Charlemagne Or Charles The Great - 1525 Words

Charlemagne or Charles the Great, (747-814) was one of the most significant people during the Middle Ages, playing a key role in defining the shape and character of Medieval Europe. Considered the ‘Father of Europe’, Charlemagne reigned as King of the Franks (768-814) and became the first Holy Roman Emperor (800-814). He created a great empire as he dramatically expanded the Frankish Kingdom in a series of conquests that united most of Western Europe for the first time since the Roman Empire. He also introduced many governmental, cultural and economic reforms to further his great ‘Carolingian’ Empire. Additionally the Emperor fostered the Carolingian renaissance, a time of great cultural and intellectual revival and reinforced the Christian foothold on Europe. Charlemagne’s role in Medieval Europe was as a complete leader and emperor, one that effectively managed every aspect of his empire. As King of the Franks, Charlemagne played the role of a warrior king, constantly engaged in warfare and through his conquests he no longer ruled a Kingdom but a veritable empire. When the fall of the Roman Empire led to its dissolution in Western Europe, it caused a fragmented collection of Kingdoms. As Charlemagne united these fragments he needed to reconstruct the structures of a complex society and maintain unity within his realm, which was complicated by the differences between his people. Due to this, Charlemagne’s role was as an effective administrator, and he instituted manyShow MoreRelatedLegitimacy Of Charlemagne And Charles The Great1449 Words   |  6 Pages â€Å"Legitimacy of Charlemagne† Charles, or better known as Charlemagne or â€Å"Charles the Great†, was born in 742 AD. Charlemagne was described as having a cheerful face and attractive gray hair (Becher, pg.2). He was described as being a tall man, not only in height, being that his â€Å"height was equal to the length of seven of his feet†, but as Einhard also pointed out he had a â€Å"neck that was fat and too short, and a large belly† (Becher, pg. 2). Charlemagne over the years had claimed manyRead MoreRecording of Charles the Great were recorded Charles the Greats Deeds and Characteristics in The life of Charlemagne1364 Words   |  6 Pagesof Charles the Great were recorded in The life of Charlemagne after Charles’ death by the courtier, Einhard, who argues that Charles was the greatest, idealistic king and must be passed on to the next generation. The author Einhard, a courtier to Charlemagne served as an attendant to the king, dedicated the writing to Charles and Charlesâ €™ son, Louis, for who it was to serve as a guide to being a great king. Although Einhard is humble in stating that he is not worthy of writing about Charles theRead MoreThe King Of The Franks Essay1655 Words   |  7 PagesSabrina Fearon History 8G 4/14/16 â€Å"Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.† William Shakespeare Do you agree/disagree/partially agree that Charlemagne was an example of all three? Clovis, king of the Franks, established the Merovingian Empire in 481. Then, in 511, he split his empire between his four sons. The kings in the Merovingian line continued to hand down their thrones to their later generations, which slowly started to make them weak. ThisRead MoreCharlemagne Essay examples1611 Words   |  7 PagesEmperor and Augustus? What made King Charles, Charles the Great? In Einhards Life of Charlemagne, a very succinct description of King Charles ideals, beliefs, attitudes and traits are depicted along with his lifes territorial as well as mental conquests illustrated. Charlemagne was a man with a vision of a utopian society united under Christianity in its glorious form in an almost Camelot like kingdom. Einhards literary work gives society an insight into King Charles and what made him capable of beingRead MoreCharlemagne Essay1298 Words   |  6 PagesCharlemagne, also known as Charles the Great and Charles I, was not only a king of France, but a commandin g historical figure. Charlemagne is believed to have been born sometime around the year 742. He became King of the Franks in 768 and went on to become the Emperor of the Carolingian Empire in 800, before his death in 814. Charlemagne’s father, King Pepin (the short), officially put an end to the Merovingian line of kings to become King of the Franks, and willed that Francia be divided betweenRead MoreChristian Beliefs Of The World909 Words   |  4 Pages Charlemagne, was a man raised on Christian beliefs who spent his life waging war on those who were not Christian. Conquered peoples were forced to accept Christianity as their fate or face exile and/or death. This manner of conversion to Christian beliefs completely goes against the teachings of his beloved bible. The hypocrisy of these acts bring one to question his true motivations. Was he really trying to spread Christianity or was he simply using his Christian crusade as a means to expandRead MoreHow Do You Perceive the Historical Transformation from the Collapse of Rome to the Dawn of the Middle Ages1441 Words   |  6 PagesPope Stephen crowned Pepin, and thereby solidifying his right to the throne. He had a son named Charlemagne, who later became king and was referred to as â€Å"Charles the Great†. This honorable name was bestowed upon him because he was the first king to re-establish order to this unruly empire. Charles united the Frankish empire, encouraged commer ce, and brought religion back to the masses. Through Charles’ charisma, knowledge, determination, and loyalty to his people he achieved what no other ruler couldRead MoreThe Life of Charlemagne by Einhard1388 Words   |  6 Pages Charlemagne is described by Janet Nelson as being a role model for Einhard. Einhard himself writes in the first paragraph of The Life of Charlemagne, â€Å"After I decided to write about the life, character and no small part of the accomplishments of my lord and foster father, Charles, that most excellent and deservedly famous king, I determined to do so with as much brevity as I could.† I feel that these are sincere words about the man who cared for Einhard. I feel that Einhard’s purpose for writingRead More Charlemagne Essay1379 Words   |  6 PagesCharlemagne By the Cross and the Sword : Charlemagne’s Impact on the West. â€Å"He who ordains the fate of kingdoms in the march of the centuries, the all-powerful Disposer of events, having destroyed one extraordinary image, that of the Romans, which had, it was true, feet of iron, or even feet of clay, then raised up, among the Franks, the golden head of a second image, equally remarkable, in the person of the illustrious Charlemagne. Notker the Stammerer, the monk of St. Gall, wrote these wordsRead MoreCharlemagne : The Kingdom Of The Dark Ages1100 Words   |  5 Pagesfourth century of the Dark Ages. Charlemagne was determined to unite and christianize the Germanic kingdoms of Europe. He lived in a time in which the Germanic groups who inhabited Europe remained disorganized and had no central authority (Ann 1). Through many battles and years of war, he reached his destination of unifying Europe. Charlemagne deserves the title â€Å"Father of Europe† after he unified his kin gdom and set a precedent for his successors. Charlemagne inherited the throne with his brother