The Carolingian Renaissance had remarkable impact on the history of the Christian Church. Although sometimes it can be an afterthought, the contributions made by Charlemagne and his court are essential to understanding the development of the church. As Europe entered into the Medieval time period directly after the fall of the Roman Empire, areas surrounding the Mediterranean saw a lack of education and literacy. Hence the time period was referred to as the Dark ages, and scholasticism seized to exist. Charlemagne’s court allowed for a rebirth or renaissance because of his focus on education. A renaissance was in order for the church as well. Charlemagne placed a great deal of emphasis on contributing to the church financially as well as politically. Christianity and Charlemagne’s court were heavily linked. As his court flourished, his impacts on the church of the time period were numerous and influential. In many ways, the claim can be made that he was essential in ensuring the survival of the church during the medieval time period.
Historians
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have used the term Carolingian Renaissance to identify the reign of Charlemagne. This speaks highly of the accomplishments from this period. The term renaissance is not used lightly. In a period of time where Europe descended into a status which reflected tribalism and isolation, Charlemagne sought to create an empire. His ambition was not as unique as his success. Many others would desire the empire Charlemagne established. But he was arguably the only medieval ruler to establish an empire emulating the Romans until the High Middle Ages. From a power and political standpoint, the rule of Charlemagne was remarkable. His native kingdom was filled full of Franks. By the time of his death, his empire would stretch into modern day Italy and as far east as Germany. Historians have claimed that Charles the Great was able to revive a kingdom reminiscence of Rome in imperial nature. The word empire should not be taken lightly, feudalism created a very difficult world in which rival factions would constantly war. The Germanic tribes and the Franks among others would constantly struggle for dominance. Charlemagne’s consolidation of power was unmatched until Europe moved away from the Medieval time period. A solid link between Charlemagne and the church developed as his empire grew. Specifically, Charlemagne developed very strong ties to the papacy. The sincerity of the link could be drawn into question because it became common for the pope to seek out European leaders to protect the papacy. Nevertheless, the historical community will always tie Charlemagne to the papacy because of the interactions which culminated on Christmas day in 800CE. On this day, Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne the Holy Roman Emperor. Even before this event, Charlemagne was a Christian ruler. The Admonitio Generalis linked Charlemagne with the Hebrew scriptures. Charlemagne thought himself to be like Josiah in helping restore the faith and educate the masses. Although the sincerity of Pope Leo III could be drawn into question, Charlemagne’s dedication to the Christian faith was genuine. One of the most notable accomplishments of Charlemagne was his desire to bring educated people into his court.
The greatest of these thinkers was Alcuin. Alcuin was known throughout this time period as having one of the greatest minds in Europe. Charlemagne’s desire to create an educated court drove him to seek Alcuin. Alcuin was like all of Charlemagne’s court, Christian. Within Charlemagne’s court, Alcuin became the most notable ecclesiastical advisor. One of Alcuin’s major projects was translation work. The court’s construction of Carolingian miniscule was remarkable for the time period. This development created a dynamic whereby scholasticism was driven by Christianity. Alcuin helped develop a more legible script which was primarily used only for the copying or exposition of religious materials. This legible script allowed for a more uniform standard by which monks could copy the sacred
texts. Carolingian miniscule was not the only contribution of the Carolingian court in the area of sacred texts. Charlemagne’s scholars sought out authenticity. Charlemagne’s major contributions were not limited to just the development of a more legible written form of Latin, but for ensuring the sacred texts were accurate. The documents found by his court had lasting impact in the secular and religious worlds. Arguably the greatest authentic text found dealt with life in the monastery. “The copy of the rule of Benedict that Charlemagne ordered from Monte Cassino in 787 became the basis for the monastic reforms of the next several centuries.” Benedictine rule had far reaching impact on monastic life and rule throughout all of Europe. Three documents created during this time period show the increase in literacy during the Carolingian Renaissance. The Song of Roland, Einhard’s The Life of Charlemagne, and Notker the Stammerer’s biography were impressive works created postmortem about the great Carolingian emperor. The remarkable impact of Charlemagne cannot be understated, the two biographies were created in the 800’s while The Song of Roland was written much later in the 11th century. Along with around 8000 manuscripts these impressive works show the vast explosion of literary works during the Carolingian Renaissance. Although this was not the rebirth in scholarship seen much later in the Italian Renaissance, this was a most impressive achievement for this time period. Scholasticism saw a boost during the Carolingian Renaissance. The Admonitio Generalis was issued by Charlemagne in 789. This act served as a major promoter of education. The church and the monasteries were to be responsible for education. For Charlemagne, the two were linked as it became important for children to be educated in order to spread Christianity. As Europe plunged into the Dark Ages, the monastery became key to the survival of scholasticism. The only schools available were taught in the monastery. The Admonitio Generalis cannot be identified as the sole creator of the education culture in the monastery. However, it was a major development in a time period where literacy rapidly declined. This order by Charlemagne had remarkable impact in extending the ability to read Latin to a number of clergy and members of the upper class. Christianity was seeing a major boost in scholastic achievements and the education of clergy. Noted historical scholar Peter Brown notes how Charlemagne’s court was driven by “Christian Law.” The Carolingian minuscule was important in attempting to define what it meant to be Christian. It was also necessary so the correctio or the correcting of society could occur. As Charlemagne created a new kingdom encompassing so many different groups, it was necessary to maintain order. The “Christian Law” referenced by Brown was directly tied to popular theology understood in Charlemagne’s court. Alcuin directly referenced Isaiah 55:7 in some of his work. The effort was to please God and those whom did not live in a manner which was deemed as pleasing needed to be corrected. This created a dangerous mixture as Christianity helped create a basic law code. Brown would argue that the Carolingian Renaissance was really just an upswing of Christianity, as many were forced to obey “Christian law” or suffer the wrath of their emperor. The correctio was but one part of Charlemagne’s attempt to consolidate power and order society. Inspectors known as the missi dominici were used to ensure counts and other local officials were acting in accordance to Charlemagne’s command. His actions were not just isolated to forcing those within the Carolingian empire into the Christian faith. It was clear Charlemagne emphasized stability and order, one of the reasons for his success. The stability and order would be short lived as his descendants failed to maintain the control over the region. Another aspect of the Carolingian Renaissance which has remarkable effect on Christianity was the imposition of the tithe. Although the tithe predated Charlemagne, it is still a Carolingian institution as Pippin had instituted a tithe requiring a tenth of agrarian produce go to the local church. Charlemagne’s reign cannot be linked to the tithe in terms of any type of advancement or detraction. The only major implications surrounded the bishop of Liege, Ghaerbald. Ghaerbald insisted the clergy should keep a record of tithe collections and emphasize the importance of tithing to the congregations. Other sources indicate Charlemagne did insist royal officials should not financially abuse or exploit the poor. Collection of the tithe continued, but development or changes to the tithe paused until the reign of Louis the Pious. After Charlemagne’s rule concluded, a diet in 817 by Louis required the church to give two-thirds of collected tithe money to the poor. This requirement was incredibly important for many reasons. The medieval time period saw the growth of monastic orders. The monastery became a safe haven where the general populace could receive some charity and assistance when in need. The Carolingian Renaissance was a remarkable time period which made major contributions to the history of Christianity. Within the areas of scholasticism and stewardship, there is much for the 21st century church to learn from. The impact of Charlemagne and his court’s leadership allowed for a bright point which unfortunately could not be sustained. European leaders failed to share the vision of Charlemagne and sunk into the illiterate abyss of the Dark Ages. The 21st century church must make note of the importance of scholarship and stewardship. Contributions from the Carolingian Renaissance can have large implications on the 21st century church if they are properly studied. Southwood Memorial Christian Church (SMCC) is emerging from a “dark age” where scholasticism was deemphasized. The former minister had no academic training outside of high school. He was unable to do exegetical work nor teach any type of theology. The church descended into a time period of biblical literalism where they embraced ideas that scripture was inerrant and infallible. These words were even included in the church constitution and by-laws. In the past two years, those words have been stricken from the record. Scholasticism has returned as a valued partner of the church through classes and a continual emphasis to seeking curriculum material which has been authored by leading experts in their field. One of the fears of the church (and the conservative south) is that scholarship will challenge faith. Instead of looking for theological development, the church cultivated parishioners with elementary faith based on fundamentalism. The former minister was elevated to an unhealthy status. Integrity was lost as the minister became consumed with ego. Instead of preaching sermons based on strong theology, the performer would emerge. Parishioners were given life application ideas and often would hear a vocal performance rather than a sermon. Because the former minister was a good vocalist, this practice continued for several years. The end result was a faith community in serious need of exegetical work and theological development. As the church has reclaimed scholasticism the past two years, some of the ideas of Charlemagne have been implemented. Although a comparison to the development of Carolingian miniscule would be too strong, the church has adopted new curricula. There is not a connection to a “Christian Law” at SMCC. Rather, bible studies are beginning to use the Interpretation series and youth are learning from Sparkhouse curriculum. Both are noted curriculum materials which foster intellectual development and thought. They also have a deep theological connection. SMCC must continue to use curriculum based materials which allow for faith and spiritual development. Materials must feature a depth which allows for individuals to share a deep connection and develop in faith. There are some issues currently at SMCC in regards to stewardship. In the past, the church has celebrated a great quantity of financial resources. Currently, the church is by no means destitute, but financial giving on a weekly basis is not as high as many would like. Proper stewardship is not just a financial lesson. Stewardship requires the commitment to use all of one’s spiritual gifts. Within the Carolingian Renaissance, Charlemagne gave to the church through remarkable leadership. Alcuin gave to Christianity through extraordinary scholarship. This stewardship meant a great deal outside of the fiscal Carolingian contributions. Tithing is foremost in many minds when the word stewardship is mentioned. The Carolingian Renaissance teaches how multi-faceted stewardship can be, but also reemphasizes the importance of the tithe. Tithing has long been misunderstood. Many have attempted to identify where the tradition of the tithe starts. Historians and scholars are mixed and there is no concrete conclusion. It can be suggested the 10% which many in the 21st century hold as customary is a tradition dating to the reign of Pippin. The number itself is not as important as the overall action. The tradition established in the Gospel of Luke is one of complete dedication in helping fellow humans. Instead of attempting to pinpoint where the number 10% comes from, the 21st century church must focus on promoting good stewardship for all. The key lesson which can be taken away from careful study of the Carolingian Renaissance is not surrounding the tithe itself. Careful consideration must be given to what the church accumulates. This is an area where SMCC has excelled and hopes to continue to thrive. SMCC has provided monetary resources for the those in need. Within the surrounding community, there are some cases of extreme poverty. The church can strive to learn from the impact of Louis the Pious. Focusing on using two-thirds of SMCC budget for helping the poor is a noble and somewhat unobtainable task. With the structure of the 21st century church, building maintenance is a major expenditure. SMCC can use the two-thirds as a model in budget making and proper stewardship. Charlemagne was one of the great leaders of Medieval Europe. His contributions reached into a variety of areas. Specifically, contributions in the areas of scholasticism, stewardship, and the church were integral in the survival of Christianity. As Europe struggled and entered into a time period where literacy lacked and the church began to struggle in a variety of ways, the Carolingian Renaissance remained a bright spot for European history. SMCC and the 21st century church must study this time period, applying lessons learned from the accomplishments of the Carolingian Renaissance. The future of the church depends on a renewed emphasis on scholarship and stewardship.
The collection Two Lives of Charlemagne contains two different biographies of Charlemagne who was a king of the Franks and a christian emperor of the West in the 8th century. The first biographical account was written by his courtier Einhard who knew him personally and well. On the other hand, the second account was penned by Notker the Stammerer was born twenty-five years after the king’s death. Even though these two versions indicate the same king’s life, there were many differences between the two. Einhard’s writing focused on the emperor’s official life and his military campaign. However, Notker provided more of a perspective about the king’s legacy and seemed more hyperbolic as well as mythical. This paper will compare and contrast the
Before Charlemagne and the Carolingian empire, there was in no proper sense a “Western Europe”. For the romans, everything geographically was centered around Mare Nostrum, the medditerrian.* The lands surrounding the Mediterranean sea, Hispania, Italy, Greece, and north Africa were all seen as being closer to together geographically and culturally, then the lands of Gaul or Germania. Even after the fall of the Western Roman Empire, Europe was seen as everything away from the northern coast of the Mediterranean, usually only Gaul and Rhineland.*
Charlemagne is a known for his success to try to maintain his empire. This new empire will embrace the unity of Christian faith. Under Charlemagne, new lands are conquered and a Renaissance is embraced. He even tries to revive the Christian faith. Charlemagne is a man that hopes to be an inspiration to the next generation. These deeds of Charlemagne is seen in the Two Lives of Charlemagne. In the Two lives of Charlemagne, both Notker’s and Einhard’s goal is to portray Charlemagne as a man of good character, a man that accomplishes many deeds and a man that hopes to provide an outlet for the next generation.
“He was born soon after 770 and was given his father’s name. The family sent him as a boy to the great monastery of Fulda, where he was educated, and made a grant to the abbey of land which they held in the Maingau. In the 790’s he was sent by the abbot to Charlemagne’s court, where he became the pupil of Yorkshireman Alcuin who had gone to teach there, and succeeded him as teacher at the palace school.”
Einhard, in his The Life of Charlemagne, makes clear the fundamental integration of politics and religion during the reign of his king. Throughout his life, Charles the Great endeavored to acquire and use religious power to his desired ends. But, if Charlemagne was the premiere monarch of the western world, why was religious sanction and influence necessary to achieve his goals? In an age when military power was the primary means of expanding one's empire, why did the most powerful military force in Europe go to such great lengths to ensure a benevolent relationship with the church? One possibility may be found in the tremendous social and political influence of Rome and her papacy upon the whole of the continent. Rather than a force to be opposed, Charlemagne viewed the church as a potential source of political power to be gained through negotiation and alliance. The relationship was one of great symbiosis, and both componants not only survived but prospered to eventually dominate western Europe. For the King of the Franks, the church provided the means to accomplish the expansion and reformation of his empire. For the Holy Roman Church, Charles provided protection from invaders and new possibilities for missionary work.
Writing history in the early Middle Ages "was not intended to be simply a matter of keeping a record for posterity." It was to help make the past more presentable and comprehensible to the present, "whether as support for contemporary political ideology or to explain God's purpose for humanity." Works that is widely read and follows these guidelines is writings Einhard and Notker did on Charlemagne. The writings of these two men can be looked at many different ways to decide how they wanted the history of Charlemagne to be perceived. "These histories can function both as a record of the past and as the exploitation of a different world in order to make particular political or polemical points."
The Church was, undoubtedly, the most powerful body in Europe at the beginning of the Middle Ages. In most Western kingdoms the Pope had more power than the king himself, and the Christian religion controlled all aspects of daily life. People were to devote themselves utterly to the Church in prayer and giving, and they would be saved. As seen in Document 6, the lords and nobles committed themselves to the service of God before men, saying, “Nor will I ever with will or action, through word or deed, do anything which is unpleasing to him [God]…” Those who lived during this time trusted the Church’s explanations for the workings of the world. They saw God as all powerful, as the force behind everything. Art and music thus were focused around the Church and giving praise and thanks to God. Most art works of the time featured Jesus or other saints.
All throughout history, people have been fighting, there have been wars and conflicts ever since man has become ‘civilized’ enough to raise an army. And, many, many if not almost all of these conflicts have involved religion in some way or another (Ben-Meir). The question is why, and how, do people use God as justification for fighting and killing one another. Isn’t killing supposed to be wrong in God’s eyes? Whatever happened to ‘Thou shalt not Kill’? And how is it that hundreds of thousands of people have died by the hands of those who call themselves Christians?
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.
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.
With the decline of the Western Roman empire Western Europe was a disjointed land that had no true unifying structure till the rise of Christianity. In Roman antiquity people used the State or empire of Rome to define themselves and give them a sense of unity despite having a diverse group of people within the empire. When Western Rome fell this belief based on a Roman cultural identity disappeared and no longer were people able to identify themselves with any particular group as they once have. The Christian religion was able to fill this vacuum by having the people associate themselves to a religion instead of a given state or cultural group. During Medieval Europe Christianity became the unifying force that would define what it meant to be European. Christianity gave political leaders legitimacy by showing that they have been favored by the gods. The clergyman that recorded the histories surrounding the kings of the Medieval Europe also provided a link to the Roman Empire to give the Kings a link to Roman empire of antiquity. Christianity became the center of the cultural life in western Europe and created a new social elite in Europe which would dominate literacy and knowledge within Europe for centuries. Christianity provided Europe with an escape from the disorder of the Medieval ages and give them a spiritual outlet for their fears and desires for a better life, whether in the physical life or in the spiritual world after death.
Charlemagne, or Charles the Great, reigned during a time of much turmoil and upheaval in Europe during middle ages. Charlemagne’s background and family history contributed much to his rise to power. The triumphs of his past lineage prepared him to take on the task of governing the Frankish Empire, and defending it from invaders. Charlemagne accomplished much during his supremacy. He not only brought education back into medieval Europe, but also invented an efficient way to govern his people. His conquests against the many adversaries of the Holy Roman Empire expanded his empire across the majority of Europe. His conquests also formed strong ties between the Catholic Church and the State. Charlemagne’s drive to convert Europe’s primitive and pagan tribes to Christianity nearly effaced the Saxons, whom he battled with for the majority of his reign. The crowning of Charlemagne as Holy Roman Emperor created a turning point in history. Within years after his death, however, his once great empire amounted to nothing. Charlemagne’s reign as King of the Franks and as Holy Roman Emperor greatly influenced the course of Europe during the middle ages.
The renaissance and the reformation were two of the most significant changes in history that has shaped our world today. Both of these great time periods are strikingly similar in some ways and totally different in others. This is because the renaissance was a change from religion to humanism whether it is in art or literature; it is where the individual began to matter. However, the reformation was,” in a nutshell,” a way to reform the church and even more so to form the way our society is today. The first half of this paper will view the drop in faith, the economic powers, and the artistic and literary changes during the renaissance, while the second half will view the progresses and changes the church makes during the reformation.
The Roman Catholic Church’s reputation in wealth and power furnished them with the ability to have a major impact over feudal society. Their wealth earned them great power and loyalty from the royals and citizens. Their power was used to restrict not only peasant folk but also nobles and the monarch in following the Catholic faith. This influenced everyone’s daily life and morals. The Church was similar to a government institution where it sustained its own laws and rights. This provided stability to the land as people have benevolent morals with the assistance of religion. Education from the Church has initiated structural learning which made a gradual end to the barbaric era (Dark Ages). The Church’s legacy gained them the medieval reputation from society and this has influenced the reputation of the Church today.
Perhaps no other event was as influential to the rise of papacy in Rome as the decline of the Roman empire. With the decline of the empire, the church became the last refuge of stability. Without the protection of the empire, Rome was subject to poverty, disrepair, and attack from enemies.1 The rise of the papacy was a response to this situation. It was further cemented by the leadership of such men as Leo I and Gregory I, the latter sometimes referred to as the father of the medieval papacy.2 Finally, the granting of lands and authority to the bishop of Rome greatly increased the power of the Roman church.3