Accordingly, it was no surprise to anyone but Charles himself (who at least acted surprised) when Pope Leo III stood up in the middle of Mass on Christmas Day and bestowed an imperial crown on Charles, dubbing him “Roman Emperor.” Charles’ own reservations were due to how this would play out in the East, where the Greek emperors in Byzantium still considered themselves the legitimate successors of the Roman emperors and saw Charles as a mere barbarian upstart.
But Charles—or Charles the Great (Charlemagne), as he came to be called—was undeniably sincere in his Christianity. His biographer records his daily Mass attendance, his temperance and piety, and his concern for good behavior on the part of himself, his household, and his court. He personally presided over a steady stream of Church synods and councils to regulate liturgy, monastic life, and doctrine throughout the kingdom: in fact, his constant interference even in doctrinal matters was worrisome to many churchmen, and established a troublesome standard for the future.
Charlemagne promoted not only Christianity, but also education and culture, importing the best scholars from all over Europe (including his own personal tutor, St. Alcuin of York) to build schools in every region, presiding over a Carolingian Renaissance that was largely responsible for the scholarly impetus that climaxed in the medieval universities four centuries later. By the end of his reign, Charlemagne’s empire covered most of mainland Europe: rightly has he been called the “father of Europe.”
As noted earlier, Charlemagne is probably not a saint. Several aspects of his reign are problematic from a modern standpoint—his multiple illegitimate marriages (eight to ten wives or concubines!) and his pattern of forcibly baptizing those he defeated in battle, among other things. But his role in Christianizing Western Europe meant he would inevitably be treated as a saint. He was briefly canonized, but that declaration was later retracted (the pope who canonized him was rightly recognized as an antipope, or false pope), and though devotion to “St. Charlemagne” continued unopposed in some quarters up until modern times, the Church has never formally recognized him as such.
The Life of a Christian Emperor
We know more about Charlemagne’s life than about the lives of any of his contemporaries, thanks to the excellent biography written by his advisor and diplomat, Einhard. With a genuinely human touch, Einhard shows the personality of Charles, his struggles to educate himself in the liberal arts, and his devotion to the Christian religion. Note especially his personal attachment to the papacy.
Charles was large and strong, fairly tall … with a laughing, joyful face. Thus he always had a stately and dignified appearance … a firm gait, a manly stature, and a clear voice…. Following the national custom, he frequently rode on horseback for exercise and went hunting, which the Franks do better than anyone in the world. He enjoyed breathing the air of natural hot springs and often went swimming, which he did better than anyone else. For this reason he built his palace at Aix-la-Chapelle, near such springs, where he lived constantly during his later years until his death.
Charles was very moderate in eating, and especially in drinking, for he hated drunkenness in anyone, especially in himself and among the members of his household. But he had a hard time holding back from good food, and often complained that fasts injured his health…. His favorite dish was the roasts that his huntsmen would bring in on a spit. Whenever he ate, he always listened to reading or music. He preferred the readings of stories and deeds from older times, but he was also fond of the books of St. Augustine, especially City of God.
Very articulate, Charles was fluent and quick in speech. He knew not only his native language, but studied foreign ones. He mastered Latin to the extent that he knew it as well as his native tongue, but he never quite mastered Greek…. He eagerly cultivated the liberal arts, deeply respected those who taught them, and gave great honors to such teachers.
He learned grammar lessons from the deacon Peter of Pisa and other subjects from another deacon, a Saxon named Alcuin, the greatest scholar of his day. He spent much time with Alcuin learning rhetoric, logic, and especially astronomy, such that he grew very proficient at investigating the movement of the planets. He tried hard to learn how to write, and kept tablets under his pillow to practice during his free time, but since he started so late in life, he never really had any success at it.
Having been raised as a child in the Christian religion, he cherished its principles with the greatest fervor and devotion. For example, he built a beautiful basilica at Aix-la-Chapelle and adorned it with gold and silver, lamps, and rails and doors of solid brass. Not finding any suitable materials nearby, he imported columns and marble for the basilica from Rome and Ravenna. He worshiped constantly at this church whenever his health permitted, not only attending Mass but also visiting in the morning and evening and even after nightfall to pray. He showed great concern that all services there be conducted with the greatest possible reverence….
He took great care to aid the poor, including generous almsgiving, not only in his own country and kingdom, but elsewhere. For when he found out that there were impoverished Christians living in Syria, Egypt, and Africa, in Jerusalem, Alexandria, and Carthage, he was moved with compassion and sent aid overseas to them….
But above all other holy and sacred places he cherished the Church of St. Peter the Apostle at Rome, and he filled its treasury with vast amounts of gold, silver, and precious stones. He sent many generous gifts to the popes, and throughout his whole reign his greatest wish was to use his own care, influence, and wealth to reestablish the ancient authority of the city of Rome, to defend and protect the Church of St. Peter, and to beautify and enrich it above all other churches.
Charlemagne’s Imperial Coronation by the Pope
A second biography of Charlemagne was written by a monk known as Notker the Stammerer, the kind of eclectic genius who flourished in monastic libraries during the Carolingian Renaissance. Notker records how Charles came to the assistance of the pope in a time of crisis, and how the pope repaid him by naming him Emperor of Rome.
Now since the envious are never anything but envious, so those who live in Rome often rise up and protest whenever a strong pope is raised to the apostolic see. In this fashion, a group of envious Romans rose up against Pope Leo III, falsely accusing him of a horrible crime and attempting to blind him as punishment. The pope had a message secretly sent by his servants to Michael, the Emperor of Constantinople, but he refused all assistance…. Therefore the holy Leo invited the invincible Charles to come to Rome….
Now Charles, always prepared for war, though he had no idea why he was being summoned, came at once with his soldiers and attendants, coming as head of the world to the city that had once been head of the world. And when the envious Romans heard of his sudden coming, they immediately fled and hid in various hiding places, cellars, and dens, just as sparrows hide themselves when they hear the voice of their master….
Afterwards Charles stayed and visited Rome for a few days. During this time, the pope called together everyone who could come from the surrounding area and then, in the presence of these and of the knights of the invincible Charles, the pope declared him to be the Emperor of Rome and the Defender of the Roman Church.
Now Charles had no idea this was coming: he couldn’t exactly turn it down, since he recognized it had been divinely preordained for him, but he made it clear that he was not exactly grateful for his new title. For his main concern was for the Greeks in the East, who would probably be envious of his title and plan some harm against his kingdom of the Franks.
Charlemagne’s Imperial Legislation
As emperor, Charles went to great lengths to restore law and order to a region that had been lawless for nearly four centuries. He also worked hard to promote Christian ideals and advance the missionary efforts of the Church in an area that had hitherto been flooded with pagan shrines. The following brief selections from various legal documents show some of the typical patterns found in Carolingian legislation: a concern for justice and the promotion of Christian values, and the use of clergy and monks as civil servants.
First, the Lord Emperor