A History of Western Society: Printed Page 236

A History of Western Society, Value Edition: Printed Page 243

Early Medieval Culture

What were the significant intellectual and cultural changes in Charlemagne’s era?

As he built an empire through conquest and strategic alliances, Charlemagne also set in motion a cultural revival that had long-lasting consequences. The stimulus he gave to scholarship and learning may, in fact, be his most enduring legacy, although at the time most people continued to live in a world where knowledge was transmitted orally.