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Charlemagne and the catholic empire Charlemagne father, king Pepin ruled the combined Frankish kingdom, German,

roman and catholic society that had developed in France and partly in Germany. These kingdoms were ruled by officials because the kings were incompetent. St Boniface the bishop who was the popes representative crowned and anointed Pepin as king of the franks in 751, this showed he had received the power and authority from God. His coronation and prestige signified he was the legitimate ruler of the kingdom. The society had changed in so many ways and had been fragmented, the king and his warriors or knights no longer fought on foot but on horse backs which means the knights has to have enough war land, grain and servants to support and care for the horse.( the book). Knights and dukes were in charge of dishing lout justice to whoever is found guilty and the system made it relatively easy for them to acquire lands and properties (the book) King pepins son was Charlemagne, Charlemagne was also known as Charles the great or Charles 1 and he was the founder of the Carolingian empire reigning from 768 until his death.(Wikipedia). He expanded the Frankish kingdom, adding Italy, subduing the Saxons and Bavarians, and pushed his frontier into Spain. The oldest son of Pepin the Short and Bertrada of Laon, Charlemagne was the first Emperor in Western Europe since the fall of the Roman Empire four centuries earlier. (Wikipedia). He was so energetic that he could fight or hunt all day, feast all evening and be up before the dawn of the next day to attend mass and other business. He became a model for future Christian rulers,(the book). He had 3 wives because his early 2 wives died while they were young and had many children. He was always kind to his mother and brother, he built his palace near hot springs so he and his household could swim and take baths in the winter. He gave clothes and lots of foods to his dependants while his sons and

daughters were taught how to write and read and were given a good education And later on the boys went to learn horsemanship and knighthood and the girls learned weaeving and other aerts practiced by upper class women(the book). He was a good father that enjoyed the company of his children so much that he kept all of them with him anytime possible. He fought wars to protect the popes from the Lombards and other enemies. Becoming King of the Franks in 768 following the death of his father, Charlemagne was initially co-ruler with his brother Carloman I. Carloman I's sudden death in 771 under unexplained circumstances left Charlemagne as the undisputed ruler of the Frankish Kingdom. Through his military conquests, he expanded his kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. Charlemagne was known as the protector of the church, Charlemagne continued his father's policy towards the papacy and became its protector, removing the Lombards from power in Italy, and leading an incursion into Muslim Spain (Wikipedia). Pope Leo III crowned him as emperor in the year 800, the coronation formalized and title formalized the relationship of support and protection between them and gave Charlemagne special recognition as the greatest ruler since the end of western Rome, in many ways he was more than that and he was the first great medieval monarch and his rule signified the formation of a new society (the book). A battle Charlemagne and his knights fought in 778 at Roncesvalles, in southern France became the basis of the song of Roland, the legendary story of a great Frankish knight who held off attacking Muslim Arab knights for hours with a few companions and later died a glorious death, he was honored by all his companions and Charlemagne, the great king (the book). The story inspired hundreds of knights for years and an oath of homage was sworn by the knights to his

feudal lord that meant the knight was required to give his life in battle for his lord. The knights who won glory in these battles certainly and undisputable deserved it (the book). Charlemagne supported Catholic missionary endeavors beyond the Rhine River, subduing the pagan Saxons three times before building permanent monasteries for the education of the newly converted, albeit at the point of a sword. Centers of monastic learning, such as at Fulda, were highly regarded and endowed by Charlemagne. At his capital, Aix-la-Chapelle (or Aachen in the German), Charlemagne raised a cathedral and established the first cathedral school, staffed by monks of the Benedictine order. He also instituted the payment of a tithe to financially support the growth and expansion of the church..( http://suite101.com/article/charlemagnes-empire-as-arenaissance-a110630)

The crowning of Charlemagne by the Pope at the Church of St. Peters proved the closeness of the church and state. Some did not like the fact that the Pope had the authority to make Charlemagne emperor of Rome. However, Charlemagne was accepted as emperor, and he developed a very successful empire. By developing three elements: the Roman past, the Germanic way of life, and Christianity, the Roman Empire became very stable. Charlemagne took advantage of Christianitys moral and ethical standards, and he made laws in favor of the spreading of the faith. Also, after Charlemagne became Emperor he came up with two policies for success. The first policy was expansion, and with Charlemagnes military experience this was not difficult to achieve. The second policy was the conversion of all his lands to Christianity. With this policy, the Christian faith spread rapidly throughout the lands, and many were converted.( http://www.hyperhistory.net/apwh/essays/comp/cw06church313v800state32030119.html

Charlemagne was heavily built, sturdy and of considerable stature although not exceptionally so and maintained his stature at older age.(Wikipedia). Charlemagne enjoyed listening to music, seeing works of arts, sculpture, weaving and jewelry. He built a beautiful church at Aachen which can still be viewed today, he attended morning and evening prayers and also mass every day. (The book). From his lifestyle one can say he was a disciplined and devoted catholic One of the major effects Charlemagnes rule in Europe was Charlemagnes renaissance reintroduced reading and writing, although scholars debate how literate Charlemagne himself was. Education was expanded, albeit for the upper nobility and, of course, church institutions. Important manuscripts, including books from antiquity, were carefully transcribed in monasteries to serve posterity. Charlemagne was blessed with a long life and a long reign. This, no doubt, played a significant role in his ability to create lasting institutions, if not a lasting empire. He is still regarded as the great or, in German, Karl der Grosse.(http://suite101.com/article/charlemagnes-empire-as-a-renaissance-a110630)

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