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Article: From Aachen to Maastricht. (European economic union in 794 under Charlemagne)
- Article from:
- The Economist (US)
- Article date:
- August 14, 1993
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1993 Economist Newspaper Ltd. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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WESTERN EUROPE has boldly embarked on monetary union. The idea is to sweep away trade barriers and stimulate economic activity. The sudden urge to reorganise has followed the rout of those who dominated Eastern Europe. Sounds familiar?
The year is 794; the occasion, the Council of Frankfurt; and the man who thought up this union, Charlemagne. The military campaigns that followed his succession in 768 had given him control of an empire stretching from modern-day Austria to the Atlantic. In the annals of post-classical history, only Napoleon and Hitler were to emulate his reach. But Char-lemagne was more than a barbarian seeking imperial laurels. He was fascinated by ...