Why did Louis I regard the empire as a religious ideal?

Louis I regarded the empire as a religious ideal because he sought to unify his subjects as a single Christian people rather than as a collection of diverse ethnic groups. Following his father Charlemagne’s concerns regarding the spiritual state of the realm, Louis implemented a reform agenda that integrated religion, society, and politics into a cohesive vision.1

He conceptualized this society as being united within the body of Christ and the church. This perspective allowed him to position himself as the emperor of the Christian people, a role he reinforced through administrative reforms and the Ordinatio imperii, which aimed to maintain imperial unity. His commitment to this ideal was further demonstrated by his performance of voluntary penance at Attigny in 822, an act of humility that contemporaries compared to the Roman emperor Theodosius the Great. Through these actions, Louis sought to establish a framework where the emperor acted as a steward for God’s people, asserting authority over both political and ecclesiastical spheres.1