He was the first emperor in the West since the fall of Rome, and yet Charlemagne’s empire was very different to any which had gone before. The Frankish warlord spent a lifetime on the battlefield, slaughtered thousands, and yet yearned to create the City of God. He filled his palaces with scholars, commissioned beautiful art, and strove to unite a fractured and unwilling Europe. For all his limitations, his very existence acted as an inspiration for the age to come.
Course aim
To introduce students to the history of the reign of Charlemagne.
Do I need any particular skills or experience?
- This course is for beginners
By the end of the course I should be able to:
- Demonstrate an understanding of the basic history of the reign of Charlemagne
- Describe key aspects of the political geography of Europe in the 8th and 9th centuries
- Describe key features of Carolingian art and culture
What else do I need to know?
Nothing else is needed.
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