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Wow, good question! In another thread we've been discussing the question of why the Carolingians didn't take a more proactive role against the Vikings during the raids of the late 8th and 9th centuries, so that could be a good paper topic. Another might be trying to address why the key causes of the dissolution of the Carolingian dynasty. Yet another might be whether the ongoing danegeld payment to the Vikings by the Carolingians helped or hurt the Carolingians in the long run (I would wager that it did the latter). Anyway, I'm sure some others here might have some ideas as well. 🙂
You could do a paper about Frederick Barbarossa and the way he pacified the German princeas and strengthened the power of the Holy Roman Emperor in the middle decades of the 12th century.
Oh this is really helpful because it's such a broad area–the middle ages that is–it's hard to narrow it down.
I took a cue from you guys and decided on the key causes of the dissolution of the Carolingian Empire.
Your topic is a good one….I think you'll find no one single answer to the research question, but you should find plenty of theories that others have offered as to why the dissolution occurred. I wish you well in your research over break week. I know that in times past I have planned on spring break to be the time when I get a head start on papers, only to have myself procrastinate and get very little done during those times. 🙁 Oh well….it's not always easy hitting the books while other are out having fun. 🙂
Hmm the more I research the more I find it interesting that on one hand he was responsible for so many positive “reforms” and on the other hand he could be so brutal….
Hmm the more I research the more I find it interesting that on one hand he was responsible for so many positive "reforms" and on the other hand he could be so brutal....
You need to stop looking at things through the eyes of 20th/21st Century Western Values. (BTW, that's why so many people today have trouble understanding events in places like the Middle East. Other eras and places have different values upon which they base their actions.)
I think the coronation of Charlemagne would indeed be a good topic. It did coincide with a shift in Western Civilization, and so some things you could address in your paper might be a) why the partied involved decided to make it happen, and b) what were the broader ramifications of such an event. This would enable you to tie a concrete event in history to “big picture” concepts…two important components that would give your paper legs. 🙂
I would try to focus on what made Charlemagne so attractive to the Franks as a leader that they would give him such loyalty and power. Also, you might key in on the ritual of the the coronation, and how Charlemagne used it to magnify himself beyond what prior Frankish kings had been.
Also, you might key in on the ritual of the the coronation, and how Charlemagne used it to magnify himself beyond what prior Frankish kings had been.
According to Charlemagne's biographer, Einhardt, Charlemagne has no idea that the pope was going to crown him Emperor on Christmas Day 800 A.D. Even if we take that with a grain of salt, the underlying idea still stands that it wasn't completely Charlemagne's idea to be given such a title.
