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 Charlemagne

Task A

Charles was called Charlemagne or Charles the Great in Latin. The aim of this lesson is for you to explore a variety of information to try and answer the following question

Does Charlemagne deserve the title "Charles the Great"

Stage Two

Look at the  list below showing some of Charlemagne's achievements (successes). Organise them into the following catagories

MILITARY (M) CULTURAL (C) RELIGIOUS (R)

....

1 He enlarged his kingdom by defeating many different tribes. M
2 He was crowned emperor b the Pope in December 800.  
3 He protected Christian lands from attack by Muslim and Slav invaders.  
4 He developed an administrative system where the country was divided into 300 earldoms. Each was ruled by an earl who implemented his decisions.  
5 He spread Christianity to new areas.  
6 New churches were built facing east or Jerusalem.  
7 A magnificent palace was built for Charlemagne at Aix‑la‑Chapelle.  
8 He set up schools and encouraged the clergy to study holy texts and ancient writers.  
9 He set up a famous school at Aachen and encouraged the spread of writing.  
10 He sent officials (two by two), called missi dominici, throughout the kingdom to listen to legal cases, spread his law and set a schools.  
11 He hired great scholars such as Alcuin to work at Aachen.  
12 He won many battles.  
13 Alcuin and priests copied many old books and saved these classics from being lost.  
14 He defeated the Avars in 791  

Be ready to explain why you have placed each idea in that column. Do you know of any other of Charlemagne's successes that you could add to this list?

 

 

Useful websites

Les Rois de France
 (click on `visite guidee' and then Charlemagne: text and photos)

Go to www.yahoo.com and search Charlemagne. There are many sites on him but the language is often quite difficult. The pictures are worth looking at.
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