Landholding in the Loire valley and the late Carolingian economy ( <i>c</i> .840– <i>c</i> .1000)

This article builds on recent work the Carolingian economy by giving an overview of landholding patterns and associated economic activity in Loire valley ninth tenth centuries. It demonstrates that only individuals institutions with access to patronage from royal fisc possessed large, unified estates; majority land was held as small, fragmented farmsteads. Moreover, these small parcels changed hands a regular basis through grants leases, allowing investment, agricultural development, social material returns for their owners. The suggests small-scale property transactions were growth dynamism late economy.