Charles Martel was one the most significant European leaders in the Middle Ages. He was born in 689 and died October 22, 741 AD at the Palace of Quizery. Charles went by many different names. They called him the Hammer because Martel means hammer in Latin and because he “hammered” his opponents on the battlefield. They also called him Karl because it means Charles in Latin. His father, Peppin II, was from a very powerful Austrasian family and his mother’s family was very wealthy from Meuse, France. Charles was not expected to be a great leader because his father was married to another woman while married to Charles’ mom. It was considered “illegitimacy”. But, when he ruled the Franks, he fought in the Battle of Tours and the Battle of …show more content…
In 714, when his father died, he took over the Frankish kingdom. It was not until 721, when he had full respect and leadership over the Franks. He won both the Battle of Tours and the Battle of Poitiers in 732. Winning both of those battles showed how powerful and important Charles was to the kingdom. His followers realized how prominent he was when he won both of the battles by a lot. In 736, Charles campaigned in Burgundy to gain land. These campaigns made sure that Muslims did not raid them and and protected the Christians from the Muslims. Martel died October 22, 741 AD at the Palace of Quizery in …show more content…
At the time, Charles Martel led the Franks and Abd-Ar-Rahman led the Muslims. The Muslims came from the East to gain more territory and spread their religion. The Muslim empire was spreading and they started to threaten European countries except for Spain. They started to invade Pyrenees Mountains more aggressively than the other countries. The Franks and Muslims fought at the city of Tours. One night, the Muslims decided to flea the scene because they feared it would be an embarrassing loss. In this battle, the Franks fought on foot and the Muslims fought on horses. The Franks beat the Muslims so badly that the Islamic religion would never be a strong influence in Western Europe again. This was a significant victory because if the Franks lost, the Muslims would have gained their land and greater influence in
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 ...
Charlemagne’s reign before his death was also an important event in the shaping of Europe. Charlemagne (768 -814) also known as “Charles the Great” would raid Italy and capture the Lombard crown adding Northern Italy in 774. He would fight the Saxon’s for over thirty years expanding his territory along the way. The emperor would aggressively convert foreigners after conquering their territory into Christianity. By 800, he extended his territory into the Western and Central regions of Europe. The Carolingian King would create institutions that would mirror the old Roman Empire and set up districts under an appointed authority called a “count” similar to a modern governor.
“Jihad was but one of the reactions that Muslims had toward the Franks. But given its prevalence in the medieval Islamic sources—understanding this concept and its history in the years leading up to the era of the Crusades is important.” states Cobb (Cobb, page
Throughout the Ages there have been many leaders who were known for their great rule. One of these great men during the 8th century was Charlemagne. The Life of Charlemagne was written by Einhard, a Frankish elite who had the privilege of working in the courts of Charlemagne. The book did not come out till after Charlemagne’s death but, it goes through his life in a thematic fashion. Einhard sets the book by first addressing deeds, habits, and then administration. This writing was one of the first of its kind. While there were many biographies written on the lives of saints known as hagiography, this was the first of its kind to be written about a secular ruler since the time of Antiquity. I will begin by talking about Charlemagne’s rise to power, then about his character and personality, and finally his relationship with his family.
“The apprenticeship of a King” describes how Charlemagne gained power through conquest and diplomacy. In 768, King Pippin died and his kingdom was divided between his two sons. Charles, the elder, and the younger was Carloman. The author says that little is known of Charles’ boyhood. When he was of the right age, it is recorded that he worked eagerly at riding and hunting. It was the custom of the Franks to ride and be practiced in the use of arms and ways of hunting. We may reasonably infer that acquiring these skills formed a major part of his early education. Charles was not a “man of letters” and the author makes no attempt at explaining this other than to point out that literacy was considered unimportant at that time for anyone other than the clergy and Charles didn’t become interested in “letters” until later in life. Bullough explains a number of experiences in public duties and responsibilities, which were assigned to Charles by his father, thus, giving him an apprenticeship to rule the kingdom. For some reason tension between Charles and his brother began shortly after their accession. The author explains a number of conflicts. The younger brother died however, at the end of 771 and a number of prominent people in his kingdom offered allegiance to Charles. Bullough names and explains those subjects. The result was the re-uniting of those territories, which helped to establish the kingdom of the Franks.
There were three heirs to the legacy of Rome that appeared after its fall. These heirs included Latin Christendom, Byzantium, and Islam. Latin Christendom lagged behind the other two, but eventually caught up. Modern Western societies trace their origin through Latin Christendom. During the Early Middle Ages, Christianity continued to spread throughout Europe. Furthermore, Merovingian King Clovis the First was the earliest Germanic ruler to convert to the Christian faith. Moreover, the Early Middle Ages saw the rise of Charlemagne as the ruler of the Franks. Charlemagne left a lasting legacy, and was instrumental in initiating the Carolingian Renaissance. The Carolingian Renaissance was an attempt to raise the standard of learning. Furthermore, the Franks had an alliance with the Papacy. During this era, there was a significant growth of Papal power. Consequently, as the Christian church increased in power it also increased its influence on society. Another religion emerged in the Middle East which affected Latin Christendom. The emergence of the new Islamic faith eventually caused tension with Latin Christendom that culminated in the Crusades. The Muslims invasion of France was repelled at the Battle of Tours by Charles Martel. The Muslims had even invaded sections of Byzantium. Issues s...
Charlemagne, also known as Charles the Great, became the undisputed ruler of Western Europe, “By the sword and the cross.” (Compton’s 346) As Western Europe was deteriorating Charlemagne was crowned the privilege of being joint king of the Franks in 768 A.D. People of Western Europe, excluding the church followers, had all but forgotten the great gifts of education and arts that they had possessed at one time. Charlemagne solidly defeated barbarians and kings in identical fashion during his reign. Using the re-establishment of education and order, Charlemagne was able to save many political rights and restore culture in Western Europe.
Middle Ages. Charlemagne lived from 2 nd April 742 to 28 th January 814 and was referred to as
Charlemagne was born around 742, the son of Bertrada of Laon, and Pepin the Short, who became king of the Franks in 751. Charlemagne’s exact birthplace is unknown. Historians have suggested Liege in present-day Belgium and modern-day Germany as possible locations. When Pepin died in October of 768, Charlemagne
Charlemagne also known as Charles the Great, created a legacy that is greatly honored still to this day. He is seen as one of the greatest conquerors ever because of territories he conquered, the diversity he created, and the building of one of the greatest empires known to mankind. Since the fall of Rome, most of the continent of Europe has not been ruled by someone, until Charlemagne came along. Charlemagne was the founder of the Holy Roman Empire and was the one person to practically lead Europe out of the Dark Ages.
The Frankish empire all started in 511 when Clovis I (c. 481-511) conquered the Visigoths and other tribes and became one of the early Merovingian, an early Salian Frankish dynasty, kings (McGill). Charles Martel, Charlemagne’s grandfather, once saved the Merovingian dynasty from the clutches of downfall, assuring his sons a position at the throne. About a hundred years later, in the seventh century, Charlemagne’s father, Pepin III, created the Carolingian dynasty under the Merovingian dynasty and overcame Childeric III, the Merovingian king. Now, the sole ruler was the Carolingian dynasty, which had always been in a position of more power. By doing this, he ensured his sons, Charlemagne and Carloman, a chance at the throne. The borders of this new dynasty were, at the time, France, Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands. In addition, Pepin allied with Pope Stephen II, and...
Throughout history there have been many leaders who have succeeded and led their people to greatness, and countless others who have failed and brought ruin. A good leader must be courageous, wise, and able to react well to the difficult situations that they may face. One man who had all of these characteristics and more was Charlemagne, King of Frankia located in modern day France. Throughout his long life he united the Frankish kingdoms, saved the papacy from destruction, and fought off barbarians during a critical point in Europe’s history (Sullivan). In addition, he also went on to found two of the world’s most influential kingdoms in history, the Kingdom of France and the Holy Roman Empire (Knowles). Charlemagne the Great, as he was known in his home kingdom of Frankia, ultimately fit the mold and even exceeded the requirements for being a good leader set forth by Sun Tzu in his book: The Art of War. He endured many struggles, suffered demoralizing losses, and experienced the highest of victories throughout his storied reign as King of the Franks, Italy, and as the first Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, all of which would last for centuries to come.
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Charlemagne, or Charles the Great, King of the Franks. Charlemagne, or Charles the Great, King of the Franks (742-814), was a strong. leader who unified Western Europe through military power and the blessing of the Church. The Church. The Church.
According to John Contreni Louis the Pious (778-840) was the successor to his father the Charlemagne. Louis thought that the kingdom had fallen from it religious faith. He saw that none of his sisters had married. In his first year of ruling he sent out 40 diplomas more than his father ever had. He also told the people that he controlled all Christians and that he did not control all other ethnic groups. He wanted to make a nation...