February 10 - The Hammer's grandson

February 10 – The Hammer’s grandson

Christianity has poured out of Rome all over the near world, changing and transforming nations. In 496, Clovis led his people to Christianity and this made the continent more docile as the Franks moved throughout Europe. In 754 King Pepin III gave central Italy to the Roman church. His son, Charles tried a new form of evangelism on for size and liked it!

Every time he conquered a tribe, he forced them to be baptized or die. Huh, about 90% decided to become Christians! (don’t you love our history?) The story is told that a group refused baptism, he cut off their heads – about 4500 people and then went back to his camp to celebrate Christmas.

Pretty soon, he controlled all of what we know now as Germany and France.

In 799 AD, Pope Leo III got beaten up by some Italian nobles who wanted to control the church. He was rescued and though injured, taken to Charles’ palace. Those nobles had sent a letter ahead to Charles accusing Leo III with misappropriation of church funds, but finally on December 23, 800, King Charles declared his innocence.

Merry Christmas to Charles. Two days after the declaration of innocence, Pope Leo III crowned Charles as emperor, calling him “Charles Augustus, crowned by God as supreme and peaceful Emperor.”

The church just created an emperor. We know him as Charlemagne – Charles the Great.

He founded monasteries to preserve ancient texts and increase literacy. He appointed bishops for the church and ensured that the Roman church would control central Italy. After he died, the empire became known as “The Holy Roman Empire.”

The pope hadn’t received his power. Charlemagne believed that he alone had authority and that he answered to no one but God. When he died, his three sons divided the empire. The pope did gain more power. For hundreds of years to come, the power balance between kings and popes would go back and forth.