The Character of Charlemagne

 

 

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Charlemagne by the German artist, Dürer. This image is in the public domain and has been uploaded from Wikimedia Commons.

Dear 8E,

You may recall hearing about Charlemagne’s wars of conquest during the film yesterday. His military campaigns and slaughters of so-called pagans were mentioned as possible factors in the Vikings’ increasingly violent raids, which began in the late eighth century, at just the time that Charlemagne was establishing what came to be known as the “Holy Roman Empire”.

Was Charlemagne a brutal warlord or the founder of western European culture? Or are both of these descriptions too extreme?

Your task is to decide what kind of man Charlemagne was and describe him in all his complexity and contradictions.

Charlemagne set up a significant and powerful empire and was influential in the development of Europe.

Even though Charlemagne is remembered for his contributions to law, justice and education, he sometimes took harsh measures against those who resisted his power. For instance, he forced people to be baptised as Christians and executed thousands of Saxon prisoners in one day.

So on the one hand, Charlemagne encouraged learning and admired scholars. On the other, he was prepared to act viciously to strengthen and consolidate his power.

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Find out more by reading the websites below. 

♦Then create a word document in which you write a careful, considered paragraph on the life, character and legacy of Charlemagne. Ensure that you include answers to these questions:

  • What do you admire about him?
  • Which actions, if any, would you criticise? Use the words in the table provided below.
  • Show me your paragraph before adding it as a comment to this blog post.
  • You may choose to select, instead of Charlemagne, one of the other people listed on pages 256-8 of your text: Leif Ericson, Suleiman the Magnificent or Galileo Galilei.

I chose Charlemagne for this task because of the complexity of his moral character, but I am willing to concede that each of these other characters is worthy of your mature contemplation.

Here are some recommended websites:

[wmd-toggle tab_background=”#066196″ tab_color=”#fff” content_background=”#2196d1″ content_color=”#fff” border_radius=”4″ ls-id=”55dec48bf250d”][wmd-toggle-tab title=”A particularly critical description and a reconstructed portrait of Charlemagne”]%3Cp%3E%3Cspan%20style%3D%22font-size%3A%2012pt%3B%20color%3A%20%2399ccff%3B%22%3EA%20particularly%20critical%20description%20and%20a%20reconstructed%20portrait%20of%20Charlemagne%3C%2Fspan%3E%3C%2Fp%3E[/wmd-toggle-tab][/wmd-toggle]

http://www.reportret.info/gallery/charlemagne1.html

Positive words for describing the life and legacy of people in history – for describing admirable actions and characteristics  Negative words for describing the life and legacy of people in history – for describing people or actions that you deplore or condemn
influential, determined, resolute, purposeful, tenacious, brave, courageous, astute, quick-witted, insightful, discerning, far-sighted, ingenious, unconventional, visionary, forward-thinking, enlightened, inventive, innovative, industrious unwise, thoughtless, inhumane, ruthless, callous, cowardly, hasty, immoral, misguided, ill-judged, senseless, cruel, ill-considered, foolish, mistaken, dangerous, imprudent, irresponsible

 

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13 Replies to “The Character of Charlemagne”

  1. Charlemagne was King of the Franks and Christian emperor of the west. Charlemagne’s name is really Charles le Magne. He was the son of Pippin III. When Pippin died, the kingdom was split between him and his brother Carloman. Charlemagne proved himself a worthy and impressive leader from early on. The two brothers had many disputes until Carloman’s death in 771 AD. Charlemagne then stabilized his kingdom and forcibly converted many followers of pagan religions to Christianity. Charlemagne organized a centralized system of governors throughout his kingdom. He was determined to strengthen his realm and to bring order to Europe. So he launched a 30-year military campaign to accomplish his goal. During this campaign he conquered France, Northern Spain, Germany, Switzerland and Austria. He encouraged education and art and promoted trade, introducing many political and social improvements.
    To me this shows he was a determined man to do what was best for his kingdom and Europe. On the other hand I disagree with how he slaughtered many Saxons in one day for refusing to convert to Christianity. In my opinion he had the right idea and concept about helping out his kingdom and Europe, but it wasn’t right to force and kill thousands of innocent people.

  2. Charlemagne, also known as Charles the Great, was the King of the Franks and Christian Emperor of the West. He was influential in the development of Europe. He organised a centralised system of government throughout his kingdom. He constantly expanded his territory through conquest. He conquered the Lombards in northern Italy, acquired Bavaria, and campaigned in Spain and Hungary. Charlemagne used harsh measures and killed thousands who did not obey him. At the same time, however, he reorganised the diverse groups he had brought together, and allowed each to retain its own local laws. Laws could differ from area to area, but to ensure justice, Charlemagne had these laws set down in writing and strictly enforced. He had some laws which applied throughout his kingdom, and he kept an eye on the events in his empire through the use of representatives who acted with his authority. I believe that even though he may seem harsh and brutal, he was responsible for some major accomplishments which shaped modern Europe.

  3. Charlemagne was the son of Pepin the Short. After Pepin died, Charlemagne ruled over the Frankish Kingdom with his brother Carloman. After Carloman died, Charlemagne became sole ruler. Some historians believe that he was a brutal warlord but many others view him as the founder of the European culture. I believe that Charlemagne, also known as Charles the Great, is the founder of Western European culture. Although he may have brutally slaughtered thousands of Saxon prisoners in one day, Charlemagne only did it to show his devotion towards God. The Saxons had the choice to yield and give up, and they were the ones who rejected this option. Charlemagne was a wise person, despite the fact that he couldn’t write. Instead of jesters and musicians performing for him while he ate, it is said that he called wise people to read sculptures for him. He was the one who re-organised the diverse groups and made his own local laws. He was a brutal man too, but I believe that the good side of his nature overwhelms this.

  4. Charlemagne
    Charlemagne was a very influential person in his time. He had ingenious ideas for ruling, law, justice and education, but he had a ruthless dark side. This split personality led to many different accounts been written about him. The Saxons recorded him as an evil man who slaughtered their people because they weren’t Christian. Other people recorded him as an influential leader who changed Europe for the better in a time of dismay. In 800 he stopped a rebellion against Pope Leo III and was given the crown over the “Holy Roman Empire” in return. I think that Charlemagne was a great leader in advancing Europe, but his methods for ‘converting’ people to Christianity were truly brutal and unnecessary.

  5. He stood 6 feet 4 inches tall, the son of Pippin III and Bertrada. Charlemagne’s name was actually Charles le Magne, or Charles the Great. In 768, when Charlemagne was 26, he and his brother Carloman inherited Pippin’s empire of Western Europe. Charlemagne proved himself a capable and a powerful leader, but his brother was less so. When Carloman died suddenly three years later, Charlemagne was crowned the ruler of the Franks, and the emperor of Western Europe. When Charlemagne seized power, the Franks were going back to their barbaric ways, the Saxons were still Pagans, and the Roman Catholic Church was asserting its power to recover land from the Lombard Kingdom of Italy, Europe was in turmoil. Charlemagne was an outstanding military man, and strove to bring order back to Europe. In 772, he started a 30 year military campaign. By 800, Charlemagne was the undisputed ruler of Western Europe. His conquered many countries, including Switzerland, France, Northern Italy, Spain and Hungary to name a few.Charlemagne was also a brutal killer. Anybody who refused to believe in Christianity or accepted their new King was killed instantly. Thousands of Anglo-Saxons were slaughtered. He was brutal killer, sometimes murdering Saxons just because he was in a bad mood. Charlemagne made important contributions to Western European society, including law, justice and education, but he was also a brutal killer. Which personality was he most? I believe he was a major contributor to society, but his persuasive techniques were brutal, and totally unnecessary.

  6. Being known as Charles the Great, Charlemagne was the ruler of the Franks and Christian Emperor of the West. He was a skilled military strategist. This allowed him to engage in warfare and dominate land and empires. Charlemagne’s real name is Charles Le Mange. His father Pippin left Charles his empire when he died in 768. Already the Franks increased in power as Charles greatly expanded the size of his kingdom by conquering land. Although Charles was known for his devotion to education, he was also responsible for the slaughter of thousands of Saxons for not converting to Christianity. I believe that Charles was a brutal warlord capable of killing thousands of people if they didn’t follow his orders, although he set up a significant and powerful empire and influenced the development of Europe.

  7. Charlemagne can be considered as a cruel conqueror, seeing that those who rejected his rule and his requirement to convert to Christianity were brutally dealt with. Even though Charlemagne can be considered as the founder of Western European culture, his act in murdering thousands of Saxons outshines the good this man did. Some historians may counter that Charlemagne was a charismatic person who had many followers. He also encouraged both male and female education. Yet this is out-shadowed for many reasons, among them his tendency towards violent conquest and cruel reprisals.

  8. Charlemagne, also known as Charles the Great, was an extremely powerful and innovative emperor. He also had major input into the justice and law system. His ingenious act of begining a centralized system of governors scattered across his kingdom meant that he had control over most parts of his kingdom. In 772 Charlemagne ran multiple military campaigns. He conquered Northern Italy, France, Spain, Hungary, Austria, Germany and Switzerland to expand the size of his kingdom. All these combined formed the Carolingian empire. Although he made important contributions to law, justice and education, he had another side to his character.
    He was very passionate about Christianity and if you didn’t convert the brutal consequence of being murdered followed. In fact he once killed over 3000 Saxons in one day! He killed all these people because they wouldn’t convert to Christianity.
    I believe that Charlemagne was a very influential person who developed and advanced Europe but who was also a brutal killer.

  9. Charlemagne, also known as Charles I, Charles the Great or Charles le Magne, was the king of the Franks, who united most of Western Europe during the early Medieval Period. He also created the foundations of what now is France and Germany. He ruled the majority of Western Europe from 768 to 814, and when the kingdom was in chaos after the death of Carloman, (his brother) he brought Christianity to his kingdom and slaughtered the Saxons who refused to convert. Even though he was very influential, I believe the ruthless and brutal act of having “pagans” killed was not acceptable. There would’ve been a better way for the innocent people to follow him, instead of the bloodthirsty massacre he used as a weapon.

  10. Charlemagne, King of the Franks, Christian Emperor of the West, Son of Pepin the Short, also known as Charles the Great, was born on April 2, 742, near Liège in modern-day Belgium. When Pepin died in 768, his kingdom was divided between Charlemagne and his younger brother, Carloman. Charlemagne and Carloman ruled together for three years before Carloman’s sudden death in 771. It was then that Charlemagne became sole ruler of the kingdom. When Charlemagne seized power, the Franks had started to go back to what he considered their barbaric ways and the Saxons were still pagans, but over several decades, Charlemagne established new laws and conquered many lands. He forced the Saxons to become Christians and if they refused, he executed them; on one infamous occasion, he ordered execution of 3000 Saxons.
    Though Charlemagne was a man who changed his land for the better and though Charlemagne is remembered for his contributions to law, justice and education, I still think he took some incredibly harsh measures against those who resisted his power.

  11. Charlemagne was a very influential man. He was an optimistic and ambitious man who would go to great lengths to get what he wanted. Some describe him as the father of European civilisation, while others describe him as a tyrant. Once he had inherited his role as King of the Franks, he then expanded his territory and conquered Spain, Austria, modern Hungary, Italy, Switzerland and Belgium, converting the pagans in these conquered lands to Christianity. Although he had very ingenious ideas for the law, education and ruling, he had a dark side to him. He was very fanatical about Christianity and if you didn’t convert, the consequences were brutal. Thousands of Anglo-Saxons were murdered; once he even killed three thousand Anglo-Saxons in one day! Charlemagne was a ruthless conqueror and sometimes executed Anglo-Saxons when he was in a bad mood. I believe his clever ideas shaped and advanced modern Europe; however, he was also a brutal killer and his “persuasive techniques” were unnecessary and harsh.

  12. The Character of Charlemagne
    Charlemagne, the son of Pippin III, was a very complex moral character. He proved he was a worthy king and was determined to strengthen his realm; in this sense he outdid his brother Carloman who people thought was not fit to be ruler. Many admire Charlemagne’s works and view him as a supreme ruler, whereas others describe him as a brutal killer who slaughtered and severely punished citizens who would not convert to Christianity. Charlemagne always led his troops into battle and was a very fierce warrior, which ultimately led to his title of Charles the Great. Along with the Franks, he defeated many tribes and conquered many lands in medieval Europe. Charlemagne was a very influential ruler who introduced many reforms to help the citizens of his country. He brought scholars from all over the world to teach others how to read and write; this enhanced the education system of the middle Ages. He promoted church reform, the spread of Christianity and intellectual life. He conquered all over Europe, and was a great warrior. These points suggest that he was a very forward-thinking and industrious man, but I believe that there was another, more sinister side to his character. Alongside his visionary accomplishments, he treated many citizens in a very cruel and inhumane way. Because Saxons refused to convert to Christianity, he ordered a massacre and killed over 3000 Saxons. This was a very immoral act and caused many Germanic tribes to view him as a hasty and brutal man. Nevertheless, Charlemagne was still a very courageous and astute king.

  13. Charlemagne, Charles Le Magne or Charles the great was a very admirable person. Some think he was a brutal conqueror who had thousands killed, whereas others think he was a crucial factor in the founding of European culture. I think he was both: he did play a big part in founding European culture but in order to do this, he sometimes acted in a brutal way. Charlemagne was very admirable in converting and uniting civilisations, but also very cruel to the thousands he had killed because of their refusal to convert to Christianity.

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