The Emergence of Europe (286-843) Part XXXI: The Carolingian Renaissance

2025-10-23

A series of civil wars and repeated invasions by Germanic tribes caused the collapse of the Western Roman Empire. Following the end of imperial authority, several Germanic tribes struggled against each other for control of territory. The Franks became the dominant power in Gaul, but Greater Frankia repeatedly broke apart during wars between rival claimants for the throne. Finally, Charlemagne united the Franks, and greatly expanded the size of the kingdom. However, his grandsons proved unwilling to share the empire, and divided it in 843, laying the foundations for France and Germany. Episode Thirty-one explains that the massive expansion of the kingdom required an improved system of local government, so Charles divided each newly conquered region into counties. The counts were royal appointees, responsible for collecting taxes, administering justice, and raising troops for campaigns. The kingdom included several different cultures, each with its own legal tradition, so Charles gathered leading scholars to produce a standard legal system. These scholars could barely understand each other's Latin, so Charles authorized the introduction of a new linguistic curriculum, and then funded a project to copy a huge number of classical Roman texts.

Cast of Characters:

Charles-king of the Franks and the Lombards

Alcuin of York-master of the palace school, English cleric

Peter of Pisa-Lombard deacon

Sources:

Christendom: The Triumph of a Religion-Peter Heather

The Restoration of Rome: Barbarian Popes and Imperial Pretenders-Peter Heather

Women in Purple: Rulers of Medieval Byzantium-Judith Herrin

Sources:

Charlemagne-Derek Wilson

Charlemagne: Father of a Continent-Alessandro Barbero, translated by Allan Cameron

Charlemagne-Johannes Fried, Translated by Peter Lewis