Charlemagne began construction on the Aachen Cathedral (Kaiserdom) in 786--Note that the French called Aachen "Aix-la-Chapelle"--and construction occurred off and on for the next one thousand years.  This is where Charlemagne was buried.  As I remember the cathedral is still in use as a church, making it the oldest cathedral in northern Europe.

• Read chapter 9 in the textbook (chapter 9 in the Edgar text).
• Read my notes on Charlemagne.
• Study the Questions to Consider and the Key Terms for the unit.
• Post (or respond) your thoughts/ideas about this unit's reading and assignment in the Blackboard online discussion forum. Do not post your assignment there.

• Submit the Optional Special Project paper.
• You may listen to some further information about Charlemagne from my HIS 101 course.

• See the videos dealing with Charlemagne in the HIS 101 course.
• For extra credit please suggest to your instructor a relevant video for this unit of the course. Send the title of the video, the url and a brief explanation of why you find the video interesting and applicable to the material that is being studied in this unit.

• Take the short 5-point quiz for chapter 9. Log into Blackboard and look under "Chapter Quizzes." You have five minutes to complete each quiz (multiple-choice questions).
• For a maximum of 50 points extra credit, read the Song of Roland (There are copies available online.) and write a one-page paper in which you explain the characteristics of the medieval knight.  Please be sure to cite your sources.
• For a maximum of 50 points (maybe more), using such sources as The Vikings, Vikings by the BBC, Vikings: The North Atlantic Saga or Vikings (and any other sites you may wish to consult), write a one-page paper (maybe two pages), in which you argue either that the Viking excursions were (a) beneficial or (b) harmful to the development of Europe.
• For a maximum of 50 points (maybe more), watch the movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail.  Considering that the movie is a satirical comedy, write a one-, or two-page paper (What aspects of life in the Middle Ages were well portrayed in the film?).
• In a one-page paper, summarize the causes and outcomes of the Hundred Years' War for a maximum of 50 points extra credit.  Please be sure to cite any sources that you use.
• For a maximum of 25 points extra credit, read Einhard's Life of Charlemagne and write a long paragraph (How did Charlemagne use the church to his advantage during his reign?).
• For a maximum of 25 points extra credit, do the short Magna Carta paragraph assignment from HIS 101.
• Medieval judicial procedures were quite amazing.  Write a long paragraph and comment upon some of the different kinds of "trial by ordeal" practiced in the Middle Ages for a maximum of 25 points.  Please be sure to cite your sources such as Ordeal of Boiling Water and Hot Iron and Cold Water.
• For a maximum of 25 points extra credit, read the Capitulary of Charlemagne (802; English translation), and in a long paragraph comment upon Charlemagne's conception of political leadership.
• For extra credit, please suggest a relevant website for this unit of the course.  Send the title of the site, the url and a brief explanation why you find the information interesting and applicable to the material being studied this unit.