The Carolingian Empire

Three Aspects of Charlemagne's Rule

In the pages following, I will treat three different aspects to Charles' rule: his conquests, his government, and the cultural activity associated with his rule. Each is important in its own right, each illuminates the man himself, and together they illustrate the blending of the three great currents of the medieval world: Christianity, the inheritance of the Roman Empire, and the influence of the Germanic traditions.

I will then take up the coronation of Charles as Emperor of the Romans in 800 AD. This event is a major event in the development of Europe; it also serves as a summary and a symbol of those three currents: imperium (empire), ecclesia (church), and gentes (tribes, or nations).

History of Western Civilization

E.L. Skip Knox
Boise State University

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