In this powerfully argued, original and well-balanced study, Hans Hummer investigates the operation of political power in early medieval Europe, from 600 to 1000AD. Focusing on the region of Alsace, Hummer elucidates the networks of monasteries and kin-groups that formed the basis of the local political order and demonstrates the importance of monastic control. Standing on a recurrent political fault line, Alsace is a fascinating case study upon which to base an exploration of the relationship between local and central power over these four centuries.