Charlemagne and the Holy Roman Empire

Review of Pepin’s Reign

Launched campaign to restore the prestige and authority of the Merovingian monarchy

Expanded monarchical authority through evangelizing Pagan tribes in the Netherlands, Germany

Expanded monarchical authority through evangelizing Pagan tribes in the Netherlands, Germany

Christian tribes are less troublesome than Pagan

Germans were controlled by the Church through the right bishops

Charles Martel 690 - 741 AD

Sent missionaries to Germany

Willebrord of Utrecht (658 - 740 AD), missionary to Netherlands for 50 years

Saw many conversions among German Frisian tribes

Winfrid (680 - 754 AD)

Winfrid (680 - 754 AD)

Later known as Boniface

Became Archbishop Missionary

Martyred by Frissians 754 AD

Defeated the Muslim invaders into Europe in 741 AD

Succeeded by two sons, Carloman and Pepin

Carloman became a monk, Pepin sole ruler

The Reign of Pepin

Boniface crowned Pepin as Emperor, apparently the do that.

Acting on behalf of Pope Zacharias

Aistulf, Lombardian King

Removed Byzantine Governer and army from Northern Italy

Began to threaten Rome

pope Stephen II Appeals to Pepin of the Frankish Empire

Crowns Pepin Emperor again 754 AD

Pepin invades Italy and forces Aistulf to not attack Rome

Aistulf breaks agreement in 756 AD, attacks Rome

Pepin Invades Italy again, crushes Aistulf.

Gives cities to pope Stephen which created “Papal-states”

During his reign:

Broke link between Byzantine Empire and Papacy

Creates a rift between Eastern and Western churches because of this

Creates a military, religious, and political bond between the Papacy and the Franks

Papacy granted huge autonomous state in central and northern Italy

Papacy shifts from Pastoral, Theological office to almost purely political

The Donation of Constantine

Claimed to be a letter written from Constantine to pope Sylvester I

Reported that Sylvester healed Constantine from Leprosy

Constantine wrote to thank Sylvester

Acknowledged that the pope was greater than the emperor, granting papacy right to rule Roman Empire

Document was clearly a forgery (see Lorenzo Valla of 1440, exposing the letter)

Charles the Great

Pepin had two sons, Carloman and Charles

Carloman dies in 771 AD

Charles takes the thrown, sole ruler of France

Reigns for 43 years

Called the Moses of the Middle Ages

Reforms German tribes into a more civil people

Attempts to recreate the Roman Empire with a Christian focus

Just, affectionate father, loyal to friends, popular leader

Charles the Great in Latin: Charles Magnus, Charlemagne

Military Campaigns

Lombards are at it again

Pope Adrian I asks for help from Charlemagne

Charlemagne invades Italy, conquers Lombards

Removes Desiderius from rule, claims himself as king of the Lombards, adds Northern Italy to his empire

Fought Muslims in Spain, added area around Barcelona to his control

Fights against the Saxons

18 difficult campaigns spanning 30 years

Finally crushes the Saxons

Compelled many Saxons to accept Christian baptism or be put to death

Alcuin of York objected to “forced conversions”. Charlemagne’s chief religious advisor

Persuaded Charlemagne to eliminate death penalty for refusal / Paganism in general

Expanding kingdom looked like the recreation of the Roman Empire boundaries

Called the Emperor of the Romans by 800 AD

Possibly motivated by Pope Leo III

Crowned him emperor on Christmas day 800 AD

Pronounced Charles Augustus

Signified Charles as successor to the old Roman emperors

Birthed the Holy Roman Empire

Ticked off the Byzantine Empire, regarded as the true successors to the old Roman empire

Caused greater division between the East and the West

Leo’s act also signified that the emperor owed his title of Roman Emperor to the Pope

Determined to make emperor dependent upon the pope for his power, declaring his rule to be crowned by God’s agent the pope

Big Names Under Charlemagne

Sparked the Carolingian Renaissance

Gathered the most distinguished scholars into his court

Paul the Deacon (720 - 800 AD)

Wrote sermons for festivals and saints day, used for the next 1000 years

Wrote Roman History, History of the Lombards (was himself a Lombard)

Authoritative history sources

Paulinus of Aquileia (730 - 802 AD)

Another Lombard, bishop of Aquileia (NE Italy)

Wrote hymns, poems, letters, and theological writings against Adoptionist heresy

Revival of Nestorianism

Held to the view that Jesus was the Son of God only through adoption

Attempted to uphold Chalcedon by affirming one person

But continually taught that Jesus as to His divine nature was truly God and as to His human nature was an adopted son

Which effectively splits Jesus back into the two person theology of Nestorianism

Also views Jesus as living as ordinary man before His baptism, teaching at that point He was endowed with the “divine Jesus” or supernatural powers.

Elipandus of Toledo and Felix of Urgel biggest advocates (Spanish Bishops)

Elipandus lived in a Muslim kingdom, Felix in norther-eastern Spain

Alcuin of York was employed by Charlemagne to combat this heresy as well

Theodulph of Orleans (750 - 821 AD)

Gothic Spaniard, Bishop of Orleans in North-Central France

Also wrote against Adoptionism

Defends the filioque, denoted that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son

Wrote the popular hymn, “All glory, laud and honor to Thee, Redeemer, King”

All glory, laud, and honour to thee, Redeemer, King! to whom the lips of children made sweet hosannas ring. Thou art the King of Israel, thou David's royal Son, who in the Lord's Name comest, the King and Blessed One. The company of angels are praising thee on high; and mortal men and all things created make reply. The people of the Hebrews with palms before thee went; our praise and prayer and anthems before thee we present. To thee before thy passion they sang their hymns of praise; to thee, now high exalted, our melody we raise. Thou didst accept their praises; accept the prayers we bring, who in all good delightest, thou good and gracious King.

to thee, Redeemer, King!

to you, Redeemer, King,

to whom the lips of children

to whom the lips of children

made sweet hosannas ring.

made sweet hosannas ring.

You are the King of Israel

Thou art the King of Israel,

and David's royal Son,

thou David's royal Son,

who in the Lord's Name comest,

now in the Lord's name coming,

the King and Blessed One.

the King and Blessed One.

2 The company of angels

The company of angels

is praising you on high;

are praising thee on high;

and we with all creation

and mortal men and all things

in chorus make reply.

created make reply.

The people of the Hebrews

The people of the Hebrews

with palms before you went;

with palms before thee went;

our praise and prayer and anthems

our praise and prayer and anthems

before you we present.

before thee we present.

3 To you before your passion

they sang their hymns of praise;

To thee before thy passion

to you, now high exalted,

they sang their hymns of praise;

to thee, now high exalted,

our melody we raise.

our melody we raise.

As you received their praises,

Thou didst accept their praises;

accept the prayers we bring,

Thou didst accept their praises;

for you delight in goodness,

accept the prayers we bring,

O good and gracious King!

who in all good delightest,

Psalter Hymnal, (Gray)

thou good and gracious King.

Alcuin of York

Regarded as the most influential intellect of the Carolingian Renaissance

22 Years, grand schoolmaster of the entire Frankish empire

Biblical commentator, textual scholar, liturgical reviser, apologist, refuting the Adoptionists, reformed many monasteries, built libraries, and also was an astronomer

Developed a new handwriting called the “Carolingian miniscule” — modern printed letters are based on this script

Revived the Latin language, refined it, educated others in Latin, creating an international language for Western civilizations. All educated westerners could speak Latin

Copied surviving manuscripts from Ancient Greek and Roman works, employed an army of monks to assist him

Created monastic libraries where books were copied, one of the primary reason for the transmission of much of present day knowledge of antiquity

Revised the Vulgate, and established a standard edition

Charlemagne was very concerned about spreading education, did so under Alcuin

Established schools for training priests and monks. Decreed every parish should have a school to educate all male children

Presided over Charlemagne’s own royal academy in Aachen, strong emphasis on the study of logic, philosophy, and literature

National Religion

Charlemagne considered himself spiritual and political head of the empire

Tried to model himself after David and Josiah

Acknowledged God’s sovereign control over natural disasters and victories in battle

Ordered public thanksgivings to God for victories

Decrees were more focused on religion than on politics

Recruitment and education of priests

Decrees regarding church discipline

Instructions for proper worship

And focus on Theological accuracy

Presided over Church councils

Nominated bishops

Appointing bishops to civil service as well

Priests were supposed to be set apart from rest of society, wearing long black gowns all the time

Laypeople forbidden to work on Sunday as a law

Though could bury the dead, transport food, and military supplies

Tithes were mandatory to each church

Excommunication for not paying tithes