Wednesday, March 31, 2004

We now embark on a major segment of our course, the Carolingian period. Charlemagne is rightfully known as a figure of monumental proportions, both physically and in terms of his historical importance. He managed to accomplish more in one lifetime than most people could do in ten. Not only did he unite under one banner a substantial empire, but he presided over a cultural revival that has come to be known as the Carolingian renaissance. We'll be spending considerable time on details of his reign and his world.

We must begin by remarking that Charlemagne represents the first serious revival of the western Roman Empire since the days of Justinian. Indeed Einhard, his chief biographer, modelled the Life of Charlemagne on the Roman historian Suetonius's famous Lives of the Caesars, thus appearing to place Charlemagne in a direct line of succession with those earlier emperors. The pope as well seems to have wanted to revive Rome in the West in his crowning ceremony on Christmas Eve, 800 in Rome. Then again, maybe all parties concerned were responding only to the needs of the moment, and found Rome to be a convenient symbol to achieve what they needed. In any case, it's a powerful symbol, one that did not disappear from Europe's consciousness throughout the Middle Ages.

The textbook gives you a clear, step-by-step account of the how, what, when, where, and why of Charlemagne's various conquests. Even more noteworthy about this particular textbook is the description of the means by which Charlemagne's family came to be the rulers of the Franks, dating back to the Pippinids. The Carolingian dynasty, named not after Charlemagne but after Charles Martel, replaced the Merovingians as those kings grew weaker and their chief officers, the Mayors of the Palace, took on the real power in governing. The term "mayor" stems from the Latin "major," comparative of "magnus," meaning "great." So the mayor is the very great, or chief, boss of the place. Here are some terms to remember:

• Charles Martel, Pippin
• missi dominici
• vassus
• Alcuin
• Louis the Pious
• Treaty of Verdun (map at right)

And here are some questions:

• What were the different kinds of people Charlemagne used to administer his vast empire?
• Why was he concerned with expanding learning throughout his empire?
• What were the weaknesses of Charlemagne's empire? Why did it eventually fail?
• What was the status of women in the Carolingian period?
• What were the conditions of the peasantry?

And now, on to Einhard:

Homework Questions (choose 4)

1. Take a look at the way in which Einhard describes the deposition of the Merovingians; likewise, the way in which he depicts the conflict between Charlemagne and his brother Carloman. How does Einhard try to shape these events to contribute to the story he wants to tell?
2. What is Einhard's sense of himself as a scholar/writer in relation to the cultural legacy of antiquity?
3. Look carefully at the accounts of the wars in which Charlemagne was involved, particularly the wars against the Saxons. Would you consider his treatment of them to be unfair or abusive in any way? Why or why not?
4. The key passage in this account for many historians is the account of Charlemagne's imperial coronation by Pope Leo. Why do you suppose Einhard depicts Charlemagne as not having wanted to be crowned Emperor?
5. What aspects of Charlemagne's personal rule single him out as a Germanic king? What are the ways in which he is being fashioned by Einhard as a Roman ruler?
6. What is Charlemagne's relationship to the Church? I'm thinking not only of his charity, but of the power he holds in relation to religious institutions.

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