The Part of the Middle Ages Most Interesting to Me

The part of the Middle Ages that is most interesting to me is the Carolingian Empire. Many important things happened during this time that would change the world. Below is a timeline to help you organize the dates in your head.
“The Middle Ages -- 500 A.D. - 1500 A.D.
A. Transition Period, 500 - 700 A.D.
B. Carolingian Empire, 700 - 900 A.D.
C. Feudalism, 900 - 1100 A.D.
D. High Middle Ages, 1100 - 1300 A.D.
E. Late Middle Ages, 1300 - 1500 A.D.” (source)

Before he died in 768, Pepin III divided his Frankish kingdom and gave it to his two sons. Charlemagne got the outer areas of Frankland, and his younger brother received the settled, more secure inner areas. There was much friction between the two until the younger brother died in 771. (source)

Charlemagne was a great military leader and conquered so many lands and people (much of central and western Europe) that others held great fear of him. “Having acquired more territory than any other European monarch of his times, Charlemagne was forced to create new positions and adapt old offices to suit new necessities. He delegated authority over provinces to worthy Frankish nobles. Yet he also understood that the various people he had brought together in one nation were still members of distinct ethnic groups, and he allowed each group to retain its own laws in local areas. To ensure justice, he saw to it that each group's laws were set down in writing and carefully enforced. He also issued capitularies, decrees that applied to everyone in the realm regardless of ethnicity.” (source)

Charlemagne did not have an extensive education, but he understood that it was very valuable. He also saw that education was in a serious decline. “Charlemagne started a school at Aix-la-Chapelle, where he invited students from all over the kingdom to learn. Although the school was established for sons of nobles, he believed that all children should have a chance to learn, so he allowed all children to enroll. He often pointed out that the poorer students did better than the students who were better off. The reputation of the Palace School spread throughout Europe. Students from all across Europe came to the school. Charlemagne picked Alcuin, a monk from England to revise the educational system. Alcuin wrote new textbooks to replace the older ones, and started to train new teachers. By the time of Alcuin's retirement, Charlemagne could offer universal free education… The school at Aix-la-Chapelle soon became a college. Lectures, poetry readings, and conversation…[were] prevalent there.” (source)

However, “this ‘Carolingian Renaissance’ was an isolated phenomenon. Learning did not catch fire throughout Europe. Only in the royal court, monasteries and schools was there any real focus on education. Yet because of Charlemagne's interest in preserving and reviving knowledge, a wealth of ancient manuscripts were copied for future generations. Just as important, a tradition of learning was established in European monastic communities… overcoming the threat of the extinction of Latin culture. While their isolation from the Roman Catholic Church sent the famous Irish monasteries into decline, European monasteries were firmly established as keepers of knowledge thanks in part to the Frankish king.” (source)

In 799, Pope Leo was accused with crime. The people wanted to blind him and cut out his tongue. “However, Leo escaped and fled to the protection of Charlemagne at Paderborn. Precisely what, if any, negotiations took place remains unknown, but shortly thereafter Pope Leo returned to Rome under a safe escort. In November, a commission controlled by the Frankish king arrested and deported Leo's assailants and discredited the accusations that had been made against him.” (source) “On Christmas Day of the year 800, the pope -- supposedly unexpectedly -- placed a tiara on Charlemagne's head and acclaimed him Holy Roman Emperor. It has been remarked that the realm was neither holy, nor Roman, nor an empire, but it lasted for over a thousand years.” (source)

The Middle Ages is a very interesting time, and the Carolingian Empire is a huge example of that. I think it is amazing that Charlemagne conquered more land during this time than any other European monarch. He also stopped the decline of learning even though he was not extremely well educated himself. I also think it is interesting how he did not want the title of emperor, but was content living as a king. That’s pretty unusual.