HIST 107 Introduction to Medieval History Lecture 6 Charlemagne and the Carolingian War Machine Main Questions 1 How and why did the Carolingian rulers of Francia emerge as the dominant force in western Europe in the eighth century 2 What were the most significant characteristics of the political system under Charlemagne 768 814 Key Points Three main questions to address A How did Charlemagne achieve political supremacy B What did he do with that supremacy once he had it C What were the notable strengths and weaknesses of the political order A How did Charlemagne achieve political supremacy Not overnight success two predecessors Charles Martel d 741 and Pippin III d 768 do much domestic political mastery achieved by being mayors of the palace reduction of rivalries between two main areas of Frankish control puppet Merovingian kings retain notional rulership But for reasons not wholly clear this system breaks down 751 Pippin asks the pope for permission to depose the king Charlemagne himself has the luck and the space to build on his predecessors foundations Lucky with rivals brother Carloman soon out of the picture Charlemagne unusually long lived for a king born 748 Later his legend is of a super old patriarch this has a basis in fact Charlemagne inherits and expands the Frankish war machine See useful map in Rosenwein Short History p 115 Why is war useful as a political tool Redistribute wealth and reward followers booty and lands Regularity institution of the annual Marchfield Victims in plentiful supply at least at first So war is the Carolingian state in a real sense But who are the victims most inherited from Charles Martel and Pippin but expansion also creates new antagonists and rivals i Lombards of northern Italy ii Contrast with wars against Saxons Einhard 33 long years Strong element of Christianization subtends the wars 772 destruction of Saxon shrine the Irminsul iii One offs e g 778 campaign to Spain versus Muslims iv Perhaps most interesting case Avars Steppe nomads like Huns long history of being bought off huge reserves of gold Avar Ring taken mid 790s Francia now awash with cash B What did Charlemagne do with that supremacy once he had it In a sense the climax of the decades of aggressive war is the imperial coronation in 800 What is the background to the coronation Papacy afraid of Lombard power and uses the Franks as counterweights popes losing their primary loyalty to Byzantium more focused on West Donation of Constantine idea that the popes can transmit western imperial power Short term factors must be remembered I Rome as political cockpit problems of Pope Leo III II empire vacant because of Byzantine empress Irene 797 802 But what did Charlemagne s becoming emperor mean empty gesture or major re alignment of power politics some indications of a more imperial government agenda but also building on pre 800 methods e g the Admonitio Generalis 789 C What were the notable strengths and weaknesses of Charlemagne s political order Imperial title does not affect the fundamental structure of Carolingian governance Negatives long distances no taxes v little bureaucracy law codes show a policy of ethnic separation not unity oaths of loyalty from all subjects a sign of weakness Positives co opt the Church as an instrument of power co ordinate center and regions missi expand law capitularies co opt the imperial aristocracy Conclusions The Carolingian state lacks the sort of post Roman institutions that sustain Byzantium and the Arab Caliphate But the Carolingian polity does build on tools to hand gift giving and reward as political devices the Church the solemnity of oaths aristocratic family networks respect for law Proper Nouns and Technical Terms Neustria Austrasia Desiderius Einhard patricius consul missi capitularies Irminsul Bretwalda Avars Ring Key Image Coin of Charlemagne depicting him as a Roman emperor early 9th century