Einhard and Charlemagne’s Palace School: A Mechanism for Wealth, Prestige, Power and Success

Einhard was a courtier in Charlemagne's Frankish Kingdom. During Charlemagne's rule/life (768-824), he dedicated a vast amount of time and energy into supporting the notions of classical learning. He went so far as to start a school comprised of many scholars within his palace. Their role was to educate the nobility, the priesthood and the people, as well as hold counsel with the king. This is where Einhard and Charlemagne first encountered each other. Einhard was a small but intelligent man who came to prominence in the PiousCharlemagne's and Charlemagne's son's kingdom. It is often asked how such a small man came to be the heart of the kingdom, and how the court school and the opportunities it provided influenced his success. During the late 8th and early 9th century, Charlemagne came to power. He expanded the kingdom and conceived many reforms during his reign.

Charlemagne ruled the Frankish Kingdom from 768-814. He was one of Pepin the thirds two sons. Charlemagne's brother, Carolman died in 771, and Charlemagne became the sole ruler of the Franks. Almost as soon as Charlemagne assumed the throne he commenced a series of campaigns. From 772-804 Charlemagne was at war with Saxony, from 773-774 Charlemagne was also at war with the Lombards in Italy. In 778, Charlemagne was invited into Northern Italy to extend Christian influence. In 787 Charlemagne invaded and seized Bavaria. Finally, from 788-797, Charlemagne launched a campaign against the tribal horsemen, the Avars. In 789, Charlemagne issued "The General Admonition", the concept of the document was that moral reform requires education. At this time, Charlemagne created the palace school at his court, scholars were brought to this school to reform the Frankish priests and people. Various other reforms took place during this time, such as the new form of writing, Carolingian Minuscule, and the writing down of law codes. On December 25, 800, Charlemagne was crowned Holy Roman Emperor by Pope Leo the third in the St. Peter's cathedral in Rome. Charlemagne died in 814, and was succeeded by his only remaining son, Louis the Pious.

Louis the Pious reigned as Holy Roman Emperor from 814-840. When he assumed the throne he quickly replaced administers within the palace. Louis the Pious had three sons; Lothar, Charles the Bald, and Louis the German. Near the beginning of his reign, Louis already faced conflict. In 818, Louis quashed a rebellion orchestrated by his cousin, Count Bernard of Aquitaine . Louis planned to pass the Kingdom to his eldest son, Lothar, this caused conflict between family members, and from 829 onwards Charles the Bald, and Louis the German were constantly at odds with Louis the Pious and Lothar. Louis died in 840, and the Kingdom passed to his eldest son Lothar.

Lothar ruled the entirety of the Kingdom from 840-843. There was constant civil war between him and his brothers. In 843 the "Partition of Verdum" was issued to end the civil war. It divided the kingdom between the three sons of Louis the Pious. The west portion of the Frankish kingdom was given to Charles the Bald (843-877), the middle portion of the kingdom remained in Lothar's (840-855) power, and the east portion of the kingdom was given to Louis the German (843-876). Einhard lived throughout the reign of Charlemagne and Louis the Pious, as well as throughout the turmoil caused by Charles the Bald and Louis the German.

It is believed that Einhard was born in 770. He was born into a noble family. His father Einhard, and his mother Engilfrit owned property in eastern Francia near the Main River. At a young age, Einhard was sent by his parents to the monastery of Fulda to be educated. Einhard first appeared at the court of Charlemagne sometime during 791-792. By the mid-790's he had risen to the position of Chief Enable of the Rising Building. In 806, Einhard carried the partition, "Division of the Kingdom" to Pope Leo the third on the behalf of Charlemagne. Similarly, in 813, during the Diet of Aachen, on behalf of particular noble interests, Einhard publicly acclaimed the status of Louis the Pious as co-imperial. In 815, Louis the Pious (now Holy Roman Emperor) granted Einhard and his wife Emma the properties of Michelstadt and Seligenstadt. Five years later, during the 820's, Einhard began to separate himself from the court. It is believed that