The Impact of Charlemagne on Christianity in the Carolingian Period
The Carolingian period was forefronted by a great renaissance, which brought about much change in the medieval world. One of these changes was the major reshaping of Christianity. Religion played a big part in the lives of the medieval people, so it is only natural that many great leaders of the time played an important role in impacting Christianity. Three of these great leaders include Balthild, Saint Benedict, and Charlemagne, with Charlemagne chief among them. While Balthild and Saint Benedict contributed much to the reshaping of Christianity, it was Charlemagne the Great who had the biggest and most long-standing impact of the three.
Charlemagne did not get the title …show more content…
Charlemagne himself was a devout follower of the Christian religion, as can be seen by Einhard’s testimony that, “As long as his health allowed him to, [Charles] regularly went to church both morning and evening, and also to the night reading and to the morning Mass.” He was very particular about everything in the church being done correctly and with dignity, and he always made sure the church never wanted for anything. He was also very generous, giving alms to not only the poor in his own kingdom, but also to those overseas. He spared no expense when it came to religion in his kingdom, and perhaps the greatest example of this was his construction of the church at Aachen, which Einhard confirms as an undertaking of great expense, writing that Charlemagne, “...adorned it with gold and silver, with lamps, grillwork, and doors made of solid bronze. When he could not obtain the columns and marble from any place else, he took the trouble to have them brought from Rome and …show more content…
After he would conquer a region, he would require the defeated Saxons to convert to Christianity, and be baptised. When the war finally ended, the terms Charlemagne laid out for and accepted by the Saxons included, “...namely that they would reject the worship of demons, abandon their ancestral [pagan] rites, take up the Christian faith and the sacraments of religion, and unite with the Franks in order to form a single
The Carolingian period was forefronted by a great renaissance, which brought about much change in the medieval world. One of these changes was the major reshaping of Christianity. Religion played a big part in the lives of the medieval people, so it is only natural that many great leaders of the time played an important role in impacting Christianity. Three of these great leaders include Balthild, Saint Benedict, and Charlemagne, with Charlemagne chief among them. While Balthild and Saint Benedict contributed much to the reshaping of Christianity, it was Charlemagne the Great who had the biggest and most long-standing impact of the three.
Charlemagne did not get the title …show more content…
Charlemagne himself was a devout follower of the Christian religion, as can be seen by Einhard’s testimony that, “As long as his health allowed him to, [Charles] regularly went to church both morning and evening, and also to the night reading and to the morning Mass.” He was very particular about everything in the church being done correctly and with dignity, and he always made sure the church never wanted for anything. He was also very generous, giving alms to not only the poor in his own kingdom, but also to those overseas. He spared no expense when it came to religion in his kingdom, and perhaps the greatest example of this was his construction of the church at Aachen, which Einhard confirms as an undertaking of great expense, writing that Charlemagne, “...adorned it with gold and silver, with lamps, grillwork, and doors made of solid bronze. When he could not obtain the columns and marble from any place else, he took the trouble to have them brought from Rome and …show more content…
After he would conquer a region, he would require the defeated Saxons to convert to Christianity, and be baptised. When the war finally ended, the terms Charlemagne laid out for and accepted by the Saxons included, “...namely that they would reject the worship of demons, abandon their ancestral [pagan] rites, take up the Christian faith and the sacraments of religion, and unite with the Franks in order to form a single