Peter of Pisa

Younger clergy in, for instance, Frankia or Germania, could see the study of Latin as a better way to understand the Bible, its commentaries, and prayers.

The Late Imperial teaching manuals are broken down into three categories: • Schulgrammatik was a systemic work that introduced pupils to basic concepts of the language such as parts of speech.

[3] Christian culture was not introduced by the Carolingians; this movement was already evident in Visigothic Spain and Anglo-Saxon England at the time of conversion in the 7th century.

Annexation of the Lombard kingdom (774) is also possibly linked with encouraging Charlemagne to embrace late Roman tradition.

Around the year 800, Charlemagne (768-814) invited many great poets, grammarians, and other intellectuals to his court to feed his interest in the liberal arts.

Paul the Deacon, Theodulf, Alcuin, Waldo of Reichenau, amongst others, joined Peter of Pisa at the emperor's side.

However, the famous names did not stay at Charlemagne's court for a long period of time, and their relatively brief cohesiveness was the result of shared scholarly culture.

Peter's grammars largely incorporate the Insular Elementary style, while at the same time including distinct Carolingian aspects.

The following is an excerpt from a poem written by Peter, in the voice of Charlemagne, in ironical exaggeration of Paul's ability, and one of the first written manifestations of their rivalry: He sent you, Paul, most learned of poets and bards, to our back-water, as shining light with the various languages you know, to quicken the sluggish to life by sowing fine seeds.

[9] Paul replies in a way that downplays his ability and comically exalts Peter: But lest it be said that I am an ignoramus in languages, I shall repeat a few of the lines which were taught to me as a boy; the rest have slipped my mind as old age weighs upon me.

Poems of this genre would make use of inside jokes, secret nicknames, and other aspects that indicate the readers be in a certain close-knit social group.

Peter wrote to Paul the Deacon again: You, hold off from gnawing the good brother with your teeth, Who never is seen to be angry by the king's court.

In addition, Peter wrote epistolary poems to Charlemagne, paying homage to him for building churches and acting as "father of his people".