The Carolingians were a dynasty of rulers that eventually controlled the Frankish realm and its successors from the 8th to the 10th century, officially taking over the kingdom from the Merovingian dynasty in 751. The name Carolingian itself comes from the Charles Martel who defeated the Moors at Poiters in 732. Its most prominent member is Charlemagne (in Latin: Carolus Magnus).
However, the dynasty is usually considered to have been founded by Arnulf of Metz, Bishop of Metz in the late 7th century, who wielded a great deal of power and influence in the Merovingian kingdoms. Pippin of Herstal, Mayor of the Palace of the Kingdom of Austrasia, was succeeded by his son Charles Martel as Mayor, who in turn was the father of Pippin III, called "the Short". Pippin had become king after having used his position as Mayor to garner support among many of the leading Franks, as well as the pope, in order to depose the last Merovingian king, Childeric in 751. Charlemagne, Pippin's son, became King of the Franks in 768 and was crowned Emperor by Pope Leo III in 800.
After the division of the Empire in the Treaty of Verdun in 843, the Carolingians initially continued to hold the throne in all three sections that were created.
In the West, which was the nucleus of later France, they continued to be the ruling dynasty until a minor branch of the family, the Capetians, ascended the (by that time) French throne in 987.
In the Middle, the Northern Italy or Lotharingia, the major branch of the family ruled till 887, but further division was based on the Treaty of Mersen in 870.
In the East, the kernel of the later Holy Roman Empire, the Carolingians ruled only until 911, the death of Louis the Child. Here, the Carolingians were succeeded by a Saxon dynasty commonly referred to as the Ottonians.
The history of the Carolingiandynasty is inextricably linked to the evolution of early medieval civilization in western Europe.
The most important innovations of Carolingian church architecture were clearly influenced by the idea of joining church and empire in a single enterprise.
Indeed, Charlemagne's decision to restore the imagery of the Roman Empire at all levels was a striking feature of the was a striking feature of the new culture, and several works attest to the way in which classical forms permeated the new religious and imperial ideals.
Later, as Archbishop of Mainz, he continued to sustain the programme of the Carolingian revival, and by his efforts for the improvement of popular preaching, and by his advocacy of the use of the vernacular tongue, earned the title of the "Teacher of Germany".
Carolingian schools was maintained by the proscholus, and that the medieval scholar dreaded the rod is clear from an episode in the history of the school of
Thus the educational influence of the Carolingian revival of learning was continued in some way down to the dawn of the era of university education in the thirteenth century.
Feeds |
Contact