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“Monastic and ecclesiastical reform from Ireland and England created revolutionary changes in the Frankish church and made the Carolingian revolution of the eighth century possible.” Agree or Disagree. Why? This is for a history paper and I have hit a wall. I would like a few others opinions. Thanks!

Very briefly:

During the so-called Dark Ages monasticism survived on the western fringes of Europe. Tradition has it that Ireland was converted by St Patrick, who may have come from the region of the Severn Estuary; and certainly Welsh monks from the monastic schools in the south played a significant role in the spread of Christianity and monasticism in Ireland (also in Brittany). In turn, Irish missionaries began the conversion of the Picts in Scotland (St Columba, 563 CE), establishing monasteries on Iona and elsewhere. In 635 CE the Ionian monk Aidan founded a monastery at Lindisfarne, in Northumberland, but in this century Aidan’s ‘Celtic’ tradition co-existed with the Latin tradition; the issue was resolved at the Synod of Whitby, where King Oswiu of Northumberland elected to observe the customs of Rome. The period is known as The Age of Saints.

The 7th Century saw the founding of monastic schools in the north east of England, most notably at Whitby, Jarrow and York. Irish missionaries had been active on the continent and this effort was now heightened by English monks aligned with the Church of Rome. The reputation of English seats of learning increased as Europe began to emerge from the Dark Ages. During the 8th Century the Frankish king Charlemagne (ruled 768 CE – 814 CE) embarked on a massive territorial expansion that was accompanied by the conversion of conquered territories to Roman Christianity. Charlemagne’s admiration for learning led to his founding a large number of monastic schools and scriptoria and his collection and copying of manuscripts from his rapidly expanding dominions. At the same time he enlisted the help of scholars from all over Christendom, not least from Anglo-Saxon England.

The most important English scholar was Alcuin of York, who joined Charlemagne’s Palace School in 782 CE. Among Alcuin’s pupils were Charlemagne himself and his sons Pepin and Louis. Alcuin and the assistants he brought with him from York greatly improved the educational standards at Charlemagne’s court, creating an atmosphere of scholarship and introducing the king to the liberal arts. Now regarded as one of the first universities, the Palace School became known as the School of Master Albinus, a cognomen of Alcuin. Amongst his many achievements, Alcuin is credited with the development of the uncial script known as Carolingian minuscule.

The Carolingian Renaissance saw a flowering of scholarship, literature, art, and architecture. Alcuin is regarded as is its most prominent figure.