Was Charlemagne A Good Christian Leader?

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Charlemagne is considered to have been an excellent military and political leader. He was the first Holy Roman Emperor, a title that was used until the age of Napoleon. However, if one looks solely at his Christian leadership efforts and how they reflect Christian beliefs and lifestyles, the results are not quite as positive. Charlemagne was judged as a secular leader on his ability to unify his territories, delegate his power, and his dedication. A kingdom must be united if its ruler hopes to rule peacefully. Charlemagne’s kingdom consisted of people of many different languages and cultures. In order to maintain unity, Charlemagne stressed uniformity and forced everyone to convert to Christianity. However, the Saxons resisted this uniformity for many years before submitting to Christianity, a wrinkle in Charlemagne’s unified kingdom. Additionally, a leader must delegate …show more content…
It seems obvious that a religious leader should live a moral life since Christians believe right worship demands right living. However, it cannot be said that Charlemagne lived a completely ethical life due to his constant and bloody persecution of the Saxons because they wouldn’t convert. Charlemagne did however, very effectively spread Christianity like a good Christian leader should, disregarding the questionable actions he took to do so. Because he had such a large kingdom, nearly all of Europe, and he had everyone convert and enforced those conversions with the missi dominici, most of Europe became Christian. Finally, because the Pope is the head of the Church, it would make sense that a good Christian leader be subordinate to him and follow his lead in religious matters. However, Charlemagne and the Pope often played power tug-of-war. Once, when Charlemagne was in Rome, he called his own church council, which clearly undermining the Pope’s

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