Charlemagne: Life In The Dark Ages

I’m Angelica Silver. In the Dark Ages a lot of different things were going on, from living life completely by the sword. Government consists of little more than sending our bands or soldiers to collect taxes/tribute. The clergy are already a recognized class in society, but again many of the characteristics found in the medieval Church are not yet around. Communications are very slow and inefficient. Most of the population are peasants, subsistence farmers who make almost all of their food, clothing, tools, and housing. Slavery is common throughout most of Europe, though rarely of any economic importance. Most wealthy households have slaves, the typical fate of prisoners of war or children of poor families. Cities in Western Europe are practically non-existent. Only a few cities in and around Lombardy can truly lay claim to the name. On all sides Europe is surrounded by enemies. In the south, them Muslim Saracens control Sicily and most of Iberia.
During the …show more content…
Life starting changing from having more art, culture, and education. Everywhere his rules were established, Charlemagne instituted the same reforms, creating a common identity in people from eastern Germany to southern Spain. One of the most important changes Charlemagne made was abandoning the gold standard and putting all of Europe on the same silver currency. Trade became easier and the continent prospered, aied by the laws that took some power away from the nobles and let the peasantry participating in commerce. The lower class benefited in other ways under Charlemagne, who was frustrated with the nobility’s sense of entitlement and had deep sympathy for the peasants, according to historians. Educational reform was also high on Charlemagne’s agenda. For spreading Christianity across Europe and to recognize his achievements as the territory’s wide-reaching ruler, Charlemagne was crowned Emperor by Pope Leo II on Christmas Day in A.D.