Lecture Notes on Charlemagne and the Holy Roman Empire

Introduction

• Date: December 25th, 800 AD
• Event: Charlemagne crowned Holy Roman Emperor by Pope Leo III in Rome
• Significance: Title continued to be used by powerful rulers in Europe until the 19th century
• Geographic distinction: Charlemagne's empire centered in present-day France; Holy Roman Empire was located in a different region.

The Carolingian Dynasty

• Background:

  • Kingdom of the Franks ruled by King Pepin of the Carolingian dynasty.
  • Pepin died in 768, leaving kingdom to sons Charles (Charlemagne) and Carloman.
  • Kingdom split due to Salic inheritance laws.

• Carloman's Rule:

  • Ruled for three years before dying.
  • Charles gained control of entire kingdom.

Charlemagne's Expansion

• Conquests:
  • Expanded the Frankish realm significantly until 800 AD.
  • Restored Pope Leo III to power, leading to his coronation as Holy Roman Emperor.
• Legacy:
  • Post-conquests, faced tensions with Constantinople regarding the title.
  • Died with only one living son, ensuring the empire remained whole.

Division of the Empire

• Louis the Pious:
  • Succeeded Charlemagne and had multiple sons leading to civil war after his death.
  • Resulted in empire being split multiple times over the next fifty years.
• Transition of Power:
  • Eastern Carolingian kings replaced by Saxon rulers led by King Otto.
  • Otto changed succession laws to favor one heir, consolidating power.

Otto's Reign

• Conquests and Authority:

  • Conquered Italy; crowned Holy Roman Emperor by the Pope.
  • Focused on loyalty over bloodlines; replaced old Frankish nobility with Germans.
  • Turned the Western territories into a puppet state.

• Rebellion and Independence:

  • After Otto's death in 973, the West rebelled against his son and regained independence.

• New Capetian Dynasty:

  • Established by Hugh Capet, ended Carolingian rule.
  • Capetian kings were weak and faced decentralized power dynamics.

Title Transformation

• 12th Century Changes:
  • By this time, Holy Roman Emperor title viewed as German rather than Frankish.
  • No attempts made to subjugate France post-Otto I.

Challenges of the Holy Roman Empire

• Internal Struggles:

  • Constant border pressure from surrounding regions.
  • Power struggles among lords and competition with the Pope for authority.

• Historical Election (1519):

  • Death of Emperor Maximilian led to election between Charles I of Spain, Henry VIII of England, and Francis I of France.
  • Charles won due to military positioning, wealth, and promises to leave the empire alone.
  • Francis lost support due to premature bribes.

Conclusion

• Result:
  • After the election, no chance for unification between the realms of France and the Holy Roman Empire.
• Acknowledgments:
  • Special thanks to patrons supporting the lecture.