Charlemagne

Charles I, king of the Franks, was known as ‘Charlemagne’, meaning Charles the Great. He founded the Holy Roman empire in Europe and was long regarded by many people as the ‘ideal ruler’.

Charlemagne was born in 742. His father was King Pepin, who was son of the famous soldier Charles Martel and the founder of the new Frankish ruling family. This family was later called the Carolongian dynasty, after the Latin name for Charlemagne. In 768, Pepin died, leaving his kingdom to his sons Carloman and Charlemagne. Carloman soon died, and Charlemagne was left in sole control.

A very tall man convinced of his own destiny, Charlemagne had learned much from his ruthless warrior father. He led his armies out of the Frankish homeland of France into what are now Netherlands, Germany and Italy. Wherever he conquered non-Christians, such as the Saxons of Germany and the Avars of Hungary, Charlemagne forced them to become Christians and to take part in mass baptisms.

There was more to Charlemagne than simply waging wars of conquest. He learned to read Latin and greatly admired scholarship. His capital at Aachen was the glittering centre of his empire, with a splendid palace and a heated swimming pool.

However, the emperor himself dressed and lived simply. He had books read aloud to him and invited famous scholars to his court, such as Alcuin of York.

Charlemagne’s position as Europe’s strongest leader was recognized in 800 when the pope crowned him Holy Roman Emperor. After he died in 814, the Holy Roman empire, weakened by attacks, was soon split between his three grandsons. It survived in one form or another until 1806. After Charlemagne’s death, many stories were written about him. A skirmish during his Spanish campaign of 778 became the subject of the medieval epic poem The Song of Roland.