(http://www.history.com/topics/charlemagne)
While Europe has seen much change since the medieval era, the development of Europe remains a mixture or blending of Roman, Germanic, and Christian elements. One of the earliest examples of these three cultural elements is seen in the life of King Charlemagne of the Frankish Empire. Charlemagne, King from 768 to 814, was known for greatly expanding the geographical and political power of the Franks. Through the works of Einhard, a Frankish scholar and secretary to Charlemagne, the life of the famous king was recorded in The Life of Charlemagne. In his work, Einhard records the lineage, political and military affairs, and personal life of Charlemagne. Through an examination of The Life of Charlemagne, the mixing of Roman, German, and Christian aspects of Charlemagne’s life can be observed.
The personal life of Charlemagne was well recorded by Einhard and provides many examples of the blending of cultures within his life. While Roman, Germanic, and Christian cultures can each be found in Charlemagne’s life, many Germanic qualities appear to be most prominent. Einhard himself claims that Charlemagne naturally excelled in the activities most commonly associated with the Franks, including riding, hunting, and swimming (22). Even when his health began to fail towards the end of his life, Charlemagne continued to partake in the extravagant roasts and feasts held for special holidays (24). While he was fascinated and loved learning about other cultures, and even owned many beautiful and foreign articles of clothing, he always preferred to dress in his own Frankish garb (23). While a majority of Charlemagne’s personal attributes were arguably Germanic, Roman culture also influenced his personal life. Charlemagne took his education seriously and greatly valued the liberal arts, and even honored the men who taught them (25). This value in a classic Roman education was also applied to his children, both sons and daughters, who were also educated in the liberal arts (19). While enjoying his feasts and dinners, Charlemagne liked stories of the ancients to be told to him, particularly favoring the works of St. Augustus, including The City of God, exemplifying not only the Roman attributes of his personal life, but his religious life as well (24). Charlemagne’s religion is an important aspect of his life, and practiced his faith with great devotion and piety (26). Health permitting, Charlemagne attended church regularly, including both early-morning and late-night masses (26). Examples of his Christian charity can be found not only in his regular giving of alms to local countrymen and foreign peoples, but in a large portion of his will as well (27;33). While actions of Christianity make up a portion of the king’s personal religious life, his religion, along with the influences of Roman and Germanic cultures continued to form a large portion in his role as a public figure.
As a King, Charlemagne was a well-known public figure. Just as his private life saw a blending of cultures, so did his public life. Viewed as a Germanic King for a majority of his time in power, Charlemagne made an attempt to preserve the culture and language of his own people by having his language and stories of famous chiefs and warriors recorded, as well as renaming the months and ‘winds’ in his own language (29). As a Frankish or Germanic ruler, Charlemagne was viewed not only as a political figure but a strong warrior as well. Managing numerous victories over various other tribes and nations, Charlemagne nearly doubled the land he inherited from his father. While his actions as a warrior king may have been through German influence, Roman politics certainly influenced his decisions as well. Never truly wanting the title, Charlemagne was crowned the Emperor and Augustus of Rome, taking on the duties of both a warrior king as well as an Emperor (28). As a result of having been made emperor, Charlemagne discovered he appreciated efficiency and clarity of the written law codes of the Romans as opposed to the subjective and memorized laws of his own country (29). Inspired by Rome, Charlemagne set out to correct the defects of the Frankish system by collecting and codifying the laws under his Frankish jurisdiction (29). The Romans, known for their strong naval defense, were also the inspiration to for the development of Charlemagne’s own navy in defense of the Northmen attacking his lands (17). Christianity also provided an example for much of Charlemagne’s military and political life. The Old Testament outlines the lives of kings, such as David, who were warrior kings, providing a model for Charlemagne’s life. Also found in the Old Testament is an abundance of wives and concubines also supporting the public lifestyle he led (18). While Einhard never explicitly claims that Charlemagne looked to the lives of those in the Old Testament, given his familiarity with the religion as well as his political and military actions, it can be assumed that Christianity, along with Roman, and Germanic cultures all served significant influences in his public life as well.
The blending of Roman, Christian, and Germanic cultures is often viewed by modern scholars as a significant change in the dynamic of the Frankish empire. As a result, the blending of these three cultures is referred to by many historians as the early development of the first Europe. As a Germanic, warrior King of the Franks, with a passion for his Christian faith, and crowned Emperor by the Pope, Charlemagne Serves as the perfect model of the blending of these three cultures, establishing a new, ‘modern’ Europe. While the blending of Roman, Germanic, and Christian elements may be viewed as first occurring centuries ago, this mixture can still be observed today in modern Western civilization, and arguably make up a great deal of the society so familiar around the world today.
Thorpe, Lewis G. M, Einhard, and Notker. Two Lives of Charlemagne. Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1969. Print.
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