Charlemagne: How He Changed History Forever

Captivating History

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Video Summary

Charlemagne, also known as Charles the Great, was a pivotal figure in European history, serving as the first unifier of Western and Central Europe after the fall of the Western Roman Empire. He significantly expanded his rule beyond what is now France, encompassing territories in modern-day Germany, Italy, Spain, and more. His military prowess was instrumental in consolidating his power, though he faced a notable defeat against the Basques. Charlemagne's ambition extended to being crowned Emperor of Rome by Pope Leo III, solidifying his empire and its alliance with the papacy. Beyond military conquest, he initiated the Carolingian Renaissance, a period of significant cultural and educational advancement that fostered literature, standardized currency and curriculum, and preserved classical texts, ensuring their survival for future generations. Notably, despite his emphasis on literacy, Charlemagne himself never learned to write. His reign, which lasted nearly 50 years, concluded at the age of 71 in 814 AD, leaving a lasting legacy that continues to shape modern Europe.

An intriguing fact is that the King of Hearts in a standard deck of playing cards is modeled after Charlemagne.

Short Highlights

Charlemagne was the first unifier of Western and Central Europe after the fall of the Western Roman Empire, ruling over territories in modern-day France, Italy, Germany, Spain, and more.
His military campaigns, though largely successful, included a significant defeat against the Basques in the Pyrenees.
Charlemagne was crowned Emperor of Rome by Pope Leo III on Christmas Day, solidifying his power and alliance with the papacy.
He initiated the Carolingian Renaissance, fostering education, standardizing currency, promoting literacy, and preserving classical texts, with the help of scholars like Alcuin.
Despite championing literacy and preserving texts, Charlemagne himself never learned to write, though he could read.
He ruled for nearly 50 years and died at the age of 71 in 814 AD, leaving a legacy that influenced modern Europe.

Key Details

The First Unifier of Europe [0:04]

Charlemagne, also known as Charles the Great, was a significant ruler who unified Western and Central Europe after the collapse of the Western Roman Empire.
His reign extended over a vast territory including what is now France, northern Italy, Germany, Austria, Spain, and the Netherlands.
His name became synonymous with kingship, leading to words for "king" in several Western European languages deriving from it, such as Polish "król" and Czech "král."

"charlemagne ruled much much more than france and in fact preceded the country itself"

Military Campaigns and Imperial Ambitions [01:58]

Charlemagne engaged in numerous military victories against groups like the Saxons, Lombards, Saracens, Aquitaines, Moors, Bavarians, and Slavs to consolidate his rule.
A notable defeat occurred against the Basques in the Pyrenees, who utilized their intimate knowledge of the terrain to their advantage.
He successfully battled the Moors in Hispania, expanding his kingdom into what is now Spain.
To achieve full imperial status, Charlemagne sought to be crowned Emperor by the Pope.

"it wasn't just enough for him to rule such a kingdom despite its ever-growing territories and despite it being one of the largest kingdoms in centuries charlemagne wanted an empire and to do that he needed to be crowned emperor by the pope himself"

The Carolingian Renaissance [04:41]

Charlemagne fostered the Carolingian Renaissance, one of the first great medieval renaissances, focusing on culture, art, literature, and education.
He aimed to replicate the glory of ancient Rome, not the decaying Western Roman Empire of his era.
A standardized currency based on Roman models was introduced, prefiguring later monetary systems like the British pound.
He established a great school for noble children in Aachen, delegating the creation of a standardized curriculum to the scholar Alcuin, with the goal of increasing literacy among his subjects.
Alcuin also established a library, emphasizing the importance of books before the advent of printing presses.
The renaissance led to a significant increase in the production and preservation of literature, with a particular focus on bringing the Bible to more people through translation.
Many Latin texts, painstakingly hand-copied by monks, were preserved, including works by Marcus Aurelius, Virgil, Tacitus, Julius Caesar, Cicero, and Pliny.

"it was translated so that all of his linguistically diverse subjects could study and read it"

Legacy and Death [06:51]

Ironically, Charlemagne, who so prized the written word, never learned to write, although he could read.
He died on January 21, 814 AD, at the age of 71, a remarkable age for that period, possibly due to illness exacerbated by personal losses and his relentless drive.
His legacy endures in modern Europe, with the King of Hearts in a standard deck of playing cards being modeled after him.
He is remembered as the father of Europe, having laid the groundwork for the modern continent through his military conquests and cultural advancements.

"his military conquests are legendary his unification came at a bloody price but ultimately those became the first paving stones towards what is now modern europe"