Charlemagne and the Vikings

Charlemagne and the Viking World
Dr John O’Neill
Charlemagne
King of the Franks, ruled from 768 to 800, then was crown Holy Roman Emperor in 800, died in 814

Central figure in the ‘Carolingian Renaissance’

Developed a strong partnership with the Papacy (to their mutual advantage)

Though his achievements are short lived, they traditionally mark an end to the ‘Dark Ages’
Background: Frankish Gaul
Frankish King Clovis I (reigned from 481-511) was from the Merovingian Dynasty

Convert to Christianity

Merovingian dynasty survived until 751

Eventually replaced by Carolingian Dynasty (partly due to the close relationship between Carolingian kings and papacy)

Monasticism
As towns, and more importantly, literate commerce, fell into disrepair, small, often remote, monastic communities preserved what they valued of the classical world, including literacy and some technology.

The chief strength of the Church was that it preserved learning in the West. Rulers eventually realised they needed the skills that only the clergy possessed.
Monastic Learning
This is a carpet page from the Book of Durrow (also 7th century).
Insular script and illumination was a significant influence on Carolingian styles through the Irish role at continental monasteries like Bobbio.
Writing
Cathach of St Columba (7th century)

Ireland had maintained a literate Christian tradition through the ‘Dark Ages’

The writing style was classical.
Insular Script
Texts were written in Insular script (a variant of half uncial)
This is characterised by the large first letter and descending sizes
Wedge-shaped finials on ascenders (‘b’, ‘d’, ‘l’ etc)
Lack of punctuation
As the texts were almost all in Latin, scribes used accented letters and, following existing tradition, only upper case (i.e. uncial) letters and no punctuation or word separation.
Is this difficult to learn to read (never mind translate)???

withnospacescommasfullstopsorcapitalsthisisnoteasytoreadthisisparticularlythecasewhenitisspreadoutoveranumberoflines

With no spaces, commas, full-stops or capitals this is not easy to read. This is particularly the case when it is spread out over a number of lines!

Carolingian Minuscule: Writing Revolution
Began with the same problems, but made changes:
Uniformity in how letters are formed
Clear printing
More punctuation
Spaces between words
Letters always separated from each other
Carolingian Minuscule is the basis for our scripts today

Renewal in Education
New miniscule was easier to learn which encouraged the copying of manuscripts (both Christian and Roman) and a renewal in scholarship
Led to renewed interest in education (for boys and girls) which was mainly centred in the monastic communities.
Introduction of the seven Liberal arts:
Trivium:
grammar,
logic,
rhetoric
Quadrivium:
astronomy,
geometry,
arithmetic,
music
Renewal in the Church
The impetus the church gave through education and it’s links with Charlemagne improved it’s status.
Significant new foundations: 22 cathedrals, hundreds of monasteries
Ensured Roman liturgy followed in all churches in his Empire (and began the process of suppressing opposing Christian doctrines)
Carolingian Texts
The Carolingian Renaissance
Early Medieval Illumination
Early Medieval Illumination
Clonmore
The Clonmore shrine is believed to be the oldest known example of Irish Christian metalwork.
It was found in pieces between 1990 and 2001 in spoil dredged from the River Blackwater around 1970.
The shrine, which held relics of the saints, consisted originally of nine copper-alloy plates and is just 8cm long, 8cm high and 3cm deep.

Clonmore
The outer surfaces are tinned and decorated with spirals, crescents and trumpet curves reserved against a background of hatching.
The decoration is hand-cut, though in part compass-drawn, and the golden colour of the recessed surfaces contrasts with the silvery patterns in relief.
Such ornament has Iron Age roots, but compares with that of the 7th century Book of Durrow.
Clonmore
The shrine must be approximately contemporary and is a major, if miniature, work of art.
Clonmore is only 15km from Armagh and the shrine might have housed some of the imported, apostolic relics which Armagh promoted in the 7th century in support of its primatial claims.
Clonmore
Fragments of an Irish shrine closely resembling that from Clonmore are preserved in Bobbio in the north of Italy, the famous foundation of the Bangor monk Columbanus, who died there in 615.
The two shrines are related in shape and decoration and had identical hinges and locks.
Tomb-shrine reliquaries
Casket of Teudericus
"Casket of Teudericus" reliquary from the second half of the 7th c.(Canton Valais: Saint Maurice Abbey treasury). This reliquary is a product of the monastic workshop of St. Maurice d'Agaune. Signed by the artist and dedicated by the Priest Teudericus to the monastery.
Emly Shrine
Dates to the late 7th–early 8th century: measures 9.2 x 4.1 x 10.5 cm. Champlevé enamel on bronze over yew wood; gilt bronze moldings, inlay of lead-tin alloyNamed for its nineteenth century owner, Lord Emly of Limerick.
Monymusk Reliquary
This shrine is believed to be linked to St Columba and was made around the 8th century AD. Some believe that the shrine is the famed Breccbennach, carried before Robert the Bruce’s army at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314.


Reliquary of Bishop Attheus
Figures are Saints Mary and John. Silver gilt on wood. Late 8th-century Frankish. (Sion, Valais: Cath. Treas.) 17.5 cm high. The style is transitional, moving from a traditional Sub-Roman linear figure style toward Carolingian naturalism.
Bursa Reliquary (North Italy)
Dates to the early 900s. Made of bone, copper-gilt, wood (19.7 x 18.6 x 8.3 cm). Displays a masterful treatment of ivory wherein the surface is modeled by incision and relief carving while the background is pierced through (ajouré).
Reliquary of Pepin
Dates from about the year 1000. However, pieces of an earlier crucifixion scene were found inside, which may date to Pepin's time (817-38). One side of the reliquary depicts a Crucifixion scene in gold, while the other has two doves. In the Abbey Church of St. Foy, Conques in the South of France.

The Carolingian Renaissance
New emphasis on religious works in metal and crystal to adorn abbeys and palaces.
Renewed use of decorative techniques and materials.
The Carolingian RenaissanceReliquaries
The Carolingian Renaissance
The Carolingian Renaissance
Few mosaics survive, but they were important and likely reflect links to the Byzantine Empire
Carolingian Art



Ottonian Art: A New Holy Roman Empire
German princes in the 10th century try and restore another Holy Roman Empire
Otto II (late 10th century) married a Byzantine princess, strengthening ties between East and West and bringing Byzantine artists into his Holy Roman Empire.
Ottonian Art
Around 870 AD, Carolingian master craftsmen created an opulent image of the crucifixion on the cover of the Lindau Gospels.
No attempt was made to present the scene realistically.
Ottonian art
This may be a crucifixion, but the figure on the cross is very much alive.
He does not suffer in the least.

Ottonian Art
Only a century later there is an entirely new depiction of the same scene.
Christ’s agonized portrayal in the Gero Crucifix, though not wholly realistic, is an entirely compassionate portrayal.
It also marks the reappearance of monumental sculpture
Ottonian Art
The Gero image pulls on the heart-strings of the observer.
Muscles strain.
The body is contorted.
Christ suffers – and, he suffers for man.
Carolingian Disintegration
Charlemagne’s Empire passed intact to his son Louis the Pious (r. 814-840)
Louis divided his Empire amongst his 4 legitimate sons (as was Frankish custom at the time)
Civil war, ended by the Treaty of Verdun in 843, partitioned Empire
Charlemagne’s predecessors failed to reconstruct the Holy Roman Empire (the title was adopted by the Ottonians).
End of the Carolingians
Outside Threats …