Currency Reforms of Charlemagne

To understand Charlemagne's currency reforms within the Frankish kingdom, it is necessary to understand that Charlemagne (born 742 A.D.) appears to have instituted such reforms in significant part in response to economic conditions that he encountered rather than as a feature of policy initiatives. Additionally, Charlemagne's monetary policy appears to have been intended to give his kingdom entry into the international community and to lend weight to the legitimacy of his reign. Thus Charlemagne's currency reforms must be understood in connection with the conditions under which they arose.

The political and economic conditions of Charlemagne's kingdom arose out of the conflict between Christians and Moors in Europe and especially out of the defeat of the Moors by Charles Martel at the Loire River. His Christian son Pepin overtook Merovingian (barbarian/pagan) control of present-day France. When in 751 Pepin defeated the Lombards to protect the pope, the pope crowned him king of the Franks, formally replacing the Merovingians and affiliating papal sanction with political legitimacy. Charlemagne was Pepin's son, and he further consolidated his power, chiefly it appears b

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engaged in lucrative commerce with Abbasid traders connected to the silver-rich court of Calif Harun al-Rashid in Baghdad" ("From Aachen..." 1993, p. 44). The authority of Einhard derives from the fact that he was a contemporary of Charlemagne. The story of the disappearance of the Avars from Europe coincides in general with the formalization of Charlemagne's currency policies. It depends on the fact that when the Avars were first routed by his son Pepin, Charlemagne took possession of the Avar treasury. Russell describes the events: The whole rich treasure of the Avars, accumulated in two hundred years of banditry and tribute-laying, fell into the hands of the young conqueror. For once popular rumors about such things proved not to have been exaggerated . . . Heaped up in the citadel was a store of merchantable wealth that surpassed anything of the kind the most avaricious had ever dreamed of (Russell, 1930, p. 175). It was 791. Einhard's comment on the effect of the booty is that poor men suddenly became rich (Einhard, 1925, p. 22). However, there were profound and lasting implications of the influx of currency into the territories of the Frankish nation, which "had never been in possession of so many pieces of money o
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Some common words found in the essay are:
Additionally Heer, Roman Empire, Economic Community, Civilization Clark, Bullough Charlemagne, Northmen Arabs, Russell Vetault, Council Frankfort, Frankfurt Charlemagne, Merovingian Roman, heer 1975, frankish kingdom, 1993 44, aachen 1993, aachen 1993 44, charlemagne's currency, bullough 1966, currency reform, metal content, heer 1975 78, western europe, currency reforms, charlemagne's currency reforms, holy roman empire, silver heer 1975,
Approximate Word count = 3921
Approximate Pages = 16 (250 words per page)