Chrlemagne's Influence On Roman Emperors

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Charlemagne used Christianity to govern his people, unlike earlier Roman Emperors. Christianity encourages acts of love and peace towards subjects. Because of its monotheism, the religion requires its followers to worship their single god over any lesser being, even an Emperor. One of the main messages of Christianity is to spread peace and love, which Charlemagne incorporated into his capitulary. Several laws integrate those values into everyday life: “That bishops, abbots and abbesses, shall have bailiffs and sheriffs and judges skilled in the law, lovers of justice, peaceful and merciful”,”For on no account do we wish to have harmful or greedy provosts or bailiffs in a monastery”, and “That bishops, abbots and abbesses, who are placed in power over others, should strive to surpass in…show more content…
Charlemagne also encourages people in power to act fairly and avoid mistreating any individuals for their own benefit. “that they should not oppress them with severe or tyrannous rule”. While the idea of living in harmony and treating each other with respect and love would be optimal as a ruler, it enables followers to take advantage of the law. Rome used forceful tactics and brutality to keep its inhabitants from rebelling or falling apart and to expand the power of the Empire. The Carolingian Dynasty was much smaller than the Roman Empire due to the lack of force used on conquered people. Also, by using Christianity to rule, Charlemagne put God above himself as Emperor in some of his other laws: “That no one shall presume through fraud to plunder or do any injury to the holy churches of God, or to widows, orphans or strangers; for the emperor himself, after God and his saints, has been constituted their protector and defender.” CITATION. The implication is that before Charlemagne, the citizens of the dynasty must worship and follow God above anything

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