History glossary
Carolingian Renaissance
a revival of learning, manuscript copying, church reform and Latin education under Charlemagne and his successors.
- Category
- Cultural movement
- Region
- Carolingian Europe
- Date range
- late eighth-ninth centuries
What it means
The Carolingian Renaissance was a programme of educational, religious and cultural renewal in the late eighth and ninth centuries. It encouraged schools, clearer Latin, manuscript copying, standardised scripts such as Carolingian minuscule, and better-trained clergy across the Carolingian world.
Related terms
Stories using this term
Charlemagne and the Carolingian Empire
From Pepin's papal-backed monarchy to Charlemagne's coronation, reforms and legacy, the Carolingian Empire reshaped medieval Europe.
The Rise of the Medieval Church
From the fall of the Western Roman Empire to the Avignon papacy, this story traces how the Christian Church built its authority through bishops, monasteries, missions, reform, and direct confrontation with Europe's rulers.
