Any time of great change requires a great leader. In the Middle Ages, Charlemagne, the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire was a legend in his own time. His amazing war record, his significant impact on education and arts and his transformations to the structure of medieval government and politics make him a master in more than one field. These and other achievements prove that Charlemagne was a great medieval leader.

Given that he started going to battle with his father, Pepin the Short, when he was only a child, it is no surprise that the first element of Charlemagne's reign which elevates him above any other king is his impeccable war record. When he became sole King in 771 CE, it was with the hopes of achieving two main goals. The first was to unite all Germanic peoples into one kingdom, which meant he would have to expand...