Emperor on Christmas Day | Gazette665 Emperor on Christmas Day Posted on December 12, 2014 by Sarah Kay Bierle If you’ve ever taken a Western Civilization class or studied European History, the date “Christmas Day, 800 A.D.” has probably been drilled into you head. Do you remember the significant event? Welcome to Week #2 in our series on historical happenings on Christmas Day. Last week we played a guessing game to discover a famous American whose birthday was December 25. Now, we journey farther back in time and the history books to the Dark Ages. On Christmas Day (December 25) 800 A.D. Charlemagne was crowned Holy Roman Emperor. Painting of Charlemagne by Artist Durer (1513) Public Domain Charlemagne, also known as Charles I of the Franks, ruled the area we now know as France; he became the ruler of the Carolingian kingdom in 768 A.D. He promoted “Christianity” and education through his kingdom. He fought many campaigns, expanding the borders of the Frankish Kingdom.

As the most powerful ruler in Dark Ages Europe, Charlemagne settled a dispute and kept Pope Leo III in power in Rome. In gratitude the pope crowned the Frankish king “Holy Roman Emperor.” It was a political/religious gesture intending to show that Charlemagne continued the legacy of the Ancient Roman Empire. To be honest, the new empire was not Roman, not holy, and didn’t last very long. However, the crowning of Charlemagne on Christmas Day 800 A.D. is significant in European History because for the first time since the fall of Rome there was an emperor in Europe and it introduced an important question. Could popes make kings? Did popes have to obey kings or kings obey popes? These questions would become significant debates during the Middle Ages and Renaissance periods. The title “Holy Roman Emperor” passed to future Carolingian kings and was then fought over by Italian rulers, before disappearing quietly. In 962 A.D. Otto I revived the title and the “Holy Roman Empire” would be a major player in European history until 1806 when conquered by Napoleon I. Thus in 800 A.D.

the foundations of modern Europe began to rise from the Dark Ages when a Frankish king was crowned by an Italian pope. Your Historian, Miss Sarah P.S. The Holy Roman Empire is a fascinating political identity in European history. It played major roles in the Renaissance, Reformation, Religious Wars, Political Wars, and the opposition to Napoleon. It grew, changed, and adapted as Europe progressed, but if something significant was happening on continental Europe, the Holy Roman Empire was part of it. Any thoughts? I hope you’re enjoying this series. It should provide interesting holiday conversation. Share this: Charlemagne is crowned emperor - December 25, 800 | Europe | DW.COM | 16.11.2009 Europe Charlemagne is crowned emperor - December 25, 800 Pope Leo III crowned the Frankish king, Charlemagne, Emperor of the Romans on Christmas Day, 800 in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, making him the most powerful ruler of his time. Painting by Friedrich Kaulbach of the coronation In November 799, Charlemagne (ca. 747 - 814) set out for Rome.

The pope had summoned him, because he could no longer fend off his enemies in the city. After Charlemagne calmed representatives from both sides and had Leo take an oath of purgation concerning charges of adultery and perjury brought against him, the two rulers attended a Christmas mass in St. Peter's. Those in attendance that Christmas Eve found themselves witness to a show of historical dimensions. According to the court chronicler Einhart (ca. 780 - 840), Charlemagne was kneeling before the altar in prayer when Pope Leo III approached him from behind and placed the imperial crown on his head. Charlemagne's biographer was keen to convey the impression that the king was surprised by the coronation. It's probable that Charlemagne had speculated on the likelihood of receiving the crown; the pope was, after all, in need of the kind of assistance only the King of the Franks could offer. As soon as the crown was in position, the pope was on his knees, anointing the feet of the new emperor. At the same time, so the account goes, hefty applause broke out among the Romans in attendance, while the clergy began the coronation litany.

With this ceremony, the King of the Franks became a Roman Emperor, with a vast swath of Europe under his rule. The core of his new realm was formed by those countries which, around 1,150 years later, would make up the European Economic Community: France, Germany, the Benelux states and Italy. Carolingian renaissance Charlemagne's throne in the Aachen cathedral Immediately after the coronation, Charlemagne introduced a common currency, written language and measurements in Francia. In Aachen, he commissioned buildings, the remnants of which still provide an indication of how the city was meant to become a "second Rome." Charlemagne was not just a great commander, Christian and modernizer of Europe, he was also a great supporter of education. He gathered the most significant scholars of his day, and commissioned them to create a standardized curriculum. With that, he laid the foundation for Frankish culture to flourish. The "Carolingian renaissance" was closely linked with the British scholar, Alcuin of York (735 - 804), whom Charlemagne had met in Parma in 781.

At Charlemagne's Palace School at Aachen, Alcuin established a library filled with important works by antique authors. Their writings were recorded in the script known as Carolingian minuscule, and archived. The architecture of the Carolingian era also harked back to antiquity. Aachen's Palatine Chapel, for example, was meant to call to mind the "little Hagia Sophia," the Sergios-Bakhos Church in Constantinople. Other government buildings in Aachen were copies of Roman buildings. This "Carolingian renaissance" is of enormous significance, because it turned Francia into a link between ancient and medieval Europe. From that point on, the "medieval modern" was heavily influenced by the thoughts of the ancient scholars, by pre-Christian Roman architecture, or by religious ideas from Rome and Constantinople. Preserving antiquity The Aachen cathedral with the Palatine chapel And because Charlemagne sought to bind antiquity with the Middle Ages in this way, he also put himself on a level with those heroes of antiquity. The salvation of antiquity's cultural heritage was a conscious process, because the scholars started with the idea of a linear connection in both culture and politics.

Since our own culture is built atop that which went before us, they mused, it only made sense to discover as much as possible about antiquity. Charlemagne was also a believer in the theory of the "four empires" after which the end of the world was prophesied. When the pope bestowed the title of emperor on him, the Roman empire lived on in Charlemagne. This "translatio imperii" had (once again) prevented the world from coming to an end. Given this political belief, it made sense to partly adopt Roman culture, architecture, law, literature and knowledge, thus keeping it alive. In this way, the wisdom of antiquity came to Europe. Everything that the modern world of today knows about antiquity, it knows because of how the Carolingian renaissance preserved this knowledge and kept it from being destroyed.

Author: Matthias von Hellfeld (dc) Editor: Andreas Illmer The Significance of the Coronation of Charlemagne - Medievalists.net Medievalists.net The Significance of the Coronation of Charlemagne December 22, 2010 by Medievalists.net The Significance of the Coronation of Charlemagne By Monica Fleener Honours BA Thesis, Western Oregon University, 2005 Introduction: On Christmas Day in the year 800 A.D. Charlemagne, king of the Franks and part of the Carolingian line, was crowned Holy Roman Emperor by Pope Leo III (795-816). The coronation took place during mass at the Basilica of St.

Peter in Rome; immediately following the coronation, the acclamation of the people of Rome was heard: “To Charles, the most pious Augustus, crowned by God, the great and peace-giving Emperor, life and victory.” After this proclamation was made three times, the king “was adored by the pope in the manner of ancient princes; and, the title of patricius being dropped, he was called emperor and augustus.” The coronation of Charlemagne created the Holy Roman Empire, which endured until 1806. According to James Bryce, the coronation warrants the classification of the most important occurrence of the Middle Ages. Bryce also views the event as exceptional in that if the ceremony had not taken place, “the history of the world would have been different.” The reasons behind the coronation were different for both the parties involved. Pope Leo’s motivation for crowning Charles included an opportunity to reward the Frankish king for rescuing him, the need for protection from Roman rebels only an emperor could provide, and the realization that the imperial throne was empty due to the succession of a female, Empress Irene (797-802), in the East.

Charlemagne’s assuming of the imperial title was also the only way he could protect the papacy from the Eastern Empire. For Charlemagne, the coronation was an attempt to sanctify the power he had already achieved, and an opportunity to become equal in power and prominence with the emperor in the East. The event was also an occasion for the king to become an emperor (although not necessarily a Roman emperor), thus satisfying his imperial ambitions. The coronation of Charles may also have facilitated the absorption of the Saxons into his empire. This paper examines the possibility that the coronation of Charles indicated the beginning of Europe by analyzing the contemporary accounts of the coronation, discussing the interpretation of these sources by secondary historians, and providing a conclusion on the coronation’s role in the foundation of Europe. As the events are described in the primary sources and interpreted by historians, the significance of the coronation originates from Charlemagne’s restoration of the Roman Church, which indicates a strengthening relationship between the Church and the secular power in the West and a corresponding deteriorating relationship between the Eastern and Western parts of the Empire. The separation of the East from the West made the establishment of Europe possible. December 25th 800: Charlemagne crowned On...

December 25, 2012 December 25th 800: Charlemagne crowned On Christmas Day 800 AD, the Frankish King Charlemagne was crowned Holy Roman Emperor in Rome by Pope Leo III. This was done because the Pope needed the protection of the powerful Franks to defend Rome from the Lombards, thus he bestowed this title upon Charlemagne. Charlemagne ruled over a vast empire, which many have argued set the foundations for modern Europe, thus giving him the title of ‘father of Europe’. Charlemagne was instrumental in the spread of Christianity as he converted people through military conquest; his coronation also increased the power of the papacy. December 25, 800 AD | Article about December 25, 800 AD by The Free Dictionary December 25, 800 AD | Article about December 25, 800 AD by The Free Dictionary Also found in: Dictionary , Thesaurus , Wikipedia .

Charlemagne (Charles the Great or Charles I) (shär`ləmān) [O.Fr.,=Charles the great], 742?–814, emperor of the West (800–814), Carolingian king of the Franks (768–814). King of the Franks Elder son of Pepin the Short Pepin the Short (Pepin III), c.714–768, first Carolingian king of the Franks (751–68), son of Charles Martel and father of Charlemagne. Succeeding his father as mayor of the palace (741), he ruled Neustria, Burgundy, and Provence, while his brother Carloman (d. ..... Click the link for more information. and a grandson of Charles Martel Charles Martel [O.Fr.,=Charles the Hammer], 688?–741, Frankish ruler, illegitimate son of Pepin of Heristal and grandfather of Charlemagne.

After the death of his father (714) he seized power in Austrasia from Pepin's widow, who was ruling as regent for her grandsons, and ..... Click the link for more information. , Charlemagne shared with his brother Carloman Carloman, 751–71, son of Pepin the Short. He and his brother, Charlemagne, shared the succession to their father's kingdom; Carloman ruled the southern portion. Attempts to end rivalry between the brothers failed, and when Carloman died Charlemagne seized his domain. ..... Click the link for more information. in the succession to his father's kingdom. At Carloman's death (771), young Charlemagne annexed his brother's lands, disinheriting Carloman's two young sons, who fled with their mother to the court of Desiderius Desiderius , d. after 774, last Lombard king in Italy (756–74). The duke of Tuscany, he was chosen king with the support of the pope and of Pepin the Short, who was king of the Franks and whose son Charles (later Emperor Charlemagne) married Desiderius's daughter. .....

Click the link for more information. , king of the Lombards. When Desiderius conquered part of the papal lands and attempted to force Pope Adrian I Adrian I, d. 795, pope (772–95), a Roman; successor of Stephen IV. At Adrian's urging, Charlemagne crossed the Alps and defeated the Lombard king, Desiderius, who had annexed papal territory. That defeat marked the end of the Lombard kingdom. ..... Click the link for more information. to recognize Carloman's sons, Charlemagne intervened (773) on the side of the pope and defeated the Lombards. At Rome, Charlemagne was received by Adrian as patrician of the Romans (a title he had received with his father in 754), and he confirmed his father's donation to the Holy See. Shortly afterward he took Pavia, the Lombard capital, and assumed the iron crown of the Lombard kings of Italy. In 778 he invaded Spain, hoping to take advantage of civil war among the Muslim rulers of that kingdom, but was repulsed at Zaragoza.

In later campaigns conducted by local counts, Barcelona was captured (801) and a frontier established beyond the Pyrenees. Charlemagne's struggle with the pagan Saxons, whose greatest leader was Widukind Widukind or Wittekind , d. 807?, leader of the Saxons against the Frankish king Charlemagne (later emperor of the West). In 782, when Charlemagne organized Saxony as a Frankish province and ordered forced conversion of the pagan Saxons, the Saxons under Widukind ..... Click the link for more information. , lasted from 772 until 804. By dint of forced conversions, wholesale massacres, and the transportation of thousands of Saxons to the interior of the Frankish kingdom, Charlemagne made his domination over Saxony complete. In 788 he annexed the semi-independent duchy of Bavaria, after deposing its duke, Tassilo. He also warred successfully against the Avars and the Slavs, establishing a frontier south of the Danube.

Emperor of the West In 799 the new pope, Leo III Leo III, Saint, pope (795–816), a Roman; successor of Adrian I. He was attacked about the face and eyes by members of Adrian's family, who hoped to render him unfit for the papacy. Leo recovered and fled (799) to Charlemagne's protection at Paderborn. ..... Click the link for more information. , threatened with deposition by the Romans, appealed to Charlemagne. Charlemagne hastened to Rome to support Leo, and on Christmas Day, 800, was crowned emperor by the pope. His coronation legitimized Charlemagne's rule over the former Roman empire in W Europe and finalized the split between the Byzantine and Roman empires. After years of negotiation and war, Charlemagne received recognition from the Byzantine emperor Michael I in 812; in return Charlemagne renounced his claims to Istria, Venice, and Dalmatia, which he had held briefly.

The end of Charlemagne's reign was troubled by the raids of Norse and Danes (see Norsemen Norsemen, name given to the Scandinavian Vikings who raided and settled on the coasts of the European continent in the 9th and 10th cent. They are also referred to as Northmen or Normans. ..... Click the link for more information. ), so Charlemagne took vigorous measures for the construction of a fleet, which his successors neglected. His land frontiers he had already protected by the creation of marches. In 813, Charlemagne designated his son Louis I Louis I or Louis the Pious, Fr. Louis le Pieux or Louis le Débonnaire, 778–840, emperor of the West (814–40), son and successor of Charlemagne. He was crowned king of Aquitaine in 781 and co-emperor with his father in 813. ..... Click the link for more information. as co-emperor and his successor and crowned him at Aachen Aachen , Aix-la-Chapelle , or Bad Aachen , city (1994 pop.

246,570), North Rhine–Westphalia, W Germany, near the Belgian and Dutch borders. One of the great historic cities of Europe, it is now chiefly important as a rail and road hub and as an ..... Click the link for more information. . Achievements of His Reign In his government Charlemagne continued and systematized the administrative machinery of his predecessors. He permitted conquered peoples to retain their own laws, which he codified when possible, and he issued many capitularies capitularies , decrees and written commands of the Carolingian kings of the Franks, so called because they were divided into capitula, or chapters. Both legislative and administrative, they were the chief written instrument of royal authority. ..... Click the link for more information. (gathered in the Monumenta Germaniae historica Monumenta Germaniae historica , comprehensive critical editions of the sources of medieval German history. The first society created to publish them was founded by Karl vom und zum Stein in 1819, and the first volume appeared in 1826. G. H. ..... Click the link for more information. ).

A noteworthy achievement was the creation of a system by which he could supervise his administrators in even the most distant lands; his missi dominici were personal representatives with wide powers who regularly inspected their assigned districts. He strove to educate the clergy and exercised more direct control over the appointment of bishops and he acted as arbiter in theological disputes by summoning councils, notably that at Frankfurt (794), where adoptionism adoptionism, Christian heresy taught in Spain after 782 by Elipandus, archbishop of Toledo, and Felix, bishop of Urgel (Seo de Urgel). They held that Jesus at the time of his birth was purely human and only became the divine Son of God by adoption when he was baptized. ..... Click the link for more information. was rejected and some of the decrees of the Second Council of Nicaea (see Nicaea, Second Council of Nicaea, Second Council of, 787, 7th ecumenical council, convened by Byzantine Empress Irene. Called to refute iconoclasm, the council declared that images ought to be venerated (but not worshiped) and ordered them restored in churches. ..... Click the link for more information. ) were condemned.

He stimulated foreign trade and entertained friendly relations with England and with Harun ar-Rashid Harun ar-Rashid [Arab.,=Aaron the Upright], c.764–809, 5th and most famous Abbasid caliph (786–809). He succeeded his brother Musa al-Hadi, fourth caliph, a year after the death of his father, Mahdi, the third caliph. ..... Click the link for more information. . In 813, Charlemagne designated his son Louis I Louis I or Louis the Pious, Fr. Louis le Pieux or Louis le Débonnaire, 778–840, emperor of the West (814–40), son and successor of Charlemagne. He was crowned king of Aquitaine in 781 and co-emperor with his father in 813. ..... Click the link for more information. as co-emperor and his successor and crowned him at Aachen Aachen , Aix-la-Chapelle , or Bad Aachen , city (1994 pop.

246,570), North Rhine–Westphalia, W Germany, near the Belgian and Dutch borders. One of the great historic cities of Europe, it is now chiefly important as a rail and road hub and as an ..... Click the link for more information. . Charlemagne's court at Aachen was the center of an intellectual renaissance. The palace school, under the leadership of Alcuin Alcuin or Albinus , 735?–804, English churchman and educator. He was educated at the cathedral school of York by a disciple of Bede; he became principal in 766. Charlemagne invited him (781?) to court at Aachen to set up a school. ..... Click the link for more information. , became famous; numerous schools for children of all classes were also established throughout the empire during Charlemagne's reign. The preservation of classical literature was aided by his initiatives. Prominent figures of the Carolingian renaissance included Paul the Deacon Paul the Deacon, c.725–799?, Lombard historian. He received a good education, probably at Pavia, and he learned Latin thoroughly and some Greek.

He lived at Monte Cassino and at Charlemagne's court. ..... Click the link for more information. and Einhard Einhard or Eginhard , c.770–840, Frankish historian. Educated in the monastery of Fulda, he continued his studies at Charlemagne's palace school in Aachen and rose to high favor with the emperor. Emperor Louis I made Einhard tutor or adviser to his son Lothair. ..... Click the link for more information. . Character and Influence In his daily life Charlemagne affected the simple manners of his Frankish forebears, wore Frankish clothes, and led a frugal existence. He was beatified after his death and in some churches has been honored as a saint. Surrounded by his legendary 12 paladins, he became the central figure of a cycle of romance. At first, legend pictured him as the champion of Christendom; later he appeared as a vacillating old man, almost a comic figure.

His characterization in the Chanson de Roland (see Roland Roland , the great French hero of the medieval Charlemagne cycle of chansons de geste, immortalized in the Chanson de Roland (11th or 12th cent.). Existence of an early Roland poem is indicated by the historian Wace's statement that Taillefer sang of Roland's deeds ..... Click the link for more information. ) has impressed itself indelibly on the imagination of the Western world. The vogue of the Charlemagne epic ebbed somewhat after the Renaissance but was revived again in the 19th cent. by Victor Hugo and other members of the Romantic school. Charlemagne's creation (or re-creation) of an empire was the basis of the theory of the Holy Roman Empire Holy Roman Empire, designation for the political entity that originated at the coronation as emperor (962) of the German king Otto I and endured until the renunciation (1806) of the imperial title by Francis II. ..... Click the link for more information. ; it was his example that Napoleon I Napoleon I , 1769–1821, emperor of the French, b.

Ajaccio, Corsica, known as "the Little Corporal." Early Life The son of Carlo and Letizia Bonaparte (or Buonaparte; see under Bonaparte, family), young Napoleon was sent (1779) to French military schools at ..... Click the link for more information. had in mind when he tried to assume his succession in 1804. Bibliography Einhard wrote a contemporary biography of Charlemagne. See also H. Fichtenau, The Carolingian Empire (1949, tr. 1957); D. Bullough, The Age of Charlemagne (1966); J. Boussard, The Civilization of Charlemagne (tr. 1968); R. McKitterick, Charlemagne: The Formation of a European Identity (2008). For the literary aspect, see J. L. Weston, The Romance Cycle of Charlemagne and His Peers (1901). Charlemagne (Latin, Carolus Magnus). Born Apr. 2, 742; died Jan. 28, 814, in Aachen.

Became king of the Franks in 768 and emperor in 800. The Carolingian dynasty is named after Charlemagne. After the death of Pep in the Short (768), Charlemagne began to rule part of the Frankish state (his brother Carloman held the other part). In 771 he became the sole ruler of the reunified state. Charlemagne expanded the boundaries of his kingdom through numerous campaigns (against the Lombards in 773–74 and 776–77 against the Bavarian duke Tassilo in 788; intermittently against the Saxons from 772 to 804; against the Arabs in Spain in 778–79 and 796–810 against the Avars from 791 to 799; and against the western Slavic tribes from 789 to 806). He was crowned emperor in Rome in 800 by Pope Leo III. Charlemagne’s empire included various tribes and nationalities at different levels of social development.

He undertook a number of measures to strengthen his borders (including the formation of marches) and strove to centralize power in the empire. The royal court became the center of state life. Charlemagne attempted to organize systematic control over the counts (in whose hands local military and administrative power was concentrated) by means of “state envoys” (missi dominici). In order to bring the vast state under a single set of laws, he published numerous capitularies. He saw the Catholic Church as a source of support for the royal power: he awarded high posts and various privileges to its representatives, intervened in the appointment of bishops, and encouraged the compulsory conversion of conquered peoples. The feudalization of Frankish society was promoted by his internal policies: the establishment of the feudal land dependence of the peasantry, the growth of large-scale land ownership, and the increasing independence of the land-owning aristocracy. Charlemagne’s distribution of deeds of immunity to the aristocracy created, in spite of his own aspirations, the social and economic prerequisites of feudal fragmentation. The empire of the Franks disintegrated under Charlemagne’s successors. An upsurge in culture, the Carolingian Renaissance, was evident under Charlemagne.

REFERENCES Charlemagne Coronation Essay - 8841 Words Primary Thesis Advisor: Dr. Benedict Lowe Secondary Thesis Advisor: Dr. Narasingha Sil I. On Christmas Day in the year 800 A.D. Charlemagne, king of the Franks and part of the Carolingian line, 1 was crowned Holy Roman Emperor by Pope Leo III (795 - 816). The coronation took place during mass at the Basilica of St. Peter in Rome; immediately following the coronation, the acclamation of the people of Rome was heard: “To Charles, the most pious Augustus, crowned by God, the great and peace - giving Emperor, life and victory.” After this proclamation was made three times, the king “was adored by the pope in the manner of ancient princes; and, the title of patricius being dropped, he was called emperor and augustus .” 2 The coronation of Charlemagne created the Holy Roman Empire, which endured until 1806. According to James Bryce, the coronation warrants the classification of the most important occurrence of the Middle Ages.

Bryce also views the event as exceptional in that if the ceremony had not taken place, “the history of the world would have been different.” 3 The reasons behind the coronation were different for both the parties involved. Pope Leo’s motivation for crowning Charles included an opportunity to reward the Frankish king for rescuing him, the need for protection from Roman r ebels only an emperor could provide, and the realization that the imperial throne was empty due to the Bryce implies that the reestablishment of the Roman Empire in the West profoundly affected the course of history, and this suggestion necessitates an analysis of the significance of the coronation. succession of a female, Empress Irene (797- 802), in the East. Charlemagne’s assuming of the imperial title was also the only way he could protect the papacy from the Eastern 1 Charles, born in 742 A. D., was the son of Pepin, king of the Franks from 741-768. Charles was king of the Franks from 768 to 814 and Holy Roman Emperor from 800 to 814.

2 Richard E Sullivan, ed., The Coronation of Charlemagne: What Did It Signify? (Boston: D.C. Heath and Co., 1959), 2. 3 James Bryce, “The Coronation as a Revival of the Roman Empire in the West,” in ibid., 41. Fleener 2 Empire. For Charlemagne, the coronation was an attempt to sanctify the power he had already achieved, and an opportunity to become equal in power and prominence with the emperor in the East. The event was also an occas ion for the king to become an emperor (although not necessarily a Roman emperor), thus satisfying his imperial ambitions. The coronation of Charles may also have facilitated the absorption of the Saxons into his empire. This paper exam ines the possibility that the coronation of Charles indicated the beginning of Europe by analyzing the contemporary accounts of the coronation, discussing the interpretation of these sources by secondary historians, and providing a conclusion on the coronation’s role in the foundation of Europe.

As the events are described in the primary sources and interpreted by historians, the significance of the coronation originates from Charlemagne’s restoration of the Roman Church, which indicates a strengthening re lationship between the Church and the secular power in the West and a corresponding deteriorating relationship between the Eastern and Western parts of the Empire. The separation of the East from the West made the establishment of Europe possible. II. The Imperial Coronation of Charlemagne Essay ...History Essay The Age of Charlemagne: Power and Religion in the early Medieval West' Who planned Charlemagne's imperial coronation and why?' The imperial coronation of Charlemagne has been a source of dispute between scholars of this era for a period of time, perhaps due to the fact that the sources available are often biased and the historical information, often vague. Historians have argued that perhaps it had been... 2099 Words | 6 Pages Western Civ Paper on Charlemagne ...Brittany Hall May 4, 2009 Professor Drummond Western Civilization Charlemagne the Great Military Leader Charlemagne's reign was consumed with wars in which he was successful. He never had to confront a first-class enemy in battle.

Charlemagne inherited a well-trained Frankish Kingdom from his martial father and grandfather. His wars, however, were of high importance for history; especially the conquest of the Saxons and the Lombards which implied the... 1669 Words | 5 Pages Carolingian Empire and Charlemagne History Essay ...Charlemagne History 101 - Fast Forward Fall 1996 PREPARED BY: SUBMITTED: September 30, 1996 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. His belief in the need for education among the Frankish people was to bring about religious, political, and educational reforms that would change the history of Europe.... 2234 Words | 7 Pages Charlemagne Essay ...The reign of Charlemagne marked not only the reawakening of the imperial ideal in the West, but also, for a brief time, the resurrection of education and a form of centralized government. For a moment, it looked like the Roman Empire was about to be reborn in the West.

Such was not to be the case however as Charlemagne’s empire collapsed soon after his death. Though the political entity known as the Carolingian Empire vanished, it left a legacy that would influence the... 700 Words | 3 Pages Charlemagne Essay ...Charlemagne Charles the Great Charlemagne, or Charles the Great, was born in 742 to Pepin the Short and Bertrada of Laon. The oldest of four children, Charlemagne rose to great power and significance. He rebuilt the crumbling society of Medieval Europe by introducing numerous social, political and cultural reforms in what we now call the Carolingian Renaissance. He became the King of the Franks, and gained the title of Holy Roman Emperor.... 816 Words | 3 Pages CORONATION NIGHT Essay ...﻿CORONATION NIGHT March 30,2011 INTRODUCTION Good evening Camalanda-an! Sa aton mga bisita halin sa nagkalainlain nga sitio kag barangay, members of the barangay council, fellow teachers, distinguished guests, friends mayong gab-I sa inyo tanan. Welcome to the HilayHilay Festival Coronation Night 2011.

Tonight is the celebration of thanksgiving for the natures gift of bountiful harvest, for the blessings of wellness to all camalanda-anons and to the human... 775 Words | 3 Pages Charlemagne and The Carolingian Empire Essay ...﻿World Civilizations April, 4, 2015 Charlemagne and the Carolingian Empire A major part of European history is the building of France. Charlemagne and the Carolingian Empire was major factor in the rise to modern France and a huge part of it history. Charlemagne sculpted the landscape of France with political, economic, and educational ventures to establish the Holy Roman Empire. The laying of a foundation for a centralized government is what... 1961 Words | 7 Pages Becoming Charlemagne Essay ...Becoming Charlemagne, written by Jeff Speck. This book written by Jeff Speck, chronicles events around the life of a Germanic king name Karl. Becoming Charlemagne is a factual account of the events that took place in the empires of A.D 800. Jeff Sypeck explains key events in this time period and illustrates how the king Karl became the legend Charlemagne.

Question 1 a-c The writer of Becoming Charlemagne, Jeff Sypeck, did a wonderful... 2321 Words | 6 Pages Christmas Day, Rome, 800 AD – If It Happened Yesterday, It's History • ( 8 ) In the great basilica of St. Peter’s, Rome, Pope Leo III celebrated mass. It was meant to be like any other Christmas mass that celebrated the birth of Christ, except on this particular glorious day, an additional ceremony was performed. Pope Leo III, on this day, 25th December, 800 AD, boldly placed a crown on Charlemagne, the king of the Franks and announced him to the congregation, as Augustus et Imperator (Majestic Emperor). What Leo did was quite frankly unprecedented. But why did he do it? If Leo could speak to us today he might say he did it for his own protection and the protection of the Catholic faith? Whatever the reason, the repercussions of this act would be felt around the corridors of the papal office, the streets of Rome, western Europe and across in the east with the Byzantines.

When Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne ‘Majestc Emperor’ it was done with no explicit connection between the Roman Empire (Byzantium) and that of what Charlemagne carved out in his great victories across western Europe. However, some may disagree and point out that the coronation itself was indeed a culmination of Charlemagne’s reign and success as a military commander. He was western Christendom’s savior and protector, so why not recognise him with the highest of honors. He had surpassed being just a mere king. So as, Charles I (Charlemagne) knelt praying, Pope Leo III placed upon his head a magnificent jewel-encrusted crown. Some reports claim that Charlemagne was angered rather than flattered by Leo’s gesture. Other reports claim that he was taken by surprise, but many historians believe that this was not the case. How could anyone fail to notice a beautiful crown sitting near or on the altar just a few feet away? Maybe he was in shock or maybe he was worried about the trouble it would undoubtedly stir amongst the Byzantines? If you asked the Byzantines about the whole affair, their reaction to Pope Leo’s actions on Christmas morning was of dismay.

The Byzantines considered Charlemagne (and his successors) to be pretenders to a throne that did not belong to them. Constantinople tried its best to pretend that this so called new German Empire (Holy Roman Empire) did not exist. But when co operation between the two stifled they reluctantly admitted that, as a German monarch Charlemagne was an emperor, but not Roman. (The Byzantines would accept Charlemagne’s “personal” title of Emperor in 812, but were not willing to extend that same courtesy to his successors.) The Byzantines also insisted that they alone were the only true heirs of the Caesars. The Franks for their part (in years still to come), acted like a “spoilt younger sibling”. They viewed the Byzantines in the east as somewhat effeminate and not worthy of being called Roman.This was arguably due to the fact of their own insecurity and jealousy of the Byzantine’s greater legitimacy? This pattern would continue for over six hundred years and Constantinople would never ever recognise the Holy Roman Empire as its equal. Charlemagne, at first, it seems went into “damage control”.

He offered his hand in marriage to Byzantine Empress Irene, in an attempt to reunite the two halves of the empire. Unfortunately, negotiations to this diplomatic union were quickly extinguished by a new usurper, Nicephorus I. The new court in Constantinople made it absolutely clear that it would be a cold day in hell before their empire was handed over to a barbarian. Charlemagne, to his credit did his absolute best during the next twelve years (leading to his acceptance as ‘Emperor’ in 812 AD) to convince the Byzantines that he was not trespassing on their titles or claims to be the heirs of the Caesars. Even when the Byzantines found themselves in all sorts of bother, in defeat at the hands of the Bulgars, at Verbitza, in Bulgaria, where they were massacred (including the Emperor Nicephorus I ), Charlemagne was still willing to be fair and reasonable in the terms he sought for his own recognition as Emperor. He eventually, to some degree, won them over with Emperor Michael I Rhangabe.

Background to the day’s coronation Lets pause here for a moment, as we trace back to the events that shaped Christmas day, 800AD. What we do know about the events that led to Charlemagne coronation? It all began when Pope Leo III found himself in grave danger from threats within the church. Having won the election to become Pope, he was immediately subjected to taunts and abuse from the previous pope’s family and friends (Hadrian I 772-95 AD) about his suitability and breeding for high office. Leo wasn’t a Roman, and that didn’t sit well with members of Rome’s nobility. In short, they expected the office of the Pope to pass to one of them. As it was that did not happen.Therefore, it didn’t take long for Hadrian’s ancentors to plot against Leo’s demise. In a bloody attack in April 799 on the streets of Rome, Leo was almost beaten to death and an attempt was made to mutilate him. As luck would have it, he was saved by friends, who helped him escape Rome to Charlemagne’s court in Paderborn.

The king of the Franks was unfortunately unable to resolve Leo’s troubles at the time. He was busy conquering lands in the north and converting barbarians to Christianity. By November 799, Charlemagne was finally in a position to help. He sent Leo back to Rome with Frankish escorts, with an eye on sorting out all the alleged charges brought against Leo, at a time in the near future that suited him. Charlemagne, like his father was a great protector of the church and he promised Leo that he would come to his aid in due course. Charlemagne did eventually come to the aid of Leo, arriving in Rome, in August 800 AD. But it wasn’t until early December that Charlemagne opened up proceedings for a tribunal to eventually restore some dignity back to the papal office. Officially, Charlemagne had no right or jurisdiction to hold the tribunal, technically only an emperor had the right to pass judgement over Leo’s embarrassing situation, but the closest emperor was all the way in Constantinople. Nevertheless, when no opponents of Leo came forward to accuse him of wrongdoing, the matter seemed resolved. Following this, as we already know, what Leo did next on Christmas day was extraordinary.

There is a question that has dogged historians for centuries, why didn’t Leo ask the legitimate Emperor in Constantinople for help? No one truly has the definitive answer to this question, but Leo would probably have argued that, why should he look to Constantinople (which was so far away from Rome) for help, when the King of the Franks was within easy reach. With the political split between East and West occurring also a long time ago, it was maybe time for Popes like Leo (in Rome), to finally assert their own authoritarian claims, henceforth, Leo’s bold decision to crown Charlemagne emperor on Christmas day. To add fuel to the fire, a little matter of a vacant throne in Constantinople, according to Leo (and Charlemagne), may have also been a reason for Charlemagne surprise coronation. Across in the East a woman sat on the throne called Irene. Tradition had always seen a male heir rule the empire, but with no living male heir, did Pope Leo see fit to create one of his own, in Charlemagne? To the Byzantines this argument would have been utter nonsense and ridiculous.

Regardless of her poor record as Empress, Irene was still the legitimate ruler in Constantinople in Byzantine eyes. Charlemagne’s legacy Not since the final days of Romulus Augustulus, before he was overthrown by Odoacer and the western imperial regalia sent back to Constantinople, would a new emperor reappear in the west. In short, the re- emergence of a new emperor in the west, would change the political, social and religious landscape of Europe. In one swift act Charlemagne lay claim to govern and preside over much of western Europe and but also bring into his protection the papal territories. Charlemagne was a man that took seriously his new imperial role and history shows that he even went as far as exchanging ambassadors with the caliphate in Baghdad. In his new role he set up an impressive imperial court at Aix-la-Chapelle (Aachen) and gathered many of the best teachers, poets and philosophers in western Europe to his court. He would also seek out and summons the most gifted philosophers of Italy and as far as Ireland, who studied Greek and still knew of the days of old, however dim, of Roman traditions. He was furthermore, a great patron of the arts and education.

For an illiterate emperor, he undertook lessons in Latin and some Greek, but more importantly he took the task to educate his sons with the best the west had to offer in teachers. It was through his sons that he hoped to leave a ‘holy’ empire, however, it did not survive long after him.(His sons would partition his territories into smaller kingdoms). But what he did succeed in doing was to help protect, guide and ‘create’ a stronger Roman Catholic Church, whose Frankish fingerprints are still felt through to this day. Interestingly, it can be argued that, after his Christmas day coronation, Charlemagne’s influence inadvertently helped engineer the split or schism between the Eastern and Western churches? Dreams of a unified Europe with one emperor and one Church would be lost forever. As a result, East and West would go their own way. We are left with ‘two’ empires, two churches, two holy seas, a Roman and Orthodox view of Christianity. Yet given all the debate and controversy, the king of the Franks was a formidable conqueror, who fully deserves the title granted to him- Charles the Great (Charlemagne).

The header image is a miniature showing Pope Leo III crowning Charlemagne emperor on Christmas Day, 800 AD; from Chroniques de France ou de Saint-Denis, vol. 1, second quarter of the 14th century. The b/w image of the statue of Charlemagne is found in St. John’s church, Mustair (Grisons), circa 9th century. Notes and Further Reading Charlemagne Holy Roman Emperor Charlemagne Holy Roman Emperor Charlemagne was born on April 2nd, 0742 in Ingelheim, Rheinhessan, Hesse-Darmstadt . Charlemagne's father was King Pepin III ("the Short") of Franks and his mother was Bertrada II de Laon . His paternal grandparents were Charles ("the Hammer") Martel and Chrotrud (Rotrudis) of Treves ; his maternal grandparents were Cambert Caribert and Bertrade . He was an only child. He died at the age of 71 on January 28th, 0814 in Aix-la-Chapelle, Aachen, Rhineland, Prussia . He was buried in Aachen Cathedral .

General Notes King of Lombards 774 Crowned Holy Roman Emperor 25 Dec 800 Charlemagne, or Charles the Great, CAROLINGIAN king of the FRANKS, came to rule over most of Europe and assumed (800) the title of Roman emperor. He is sometimes regarded as the founder of the HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE. In 768 he and his brother Carloman inherited the Frankish kingdom (most of present-day France and a part of western Germany) from their father PEPIN THE SHORT. The entire kingdom passed to Charlemagne when Carloman died in 771. He inherited great wealth and a strong military organization from his father and brother. He used these assets to double the territory under Carolingian control. In 772 he opened his offensive against the SAXONS, and for more than three decades he pursued a ruthless policy aimed at subjugating them and converting them to Christianity. Almost every year Charlemagne attacked one or another region of Saxon territory. --4, 500 Saxons were executed on a single day in 782--and deportations were used to discourage the stubborn.

The Saxons proved to be a far more difficult enemy than any of the other peoples subjugated by Charlemagne. For example, the LOMBARDS were conquered in a single extended campaign 773-74), after which Charlemagne assumed the title "king of the Lombards." In 788 he absorbed the duchy of Bavaria, and soon thereafter he launched an offensive against the AVAR empire. The Avars succumbed within a decade, yielding Charlemagne a vast hoard of gold and silver. After one disastrous campaign (778) against the Muslims in Spain, Charlemagne left the southwestern front to his son Louis, (later Emperor LOUIS I) who, with the help of local Christian rulers, conquered Barcelona in 801 and controlled much of Catalonia by 814. On Christmas Day, 800, Charlemagne accepted the title of emperor and was crowned by Pope LEO III. For several years after he regarded the imperial title of being of little value. Moreover, he intended to divide his lands and titles among his sons, as was the Frankish custom. At his death on Jan.

28, 814, however, only one son, Louis, survived; Louis therefore assumed control of the entire Frankish empire. Children Gertrude Of The Holy Roman Empire b: ABT. 800 in Aachen, Rhineland, Prussia Marriage 2 Adallind b: ABT. 785 in Aachen, Rhineland, Prussia Children Theodoric b: ABT. 807 in Aachen, Rhineland, Prussia Marriage 3 Himiltude b: ABT. 746 in Aachen, Rhineland, Prussia Event: Partners ABT. 768 Pepin 'The Hunchback' b: ABT. 769 in Aachen, Rhineland, Prussia Rothais (Rothaide) Of The Holy Roman Empire b: ABT. 771 in Aachen, Rhineland, Prussia Marriage 4 Desideria b: ABT. 755 in Lombardy Married: ABT. 770 Marriage 5 Hildegarde Of Vinzgau b: ABT. 757 in Aachen, Rhineland, Prussia Married: ABT.

771 in Aachen, Rhineland, Prussia Divorced: 30 APR 783 Louis I 'The Pious' Of Aquitaine b: AUG 778 in Casseneuil, Lot-Et-Garonne, France Bertha Of France b: ABT. JUN 779 in Aachen, Rhineland, Prussia Charles 'The Younger' Of Ingleheim b: 772 in Aachen, Rhineland, Prussia Pepin I (Carloman) Of Italy b: 12 APR 773 in Aachen, Rhineland, Prussia Adelaide b: ABT. 774 in Pavie, Lombardy, Italy Rotrud (Hrotrud) b: ABT. AUG 774 in Aachen, Rhineland, Prussia Lothar b: 16 APR 778 in Casseneuil, Lot-et-Garonne, France Hildegard b: ABT.

777 in Aachen, Rhineland, Prussia Ermentrude b: 740 in (Mother of the twelve sons at one birth) Gisela b: ABT. 781 in Probably Milan, Italy Marriage 6 Fastrada b: ABT. 763 in France Married: ABT. OCT 783 in Worms Children Theodrada Of Argenteuil b: ABT. 784 in Aachen, Rhineland, Prussia Hiltrude b: ABT. 787 in Aachen, Rhineland, Prussia Marriage 7 Luitgard b: ABT. 774 in Allemania Married: ABT. APR 795 Marriage 8 Gerswinda Of Saxony b: ABT. 768 in Old Saxony Event: Partners ABT. 800 3 Children Adaltrud(e) (Aupais) De Paris b: in Aachen, Rhineland, Prussia Marriage 9 Regina (Reginopycrha) b: ABT. 770 in Aachen, Rhineland, Prussia Married: ABT.

801 Hugh (Hugo) Of St. Quentin b: BET. 802 - 806 in Aachen, Rhineland, Prussia Drogo Bishop Of Metz Empire b: 17 JUN 801 in Aachen, Rhineland, Prussia Adaelinda Of The Holy Roman Empire b: ABT. 796 in Aachen, Rhineland, Prussia Marriage 10 Maldegard b: ABT. 766 in Aachen, Rhineland, Prussia Event: Partners ABT. 808 Rothild Of Faremoutiers b: ABT. 788 in Aachen, Rhineland, Prussia Ancestor Pedigree Chart - b.~ 0686 in Austrasia, France d.0724 in France <Unknown>

Question: What Frankish king was crowned emperor on Christmas day in 800 A.D.?
Answer: Charlemagne