Both the life and death of Charlemagne had a significant impact on the entire history of Europe. His accomplishments which started with his powerful reign beginning in 768, launched the reign that would caused him to become a master of Western Europe, as well as his immense dedication to the church, in addition to his nation's people as a whole, would all be contributing factors to the success of his rule.

It was in the year 768 when Charlemagne’s brother Carolman inherited the Frankish Kingdom and in 771 Carolman would pass away, leaving Charlemagne to become the primary ruler of the empire. He would prove to be very determined to strengthen the nation over which he had control, in order to display organization through his strong Christian principles. One of the primary examples that demonstrated this was when he launched his several military campaigns, many of which he was the chief commander. “He moved his armies over a wide reaches of the country with unbelievable speed, but every move was planned in advance. Before a campaign, he told the counts, princes, and bishops throughout his realm how many man they should bring, what arms there were to carry, and even what to load in the supply wagons.”(Becher 82) It was this remarkable display of precise organization that influenced the many great rulers who came after him, including Napoleon.

By 800, Charlemagne had conquered much land that would become part of his vast empire. These areas included Switzerland, France, Belgium, and the Netherlands, in addition to present day Italy, Germany, and parts of Austria. It was this magnificent display of greatness that caused the faithful day to arrive on December 25, 800, when Charlemagne was crowned emperor. The ceremony consisted of Charlemagne kneeling before Pope Leo III, as he placed a gold crown atop his head, as the church stated, “To Charles the August, crowned by God, great and pacific emperor, long life and victory!” It was this coronation that developed the very foundation of the Roman Empire, as Charlemagne was considered the first Holy Roman Emperor.

Upon taking this position, Charlemagne had a very significant impact on both the Renaissance, in addition to overall reformation. He had profound sympathy towards poor peasants, and believed that it was the government’s job to help them. However, the government was oppressive and did not agree with him on this matter, so Charlemagne took a step and expanded the work of investigators in order to bring about reform in the government. These researchers were known as missi dominici, who administered justice in addition to the revitalization of letting citizens be aware of their religious and civil responsibilities. In addition to this, “Charlemagne was a tireless reformer who tried to improve his peoples’ lot in many ways. He set up money standards to encourage commerce, tried to build a Rhine-Danube Canal, and urged better farming methods.”(Collins 107) Perhaps the most important step taken to impact his empire was the spread of Christianity in order to educate every class of people.

It was after Charlemagne’s tremendous impact on his empire through many different ways that he would pass away at the age of seventy-two. Being a Christian emperor, the inscription on his tomb read, “Beneath this stone lies the body of Charles the Great, the Christian Emperor…throughout his life Charlemagne had worshipped God devoutly, supported the church, given to the needy.” This truly reflects the highlights of Charlemagne’s reign as the first Holy Roman Emperor and the many facets and aspects that led to his success. He was succeeded by his surviving son, Louis, whose empire lasted a generation, and it was his sons that carried on the rule, laying the groundwork for modern day France and Germany.

Becher, Matthias. Charlemagne. United States: Yale University Press, 2005.

Collins, Roger. Charlemagne. United States: University of Toronto Press, 1998.