No other medieval ruler influenced collective memory about the past as much as Charlemagne, the first Germanic emperor, who re-established the Roman tradition through his military, political, administrative, and cultural successes, uniting a vast swath of lands in western, southern, and central Europe, and laying the foundation for the further development of France and Germany. Under his rule, the Frankish world experienced a dramatic intellectual, religious, and artistic reinvigoration, often identified as the Carolingian Renaissance. As Einhard, his later biographer, stated: “Such are the wars, most skilfully planned and successfully fought, which this most powerful king waged during the forty-seven years of his reign. He so largely increased the Frank kingdom, which was already great…
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Citation: Classen, Albrecht. "Charlemagne". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 17 January 2005 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=828, accessed 21 November 2024.]
