Limburg Abbey Rheinland-Pfalz Germany

Conrad has continued the Ottonian dynasty's policy of using the German Church as a vehicle for imperial control.

Beginning in the 950s, the Ottonians had favored Church officials over secular nobles for appointment to the Empire's most important offices.

Claiming "divine right" to rule the Empire, the Ottonians increasingly viewed themselves as protectors of the Church and thus demanded loyalty from the Church officials.

In return, the various bishoprics and abbeys of the Empire were granted extensive landholdings and secular authority, providing immunity from the jurisdiction of the secular nobles.

As such, the Church officials reported exclusively to the Emperor, acting as his personal vassals.

As the Emperor's vassals, the Church officials were subject to providing two services to him: the servitium regis (royal service) and servitium militum (military service).

Under the first, the bishops and abbots were required to provide hospitality and accommodations to the Emperor and his court when he arrived.

It also required the Church officials to act as quasi-bureaucracy for the Empire.

Under the second, the Church was required to supply soldiers for the Emperors' army or to act as diplomats at his direction.

Conrad energetically continues this tradition.

In his biography of Conrad, the chronicler Wipo of Burgundy stated the promotion of the Church was of little value to the Emperor.

Conrad and the other members of the Salian dynasty had little interest in the founding of new monasteries.

Through their hundred-year dynasty, the Salians will only found one, that of Limburg Abbey, which is converted from a fortress to a monastery in 1025, while the Ottonians had established at least eight in their hundred-year reign.