Today we bring in the great Charlemagne. You have done quite a few things in your life, haven’t you? How about you go ahead and tell us about your early life.
C: I was born in 742 to my father Pippin the Short, and I inherited his legacy and land. My grandfather was Charles “the hammer” Martel, who I believe was interviewed just a bit ago by you. Nothing of particular interest happened during my childhood.
How did your first few years of being a ruler go?
C: Well, when my father passed away, the land was split in two. My brother Carloman got the better half of the kingdom. His part was compact and easy to control. My half was underdeveloped, and had just been incorporated into our lands, so there were many rebels in my half. Me and my brother were also growing hostile towards each other, which probably would have resulted in a war if my brother had not passed away, leaving me with both halves in 771.
So you have your kingdom in check. What did you do then?
C: One of the first things I did was tried to take over and convert Saxony to Christianity. It took 30 years, but we did it. They put up a huge fight, though. I then threw my lot in with the pope and invaded Lombard, further adding to my Kingdom. I made massive reforms on my Clergy. I encouraged them to learn how to read and write, so it was easier to teach the bible to people, which resulted in a mini renaissance. Scholars from around the world came to research various things. I also weeded out corruption by presiding over various religious councils. When Pope Leo III was named Pope, he had many enemies. He was kidnapped, blinded and turned into a mute, and accused of adultery and corruption. He escaped and came to me. I helped him regain his sight and speech, and then marched to Rome to catch the rebels. For this, I was crowned Emperor.
Anything happen when you became Emperor?
C: Very little. I had to deal with constant Viking threats, but other than that, I just lived out my life in my palace. In my old age, I crowned my son king, and died in 814. I believed I made a difference though. I set myself as a role model of a Christian King, and I impacted the political world for years to come through my ties with the pope.
You sure did a lot in your life, and you’re right, you did have a large impact on the world. To my bloggers, keep tuning in, we got 2 more people coming up.
"Charlemagne." World History: Ancient and Medieval Eras.
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