1. Charlemagne
Born in 742 AD as French nobility. Also known as Charles I or Charles the Great.
His father Pepin the Short was king of the Franks and defeated the Lombard Tribes of northern Italy. His military campaigns helped to strengthen his family’s ties to the Roman Catholic Church and it’s leadership.
Prior to being king, Charles invaded and defeated much of Europe, making many of today’s lands loyal to the Frankish throne.
Known as a strong leader and good administrator. As he conquered new lands in Europe, he allowed the citizens to keep their culture as long as they allowed a Frankish governor to rule them and they agreed to Charlemagne’s laws.
He instituted written laws, use of accountants, universal currency, laws on lending money, government control of inflation, he required all citizens to learn to read and write and when villages could not educate their children, he personally financed their “schools”.

2. Charlemagne
Charlemagne required citizens to study the arts, learn to sign or play instruments, plant fruit trees and all had to participate in civil works that made each village cleaner, easier to move goods and stronger in defense.
Charlemagne’s economy thrived by having engineers build canals and paved roads between major cities and waterways.
He was married 5 different times and left his entire empire to his son Louis the Pious.
He himself was illiterate and dealt with guilt over not being able to read, therefore he required as much of the empire as possible to learn to read/write.
Crowned himself Holy Roman Emperor on Christmas day 800 AD
Is often called the father of Europe after creating the French, Belgium and German kingdoms. But the reality is that after his death, his three sons fought each other for control of Europe, the result was that was each son fled to a different region, hence Germany, France and Belgium.

3. Charlemagne 8 major contributions to history: United most of Europe
Returned Rome to power by being crowned the 1st Holy Roman Emperor
Caused a mini renaissance with laws requiring the study of art, reading and writing
Created a standardized currency
Ordered the building of chapels and cathedrals across Europe
Required education for all citizens not just the rich and elite
Created the first form of calligraphy in Europe so that all citizens could understand his laws and decrees
Used inspectors to oversee governors and lords under his control, one set of rules, one set of punishments if you lied to him or broke his commands