Charlemagne (Carolus Magnus), the famous king of the Franks and
Emperor of the Romans expanded his kingdom by military conquest to
incorporate much of Western and Central Europe. The map below gives a
clear idea of the extent of his empire by 814.
Charlemagne's rule is also associated with the Carolingian Renaissance incorporating far reaching reforms in education and cultural growth in almost all areas of the expressive arts. We can see a fine example of delicate craftsmanship in the crown typically associated with him:
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| the iron crown of the King of the Franks |
From your reading was it Charlemagne's acquisition of new territories by military conquest or the educational reforms which he fostered which would have the most enduring influence? What was Einhard's view on this do you think?
Personally I believe that the most enduring part of Charlemagne's empire was easily the proliferation and preservation of knowledge and learning that took place during his reign.
ReplyDeleteCharlemagne seemed to have taken great pains to ensure that within his empire knowledge and learning would remain important factors, to the point where he appears to have made great effort to gather scholars and great learned men from across his empire in order to have them both teach others as well as have their manuscripts and other documents copied for the use of others. This great undertaking of ensuring the safety of knowledge struck me as something unbelievably important, especially given the comparative lack of learning after the fall of the Roman empire.
Additionally, the education reforms and this proliferation of scholarly documents is something that we can still feel the effects of today, with the reading claiming that the manuscripts copied and produced under Charlemagne's reign “comprise approximately 90 percent of our inheritance from the classical literary tradition of Rome, and form the basis for most modern editions”. We can even attribute our own calligraphy system to the writing practices taken up during the time of Charlemagne.
While the empire established was certainly impressive in its scope and level of organization, I can't really consider it to be at all enduring. It didn’t take very long after Charlemagne’s death for his later descendants a couple of generations later to begin bickering over territory and for the empire to be slowly divided up among the numerous claimants.
As for Einhard's view on the most important part of Charlemagne's reign, I have to confess that I'm really not sure, to me his biography of Charlemagne's life was so universally fawning and worshipful, I couldn’t really say if Einhard thought anything Charlemagne did was any more excessively magnificent than any other.
Good afternoon,
ReplyDeleteThe acquisition of new territories leading to the making of a vast Empire only lasts for a short while (one generation after Charlemagne’s death). King Louis the Pious, Charlemagne’s son, doesn’t manage to establish a succession policy that will keep the empire united. Instead his 3 sons fight among themselves and the outcome is a partition of the Caroligian empire into 3 parts. So the ‘physical influence’ Charlemagne’s conquest is not very enduring. One may say that it is the first time that Europe as we know it today is brought together, and seen as a unique entity. However, the Carolingian empire is not a united territorial entity ; it is an agglomeration of people with different customs and laws that are artificially united by the authority/person of Charlemagne. So I don’t think it created a feeling of 'european conciousness'.
On the other hand, the educational reforms fostered a literate elite and lay the ground for the artistic, litterary, architectural ... renaissance under Charles the Bald, Charlemagne’s grandson. The influence of these reforms lasts long after the death of Charlemagne (for example the carolingian script that influenced our modern script). Moreover these reforms set up institutions that lasts even after the middle ages, such as schools.
Therefore, I think that the educational reforms undertaken by Charlemagne have the most enduring influence.
Concerning Einhard’s view, it seems to me that he is more impressed by Charlemagne’s conquests than by his educational reforms. Indeed, Einhard describes in great details the wars and campaigns of Charlemagne but barely mentions any educational reforms. Einhard vaguely writes about the capitularies and Charlemagne’s order to compile the oral law of its conquiered people. He only records that Charlemagne honored liberal arts scholars.
Amandine
I like your point that this "is the first time that Europe as we know it today is brought together and seen as a unique entity". This would be the case to develop if you held a view contrary to yours.
DeleteI would argue that the most enduring factor of Charlemagne's rule would be his dedication and preservation of education and learning.
ReplyDeleteThe emphasis on the liberal arts, by Charlemagne ensured the preservation of not only literacy throughout the middle ages but also provided a foundation of conservation of texts through monastical traditions. The continued perseverance by Charlemagne to promote the liberal arts widely increased the overall intellectual standards of the empire, as well as provided the blueprint for future script and language through the introduction of Merovingian. In comparison the extensive Frankish empire was quick to dissolve and break apart within a few generations of his death. Therefore the education reforms offer themselves to be of greater substance.
Einhard's biography of Charlemagne however focuses on the militaristic side of his reign and embellishes his conquests whilst only mentioning his legal and educational contributions.
What struck me as the most enduring influence from Charlemagne’s reign were his educational reforms and the proliferation of previous scholarly works.
ReplyDeleteWhilst he did amass a large amount of territory during his reign, this land was bickered over and quickly divided up among his later descendents. As such, the new territories he won by military conquest seem to have little endurance or even influence in the long run.
However, his cultural reforms, including the establishments of monasteries and schools and the ‘preservation of the heritage of the Classical past’ had a much longer lasting effect. It affects us even now, and this can be seen from the writing, literary texts and in music [Carolingian miniscule became the lowercase symbols of modern handwriting; 90% of the literary classics we read today are from the manuscripts that were produced during the ‘Carolingian Renaissance’; and the neumes formed the musical staff system that’s now used]. The period during Charlemagne’s reign was called ‘the first Europe’ due largely to the unified system that he provided; however, I believe that this term can also apply to how artistic, literary, architectural and musical works all flourished during his reign.
As for Einhard’s view, it seems hard to judge through all the propaganda that was featured in his works. He did seem to focus more on the military aspects of Charlemagne’s rule [basically the first 15 parts were all on his military conquests]. However, Einhard also described Charlemagne as ‘so eloquent, indeed, that he might have passed for a teacher of eloquence’, which seems to imply that he also thought highly of Charlemagne’s educational reforms.
Throughout Einhard’s biography of Charlemagne there was a real emphasis on military achievement and the obvious strength of such an army. Although Einhard certainly had created a list of all of the great achievements that Charlemagne had accomplished throughout his reign, educational reforms did not rank as highly as his ability to expand the Empire and gain the control of not just more land but people and their resources.
ReplyDeleteHowever, as others have previously mentioned, it was the educational reforms that really had the most enduring influence. Whilst the educational system primarily targeted the wealthier families and specifically those that were entering the ‘clerical elite’, the schools were also made available for the middle and poor classes, and Charlemagne ensured that accommodation and food was also available.
Without the creation of such a system the development of literary concepts such as manuscripts and Carolingian script would never have been achieved, and it is for these developments of the liberal arts in particular during his reign that the importance of Charlemagne’s educational reforms has had more of an impression than his military conquests.
Charlemagne's educational legacy lasted far longer than his Empire. Much of the knowledge of the Classics that we have today is owned to the preservation and copying work done as a result of the Carolingian renaissance. Einhard, however, was such a massive fanboy of Charlemagne's that it's a little hard to pick which of the two he liked more.
ReplyDeleteIt is clear that Charlemagne's military pursuits and the subsequent expansion of his empire were not as long lasting and influential as his efforts in educational and cultural reform. In only two generations his grandsons would quarrel among themselves and divide Charlemagne's once great and continuous empire into three sections, and in 855 it was to be divided again.
ReplyDeleteConversely, his endeavors in the fields of education, architecture and music, or the so called 'Carolingian Renaissance' left a legacy that can still be seen today. He established schools in monasteries with the aim to create a literate and educated clergy, and these systems of learning gave birth to Carolingian minuscule and early forms of musical notation.
In regards to Einhard's view on Charlemagne, I would probably say more emphasis was placed on the importance of military campaigns, although he doesn't fail to stress the significance of the scholarly aspect of Charlemagne.
The expansion of Charlemagne's empire were politically, and socially important for the future of Europe.
ReplyDeleteFirstly, his Christianization of the empire, developed through both violent coercion and through strategic negotiations, instilled the Christian legacy in a way no other emperor had managed. Charlemagne's expansion into other territories resulted in the social upheaval of various cultures, the majority of whom gave up their own cultural beliefs and rituals for the religion of their new ruler. This Christianization of Europe is still with us today, albeit not to such an intense extent.
The divine sanction, which, although not introduced during Charlemagne's reign, was strengthened due to his being crowned and anointed as the Holy Roman Emperor. This collaboration proved incredibly powerful, and established the hierarchy of 'divine ruler'. This privilege came with the bequeathal of land, and can be classified under Charlemagne's expansion of territory. Again, this policy can be observed throughout the following centuries, with the ongoing relationship, and interdependency, between the European monarch and the Papal authority.
Furthermore, the political reforms made by Charlemagne in order to keep control over his vast empire profoundly influenced the later periods of european history. The creation of 'sees' granted Bishops greater power and influence. This enhanced the relationship between the Monarch and the Church; in generations to come, this set up, with a weak monarch at its head would inevitably cause strife, just as it might create a stronger kingdom (as observed in Charlemagne's case). The structuring of his empire would, in some aspects, remain well after the fragmentation of the land into smaller nations.
Finally, it must be stated that without the military prowess of Charlemagne, without his ability to keep marauders at bay, and, at the same time expand so as to add to the wealth of the empire, educational reforms could not have taken place at all. Charlemagne's military genius enabled for a political stability, in which educational growth could be fostered. As observed in the decline of the Western Roman Empire, when instability and political turmoil run rampant, the expansion of the arts is ignored.
Thus, it must be stated that, although education reform endured, the expansion of Charlemagne empire, although it suffered division at his death, allowed for political and social changes, many of which are still with us today.
On Einhard, I believe that he focusses mainly on the glory of Charlemagne's victories. He seems to skim quite quickly over both the educational reforms, as well as the underlying successes and consequences of expansion.
I like your convincing point about the significance of Charlemagne's Christianization of what would become Europe.
DeleteEinhard, in his biography of Charlemagne, places great emphasis on Charlemagne’s military conquests, going into great detail about their success, and intended longevity.
ReplyDeleteIt is evident that Einhard believed the territorial acquisitions of Charlemagne via military conquest was his most notable achievement, and one that would endure throughout the following ages. He describes Charlemagne’s educational reforms (encouragement of monastic learning, establishment of first royal ‘school’, development of Carolingian miniscule, etc.) merely as tools Charlemagne implemented in order to increase the stability of his empire, and to maintain the subjects and territory of his military conquests. It could be argued that Charlemagne saw his development of educational reforms in a similar manner.
However, with the benefit of hindsight, we can establish that it was the educational reforms (or in some cases revivals) that Charlemagne implemented during his rule which endured and were most influential. Whilst the military achievements of Charlemagne were all but completely reversed within decades of Charlemagne’s death; the effects of his educational reforms can be seen throughout the medieval era, as well as in modern day society. Charlemagne’s fostering of monastic teachings saw them endure throughout the middle Ages, forming a key component of the society. Manuscripts copied out by the clergies of the education reforms are important historical documents that may otherwise have been lost, and the Carolingian miniscule is the basis of the handwriting used in modern day society. Similary, Charlemagne’s attempts to unify his territories linguistically through the teaching of Latin was continued throughout the middle ages; and was key in the communications between the various states of Western Europe.
Interesting to note, is that Einhard was a student of Alcurin; who was appointed an “educational advisor” by Charlemagne; and was required to teach and train scholars. It can be argued that, without the educational reforms Charlemagne implemented, Einhard would not have had the tools needed to compose his biography, which is an important historical (although not necessarily accurate) source for Medieval Historians.
Thus, ironically, Einhard’s biography establishes not the might and endurance of Charlemagne’s military conquests as he intended it to; but rather is an example of the enduring effects of Charlemagne’s educational reforms
Firstly, sorry that this is a couple of hours late I tried to submit it on my phone because I forgot my laptop (and the people in the library were not budging) but it didn't work. Also I accidently posted my comment on the wrong post the other day, again my apologies!
ReplyDeleteEinhard's adoring and biased depiction of Charlamagne clearly puts more emphasis on his military conquests rather than his devotion to the liberal arts, although to Cgraham I also enjoyed the irony in Einhard being able to pen his appreciation of Charlamagne's military strategies resulting in much land and power, yet we read his work purely because of the promoted value of education by the King, a clear declaration of his well implemented educational reforms.
I don't know if this has been brought up before but maybe we could have a few different question options for imput on here? I just feel like that way we wouldn't have ten responses rewording most of the same thoughts. Just a suggestion though!
Firstly, I believe it is important to mention that both documents are 1100 years apart. Einard, a primary source and Slocum a secondary. I mention this since we have modern understanding and can reflect upon the historical events, while during Einard's era present accomplishments which had not started the domino effect which lets us summarize Charlemagne’s life.
ReplyDeleteI think that most have already said but as a reflection of the most enduring influence is his educational reforms, influence towards the liberal arts and his generosity towards the Christian religion. I also believe that his educational reform and the liberal arts of his “Carolingian Renaissance” assisted towards the later “Italian Renaissance”. While the later Renaissance focused on the rebirth of classical antiquity, the Carolingian Renaissance "provided the most important link between the tradition of Classical Greece and Rome and the artistic, architectural, literary and musical accomplishments".
On the other hand, Einhard portrayal of Charlemagne is very single minded, his good qualities not negatives are show forth as a successful military king. It seems Einhard to not giving us a realistic portrayal of Charlemagne.
Sorry for the late blog.
Mark
Charlemagne's expansion of territory is what ultimately lead to a unified Western Europe. He was able to transition Europe from warring Germanic tribes into a single empire, not only through his conquering of land, but through the practices and systems he put into place. Charlemagne's concept of feudalism is one which ensured that his vassals remained loyal to him, despite the distance from the capital they may be. Laws, or decrees, that he devised (capitularies) ensured a degree of standardisation between the provinces under his rule and set a single regime. His close ties with the church also helped to keep his vast kingdom together, as it both gave him support and legitimacy in a spiritual sense, further solidifying the loyalty of those under his rule. His educational reforms had just as great an impact on Europe within the time. Being close with the church, he was able to control the education and spread it , using the monasteries he funded as education centres. This was beneficial as it not only prompted intellectual development throughout Europe, but it allowed for stronger communication between realms, and for more things to be recorded. Both his expansion throughout and unification of Western Europe and his reform of the educational systems of the day assisted in bringing Europe into a new era. Neither would have been as effective without the other, and as such both had and equally lasting impact and influence on the development of European society. I'm sure Einhard thinks that through both Charlemagne saved the world
ReplyDeleteDespite the potentially embellished account of Charlemagne's life story by Einhard, he was a remarkable and intellectual man as evidenced by the breadth of knowledge that he sought. Grammar, rhetoric, logic, music, arithmatic, geometry, astronomy...just to name a portion of the fields of understanding he had appetite for! However, I think his intellect allowed him to foresee the lasting legacy that education would provide, as opposed to lands won in warfare that could be lost at a future time. That he established schools for students other than just the "noblest families", but also for "middle class and poor homes" is a superior legacy than his military conquests. He must have had an idea that "a chain is only as strong as its weakest link" and his Empire would benefit from the educationally boosted performance of its people, economically and socially. I think Einhard also admired Charlemagne's accomplishments: physical, intellectual, military and regal. His passage recording the type of father Charlemagne was makes me think Einhard had a very encompassing appreciation for Charlemagne's legacy as a 'role model'.
ReplyDeleteI am very sorry to be late with this blog!
Einhard views Charlemagne's most significant achievement as all the territorial gains he made while he was ruling; in fact in his biography of Charlmagne, Einhard goes into great detail about how Charlemagne gained each area of new territory. At the time when Einhard was writing, it was the territorial gains which were most important to him eventhough they had no lasting impact as they were divided between his sons then grandsons after his death. Einhard goes into very little detail about the educational reforms which Charlemagne made which nowadays we can see were the most lasting impact he had. However these have only become lasting over time and Einhard was probably unaware that they would have any future significance. It is the preservation of classical texts and the invention of spacing and Carolingian miniscule that were Charlemagne's most lasting educational reforms.
ReplyDeleteSorry about the extremely late post!
I would like to think that both Charlemagne's reforms impacted the formation of modern day Europe. Both reforms along with some help from the Christian movement allowed Charlemagnes to turn tribal groups into a somewhat functioning governing system called feudalism. The creation of feudalism and the concept of land ownership and boundries began to shape the coutries that now form modern day Europe. Perosnally I think his educational reform was revelotionary concept, he wanted all people to have access to learning and created schools and learning centres that were ahead of there time
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