Also known as Charles the Great, second king of the Franks and first emperor
of the west.
He was the grandson of Charles Martel and the son of Pepin the
Short. He is one of history's great figures and was destined to
found a new Roman empire. He regarded himself as the divine agent
whose mission it was to revive the civilization, religion, and culture
that had been lost in the Dark Ages.
He came from a line of Austrasian counts, the Aarnulfings or Carolovings,
who, as mayors of the palace, had rirst dominated, then replaced the weak
Merovingian rulers of the Frankish kingom.
The place and date of his birth is unknown, though Aachen and the year 754
fits the evidence we have.
Charlemagne took pains to keep fit on a moderate diet, aw well as by
swimming and hunting. He discouraged heavy drinking, but his
clerical admirers did not list chastity among his virtues.
Of his five regular wives he repudiated two, while three died. He
had children by at least four ladies referred to as concubines.
While forbidding his daughters to marry, he turned a blind eye to their
sexual irregularities, which became the subject of a commission under the
Emperor Louis. His third wife, Fastrada, provoked two court
conspiracies.
Despite the extreme devotion to his aged mother, women of his time never
attained an influence comparable to that prevalent at Byzantium.
He was crowned on Christmas Day in the year 800 in St. Peter's
church. The imperial crown was placed on his head by Leo III while
the crowd cried in acclamation, "Charlemagne Augustus, Emperor of the
Romans!" Charlemagne had forged the empire of western Europe in
the fire of war. As his domains spread, he saw to it that Christian
civilization spread with them.
Charlemagne's throne
He died at Aachen, Germany, January 28, 814.
* To learn more:
Charlemagne by Einhard |