Charlemagne
Einhard, in his The Life of Charlemagne, makes clear the fundamental integration of politics and religion during the reign of his king. Throughout his life, Charles the Great endeavored to acquire and use religious power to his desired ends. But, if Charlemagne was the premiere monarch of the western world, why was religious sanction and influence necessary to achieve his goals? In an age when military power was the primary means of expanding one's empire, why did the most powerful military force in Europe go to such great lengths to ensure a benevolent relationship with the church? One possibility may be found in the tremendous social and political influence of Rome and her papacy upon the whole of the continent. Rather than a force to be opposed, Charlemagne viewed the church as a potential source of political power to be gained through negotiation and alliance. The relationship was one of great symbiosis, and both componants not only survived but prospered to eventual!ly dominate western Europe. For the King of the Franks, the church provided the means to accomplish the expansion and reformation of his empire. For the Holy Roman Church, Charles provided protection from invaders and new possibilities for missionary wor
Another example of the benefits of the papal-frankish relationship may be found in Charles' reformation of his parishes. To quote Einhard, "His chief concern was for the churches. Whenever he discovered one in his kingdom that was old and ready to collapse he charged the responsible bishops and priests with restoring it (page 285)." This, in addition to the masterpiece of Aachen, helped strengthen the Christian resolve in his empire, while furthering his goals of beautification. One of the chief concerns for Charlemagne, as evidenced by Pepin's and Germania's betrayals, must have been protecting the kingship from usurpation while he was fighting one of his many foreign wars. The Roman church would have certainly provided a degree of security in this respect, as they were fully integrated with Frankish royalty and society, and had much to lose in the event of Charlemagne's deposition. The institution of the church also provided a reasonable punishment for Pepin, as his monastic prison was an excellent means of captivating and supervising him. It would be a discredit to Charles for one to claim that his services to the church were for the sake of mere earthly rewards. Einhard speaks in great length about the emperor's piety and his strong desire to better his spiritual being, saying that Charlemagne had "Practiced the Christian religion, in which he had been raised since childhood, with the greatest piety and devotion.(page 289)" He was repeatedly charitable to other Christians, particularly the poor. His faith also extended itself to the vast personal expenditures required in order to build the Basilica of the Holy Mother of God, present offerings to the holy Sepulcher, give tremendous gifts of gold and silver to the local parish
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Approximate Word count = 1183
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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