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Centuries Collide

Cody Crouch: Charlemagne - Making Rome Great Again | Centuries Collide

January 30, 2025 | S1:E10

Cody Crouch: Charlemagne - Making Rome Great Again | Centuries Collide
The famous Warrior-King, Charles the Great, better known as Charlemagne. Throughout the European dark ages he conquered and built the largest Empire in Europe after the fall of the Western-Roman Empire. He brought about unprecedented reform and stability earning him the title - ‘Father of modern Europe.’
#WorldHistory #War #History #Government #Politics #Military #Business #inActive #CodyCrouch #Money #Documentary

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Centuries Collide | Cody Crouch: Charlemagne - Making Rome Great Again | Centuries Collide | January 30, 2025
  • - i am cody crouch.
  • 00:00:01.758 --> 00:00:02.959
  • I am traveling the globe uncovering the origins of the
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  • Stuff we use every day.
  • 00:00:05.728 --> 00:00:07.197
  • On centuries collide we are re-creating some of history's
  • 00:00:07.197 --> 00:00:10.166
  • Greatest moments exactly how they happened.
  • 00:00:10.166 --> 00:00:12.335
  • Well almost exactly.
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  • The gutenberg press.
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  • This is history like you've never seen it before.
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  • ♪ (music playing) ♪
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  • Throughout history, the world has seen a lot of empires.
  • 00:00:30.320 --> 00:00:34.591
  • From the egyptian empire in which they worshiped the sun
  • 00:00:34.691 --> 00:00:38.828
  • To the british empire in which the sun never set, for
  • 00:00:38.828 --> 00:00:42.098
  • Thousands of years these empires have dominated the
  • 00:00:42.098 --> 00:00:46.269
  • World.
  • 00:00:46.269 --> 00:00:47.403
  • They shifted the global landscape and have been
  • 00:00:47.403 --> 00:00:49.372
  • Largely responsible for technology, innovation and
  • 00:00:49.372 --> 00:00:52.775
  • Even the spreading of religious and political
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  • Philosophies.
  • 00:00:55.645 --> 00:00:56.913
  • Today we have different types of empires, we have sports
  • 00:00:56.913 --> 00:01:00.850
  • Empires, media empires, pharmaceutical, retail,
  • 00:01:00.850 --> 00:01:03.219
  • Technology empires, name any industry and there's a
  • 00:01:03.219 --> 00:01:07.490
  • Company that dominates its landscape.
  • 00:01:07.490 --> 00:01:09.859
  • But forget the corporations, people who run these companies
  • 00:01:09.859 --> 00:01:14.330
  • Are considered just as powerful as people who run the
  • 00:01:14.330 --> 00:01:17.634
  • Largest countries.
  • 00:01:17.634 --> 00:01:19.035
  • They are not just ceos, they are modern day emperors.
  • 00:01:19.035 --> 00:01:23.706
  • These corporations and their emperors control vast sectors
  • 00:01:23.706 --> 00:01:27.977
  • Of society and influence everything from the things you
  • 00:01:27.977 --> 00:01:30.613
  • Buy, to the politicians in office.
  • 00:01:30.613 --> 00:01:33.683
  • You no longer need military power to control the world.
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  • All you need is money.
  • 00:01:36.686 --> 00:01:39.556
  • Throughout history to become an emperor money did not cut
  • 00:01:39.556 --> 00:01:42.859
  • It.
  • 00:01:42.859 --> 00:01:44.127
  • Before our modern era every empire was built using four
  • 00:01:44.127 --> 00:01:46.629
  • Things, crown, cash, cold hard steel, and the fourth was
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  • Often overlooked.
  • 00:01:52.635 --> 00:01:53.803
  • A cause worth dying.
  • 00:01:53.803 --> 00:01:56.072
  • For one man, that cause was christianity, that led him to
  • 00:01:56.072 --> 00:02:00.143
  • Conquer most of western europe and establish the holy roman
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  • Empire.
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  • He was one of the most successful warrior kings in
  • 00:02:04.914 --> 00:02:07.584
  • European history.
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  • His name was charles the great, but the emperor name
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  • Was charlemagne.
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  • Buckle up, it's time for centuries collide.
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  • Today, apple and microsoft employees fortunately do not
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  • Have to line up in a battlefield to duke it out.
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  • Instead they fight each other through advertising.
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  • And they expand their empires through beheadings and-- wait,
  • 00:02:31.908 --> 00:02:36.779
  • They expand their empire through market share and gross
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  • Revenue.
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  • Sorry the beheadings, that was charlemagne's thing.
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  • In the eighth century you did not fight your enemies to
  • 00:02:48.424 --> 00:02:50.727
  • Simply expand your bottom line, you dominated your
  • 00:02:50.727 --> 00:02:54.130
  • Enemies in the name of your god.
  • 00:02:54.130 --> 00:02:56.799
  • Because we all know, just about every war ever fought
  • 00:02:56.799 --> 00:02:59.902
  • Was waged around religion.
  • 00:02:59.902 --> 00:03:02.138
  • Even today, religious wars are fought all over the world.
  • 00:03:02.138 --> 00:03:05.475
  • And if we look back through time, especially into the
  • 00:03:05.475 --> 00:03:09.479
  • Medieval times, not much changes.
  • 00:03:09.479 --> 00:03:12.415
  • You see, in the eighth century, europe looked a lot
  • 00:03:12.415 --> 00:03:17.020
  • Different.
  • 00:03:17.020 --> 00:03:18.221
  • Italy, germany, switzerland, france, spain, it did not
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  • Exist yet at the time of charlemagne, the lands of
  • 00:03:21.357 --> 00:03:24.961
  • Western europe were known as frankia and controlled by the
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  • French.
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  • Now, you're going to hear the term franks thrown around a
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  • Lot in this episode, so let me break it down for you.
  • 00:03:32.869 --> 00:03:35.738
  • In the term franks was given to the germanic tribes that
  • 00:03:35.738 --> 00:03:39.075
  • Settled in the northern parts of the roman empire.
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  • After the fall of rome in 325 a.d., it was for frank's turn
  • 00:03:41.978 --> 00:03:46.849
  • To build an empire of their own.
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  • So, after 300 years of mergers, acquisitions and
  • 00:03:48.551 --> 00:03:54.490
  • Bloody civil wars, the franks ended up expanding their
  • 00:03:54.490 --> 00:03:58.227
  • Territory quite extensively.
  • 00:03:58.227 --> 00:04:00.963
  • This expanded territory became known as the frankish kingdom.
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  • Which brings us to the father of charlemagne pepin the
  • 00:04:07.036 --> 00:04:10.807
  • Short.
  • 00:04:10.807 --> 00:04:12.241
  • The main thing you need to know about pepin is he
  • 00:04:12.241 --> 00:04:14.944
  • Officially established the carolingian dynasty with a
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  • Little help from the pope.
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  • Pepin defeated the lombards and was
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  • Crowned king in 751.
  • 00:04:23.152 --> 00:04:25.788
  • - that's it?
  • 00:04:25.788 --> 00:04:26.456
  • Okay that's it?
  • 00:04:26.456 --> 00:04:27.123
  • That's it?
  • 00:04:27.123 --> 00:04:28.091
  • I was expecting a little bit more there.
  • 00:04:28.091 --> 00:04:30.193
  • After his coronation he donated a ton of modern day
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  • Northern italy to the papacy.
  • 00:04:34.530 --> 00:04:36.699
  • Now the pope pulled a fast one on for pepin by dressing up a
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  • Document called the donation of constantine.
  • 00:04:40.903 --> 00:04:43.873
  • Which was supposedly written by emperor constantine
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  • Himself.
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  • Mail.
  • 00:04:48.244 --> 00:04:49.645
  • This is important to pay attention.
  • 00:04:49.645 --> 00:04:52.782
  • The donation of constantine basically meant that you could
  • 00:04:52.782 --> 00:04:56.319
  • Be king because the pope allowed it.
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  • And as long as you knew that the pope had ultimate
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  • Authority over your right to reign, everything would be
  • 00:05:01.557 --> 00:05:04.961
  • Ship shape much like a corporate board allows a ceo
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  • To run the company.
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  • Special delivery.
  • 00:05:09.966 --> 00:05:11.100
  • - what is it?
  • 00:05:11.100 --> 00:05:12.635
  • - it's the donation of constantine.
  • 00:05:12.635 --> 00:05:14.937
  • - i don't know what that is what i do?
  • 00:05:14.937 --> 00:05:18.741
  • - you are supposed to read it.
  • 00:05:18.741 --> 00:05:21.411
  • - go this way and then you are sign it.
  • 00:05:21.411 --> 00:05:24.881
  • - okay i can just sign it.
  • 00:05:24.881 --> 00:05:26.082
  • - pepin accepted this agreement but what he didn't
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  • Know being uneducated, basically illiterate, was that
  • 00:05:30.586 --> 00:05:33.256
  • This document was a complete forgery, it was simply a
  • 00:05:33.256 --> 00:05:37.293
  • Clever scheme by the papacy to seize power.
  • 00:05:37.293 --> 00:05:43.166
  • On september 24, 768, king pepin passed away and split
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  • His kingdom between his two sons.
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  • Charlemagne and his younger brother carloman.
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  • Now, like many inherited family businesses or in this
  • 00:05:53.476 --> 00:05:58.314
  • Case kingdoms, it was almost doomed from the very
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  • Beginning.
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  • Let's just say the two brothers did not exactly get
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  • Along.
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  • Carloman was basically the hippie brother and opposed
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  • Military intervention.
  • 00:06:10.960 --> 00:06:12.261
  • While charlemagne was like yo, slaughter is my
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  • Specialty.
  • 00:06:16.666 --> 00:06:17.433
  • - my specialty.
  • 00:06:17.433 --> 00:06:19.869
  • - a nearly disastrous family feud began over charlemagne's
  • 00:06:19.869 --> 00:06:25.408
  • First marriage to a lombard princess.
  • 00:06:25.408 --> 00:06:27.777
  • This marriage was so short and unsuccessful, that we are not
  • 00:06:27.777 --> 00:06:32.381
  • Even sure what the poor prince's name was.
  • 00:06:32.381 --> 00:06:34.717
  • But her father, the king of the lombards, was so upset
  • 00:06:34.717 --> 00:06:38.621
  • Over the whole situation that he hit up carloman,
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  • Charlemagne's younger brother.
  • 00:06:41.157 --> 00:06:42.658
  • And was like you, your brother refused my daughter.
  • 00:06:42.658 --> 00:06:49.398
  • Dishonored my family, so i'm a little ticked.
  • 00:06:49.398 --> 00:06:53.469
  • Do you want to start a revolution and take him out?
  • 00:06:53.469 --> 00:07:00.109
  • - you know man, you know i am chilling.
  • 00:07:01.043 --> 00:07:07.149
  • - come on man.
  • 00:07:07.149 --> 00:07:08.317
  • - too busy you know?
  • 00:07:08.317 --> 00:07:10.486
  • Dropping dead.
  • 00:07:10.486 --> 00:07:12.788
  • - as fate would have it in 771,
  • 00:07:12.788 --> 00:07:16.959
  • Carloman suddenly dies, no brother, no civil war.
  • 00:07:16.959 --> 00:07:21.931
  • The entire frankish kingdom was now under charlemagne's
  • 00:07:21.931 --> 00:07:25.935
  • Will.
  • 00:07:25.935 --> 00:07:27.069
  • He could now focus on returning his small family
  • 00:07:27.069 --> 00:07:29.238
  • Business, kingdom, into an empire.
  • 00:07:29.238 --> 00:07:32.208
  • - yeah they are.
  • 00:07:32.208 --> 00:07:36.779
  • We just need...
  • 00:07:37.246 --> 00:07:39.282
  • - this is a takeover.
  • 00:07:39.282 --> 00:07:41.284
  • A corporate takeover.
  • 00:07:41.284 --> 00:07:45.154
  • Kill them.
  • 00:07:45.154 --> 00:07:47.790
  • - he spent the first part of his reign on military
  • 00:07:47.790 --> 00:07:52.194
  • Campaigns, borders, and crushing rebellions.
  • 00:07:52.194 --> 00:07:54.864
  • Diplomacy was not his strong suit.
  • 00:07:54.864 --> 00:07:58.367
  • At first his expansion of the kingdom was not done in the
  • 00:07:58.367 --> 00:08:01.971
  • Name of christianity but rather security.
  • 00:08:01.971 --> 00:08:05.508
  • According to historian cw hollister, these initial
  • 00:08:05.608 --> 00:08:08.578
  • Campaigns were not for the purpose of evangelism at all.
  • 00:08:08.578 --> 00:08:11.213
  • [indiscernible] says that charles led his armies on
  • 00:08:11.213 --> 00:08:15.151
  • Yearly campaigns as a matter of course only gradually did
  • 00:08:15.151 --> 00:08:18.554
  • He develop a notion of christian mission in a program
  • 00:08:18.554 --> 00:08:21.390
  • Of unifying and systematically expanding the christian west.
  • 00:08:21.390 --> 00:08:25.161
  • So if christianity was not his reason for expanding his
  • 00:08:25.161 --> 00:08:30.199
  • Kingdom, how did charles develop a notion of christian
  • 00:08:30.199 --> 00:08:34.003
  • Mission?
  • 00:08:34.003 --> 00:08:35.071
  • How did it go from just war, to holy war?
  • 00:08:35.071 --> 00:08:41.811
  • Remember in the medieval times, you needed things to
  • 00:08:42.912 --> 00:08:46.816
  • Expand your empire.
  • 00:08:46.816 --> 00:08:48.117
  • A crown, cash, a massive army, and a cause worth dying for.
  • 00:08:48.117 --> 00:08:54.023
  • Charlemagne had three of the four and his fourth came up
  • 00:08:54.023 --> 00:08:57.960
  • When a saxon raid party burned down a church.
  • 00:08:57.960 --> 00:09:02.865
  • This first major military campaign was called the saxon
  • 00:09:02.865 --> 00:09:06.402
  • Wars, waged from the year 772 to 804.
  • 00:09:06.402 --> 00:09:10.973
  • The saxons were a germanic people split into several
  • 00:09:10.973 --> 00:09:13.876
  • Tribes who all worshiped a wide selection of norse gods.
  • 00:09:13.876 --> 00:09:17.847
  • Which to charlemagne and christian europe was a serious
  • 00:09:17.847 --> 00:09:22.084
  • No-no.
  • 00:09:22.084 --> 00:09:23.319
  • Historically the franks and saxons have always been on
  • 00:09:23.319 --> 00:09:26.122
  • Friendly terms with trade routes amongst their
  • 00:09:26.122 --> 00:09:28.758
  • Territories, but all that changed when the saxons burned
  • 00:09:28.758 --> 00:09:32.962
  • Down the church.
  • 00:09:32.962 --> 00:09:34.697
  • - an attack on the house of god is an attack on god
  • 00:09:34.697 --> 00:09:37.633
  • Himself.
  • 00:09:37.633 --> 00:09:38.434
  • Which is then an attack on me.
  • 00:09:38.434 --> 00:09:42.571
  • Charlemagne believed that an attack on the house of god was
  • 00:09:42.571 --> 00:09:45.941
  • An attack on god himself.
  • 00:09:45.941 --> 00:09:48.444
  • Charlemagne uses attack as a catalyst tool to unleash holy
  • 00:09:48.444 --> 00:09:52.381
  • Fury upon the saxons.
  • 00:09:52.381 --> 00:09:54.950
  • In retaliation charlemagne sent his army into saxon to
  • 00:09:54.950 --> 00:09:59.088
  • Destroy the tree of [indiscernible].
  • 00:09:59.088 --> 00:10:01.057
  • - cut it down.
  • 00:10:01.057 --> 00:10:02.158
  • - my pleasure.
  • 00:10:02.158 --> 00:10:06.228
  • - this was a real big deal.
  • 00:10:06.228 --> 00:10:10.166
  • You see the pagan tree represented the sacred tree of
  • 00:10:10.166 --> 00:10:13.903
  • Life in norse mythology.
  • 00:10:13.903 --> 00:10:16.105
  • At the height of the saxon wars the battered saxon army
  • 00:10:16.105 --> 00:10:20.342
  • Rallied behind a warrior leader named [indiscernible]
  • 00:10:20.342 --> 00:10:23.746
  • Which translates to the child of the forest.
  • 00:10:23.746 --> 00:10:26.482
  • He was brave and ruthless, but was heavily outnumbered by
  • 00:10:26.482 --> 00:10:30.753
  • Frankish forces.
  • 00:10:30.753 --> 00:10:32.388
  • When he was captured by charlemagne he refused to
  • 00:10:32.388 --> 00:10:35.091
  • Submit and receive baptism which resulted in an event
  • 00:10:35.091 --> 00:10:39.095
  • Called the massacre [indiscernible] where
  • 00:10:39.095 --> 00:10:41.764
  • Charlemagne is said to have had 4500 saxon warriors
  • 00:10:41.764 --> 00:10:46.836
  • Executed on a single day.
  • 00:10:46.836 --> 00:10:52.074
  • - here are the terms of our servants.
  • 00:10:52.074 --> 00:10:55.177
  • - thank you for the papers.
  • 00:10:55.177 --> 00:10:56.612
  • I'm sure they are very nice.
  • 00:10:56.612 --> 00:10:58.547
  • Unfortunately, you still have to die.
  • 00:10:58.547 --> 00:11:03.085
  • What the what?
  • 00:11:03.085 --> 00:11:06.689
  • Over the next 33 years, 18 total campaigns will be fought
  • 00:11:06.689 --> 00:11:13.662
  • In saxon territory resulting in their forced conversion
  • 00:11:13.662 --> 00:11:17.767
  • From paganism to christianity.
  • 00:11:17.767 --> 00:11:24.607
  • You are now converted.
  • 00:11:25.174 --> 00:11:25.975
  • Please proceed with conversion.
  • 00:11:25.975 --> 00:11:30.446
  • - congratulations you are converted.
  • 00:11:30.446 --> 00:11:34.016
  • - this conqueror and convert tactic would trademark
  • 00:11:34.116 --> 00:11:36.852
  • Charlemagne's military campaigns.
  • 00:11:36.852 --> 00:11:39.488
  • And no one in history used this method as effectively or
  • 00:11:39.488 --> 00:11:42.925
  • As ruthlessly as charlemagne.
  • 00:11:42.925 --> 00:11:46.762
  • During the saxon conquest, charlemagne had the military
  • 00:11:46.762 --> 00:11:50.366
  • Might to conduct conflict in other parts of europe as well.
  • 00:11:50.366 --> 00:11:53.502
  • In 774, the pope sent him a plea for help.
  • 00:11:53.502 --> 00:11:59.508
  • The pesky lombards were once again harassing the people
  • 00:12:00.676 --> 00:12:03.946
  • States in northern modern-day italy.
  • 00:12:03.946 --> 00:12:06.916
  • Charlemagne marched over the alps and took the lombard of
  • 00:12:06.916 --> 00:12:10.085
  • Pavia, he basically pulled a corporate takeover and became
  • 00:12:10.085 --> 00:12:14.290
  • King of the franks and the lombards.
  • 00:12:14.290 --> 00:12:17.326
  • Again, expanding his kingdom and his power.
  • 00:12:17.326 --> 00:12:21.230
  • In 796, he went east toward the avars and took the capital
  • 00:12:21.230 --> 00:12:26.135
  • Fortress known as the ring.
  • 00:12:26.135 --> 00:12:28.637
  • After taking the ring, the territories to the north and
  • 00:12:28.637 --> 00:12:32.274
  • South wanted little to no bloodshed and started
  • 00:12:32.274 --> 00:12:36.145
  • Deferring to his rule and became tributary states of the
  • 00:12:36.145 --> 00:12:39.448
  • Frankish kingdom.
  • 00:12:39.448 --> 00:12:40.850
  • Think of tributary states as franchises.
  • 00:12:40.850 --> 00:12:43.485
  • Smaller branches that pay an annual fee to be a part of the
  • 00:12:43.485 --> 00:12:47.022
  • Big business.
  • 00:12:47.022 --> 00:12:48.357
  • So at this point, the frankish kingdom was officially at its
  • 00:12:48.357 --> 00:12:53.362
  • Largest.
  • 00:12:53.362 --> 00:12:54.129
  • So why is this all important?
  • 00:12:54.129 --> 00:12:56.298
  • It sounds like another guy trying to conquer the world.
  • 00:12:56.298 --> 00:12:58.868
  • Well what separates charlemagne from every other
  • 00:12:58.868 --> 00:13:02.938
  • Conqueror was his administrative expertise.
  • 00:13:02.938 --> 00:13:05.307
  • Remember the whole not good at diplomacy thing?
  • 00:13:05.307 --> 00:13:08.210
  • Well that changed big time.
  • 00:13:08.210 --> 00:13:10.779
  • Charlemagne became a master of administration.
  • 00:13:10.779 --> 00:13:14.283
  • Basically ran his country like a fortune 500 company.
  • 00:13:14.283 --> 00:13:18.721
  • ♪ (music playing) ♪
  • 00:13:18.721 --> 00:13:21.056
  • - on today's agenda we need to talk about vacation days and
  • 00:13:21.056 --> 00:13:26.228
  • The sick leave.
  • 00:13:26.228 --> 00:13:27.329
  • Would anybody else like to add to the agenda? -
  • 00:13:27.329 --> 00:13:31.066
  • Yes i wonder if we can maybe talk about adding a 401 (k)
  • 00:13:31.066 --> 00:13:35.704
  • Plan to our benefits package.
  • 00:13:35.704 --> 00:13:37.306
  • I think it would really boost morale.
  • 00:13:37.306 --> 00:13:41.410
  • - you know what would boost my morale?
  • 00:13:42.278 --> 00:13:43.812
  • If i had a cup of coffee.
  • 00:13:43.812 --> 00:13:45.781
  • - charlemagne was able to maintain his rule over such a
  • 00:13:45.781 --> 00:13:49.418
  • Large area due to his organizational structures.
  • 00:13:49.418 --> 00:13:52.187
  • - i hereby knight you as an assistant to the regional
  • 00:13:52.187 --> 00:13:55.925
  • Manager.
  • 00:13:55.925 --> 00:13:57.760
  • I hereby knight you director of waste disposal.
  • 00:13:57.760 --> 00:14:05.668
  • Bye-bye.
  • 00:14:05.968 --> 00:14:07.403
  • He delegated responsibilities to capable managers throughout
  • 00:14:07.403 --> 00:14:11.206
  • His kingdom in the form of envoys, counts, earls and
  • 00:14:11.206 --> 00:14:14.576
  • Dutchess.
  • 00:14:14.576 --> 00:14:15.444
  • This was a brand-new concept.
  • 00:14:15.444 --> 00:14:19.148
  • And revolutionized the way territories in europe would be
  • 00:14:19.148 --> 00:14:22.117
  • Managed for virtually the next 1000 years.
  • 00:14:22.117 --> 00:14:25.421
  • His middle management ensured that his memos or orders would
  • 00:14:25.421 --> 00:14:30.426
  • Be implemented and enforced in the respective territories.
  • 00:14:30.426 --> 00:14:34.396
  • And get this, they even held mandatory annual conferences
  • 00:14:34.396 --> 00:14:38.701
  • In which they discussed religious, political and
  • 00:14:38.701 --> 00:14:41.637
  • Military matters.
  • 00:14:41.637 --> 00:14:42.604
  • Mr. ber, thanks for being here with us.
  • 00:14:42.604 --> 00:14:46.308
  • We are at a critical part of our story, charlemagne is
  • 00:14:46.308 --> 00:14:51.080
  • Expanding his empire, implementing these reforms,
  • 00:14:51.080 --> 00:14:55.351
  • And then all of a sudden he gets crowned holy roman
  • 00:14:55.351 --> 00:14:58.921
  • Emperor.
  • 00:14:58.921 --> 00:15:00.255
  • What do you think the world needs to know about
  • 00:15:00.255 --> 00:15:03.625
  • Charlemagne?
  • 00:15:03.625 --> 00:15:06.662
  • [speaking german]
  • 00:15:06.662 --> 00:16:39.555
  • - was charlemagne a good ruler?
  • 00:16:39.555 --> 00:16:41.857
  • [speaking german]
  • 00:16:41.857 --> 00:18:30.432
  • - fantastic mr. ber, thank you.
  • 00:18:30.432 --> 00:18:33.235
  • ♪ (music playing) ♪
  • 00:18:33.235 --> 00:18:38.407
  • - despite the war, bloodshed, and forced conversion, the
  • 00:18:38.407 --> 00:18:44.213
  • Organizational and political reforms that charlemagne
  • 00:18:44.213 --> 00:18:47.182
  • Implemented during his rule brought about one of the most
  • 00:18:47.182 --> 00:18:50.586
  • Significant moments in early european history.
  • 00:18:50.586 --> 00:18:53.422
  • Called the carol aegean renaissance.
  • 00:18:53.422 --> 00:18:56.592
  • You see, before charlemagne, education was not a priority
  • 00:18:56.592 --> 00:19:01.029
  • For anyone.
  • 00:19:01.029 --> 00:19:02.331
  • Even loyalty and clergymen were largely illiterate.
  • 00:19:02.331 --> 00:19:06.435
  • Because of this, charlemagne put an unprecedented value on
  • 00:19:06.435 --> 00:19:10.405
  • Education, language, and literature.
  • 00:19:10.405 --> 00:19:14.109
  • It's been said that learning had no more friend than
  • 00:19:14.109 --> 00:19:19.248
  • Charlemagne.
  • 00:19:19.248 --> 00:19:20.482
  • - welcome to reading one on one.
  • 00:19:20.482 --> 00:19:21.683
  • If you do not know how to read i will teach you.
  • 00:19:21.683 --> 00:19:24.753
  • Number one rule, i before e, except after c.
  • 00:19:24.753 --> 00:19:29.091
  • Such as any word die.
  • 00:19:29.091 --> 00:19:31.960
  • See, d-i-e. don't you see?
  • 00:19:31.960 --> 00:19:38.033
  • Laugh please.
  • 00:19:38.033 --> 00:19:43.272
  • - he believed to properly interpret scripture one must
  • 00:19:43.272 --> 00:19:48.410
  • Command the language and be fluent in latin.
  • 00:19:48.410 --> 00:19:51.947
  • In fact charlemagne forced his nobleman to get an education
  • 00:19:51.947 --> 00:19:56.084
  • Even to the point of physical coercion.
  • 00:19:56.084 --> 00:19:59.755
  • Now remember class this is a safe space.
  • 00:19:59.755 --> 00:20:02.858
  • There are no wrong answers here.
  • 00:20:02.858 --> 00:20:06.728
  • Except when you write nine.
  • 00:20:07.396 --> 00:20:09.231
  • He may have conquered his kingdom with the sword, but he
  • 00:20:09.231 --> 00:20:14.236
  • Connected his kingdom through scholarship.
  • 00:20:14.236 --> 00:20:17.606
  • - you get the education, you get the education you c
  • 00:20:17.606 --> 00:20:21.076
  • Get education.
  • 00:20:21.076 --> 00:20:21.743
  • You don't.
  • 00:20:21.743 --> 00:20:22.511
  • You get education.
  • 00:20:22.511 --> 00:20:24.346
  • Education for almost everybody.
  • 00:20:24.346 --> 00:20:25.981
  • - because of this new policy a new generation of churchmen
  • 00:20:25.981 --> 00:20:30.319
  • All across europe including here in germany were educated
  • 00:20:30.319 --> 00:20:33.722
  • To a much higher standard than before.
  • 00:20:33.722 --> 00:20:35.724
  • He also implemented a single currency, and even a singular
  • 00:20:35.724 --> 00:20:41.229
  • Writing system called carolingian minuscule.
  • 00:20:41.229 --> 00:20:43.732
  • Which introduced the idea of uppercase, and lowercase
  • 00:20:43.732 --> 00:20:47.436
  • Letters.
  • 00:20:47.436 --> 00:20:49.504
  • He did a lot more than just demand everybody do book
  • 00:20:49.504 --> 00:20:52.341
  • Reports, during his reign he implemented the organization
  • 00:20:52.341 --> 00:20:56.111
  • Of agriculture production, he standardized weights and
  • 00:20:56.111 --> 00:20:59.548
  • Measurements and expanded his trading ventures in areas
  • 00:20:59.548 --> 00:21:02.784
  • Around the north and baltic seas.
  • 00:21:02.784 --> 00:21:04.553
  • He even protected merchants from robbery.
  • 00:21:04.553 --> 00:21:08.357
  • These economic and social initiatives were motivated by
  • 00:21:08.357 --> 00:21:13.061
  • His moral convictions.
  • 00:21:13.061 --> 00:21:15.130
  • These ideas stimulated the economy and limited social
  • 00:21:15.130 --> 00:21:19.334
  • Unrest throughout his kingdom and across europe.
  • 00:21:19.334 --> 00:21:22.904
  • While charlemagne was making huge improvements around
  • 00:21:22.904 --> 00:21:25.874
  • Europe, the catholic church was once again in the middle
  • 00:21:25.874 --> 00:21:29.511
  • Of a huge scandal.
  • 00:21:29.511 --> 00:21:31.947
  • In the year 800, pope leo the third was accused of adultery,
  • 00:21:31.947 --> 00:21:36.685
  • And perjury.
  • 00:21:36.685 --> 00:21:37.919
  • He claimed his innocence but at one point was attacked by
  • 00:21:37.919 --> 00:21:41.623
  • An angry mob and nearly had his eyes and tongue ripped out
  • 00:21:41.623 --> 00:21:46.495
  • Of his head.
  • 00:21:46.495 --> 00:21:47.195
  • It sounds like a mafia hit.
  • 00:21:47.195 --> 00:21:49.264
  • And it basically was.
  • 00:21:49.264 --> 00:21:51.500
  • It forced the pope to flee rome and come here to germany
  • 00:21:51.500 --> 00:21:57.005
  • To seek protection from charlemagne.
  • 00:21:57.005 --> 00:22:00.375
  • Now, this was a unique predicament, you see the pope
  • 00:22:00.375 --> 00:22:05.180
  • Was accused of wrongdoing right?
  • 00:22:05.180 --> 00:22:07.182
  • So who in the world has the authority to pass judgment on
  • 00:22:07.182 --> 00:22:11.319
  • God's appointed representative on earth?
  • 00:22:11.319 --> 00:22:14.623
  • The only answer to that question would have been an
  • 00:22:14.623 --> 00:22:17.793
  • Emperor.
  • 00:22:17.793 --> 00:22:19.027
  • But there was no emperor in the west, and there hadn't
  • 00:22:19.027 --> 00:22:21.496
  • Been for 300 years since the fall of the roman empire so
  • 00:22:21.496 --> 00:22:25.200
  • The catholic church appointed the only logical person to
  • 00:22:25.200 --> 00:22:28.603
  • Preside over the pope's trial.
  • 00:22:28.603 --> 00:22:32.674
  • Charlemagne.
  • 00:22:32.674 --> 00:22:33.642
  • See i did not do anything wrong.
  • 00:22:33.642 --> 00:22:35.844
  • When the coast was clear, charlemagne traveled back to
  • 00:22:35.844 --> 00:22:42.517
  • Rome with the pope for the trial.
  • 00:22:42.517 --> 00:22:44.386
  • And on december 23, the year 800, the pope was found
  • 00:22:44.386 --> 00:22:48.523
  • Innocent and cleared of all charges.
  • 00:22:48.523 --> 00:22:51.059
  • Now, here's where things get interesting.
  • 00:22:51.059 --> 00:22:55.397
  • Two days later of the year 800, charlemagne walks into
  • 00:22:55.397 --> 00:22:59.901
  • St. peter's basilica for christmas mass, and he's
  • 00:22:59.901 --> 00:23:04.306
  • Ambushed.
  • 00:23:04.306 --> 00:23:06.041
  • It was said that when an unassuming charlemagne knelt
  • 00:23:06.041 --> 00:23:09.010
  • To pray at the altar, the pope swiftly placed the imperial
  • 00:23:09.010 --> 00:23:13.081
  • Crown on charlemagne's head, making him the first holy
  • 00:23:13.081 --> 00:23:17.252
  • Emperor.
  • 00:23:17.252 --> 00:23:18.386
  • So not much changed for charlemagne after being
  • 00:23:18.386 --> 00:23:23.859
  • Crowned emperor, other than a rebrand of the frankish
  • 00:23:23.859 --> 00:23:29.231
  • Kingdom, to the holy roman empire.
  • 00:23:29.231 --> 00:23:33.869
  • ♪ (music playing) ♪
  • 00:23:34.436 --> 00:23:38.840
  • From a religious standpoint it basically made him the secular
  • 00:23:38.840 --> 00:23:40.876
  • Protector of the church.
  • 00:23:40.876 --> 00:23:42.177
  • Charlemagne was granted the necessary legal authority to
  • 00:23:42.177 --> 00:23:45.647
  • Dish out a whopping to anyone who conspired against the
  • 00:23:45.647 --> 00:23:49.417
  • Papacy.
  • 00:23:49.417 --> 00:23:50.552
  • It officially made him the guardian of the catholic
  • 00:23:50.552 --> 00:23:53.755
  • Christian, giving him equal status to the byzantine empire
  • 00:23:53.755 --> 00:23:56.591
  • Rivals in constantinople.
  • 00:23:56.591 --> 00:23:58.793
  • - i made him charles the great, remember it's because of me.
  • 00:23:58.793 --> 00:24:03.265
  • - for the pope there were several political motivations
  • 00:24:03.265 --> 00:24:06.067
  • Behind crowning charlemagne emperor.
  • 00:24:06.067 --> 00:24:08.770
  • Number one, it was a power play.
  • 00:24:08.770 --> 00:24:11.506
  • The pope wanted to assert his authority over charlemagne.
  • 00:24:11.506 --> 00:24:14.709
  • After constantine the great, the pope always claimed
  • 00:24:14.709 --> 00:24:18.513
  • Authority over kings and emperors.
  • 00:24:18.513 --> 00:24:21.283
  • Also by giving the imperial crown as his own personal gift
  • 00:24:21.283 --> 00:24:25.253
  • He was basically saying hey, i might have been humiliated by
  • 00:24:25.253 --> 00:24:28.557
  • Accusations of sexual misconduct and getting kicked
  • 00:24:28.557 --> 00:24:31.192
  • Out of rome begging you to save me, hey i'm still pope
  • 00:24:31.192 --> 00:24:34.863
  • Enough to make you emperor.
  • 00:24:34.863 --> 00:24:36.164
  • Number two, from a military standpoint, the pope wanted an
  • 00:24:36.164 --> 00:24:40.802
  • Emperor that could go toe to toe but the byzantine empire
  • 00:24:40.802 --> 00:24:44.306
  • East.
  • 00:24:44.306 --> 00:24:45.840
  • Number three, there was a real opportunity to possibly unify
  • 00:24:45.840 --> 00:24:50.779
  • The entire roman empire.
  • 00:24:50.779 --> 00:24:52.814
  • Both east and west this would have made pope leo's holy
  • 00:24:52.814 --> 00:24:56.718
  • Empire the largest christian empire since constantine the
  • 00:24:56.718 --> 00:25:00.589
  • Great.
  • 00:25:00.589 --> 00:25:01.756
  • Regardless of the pope's motivation, charlemagne saw
  • 00:25:01.756 --> 00:25:05.293
  • His coronation as yet another massive paragraph,
  • 00:25:05.293 --> 00:25:09.698
  • Remember the donation of constantine that tricked his
  • 00:25:09.698 --> 00:25:12.834
  • Father pepin the short?
  • 00:25:12.834 --> 00:25:14.936
  • The papacy tried it again, same scheme, different pope.
  • 00:25:14.936 --> 00:25:19.307
  • Only this time he saw and was like no, i will take the crown
  • 00:25:19.307 --> 00:25:23.945
  • And the title, but i am not signing the papers and thus
  • 00:25:23.945 --> 00:25:27.449
  • Completely avoided the interference with the pool.
  • 00:25:27.449 --> 00:25:30.585
  • - the pope tricked my father.
  • 00:25:30.585 --> 00:25:33.021
  • He will not trick me.
  • 00:25:33.021 --> 00:25:35.690
  • The new holy roman empire under the leadership of
  • 00:25:35.690 --> 00:25:38.526
  • Charlemagne continues to grow in power and influence
  • 00:25:38.526 --> 00:25:41.429
  • Throughout the world.
  • 00:25:41.429 --> 00:25:42.731
  • For the last 10 years of his life, religious reform became
  • 00:25:42.731 --> 00:25:47.335
  • His main focus.
  • 00:25:47.335 --> 00:25:48.503
  • A reform that motivated changes in behavior for all
  • 00:25:48.503 --> 00:25:53.274
  • Members of his empire.
  • 00:25:53.274 --> 00:25:54.609
  • - hello everyone thank you for coming to my powerpoint
  • 00:25:54.609 --> 00:25:57.245
  • Meeting.
  • 00:25:57.245 --> 00:25:58.480
  • We were going to have this over zoom but had technical
  • 00:25:58.480 --> 00:26:01.116
  • Issues but this is better.
  • 00:26:01.116 --> 00:26:02.684
  • People are around.
  • 00:26:02.684 --> 00:26:03.785
  • Reform ideas.
  • 00:26:03.785 --> 00:26:07.422
  • We have conduct legal reform, jurisdictional changes.
  • 00:26:07.422 --> 00:26:12.427
  • Slight list.
  • 00:26:12.427 --> 00:26:14.362
  • First one conduct.
  • 00:26:14.362 --> 00:26:17.766
  • We need to love our brother and sister, we need to be more
  • 00:26:17.766 --> 00:26:20.802
  • Christian like.
  • 00:26:20.802 --> 00:26:22.404
  • If you do not, i will kill you personally.
  • 00:26:22.404 --> 00:26:27.509
  • Next slide.
  • 00:26:27.509 --> 00:26:29.010
  • Legal reform.
  • 00:26:29.010 --> 00:26:30.578
  • Molly knows all about this.
  • 00:26:30.578 --> 00:26:31.713
  • You can go get the file up front and it'll tell you
  • 00:26:31.713 --> 00:26:34.949
  • Everything you need to know.
  • 00:26:34.949 --> 00:26:37.585
  • Next slide please.
  • 00:26:37.585 --> 00:26:40.321
  • Jurisdictional changes.
  • 00:26:40.321 --> 00:26:42.323
  • Borders borders borders, we need to make changes to the
  • 00:26:42.323 --> 00:26:45.560
  • Border.
  • 00:26:45.560 --> 00:26:46.728
  • We have to go over that in-depth for the next five
  • 00:26:46.728 --> 00:26:49.230
  • Hours you listen to me.
  • 00:26:49.230 --> 00:26:50.765
  • Again without these changes, europe would not have the
  • 00:26:50.765 --> 00:26:54.502
  • Organizational fortitude to withstand and repel islamic
  • 00:26:54.502 --> 00:26:58.540
  • Invaders, just a few centuries later.
  • 00:26:58.540 --> 00:27:01.876
  • In the year 813, at the age of 72, charlemagne passed away of
  • 00:27:01.876 --> 00:27:07.182
  • Natural causes.
  • 00:27:07.182 --> 00:27:08.349
  • His renewal of the roman empire and west provided the
  • 00:27:08.349 --> 00:27:12.287
  • Ideological foundation of a politically unified europe.
  • 00:27:12.287 --> 00:27:16.991
  • An idea that has inspired european leaders ever since.
  • 00:27:16.991 --> 00:27:21.996
  • Sometimes even with unfortunate consequences.
  • 00:27:21.996 --> 00:27:27.235
  • Two of europe's most infamous leaders have tried to claim
  • 00:27:27.235 --> 00:27:31.172
  • Charlemagne's legendary status.
  • 00:27:31.172 --> 00:27:33.675
  • Napoleon once said i am charlemagne to people that
  • 00:27:33.675 --> 00:27:38.346
  • Were visiting from france.
  • 00:27:38.346 --> 00:27:39.481
  • And even hitler had charlemagne's imperial crown
  • 00:27:39.481 --> 00:27:43.618
  • Moved to [indiscernible] during world war ii to somehow
  • 00:27:43.618 --> 00:27:47.422
  • Legitimize his political authority.
  • 00:27:47.422 --> 00:27:50.992
  • Charlemagne is arguably the most important king europe is
  • 00:27:50.992 --> 00:27:54.696
  • Ever seen.
  • 00:27:54.696 --> 00:27:55.930
  • He united wildly different territories and ethnicities
  • 00:27:55.930 --> 00:27:59.567
  • And while they may have been conquered by force, they were
  • 00:27:59.567 --> 00:28:02.470
  • Kept together by his administrative expertise.
  • 00:28:02.470 --> 00:28:06.407
  • After the fall of rome europe lost hundreds of years of art,
  • 00:28:06.407 --> 00:28:11.513
  • Culture, and basic life skills that threw europe into chaos
  • 00:28:11.513 --> 00:28:17.051
  • For centuries, until charlemagne.
  • 00:28:17.051 --> 00:28:19.821
  • And in one of the darkest ages in human history he rose to
  • 00:28:19.821 --> 00:28:24.526
  • Power and provided stability for western europe.
  • 00:28:24.526 --> 00:28:30.498
  • While we may not have empires or emperors in the traditional
  • 00:28:30.498 --> 00:28:34.035
  • Sense anymore, we can still rule our personal lives by one
  • 00:28:34.035 --> 00:28:37.539
  • Of the mantras of charlemagne.
  • 00:28:37.539 --> 00:28:39.674
  • He once said do justice fairly.
  • 00:28:39.674 --> 00:28:42.610
  • Correctly, treat orphans, widows, send all others
  • 00:28:42.610 --> 00:28:47.315
  • Without fraud, corruption, obstruction, or delay.
  • 00:28:47.315 --> 00:28:51.452
  • Be humble and good to one another.
  • 00:28:51.452 --> 00:28:53.688
  • And be faithful to your lord.
  • 00:28:53.688 --> 00:28:55.089
  • I don't know about you, but that sounds pretty good to me.
  • 00:28:55.089 --> 00:28:59.527
  • We'll see you next time.
  • 00:28:59.527 --> 00:28:59.527