HANDOUT FOR NOV. 13: CHARLEMAGNE AND THE CAROLINGIANS
"Charlemagne" = Charles (or Karl) the Great
The Carolingian Dynasty:
714-741: Charles "the Hammer" Martel, Mayor of the Palace
741-751: Pepin, Mayor of the Palace
751: Pepin persuades Pope Zachary to depose the last Merovingian and crown him king.
751-768: Pepin, as King of the Franks.
768: Kingdom partitioned between Pepin’s sons, Charlemagne and Carloman.
771: Carloman dies; Charlemagne sole ruler.
772-804: Saxons of Germany are conquered and forcibly Christianized.
774: Charlemagne invades northern Italy, destroys the Lombard kingdom.
778: Failed invasion of Muslim Spain; mountain skirmish at Roncesvalles that later inspires Song of Roland.
789: Charlemagne issues Admonitio Generalis, general legislation for both laity and clergy.
791-796: Successful campaigns against Avars on Danube.
800: Charlemagne, in Rome, is crowned Roman Emperor by Pope Leo III.
814: Charlemagne dies. In next generations, empire divided and redivided among members of his family; civil wars.
814-840: Louis the Pious.
843-877: Charles the Bald rules West Frankish kingdom (France).
843-876: Louis the German rules East Frankish kingdom (Germany).
Other significant characters:
Alcuin, c.730-804: Learned Northumbrian cleric, came from York to supervise Charlemagne’s palace school.
Einhard, c.770-840. Prominent courtier and literary figure. Wrote Life of Charlemagne in 817.