Weekly 9- Rough Draft

Charlemagne was a very important figure during the Middle Ages and did a lot to influence the culture of this time period. He was the first leader of the Carolingian dynasty and he was considered one of the best leaders of Europe by many historians. He conquered land for his Frankish Empire and expanded his rule in Europe so everyone could be included during his reign. His accomplishments helped Europe for the better and got Europe off to a good start so they could prosper later during the peak of the Middle Ages. If it was not for Charlemagne Europe would never have achieved its goals it set out for when the Middle Ages began. Charlemagne was so important for the history of Europe for all of his impressive accomplishments and he gave way to a long period of cultural change, most of which was positive. Charlemagne established a strong foundation for Europe to build off of and his achievements put Europe in a good position to prosper, including being the first emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. Charlemagne did not play a role in the development of the Middle Ages and his achievements were virtually worthless by not helping Europe at all.

            One important thing that Charlemagne did to help Europe as a whole was he expanded his empire and even helped the spread and increase of Christianity in his empire. “When he died in 814, Charlemagne’s empire encompassed much of Western Europe, and he had also ensured the survival of Christianity in the West” (History.com, 2011). Charlemagne changed the culture of Europe for the better by conquering more countries so Europe could function as a whole. He understood that Europe would be more prosperous in the long run if they could work together and this was a new change for Europe that set them off in the right direction. He had the right intent to help Europe in the long term and his the way he formed his empire would be good for Europe. He also influenced the rise of Christianity in his empire and he wanted it to help Europe and change them for the better. He wanted Christianity to be a religion that could prosper in Europe and he established the religion early so it could become an important religion in the years to come.

            Another event during Charlemagne’s life that helps people understand how he was important to the Middle Ages was his coronation by Pope Leo III. “In 800, Pope Leo III (750-816) crowned Charlemagne emperor of the Romans (History.com, 2011). This was a major event that would affect the Middle Ages in the future and it changed Europe forever. This event marked the start of a new empire called the Holy Roman Empire and it would bring a lot of change to Europe, especially the culture. New emperors would lead and architecture changed during this time, so overall life changed drastically. Charlemagne was the first holy roman emperor and he did his best to put Europe in a good position to do great things and serve as an example for future emperors to follow. Change would be imminent for Europe as a whole as the whole empire would see complete change that was intended to help Europe.

            The main proof that people understand that Charlemagne was crucial to the culture of the Middle Ages was that he tried to revive culture during his time. “He and his government patronized a variety of activities that together produced a cultural renovatio (Latin: “renewal” or “restoration”), later called the Carolingian Renaissance” (Biography.com, 2011). This was a very important cultural revival that Charlemagne implemented and many changes came along with it. This movement helped the people of the empire become more literate and the main goal was to better educate the people. It also helped the people better understand the Christian faith so they could deepen their faith and it also taught people of religious power what their responsibilities were in the Church. Carolingian architecture became heavily influenced in society with many famous churches serving as the main examples of the architecture. This was a very big cultural revolution that would affect the culture during the Middle Ages and was another important accomplishment of Charlemagne that Europe could build off of.

            It is easy to see how Charlemagne’s famous accomplishments played a huge role in the development of the Middle Ages. His main role was to prepare Europe and make positive changes to Europe so they could prosper in the future. He was one of the main leaders who changed the culture of Europe through the Carolingian Renaissance and it is important to understand his accomplishments because they changed Europe forever. He definitely had the right intentions for Europe and he wanted to see Europe flourish through his major changes. He served as an example of a great emperor during his time and he laid the groundwork for Europe so they could be prosperous. Charlemagne made great strides as a major leader and he was up to the task of being the first holy roman emperor. The culture of the Middle Ages was influenced by Charlemagne and that is why it is important to understand his life.

Bibliography

BBC, Initials. (2011). Charlemagne (c. 747 - c. 814). Retrieved from http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/charlemagne.shtml 



Charlemagne. (2011). The History Channel website. Retrieved 8:59, May 3, 2011,   from http://www.history.com/topics/charlemagne. 

Charlemagne. (2011). Biography.com. Retrieved 09:07, May 3 2011 from http://www.biography.com/articles/Charlemagne-37817

Holy Roman Empire. (2011). The History Channel website. Retrieved 8:59, May 3, 2011, from http://www.history.com/topics/holy-roman-empire.