Evaluating Charlemagne – and Other Significant People of the Middle Ages

21 Replies to “Evaluating Charlemagne – and Other Significant People of the Middle Ages”

1. Charlemagne, also known as Charles the Great, is known as ‘the Father of Europe’. After his father Pippin III died, Charlemagne and his brother Carloman inherited the Frankish kingdom. Carloman died in 771, which gave Charlemagne complete control. Charlemagne conquered modern day France – Switzerland, Belgium and the Netherlands. During his reign, he enforced new laws and structures which eventually led to a further developed Europe. I admire the way he created a centralized governmental system, spreading the role of leadership to many people. By creating this system, Charlemagne allegedly helped people of all classes, and gave the impression that his government existed to help as well as rule over the general population. He encouraged education and justice. Charlemagne’s actions, however, are very controversial. He is also seen as a violent warlord. To expand his kingdom and enforce education and justice, Charlemagne acted brutally in order to control his kingdom. Charlemagne also was a strong believer in Christianity. He tried to convert his kingdom to the Christian religion, often using violence to enforce his beliefs. I think that strong measures were necessary to rule the population effectively, though Charlemagne may have been overly violent in the way he tried to conquer most of Europe.

2. I admire the way that Charlemagne built upon his empire and encouraged education and art. He promoted trade and introduced new political and social improvements. His innovative ideas helped build roads and bridges throughout his empire.

   However, he was also considered quite ruthless, killing many to expand his empire and forcing the Christian religion upon those who didn’t want it. He took drastic measures just to gain more power, land and wealth, and executed many of his enemies without mercy. Thousands who resisted him and his ideas were killed.

3. Charlemagne also named ‘Charles the Great’, ‘Father of Europe’ and ‘King of the Franks and Lombards’ brought many great changes during his time in power. He expanded his kingdom enormously from a small territory, conquering land from places like Hungary and Spain. Charlemagne often used inhumane methods to eliminate the Avars and reduce the population of the Saxons. Charlemagne and his army battled against the Saxons for 32 years, killing thousands of them. It is said that he essentially did not want to kill them but just to convert them to Christianity. His strong belief in Christianity also provoked many other rebellions, because he forced the religion on everyone under his power. He did leave many significant contributions, however, throughout numerous areas. Through his ingenious and inventive thinking, the system of pounds and shillings was developed. He also encouraged education and invited scholars to his court. In conclusion, I think Charlemagne was a very influential ruler, although he was fairly brutal at times. He influenced Europe greatly during his reign.

4. I admire Charlemagne for his advancements in social structure and for paving the way to a greater future for Europe. He built an effective governing system, and conquered many lands, and increased accessibility by building roads. He unified parts of Europe and enabled opportunities for these countries to trade and communicate. He retained the local laws of the countries he brought together, because of an enormous ethnic gap. He couldn’t read or write, but he did have an extremely positive attitude towards learning new things. He did have some ways of dealing with problems that were unsatisfactory, such as killing innocent people for not accepting his religion, Christianity. He killed thousands for keeping faith with their old gods, and slaughtered innocent people. Although people think that this was an unfair and brutal thing to do, It was a measure that he had to take in order to remain in power.

5. Charlemagne (c. 747 – c. 814)
   Charlemagne was the eldest son of Pippin III (the Short) and the brother to Carloman. He was the King of the Franks. He vowed to bring an end to the chaos devouring Europe. Charlemagne started by waging a 30-year war to achieve this goal. By 800 C.E he controlled Western Europe. He was a successful military commander and fought in many battles, I believe this gave him a callous outlook on life and other people. He did come to the aid of Pope Leo III when Rome was in chaos but I think he was only doing it to get into the church’s good books. He was also shown as modest when he was praying and had a crown placed on his head by Leo III, who crowned him as the Holy Roman Emperor. I believe this wasn’t the surprise he said it was as the Pope wouldn’t make such a unexpected move without his permission. Charlemagne is often seen as the father of ‘modern Europe’ but I believe that no one can become that influential without having a ruthless and commanding side.

6. A Brief Summary of Charlemagne

   I admire Charlemagne because of how he was able to take control of the land his father once owned and how he improved it and made the empire stronger than ever before. I also admire the fact that he encouraged education and arts and helped expand his empire and make it easier to live in with his innovative methods and ideas.
   Although Charlemagne was an innovative and brave leader to his people, he would be brutal to those who questioned his leadership. He was prepared to do many vicious and cruel things to the people who resisted his power. Many of his enemies were forcefully converted to Christianity or executed.

7. Charlemagne was originally named Charles le Magne and was the eldest of the two sons of Pippin III. Rule was split between him and his brother until his brother died, when Charlemagne took over his brother’s rule. He was the king of the Franks and was ultimately crowned the Holy Roman Emperor. Charlemagne was a good leader and proceeded to conquer substantial parts of medieval Europe, where he ended up being the unquestioned ruler.¬¬ Charlemagne followed the Christian religion seriously and at one stage came to the aid of the Pope (Leo III) who had a rebellion forming against him. He also tried to enforce Christianity as the main religion in the Carolingian Empire (as it was known at that time). Charlemagne was a strong leader and a man who achieved great things although he would have been known among his enemies as a brute because of how he enforced rules and how he normally declared war in order to add land to the Carolingian Empire.

8. Charlemagne was an interesting man. He did hugely admirable things, bringing structure to a very brutal age. But he was complex. Some considered him bloodthirsty. But he brought structure. Though the ways he did it in left a lot to be desired. He brought Christianity in brutal ways. But brutal methods were required for brutal times. He inherited the kingdom of the Franks in a time where people were abandoning Christianity. Europe was in chaos and turmoil. Once he had structure and control of the Franks he conquered new lands. His realm now held ancient France, Switzerland, Belgium and The Netherlands. He restored a lot of the unity of the old Roman Empire. He also as very civilised in a lot of ways. Instead of jesters he had scholars read from learned works. Charlemagne was dangerous and brutal in a lot of ways but he brought clarity and unification upon Europe.

9. Charlemagne, also known as Charles the Great, was a powerful, influential Christian King of the West. He united most of Western Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire. When his father, Pepin the Short, passed away, the kingdom was divided between Charlemagne and his younger brother Carloman. Three years later, Carloman suddenly died, which left Charlemagne to rule a vast portion of land on his own. To keep order, Charlemagne developed a centralized system of governors (counts) throughout his kingdom, sending out men he knew to keep order all over his kingdom, and then sending out other men to check up on the counts. He had meetings every year with these men to make sure that all was right.
   Charlemagne was eager to broaden his kingdom so he conquered France, Switzerland, Belgium, and he Netherlands. His empire included parts of modern-day Italy and Germany, and sections of Austria and Spain. His determination to convert those under him to Christianity was very brutal. As a result, thousands of people were killed. Despite been a ruthless man, Charlemagne established a new library of Christian and classical works. His other achievements included standardization of weights, measures and customs which improved commerce and legal reforms.

10. I think Charlemagne is a very admirable person in many ways. He introduced many political and social reforms and set up a monetary system. When he was in power, he controlled most of Western Europe. However, he was responsible for the deaths of many innocent people. He forced Christianity upon the people he conquered, and killed those who rejected it. Because of this, some present-day historians view him as a brutal and violent warlord. I would agree that he was brutal and violent, but many medieval kings were. Many kings conquered lands and killed people too. It is very hard to find a king who never waged wars and was entirely peaceful to everyone. In many ways, Charlemagne was a better king than most others like him.

11. Charlemagne:
    A man who helped his people in many ways but who was savage to many others.

    Charlemagne, aka Charles The Great, was born in 742 in Northern Europe. In 768, he and his brother inherited the kingdom of the Franks. But after a few years his brother passed away and he was left as the sole ruler. Charlemagne was an ambitious man, and soon led a three decade long military campaign to conquer Western Europe. His kingdom contained the countries which were to become France, Switzerland, Belgium, the Netherlands, and parts of Spain, Austria, Italy, Germany. He also forced Christianity upon these countries, and slaughtered many thousands of peoples who rejected him as king or Christianity as their religion. He was also very brutal to the Saxons and virtually exterminated the Avars. Yet he was good to the people who accepted him, encouraged education and books, and invented innovative administration concepts. He died in January 814. His descendants didn’t have his ambition, and his Empire quickly faded.

12. Charlemagne (Charles the Great) was born on April 2, 742 in Northern Europe, eldest son to Pippin the Short. When his father passed away in 768, he left behind the kingdom of Francia, which was divided between Charlemagne and his brother Carloman. Soon after, Carloman died in 771, leaving Charlemagne to rule. Charlemagne launched a 30-year military campaign and in 800, he became a powerful European leader whose ways, it could be argued, were as brutal as a warlord. He ruled over the lands that are now called France, Switzerland, Belgium, and The Netherlands. This also involved half of present-day Italy and Germany, and parts of Austria and Spain.

    Although Charlemagne is recognized for his law, justice and educational contributions, he slaughtered thousands of people who refused to accept Christianity. I believe Charlemagne ways were necessary to rule over such a large area although he may have gone too extreme.

13. Charlemagne was a leader and the king of an Empire; this ensured that there were many choices he needed to make, but were some of his choices too extreme? Despite apparently acknowledging the diversity of laws in the many countries he ruled and allowing them to maintain many, he forced people to convert to Christianity. However, if we trace further back along his timeline, we are faced with another question. In order to rule an empire, one must first take over multiple countries, so was Charlemagne a brutal warlord? Does the ‘enlightenment’ and education he brought to Europe justify the lives lost in bloody battles for domination?
    I approve of how Charlemagne agreed to let places keep their traditions, and how he improved education and the gathering of knowledge all over Europe. However, it is hard not to criticize that he forced people into converting to his religion, threatening to murder people in cold blood if they did not turn to Christianity. It is also questionable whether his conquests actually improved or worsened the places which he conquered.
    So who was he? I believe he was both a great ruler and a warlord. However, one thing cannot be denied, Charlemagne had a significant impact on Europe, and without him, medieval Europe would be vastly different.

14. Charlemagne or Charles le Magne was essentially the undisputed leader of Western Europe around the 800s. He was born on April 2, 742 in Northern Europe and was the eldest son of Pippin III and Betrada of Laon. When his father passed away, he and his brother Carloman inherited the Kingdom of the Franks but he solely inherited the Kingdom after his father’s death. During that time Europe was in turmoil, the Franks were returning to their barbaric ways and neglecting their education and religion and the Roman Catholic Church was reclaiming land stolen by the Lombard Kingdom of Italy. Determined to bring order to Europe, Charlemagne launched a 30 year military campaign and also tried to spread Christianity. Anyone who didn’t accept him as their new leader or Christianity was put to death. By establishing his empire, Charlemagne paved the way towards the development of modern Europe. I admire his initiative in trying to bring order to Europe and also to standardise weights, measures and customs dues, which made trading and commerce much easier. Although he did do a lot of great things, I find that him putting innocent people to death because of their refusal to believe in Christianity or show loyalty to him was too harsh or excessive. Thus, Charlemagne will be remembered as either a great leader or a brutal warlord.

15. Charlemagne was the son of Pippin the Short, and he had a brother named Carloman. Charlemagne was a powerful European leader who showed the characteristics of a brutal warlord, but who was also influential as the ‘Master of Western Europe’. His bloodthirsty methods often resulted in conflicts, but this happened often in the Middle Ages, and proved to be effective after he conquered several lands in Europe during his reign. He expanded his empire as he gained control over the lands he conquered, even more so after his brother Carloman died. His aid during the rebellion against Pope Leo gained him the position of Holy Roman Emperor. His influence and rule during the Middle Ages both encouraged war, but also set the foundation for modern Europe.

16. Charlemagne was the King of Franks and the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. After his father died, the kingdom was divided between his two sons; Charlemagne ruled with his brother Carloman for three years. Carloman died suddenly, which is a bit suspicious as their relationship was really strained until his death.
    Charlemagne was a strong leader and conquered many lands to expand his kingdom through his military success. He was determined to strengthen his Empire. I admire him for the great contributions he made to the development of Europe, including promoting education and literacy and creating a code of laws for the entire kingdom in order to bring the diverse ethnic groups together. He set up money standards for better farming methods and helped people from each class. Charlemagne was also a very strong believer in Christianity and extended it across Europe. He was also considered ruthless and cruel as he was to blame for the deaths of a great number of people. The people who refused to accept Christianity and chose to stay with their old religion were murdered. He killed many through battles to achieve his goal of expansion. His actions were considered harsh but I think he needed to remain in power and have his Empire under control although his actions were a bit extreme.

17. Charlemagne was a brutal yet successful ruler in the Middle Ages. He inherited his power from his father Pepin the Short and shared it with his brother for three years until his brother’s sudden death in 771. Charlemagne started his rule by expanding his empire through several military campaigns. He successfully invaded Saxony just one year after he become sole ruler of his kingdom. He also conquered the Lombards in Northern Italy whilst spreading Christianity. In 800 he was the great ruler over a substantial part of Western Europe. He was crowned Holy Roman Emperor by Pope Leo III yet he denied knowing what the Pope was planning. This was most likely not the case, for the Pope wouldn’t have acted without Charlemagne’s knowledge of what was to happen. Charlemagne wasn’t purely a military leader. By encouraging better farming methods and commerce, he improved agriculture and trade. Charlemagne massacred masses of people who refused to follow Christianity or submit to his power. He was a man who conquered many in his path through bloody military conquests whilst also developing the economy and helping his people. I think he is an admirable character who whilst was brutal did it successfully and managed to rule most of Western Europe.

18. Charlemagne
    Legacy
    Charlemagne (742-814) was the King of the Franks and Lombards and is referred to by many historians as the ‘Father of Europe’. In 800CE he was crowned as the First Holy Roman Emperor. Charlemagne had inherited the Frankish throne from his father Pippin the Great and he succeeded in expanding the empire to include Lombard and most of Europe. To become such a powerful king, Charlemagne was also quite a brutal warlord and conquered major parts of Europe, spreading Christianity through the conquered lands. I find it admirable that even though Charlemagne couldn’t actually read or write much, he was an active & enthusiastic learner. He even had a private tutor, Alcuin, & a biographer, Einhard, who made many records of Charlemagne.

19. Charlemagne was a very powerful and eminent person. He was a born leader, which aided his conquest of land and wealth when he was handed the throne of his father, Pepin the Short in 768 AD. He shared his throne with his brother until his brother died in 771, which made him the sole ruler of the kingdom. Charlemagne was a very determined person who always obtained what he desired. So he organised a 30-year military campaign to take over Europe and unite the kingdoms under his rule. He was also very forceful in his desire to impose Christianity on the conquered people. So when Pope Leo III was attacked, Charlemagne came to his aid and slayed the attackers; this led to him being a very competent emperor. Charlemagne was not just a bloodthirsty mass murdering king as some historians believe. He was also a very civilised person who spent a lot of his time learning about reading and writing. This has made me conclude that Charlemagne was a very competent and heroic man, and also a man of the people.

20. Charlemagne was the son of Pippin III. When Pippin died, the kingdom was split between him and his brother. Charlemagne proved himself a worthy and impressive leader from early on. The two brothers had many disputes until Carloman’s death in 771. As the now single ruler of Francia, he stabilised his kingdom and converted his people and others to Christianity. He led his armies into battle on many occasions. He unified many states and encouraged education but he wasn’t purely a benevolent ruler. Charlemagne reached most of his goals through brutal and violent methods. He used brutal methods to supress the Saxons and almost wiped out the Avars. To ensure a firm grip on his now amassed empire, he made sure that all laws, local and general, were written down. Overall, I think that Charlemagne was an impressive ruler despite his methods.

21. Charlemagne

    Charlemagne was born on the second of April, 742 to Pippin III. In 768 his brother Carloman inherited the kingdom of the Franks. In 771 Carloman died and Charlemagne became the sole ruler of the Empire. As many people were going back to their old barbaric ways, Charlemagne decided to try and strengthen his Empire. He accomplished this through a thirty-year military campaign. To me this shows that Charlemagne was a respectable man, as he was trying to reunite his nation and make his land a more civilised place, though I was disagree with that fact that he had to launch a thirty year military campaign to do this, as there would have been less destructive ways. Charlemagne was crowned Holy Roman Emperor after helping the Pope defeat a rebellion. The large number of territories he ruled over were known as the Carolingian empire. He placed key representatives throughout his land, though they all came to a meeting every year in Aachen. He standardised weights, measures and dues, which initiated legal reforms. These are the actions of a responsible man who changed how our society works today, as we continue to use refined or changed versions of his ideals. in 814 Charlemagne died, and without his rule his empire slowly fell apart This shows his leadership and how without it, his empire fell apart.