were common throughout the period.

I agree about the clerics and paladins needing modification to reflect their high status in society, but I have a different spin on the healing aspect.

If you really wanted to put DnD style magic into the medieval milleau it makes sense for people to get low level healing magic directly from their local saints and holy relics. This was how it was supposed to work in real life and frees the clerics up to do the more active works they were created for.

When you needed healing you would trek out to your best local shrine, make an offering, and go home. If you weren't totally wicked or affected by something way beyond the pale you would then have the appropriate spell cast on you.

Clerics would need their portable healing abilities for adventuring and the battlefield and higher level clerics would sometimes have to use their powers to back up the local shrine system when something like a plague took affect.

As you would see in Gregory the Great leading the people of Rome on great progressions during the plague of Rome so that they could get an angel to appear and help them all out.

Kind of like Hospitals and paramedics to use a terrible parallel.

Also I would dispute the idea the medieval religion led to unheard of levels of violence. Modern wars are almost never fought for religion and are much worse. The Romans fought for politics and committed far greater attrocities than anyone in the medieval period had the ability or stomach for. Vikings, Mongols, and general levels of banditry which acounted for much of the violence of the period weren't really doing anything for religious reasons.

I actually think the level of violence got better or stayed just the same. Religion was just a justification that wasn't around before and hasn't shown up too much since.

 

[hong]

I had always assumed that the Paladins were supposed to be the Knights Templar.

Actually, that's clerics. This is made explicit in the 1E and 2E books, and the 3E version doesn't change any of the relevant class features.

 

[Thorntangle]

Well, I think that you're wrong about clerics or paladins not being able to be adventurers in a medieval europe game. The meaning of adventuring would just have to be redefined. It might be tracking down holy relics or vanquishing Dragons or fighting the Moorish army instead of robbing tombs and bilking thieves out of their loot but it would still be adventuring.

Good points all. But, just to clarify, I didn't say that Clerics and Paladins couldn't be adventurers. I said that they could - with careful explanation and with respect for the power they would have over the average medieval european.

 

[WayneLigon]

Healing: I'm not sure about this. I'm sure that a reading of the lives of the Saints--who were certainly believed to have such powers whether or not they really did--would indicate that their life wasn't one of constant besiegement and that the medical professions survived.

Most saints did not show healing powers while they were alive. That comes after death, generally, and seems to be one of the 'fast tracks' to beatification and eventual canonization. I can only think of about two that ever showed any form of supernatural power while alive, though with the hundreds of saints available I'm sure I'm missing a few.

Second, almost none of them seemed to have lived at or near the same time. You might have one or two of these people per generation, which would certainly cut down on the beseeching part. Most people never journeyed more than 10-20 miles from their home, save in grave circumstances. They're certainly not going to travel all the way to some city far away.

So, I think the clerics and paladins will be seeing a lot more people coming to them for healing. Or will they? There are probably some simple ways of limiting it.

1. It only works if someone is true in the Faith. This of course opens up a much larger an of worms.

The Church knights stood at the door while Cardinal Strauss sat in his large chair. Before him was the mayor of Burgen, a seaport city. Burgen was powerful and rich, and was also vital to the Cardinal's plans. The mayor was one of the New Rich, the rising merchant class that threatened to upset the nobility and perhaps even dislodge the Church's hold on the region. The man was complacent, even here before a Prince of the Church. Strauss listened to the mayor's complaints, then presented him with a knife.

"What is this?" the mayor said, staring at the slim blade.

"Cut yourself with it, and Father Joseph here will call upon the power of the Lord to heal you. If you are a true son of the Church, then of course there will be no problem. Otherwise..."

The Church knights loosened their swords, in case they were needed in the next few minutes.

2. It isn't reliable. Maybe there is a saving throw involved, or some other mechanism that means it simply doesn't work all the time. 'The Lord helps those who help themselves' kind of thing.

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

You may be right about the relative rarity of healing powers attributed to Saints. I'm more familiar with Patristic and post-Reformation Christian history than medieval. Still, the more modern examples of individuals in the more modern Pentecostal traditions like Smith Wigglesworth and John G. Lake doesn't seem to indicate a constant besiegement. Large numbers of people would show up expecting to be healed if they announced and advertised a public appearance but not if they were just strolling down main street doing their Sunday shopping. I think that this is probably a reasonable model for the treatment of clerics and paladins.

I think that an analysis of the relative commonality of such people would also make people less likely to mob clerics. If the one or two saints (with reputed healing powers) who lived at the same time weren't generally mobbed as they came through town, then it seems even less likely that they'd be mobbed if there were more of them. After all, why travel to the city in order to mob a cleric if there's another cleric who might come through your town next month? If there isn't another cleric, I'd expect you're more likely to do that rather than less.

Most saints did not show healing powers while they were alive. That comes after death, generally, and seems to be one of the 'fast tracks' to beatification and eventual canonization. I can only think of about two that ever showed any form of supernatural power while alive, though with the hundreds of saints available I'm sure I'm missing a few.

Second, almost none of them seemed to have lived at or near the same time. You might have one or two of these people per generation, which would certainly cut down on the beseeching part. Most people never journeyed more than 10-20 miles from their home, save in grave circumstances. They're certainly not going to travel all the way to some city far away.

 

[Agback]

I had always assumed that the Paladins were supposed to be the Knights Templar. I see a 100% compatible medieval model for them in a Christian world.

I thought that paladins' healing ability was supposed to be based on those stories in which eg. Perceval, Lancelot, and Galahad healed the wounded and cured the sick by laying on their hands.

If you want to go for the Holy Fighting Orders, though, I might incline more to the Hospitalers than the Templars.

Regards,


Agback

 

[Noj]

Gygax articles:

http://www.dragonsfoot.org/la/articles/ecc_concerns.shtml

http://www.dragonsfoot.org/la/articles/religion2.shtml

Both articles deal with the role of the clergy in a fantasy world.

Cheerio!
Jon