ALCUIN AND THE CAROLINGIAN RENAISSANCE
A TEACHING RESOURCE
ALCUIN AND THE
CAROLINGIAN
RENAISSANCE
Although very few people have heard of Alcuin today,
he had a very important influence on education and
culture during Charlemagne’s reign. Alcuin was an
Anglo-Saxon. He was born in the north of England
sometime around 735 and was educated in York by
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Egbert, who became Archbishop of York. Alcuin
became a teacher in the school at York, and he must
have read the many rare books in York Minster’s
library, which had been collected by Egbert.
Alcuin’s meeting with Charlemagne
In 781, Alcuin was sent on a journey to Rome by King
Elfwulf. Here he was to seek the Pope’s agreement
that York should remain the seat of an Archbishop.
On his way back to York, he met Charlemagne, in
Parma. Charlemagne persuaded Alcuin instead to
become a member of his court as a teacher to his
children as well as other talented boys, some from
quite humble backgrounds, who were destined to
become court officials. Charlemagne himself became
Alcuin’s pupil, although, it is said, that he never
mastered the art of writing. Alcuin’s school travelled
with Charlemagne to the many parts of his empire,
but, when Charlemagne established his palace in
Aachen, the palace school became based here also.
What did Alcuin teach?
Alcuin and his fellow teachers taught the ‘Seven Liberal Arts’.
These were seven subjects based on education and writings
from Roman times. Many of the books Alcuin collected for
the palace library were copies of ancient Roman writings and
they influenced Alcuin’s teaching. The seven liberal arts were
divided into two groups: the Trivium (containing three
subjects connected to language and literature) and the
Quadrivium (containing four ‘scientific’ subjects).
Alcuin himself wrote books on grammar, dialectic, spelling
and rhetoric. He also wrote a book containing mathematical
problems designed to ‘sharpen the minds of the young’.
Some of these problems are quite entertaining, and show
that Alcuin realised the value of making learning enjoyable.
What was Alcuin like?
Alcuin was very highly respected by his contemporaries and
pupils. Einhard, Charlemagne’s biographer, wrote that
Alcuin was ‘the most learned man anywhere to be found’.
He also wrote that there was not one of Alcuin’s pupils who
did not fail to become a famous abbot or bishop.
Alcuin was probably very humble. Although, towards the
end of his life, Charlemagne made him abbot of the famous
monastery at Tours, he was probably never ordained as a
priest. His surviving letters show that he was a peaceloving man, whose favourite food was porridge! When he
died, in 804, he was buried in the abbey at Tours.
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Trivium
Grammar: learning to read and write Latin
Rhetoric: this was the art of public speaking
Dialectic: this was the art of logical debate
Quadrivium
Arithmetic
Geometry
Music
Astronomy
Alcuin’s criticism of Charlemagne
Alcuin became Charlemagne’s advisor, and
helped him to write new laws for his empire.
Although Charlemagne was one of the most
powerful men in Europe, Alcuin was not afraid
to criticise him. Alcuin famously rebuked
Charlemagne for using force to convert the
people of Saxony to Christianity. Alcuin told
Charlemagne that he could force them to be
baptised, but he could not force them to
believe.
Part of Alcuin’s epitaph reads:
Dust, worms and ashes now …
Alcuin my name, wisdom I
have always loved. Pray,
reader, for my soul’.
ALCUIN AND THE CAROLINGIAN RENAISSANCE
A TEACHING RESOURCE
ALCUIN AND THE
CAROLINGIAN
RENAISSANCE
FACT
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The Carolingian Renaissance
The term ‘Renaissance’ means ‘rebirth. It is usually
used to describe the period from the middle of the
fifteenth century to the late sixteenth century, when
visual artists, musicians, writers and philosophers
became interested in the art and writing of ancient
Greece and Rome. Many classical texts were
‘rediscovered’ in monastic libraries all over Europe,
and what the new readers read and interpreted had a
profound influence on the development of art and
culture.
This famous revival of ancient learning was not,
however, the first time that interest had been shown
in the works of classical antiquity. Charlemagne and
the scholars whom he invited to his court also began
to read and teach others from ancient writings such
as the Aeneid by Virgil and the works of Cicero. They
also valued education, teaching talented students
even if they came from humble backgrounds, and, like
their fifteenth-century counterparts, they recognised
the power of language to instruct, and, in some cases,
to control conquered peoples. Charlemagne’s scholars
revived the teaching of Latin, and revised its spelling.
They also began to write down literature in other
languages, such as Frankish, and they developed a
new type of handwriting (called Carolingian miniscule)
that was clearer to read and quicker to write than
many earlier forms of script. This revival of learning
and culture during the life of Charlemagne and his
descendents is often called the ‘Carolingian
Renaissance’
Alcuin’s library
At Charlemagne’s palace in Aachen and in the
monastery in Tours, Alcuin established large libraries.
Alcuin sent messengers to collect rare books from
libraries all over Europe (including York). Copies of
the books were produced by scribes using Carolingian
miniscule. This helped to preserve the writings for
future generations, and in some cases, it was these
copies of the classical texts that scholars began to
read in the fifteenth-century. Some people believe
that the fifteenth- and sixteenth-century Renaissance
was made possible by the Renaissance in the eighth
and ninth centuries.
Alcuin’s writings
As well as read and copy ancient writings, Carolingian
scholars also wrote new poetry and music. Alcuin
wrote a poem about his youth in York. He remembers
the city and surrounding countryside very fondly. He
thought York to be a ‘lovely dwelling-place’. He also
described the new Saxon church, which predated York
Minster. To this day, archaeologists are not certain of
the site of the Saxon church but, thanks to Alcuin,
they do know that it was richly decorated, with
arches, panelling and windows.
An extract from a letter written
by Alcuin. It was written to the
Bishop of Lindisfarne, which had
been attacked by Vikings.
(British Library, reproduced with
permission)
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