Person
Charlemagne
742 – 815
Also known as Charles the Great
King of the Franks and Western Emperor (742–815 AD) who protected the papacy, patronized reformers, and standardized liturgy and clerical education to safeguard orthodoxy.
Definition
(Charles the Great, 742–815 AD) King of the Franks and emperor of the West. Charles continued the ecclesiastical policies of his father. He remained the protector of the popes and their domains, the patron of reformers and missionaries, and the guardian of orthodoxy. Under the direction of Charles, synods were held that reformed the morals and educations of the clergy, standardized the liturgy, and combated heresy.
Sources
- 1.Jerald C. Brauer and B. A. Gerrish, ed. The Westminster Dictionary of Church History. (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1971). 179Original citation: Brauer, Jerald C., and B. A. Gerrish, eds. The Westminster Dictionary of Church History. Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1971, 179.
Last revised August 14, 2026