Medieval History
I have just now been informed (by Jeff Sypeck) that Charlemagne may be coming back. Like, soon. This is a subject of which I'm somewhat familiar, having written a blog post on this subject comparing Charles & Tony Soprano, edited a book about the legend of Charlemagne, and now completing a different book on said subject. So, I feel compelled to comment...
First of all, I do not encourage regular reading of The Philadelphia Trumpet or, at least, I don't suggest getting your history from it.
Right. So, the article in question leaps -- and I mean leaps -- from a comment made by Bernard Connolly that the Euro struggles between German and French bureaucrats, each working "under the banner of Charlemagne." From there, well, I don't really follow it honestly. Something about the money being controlled by Germany and then them taking over the EU and reducing the number of countries involved to 10. I don't know how this will happen. The author doesn't say, but he does use another quotation that has the word "Charlemagne" in it.
Now, the history lesson begins, taking us down to today:
- Study: Charlemagne Was Very Tall, But Not Robust
According to a recently published study, the Carolingian Emperor Charlemagne (ca. 747?814) was taller than most of his subjects, but not overweight. The findings were reported in the July 2010 issue of Economics & Human Biology. A trio of scholars...
- Cfp Leeds 2013 - Charlemagne In Latin
CALL FOR PAPERSCHARLEMAGNE IN LATININTERNATIONAL MEDIEVAL CONGRESS (LEEDS, 2013) Organisers: Dr Matthew Gabriele (Department of Religion and Culture, Virginia Tech) Dr William Purkis (Centre for the Study of the Middle Ages, University of Birmingham)...
- An Empire Of Memory: The Legend Of Charlemagne, The Franks, And Jerusalem Before The First Crusade
the bookNow for your buying pleasure: Beginning shortly after Charlemagne's death in 814, the inhabitants of his historical empire looked back upon his reign and saw in it an exemplar of Christian universality - Christendom. They mapped contemporary...
- Toot! Toot!
We interrupt any attempts at being serious for some serious own-horn-tooting. My co-edited collection of essays, The Legend of Charlemagne in the Middle Ages: Power, Faith, and Crusade, is now out (or will be very, very soon). I'm really tremendously...
- Tony, Meet Chuck
Tony Soprano, please meet Charles -- also known as Charlemagne (or Karl der Grosse, if you're German). Tony looks unimpressed... If you live in the US, and unless you've been living under a rock lately, you know that the last episode of HBO's...
Medieval History
Carolus Redivivus: He's Baaaack...
I have just now been informed (by Jeff Sypeck) that Charlemagne may be coming back. Like, soon. This is a subject of which I'm somewhat familiar, having written a blog post on this subject comparing Charles & Tony Soprano, edited a book about the legend of Charlemagne, and now completing a different book on said subject. So, I feel compelled to comment...First of all, I do not encourage regular reading of The Philadelphia Trumpet or, at least, I don't suggest getting your history from it.
Right. So, the article in question leaps -- and I mean leaps -- from a comment made by Bernard Connolly that the Euro struggles between German and French bureaucrats, each working "under the banner of Charlemagne." From there, well, I don't really follow it honestly. Something about the money being controlled by Germany and then them taking over the EU and reducing the number of countries involved to 10. I don't know how this will happen. The author doesn't say, but he does use another quotation that has the word "Charlemagne" in it.
Now, the history lesson begins, taking us down to today:
- "Historians call [Charlemagne's] rule the First Reich?even though Charlemagne was the second ruler of the Holy Roman Empire. Adolf Hitler?s rule became known as the Third Reich." (Wait, so which was the "First Reich?" Maybe Constantine? Dunno. Not explained.)
- Charlemagne's coronation in Rome in 800 CE was important because it resurrected the Roman Empire in the West, thought by many biblical commentators to be the 4th world empire spoken of in the Book of Daniel. (actually, true. Adso of Montier-en-Der re-popularized this interpretation in the 10th c. and it was a powerful apocalyptic trope throughout the medieval [and later] worlds).
- This last world empire would, "according to biblical prophecy," have 10 resurrections and the last 7 of them would be called "Holy Roman Empires." (not actually in the Bible)
- Charlemagne was very violent and forced the Saxons to convert. (yes he was and yes he did)
- Germany today is still working to continue the legacy of Charlemagne. (uhh...)
- Then, there's some stuff about Hitler. He either ruled the 3rd or 6th Reich. The author can't decide. Hitler did, however, like the example of Charlemagne.
- Maggie Thatcher knew the truth! So did FDR & Churchill who wanted to stop the legacy of Charlemagne from pervading Germany again! (Except, none of them ever talked about Charlemagne. Oh, well...)
- This all means that the Bible talked about Charlemagne!
- Study: Charlemagne Was Very Tall, But Not Robust
According to a recently published study, the Carolingian Emperor Charlemagne (ca. 747?814) was taller than most of his subjects, but not overweight. The findings were reported in the July 2010 issue of Economics & Human Biology. A trio of scholars...
- Cfp Leeds 2013 - Charlemagne In Latin
CALL FOR PAPERSCHARLEMAGNE IN LATININTERNATIONAL MEDIEVAL CONGRESS (LEEDS, 2013) Organisers: Dr Matthew Gabriele (Department of Religion and Culture, Virginia Tech) Dr William Purkis (Centre for the Study of the Middle Ages, University of Birmingham)...
- An Empire Of Memory: The Legend Of Charlemagne, The Franks, And Jerusalem Before The First Crusade
the bookNow for your buying pleasure: Beginning shortly after Charlemagne's death in 814, the inhabitants of his historical empire looked back upon his reign and saw in it an exemplar of Christian universality - Christendom. They mapped contemporary...
- Toot! Toot!
We interrupt any attempts at being serious for some serious own-horn-tooting. My co-edited collection of essays, The Legend of Charlemagne in the Middle Ages: Power, Faith, and Crusade, is now out (or will be very, very soon). I'm really tremendously...
- Tony, Meet Chuck
Tony Soprano, please meet Charles -- also known as Charlemagne (or Karl der Grosse, if you're German). Tony looks unimpressed... If you live in the US, and unless you've been living under a rock lately, you know that the last episode of HBO's...