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Essay on history of charlemagne
The two lives of charlemagne review
Essay on history of charlemagne
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Every historian interprets the past differently and with distinctive perspectives, resulting in many sides to one story. Often the reader must decide which perspective is more logical, likely, or coherent. Recounting one war took a lot of time and effort because of the necessity to include all sides of the story. Becher, Barbero, Collins and Backman have approached the life of Charlemagne with different points of view; however, Barbero seems to have the strongest argument for the cause of the Saxon War. The other historians were less willing to see the Saxon war as a religious war. The life of Charlemagne was interesting to historians because it was filled with many vigorous wars that he fought including the infamous Saxon War. From the beginning of his life, Charlemagne was destined to rule a nation and lead his people into war, achieving both triumphant victories and devastating defeats. He died of sickness in old age, thus leaving the kingdom in the hands of his son. The Saxon war was the most persistent, yet hostile war he fought because of the determination and severity of the enemy. However, the questions remain: “What actually caused the Saxon war? What gave it life? What are all the different events that occurred during this war? What are some of the strategies used during this war?” The wars he fought resulted in his success as a ruler and as a historical figure to reflect on when considering the greatness of kings.
Charlemagne’s father, Pepin, died of dropsy on 24 September, 768 and left his two sons, Charlemagne and Carloman, with William, the Duke of Aquitania. After Pepin died, the whole kingdom was divided evenly between the two sons. It was split in such a way that Charlemagne would govern the part that belonged ...
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...become great and victorious. There is the concept of how everything that Charlemagne did was for his enemies to be converted to Christianity and nothing else. Through the different interpretations, the argument for religious motives was the strongest. Charlemagne used military tactics in a misguided attempt to further the kingdom of God.
Works Cited
Samuel Epes Turner, Einhard: The Life of Charlemagne, New York: Harper & Brothers, 1880. http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/basis/einhard.asp#Saxon War
Alessandro Barbero, Charlemagne: Father of a Continent. Berkeley: University of California, 2004.
Matthias Becher, Charlemagne. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2003.
Clifford R. Backman, The Cultures of the West: A History. Volume 1: To 1750. New York: Oxford University Press, 2013.
Roger Collins, Charlemagne. Toronto: University of Toronto, 1998.
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, “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 writing The Life of Charlemagne is to praise the works of his “foster-father” and create a historical document that would describe the great deeds of Charlemagne so that he would not be forgotten throughout time as a great leader and man.
The most famous work about Charlemagne is a book entitled The Two Lives of Charlemagne which consists of two separate biographies published into one book and tells the story of Charlemagne's life as two different people experienced it. Apart from this, there are many other places you can turn to learn more about the life of the king of the Franks, including letters, capitularies, inventories, annals, and more. However, each of these sources seem to paint a different picture of Charlemagne. In one, he seems to be a very average guy; in another, a mythical being, almost god-like; and a strong and firm political leader in yet another. It is because of this of this that we will never really know exactly who Charlemagne was or what he was like, but we do have an idea of what he did and how he lived thanks to those who decided to preserve it.
...o a new and innovative empire. Under Charlemagne’s reign education, music and the community would flourish. Charlemagne’s ideas would be lasting becoming the foundation for modern society. The Treaty of Verdun would create a solution among fighting brothers and end a raging war. That in the end would create was in now Germany, Italy, and France. The Carolingian Renaissance would give birth to wonderful works of art, Caroline minuscule writing, musical notations, and books. The Magna Carta would be one of the first documents in written form to prevent a King from overstepping his bounds and consult his administration before making decisions. The Battle of Hastings of 1066 AD would be a duel between two opposing leaders willing to fight to death in order to gain a crown. In all, every single one of these events were significant to the continual development of Europe.
In the epic poem of Beowulf, written by an unknown monk in about 725 AD, the Anglo-Saxon virtue of comitatus is displayed as a slowly dying aspect of life. Comitatus is the basic idea that everyone protects the king at all costs even if it means a warrior giving up his own life, and if a king is killed, the warriors must avenge the death of the king or they can no longer serve as warriors for the next king. This value of comitatus is displayed mostly through the three battles that Beowulf encounters during the epic poem. An analysis of the three battles is important because Beowulf’s choice of weapons, behavior of the Thanes, and preparation for and attitude toward battle all emphasize the death of the Anglo-Saxon virtue of comitatus.
While expanding his empire across Europe, Charlemagne did remember that he was indeed a Christian, and converted many of the tribes he conquered, to Christianity. However, when 4,500 Saxons resisted, they were slaughtered ("Charlemagne"). But, for better or for worse, by 1000 AD Christianity had spread like wildfire throughout most of Europe, and the Catholic Church, who had crowned our friend Charlemagne the Emperor, had risen to power. Meanwhile, the Seljuk Turks had taken Jerusalem and were threatening Constantinople and the Byzantine Empire (“Crusades”). Near the end of the eleventh century, Emperor Alexius wrote a letter to Pope Urban the II that called for the assistance of his fellow Christians in West (“Crusades”). And, Pope Urban, was more than happy to assemble an army for such a worthy cause, and he also hoped that it might improve the relations between the two
Coffin, Judith G, et al. Western Civilizations: Their History & Their Culture. 17th ed. New York: W. W. Norton & Co, 2011. Print.
Charlemagne was mostly known for being the founder of the Carolingian Empire, as well as uniting Western Europe. The son of Bertrada of Laon and Pepin the short, Charlemagne soon became ruler of the franconians after his father and younger brother’s deaths. While ruling he wanted to bring all Germanic people together into one kingdom and convert subjects into Christianity. After three-decades of battles against the Saxons, Charlemagne demanded the deaths of about 4,500 Saxons. Many have said that if the Saxons did not agree to
In the essay "The Emperor Charlemagne," Einhard discussed the rise and greatness of this ruler, and gave an in-depth look into who the King truly was. After receiving the Frank kingdom from his father, he more than doubled the previous territory that the Franks already pos...
After years of skirmishes and attack along their shared borders, the Franks decided to go to war in order to put an end to the dispute for once and for all in 772. The Saxons were not at all like the Franks. Einhard describes them as pagan and uncivilized in every possible way. “Naturally fierce, [worshipping] demons and . . . opposed to [our religion]” (Rosenwein 138). It is important to note that in demonizing his enemies, Einhard reinforces this idea of Charlemagne’s power source being something beyond this world. He is endowed with wisdom and an ability that is near holy. Charlemagne is no longer a man, or even a king, but something more. In 804, the conflict ended once again on Charlemagne’s terms. He ordered the Saxons to give up their pagan ways and accept the Christian religions and they--- as Einhard seems to suggest--- happily obliged. This is yet another fantastic tale of Charles’ conquests. The enemy falling at the king’s feet. He gave a command to the Saxons and followed, and with the decree Charlemagne suddenly is able to unite the people. Obviously, history does not happen this way, but it is Einhard’s voice as an author that tells the audience of the Charlemagne’s larger-than-life
A) Explain how Europe even today is largely the result of Charlemagne’s efforts, according to the author; B) What role did Christianity play in the process of forming Europe?
Charlemagne's source of power can be found primarily in the way he was born. Charles was born somewhere (possibly Aachen, or Liège) in the Frankish Kingdom, around from 742-748. He was born to Pepin the Short, Mayor of the Palace, and Bertrada of Laon. Pepin's status as Mayor of the Palace gave him more actual power than the current King, Childeric III, the last of the Merovingians, a failing dynasty that had ruled the Frankish Kingdom for a long time. The reason the Mayor had more power than the King was because the last few monarchs had done little to manage the Frankish Kingdom. Soon, the other nobles started to respond to the Mayor, instead of the King. In other words, Childeric and his most recent forefathers were little more than figureheads. Eventually, Childeric
Charlemagne or “Charles the Great” was a great and successful ruler. He wasn’t just a ruler though he had other skills and abilities. Charlemagne loved music and to learn, he was a good hunter, strong athlete and a strong military leader. These skills will later help him with his rule and how he wants the society to be. Charlemagne was crowned the “Emperor of the Romans” because he helped Pope Leo III when he needed help against some Germans. It came as a surprise to Charlemagne being crowned. He didn’t really expect it, but when he finally realized it was happening, he preferred being called “King of the Franks.”
Harold Earl of Wessex was the paramount Saxon warrior of his age. Even though he lacked royal ancestry, the Witan (the Saxon ruling body) chose him to be king in hope that he would be able to forestall invasions from Norway and Normandy. Both countries hoped to take command of England, since no royal Saxon-Wessex heir was on hand who had credible military leadership ability to defend the Saxon homeland.
Hunt, Lynn, et al. The Making of the West: Peoples and Cultures. Boston, New York:
Charlemagne's character was contradictory. In an age when the usual penalty for defeat was death, Charlemagne several times spared the lives of his defeated foes; yet in 782 at Verden, after a Saxon uprising, he ordered 4,500 Saxons beheaded. He compelled the clergy and nobles to reform, bu...