Charlemagne - Imperator

Charlemagne (c.742 or 747–28 January 814) (also Charles the Great; from Latin, Carolus Magnus or Karolus Magnus) was the king of the Franks from 768 to 814 and king of the Lombards from 774 to 781. He was crowned Imperator Augustus in Rome on Christmas Day, 800 by Pope Leo III and is therefore regarded as the founder of the Holy Roman Empire, a reincarnation of the ancient Western Roman Empire. Through military conquest and defence, he solidified and expanded his realm to cover most of Western Euro ...

Including:

• Charlemagne - Background
• Charlemagne - Date and place of birth
• Charlemagne - Life
• Charlemagne - Early life
• Charlemagne - Joint rule
• Charlemagne - Conquest of Lombardy
• Charlemagne - Saxon campaigns
• Charlemagne - Spanish campaign
• Charlemagne - Imperator
• Charlemagne - Administration
• Charlemagne - Death
• Charlemagne - Cultural significance
• Charlemagne - Charlemagne's personal appearance
• Charlemagne - Family
• Charlemagne - Marriages and Heirs
• Charlemagne - Concubinages and Bastards
• Charlemagne - Sources

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Much of what is known of Charlemagne's life comes from his biographer, Einhard, who wrote a Vita Caroli Magni (or Vita Karoli Magni), which translates The Life of Charlemagne. Charlemagne - Early life. Charlemagne was the eldest child of Pippin the Short (714 – 24 September 768, reigned from 751) and his wife Bertrada of Laon (720 – 12 July 783), daughter of Caribert of Laon and Bertrada of Cologne. He was the elder brother of Carloman and Gisela. Some sources indicate that he was ...

See also:

Charlemagne, Charlemagne - Background, Charlemagne - Date and place of birth, Charlemagne - Personal appearance, Charlemagne - Dress, Charlemagne - Life, Charlemagne - Early life, Charlemagne - Joint rule, Charlemagne - Conquest of Lombardy, Charlemagne - Saxon campaigns, Charlemagne - Spanish campaign, Charlemagne - Charles and his children, Charlemagne - During the Saxon peace, Charlemagne - Avar campaigns, Charlemagne - The Saracens and Spain, Charlemagne - Imperator, Charlemagne - Danish attacks, Charlemagne - Death, Charlemagne - Administration, Charlemagne - Monetary reforms, Charlemagne - Learning, Charlemagne - Writing reforms, Charlemagne - Political organisation, Charlemagne - The division of the empire, Charlemagne - Cultural significance, Charlemagne - Family, Charlemagne - Marriages and Heirs, Charlemagne - Concubinages and Bastards, Charlemagne - Notes, Charlemagne - Sources

Read more here: » Charlemagne: Encyclopedia II - Charlemagne - Life

Charlemagne - Early life. Charlemagne was the eldest child of Pippin the Short (714–24 September 768, reigned from 751) and his wife Bertrada of Laon (720–12 July 783), daughter of Caribert of Laon and Bertrada of Cologne. He was the elder brother of Carloman and Gisela. Some sources indicate that he was the brother of Redburga, wife of King Egbert of Wessex, and Bertha, mother of the famous Roland, but he is only ever recorde ...

See also:

Charlemagne, Charlemagne - Background, Charlemagne - Date and place of birth, Charlemagne - Life, Charlemagne - Early life, Charlemagne - Joint rule, Charlemagne - Conquest of Lombardy, Charlemagne - Saxon campaigns, Charlemagne - Spanish campaign, Charlemagne - Imperator, Charlemagne - Administration, Charlemagne - Death, Charlemagne - Cultural significance, Charlemagne - Charlemagne's personal appearance, Charlemagne - Family, Charlemagne - Marriages and Heirs, Charlemagne - Concubinages and Bastards, Charlemagne - Sources

Read more here: » Charlemagne: Encyclopedia II - Charlemagne - Life

Charlemagne enjoyed an important afterlife in European culture. One of the great medieval literature cycles, the Charlemagne cycle or the Matter of France, centers around the deeds of Charlemagne's historical commander of the Breton border, Roland, and the paladins who served as a counterpart to the knights of the Round Table; their tales were first told in the chansons de geste. Charlemagne himself was accorded sainthood inside the Holy Roman Empire after the twelfth century. His canonization by Antipope Paschal III was never recognized by the Holy Se ...

See also:

Charlemagne, Charlemagne - Background, Charlemagne - Date and place of birth, Charlemagne - Personal appearance, Charlemagne - Dress, Charlemagne - Life, Charlemagne - Early life, Charlemagne - Joint rule, Charlemagne - Conquest of Lombardy, Charlemagne - Saxon campaigns, Charlemagne - Spanish campaign, Charlemagne - Charles and his children, Charlemagne - During the Saxon peace, Charlemagne - Avar campaigns, Charlemagne - The Saracens and Spain, Charlemagne - Imperator, Charlemagne - Danish attacks, Charlemagne - Death, Charlemagne - Administration, Charlemagne - Monetary reforms, Charlemagne - Learning, Charlemagne - Writing reforms, Charlemagne - Political organisation, Charlemagne - The division of the empire, Charlemagne - Cultural significance, Charlemagne - Family, Charlemagne - Marriages and Heirs, Charlemagne - Concubinages and Bastards, Charlemagne - Notes, Charlemagne - Sources

Read more here: » Charlemagne: Encyclopedia II - Charlemagne - Cultural significance

As an administrator, Charlemagne stands out for his many reforms: monetary, governmental, military, or ecclesiastical. Charlemagne - Monetary reforms. Pursuing his father's reforms, Charlemagne did away with the monetary system based on the gold sou. Both he and the Anglo-Saxon King Offa of Mercia took up the system set in place by Pippin. He set up a new standard, the livre (from the Latin libra, the modern pound)—a unit of both money and weight—which was worth 20 sous (from the L ...

See also:

Charlemagne, Charlemagne - Background, Charlemagne - Date and place of birth, Charlemagne - Personal appearance, Charlemagne - Dress, Charlemagne - Life, Charlemagne - Early life, Charlemagne - Joint rule, Charlemagne - Conquest of Lombardy, Charlemagne - Saxon campaigns, Charlemagne - Spanish campaign, Charlemagne - Charles and his children, Charlemagne - During the Saxon peace, Charlemagne - Avar campaigns, Charlemagne - The Saracens and Spain, Charlemagne - Imperator, Charlemagne - Danish attacks, Charlemagne - Death, Charlemagne - Administration, Charlemagne - Monetary reforms, Charlemagne - Learning, Charlemagne - Writing reforms, Charlemagne - Political organisation, Charlemagne - The division of the empire, Charlemagne - Cultural significance, Charlemagne - Family, Charlemagne - Marriages and Heirs, Charlemagne - Concubinages and Bastards, Charlemagne - Notes, Charlemagne - Sources

Read more here: » Charlemagne: Encyclopedia II - Charlemagne - Administration

Charlemagne, being a model knight as one of the Nine Worthies, enjoyed an important afterlife in European culture. One of the great medieval literary cycles, the Charlemagne cycle or the Matter of France, centers around the deeds of Charlemagne and his historical commander of the Breton border, Roland, and the paladins who are analogous to the knights of the Round Table or King Arthur's court. Their ...

See also:

Charlemagne, Charlemagne - Background, Charlemagne - Date and place of birth, Charlemagne - Personal appearance, Charlemagne - Dress, Charlemagne - Life, Charlemagne - Early life, Charlemagne - Joint rule, Charlemagne - Conquest of Lombardy, Charlemagne - Saxon campaigns, Charlemagne - Spanish campaign, Charlemagne - Charles and his children, Charlemagne - During the Saxon peace, Charlemagne - Avar campaigns, Charlemagne - The Saracens and Spain, Charlemagne - Imperator, Charlemagne - Danish attacks, Charlemagne - Death, Charlemagne - Administration, Charlemagne - Monetary reforms, Charlemagne - Learning, Charlemagne - Writing reforms, Charlemagne - Political organisation, Charlemagne - The division of the empire, Charlemagne - Cultural significance, Charlemagne - Family, Charlemagne - Marriages and Heirs, Charlemagne - Concubinages and Bastards, Charlemagne - Notes, Charlemagne - Sources

Read more here: » Charlemagne: Encyclopedia II - Charlemagne - Cultural significance

Charlemagne - Marriages and Heirs. His first wife was Himiltrude, married in 766. The marriage was never formally annulled. By her he had: Pippin the Hunchback (767-813) His second wife was Gerperga (often erroneously called Desiderata or Desideria), daughter of Desiderius, king of the Lombards, married in 768, annulled in 771. His third wife was Hildegard of Savoy (757 or 758-783 or 784), married 771, died 784. By her he had: Charles the ...

See also:

Charlemagne, Charlemagne - Background, Charlemagne - Date and place of birth, Charlemagne - Personal appearance, Charlemagne - Dress, Charlemagne - Life, Charlemagne - Early life, Charlemagne - Joint rule, Charlemagne - Conquest of Lombardy, Charlemagne - Saxon campaigns, Charlemagne - Spanish campaign, Charlemagne - Charles and his children, Charlemagne - During the Saxon peace, Charlemagne - Avar campaigns, Charlemagne - The Saracens and Spain, Charlemagne - Imperator, Charlemagne - Danish attacks, Charlemagne - Death, Charlemagne - Administration, Charlemagne - Monetary reforms, Charlemagne - Learning, Charlemagne - Writing reforms, Charlemagne - Political organisation, Charlemagne - The division of the empire, Charlemagne - Cultural significance, Charlemagne - Family, Charlemagne - Marriages and Heirs, Charlemagne - Concubinages and Bastards, Charlemagne - Notes, Charlemagne - Sources

Read more here: » Charlemagne: Encyclopedia II - Charlemagne - Family

Charlemagne - Marriages and Heirs. His first wife was Himiltrude, married in 766. The marriage was never formally annulled. By her he had: Pippin the Hunchback (767-813) His second wife was Ermengarda (often erroneously called Desiderata or Desideria), daughter of Desiderius, king of the Lombards, married in 768, annulled in 771. His third wife was Hildegard of Savoy (757 or 758]]-783 or 784), married 771, died 784. By her he had: Charles ...

See also:

Charlemagne, Charlemagne - Background, Charlemagne - Date and place of birth, Charlemagne - Personal appearance, Charlemagne - Dress, Charlemagne - Life, Charlemagne - Early life, Charlemagne - Joint rule, Charlemagne - Conquest of Lombardy, Charlemagne - Saxon campaigns, Charlemagne - Spanish campaign, Charlemagne - Charles and his children, Charlemagne - During the Saxon peace, Charlemagne - Avar campaigns, Charlemagne - The Saracens and Spain, Charlemagne - Imperator, Charlemagne - Danish attacks, Charlemagne - Death, Charlemagne - Administration, Charlemagne - Monetary reforms, Charlemagne - Learning, Charlemagne - Writing reforms, Charlemagne - Political organisation, Charlemagne - The division of the empire, Charlemagne - Cultural significance, Charlemagne - Family, Charlemagne - Marriages and Heirs, Charlemagne - Concubinages and Bastards, Charlemagne - Notes, Charlemagne - Sources

Read more here: » Charlemagne: Encyclopedia II - Charlemagne - Family

The Franks, originally a pagan, barbarian, Germanic people who migrated over the River Rhine in the late fifth century into a crumbling Roman Empire, were, by the early eighth century, the masters of Gaul and a good portion of central Europe east of the Rhine and the protectors of the Papacy and the Roman Catholic faith. However, their ancient dynasty of kings, the Merovingians, had long before descended into a state of complete disutility. Their chief officers, the mayors of the palace, had, practically-speaking, usurped all government powe ...

See also:

Charlemagne, Charlemagne - Background, Charlemagne - Date and place of birth, Charlemagne - Personal appearance, Charlemagne - Dress, Charlemagne - Life, Charlemagne - Early life, Charlemagne - Joint rule, Charlemagne - Conquest of Lombardy, Charlemagne - Saxon campaigns, Charlemagne - Spanish campaign, Charlemagne - Charles and his children, Charlemagne - During the Saxon peace, Charlemagne - Avar campaigns, Charlemagne - The Saracens and Spain, Charlemagne - Imperator, Charlemagne - Danish attacks, Charlemagne - Death, Charlemagne - Administration, Charlemagne - Monetary reforms, Charlemagne - Learning, Charlemagne - Writing reforms, Charlemagne - Political organisation, Charlemagne - The division of the empire, Charlemagne - Cultural significance, Charlemagne - Family, Charlemagne - Marriages and Heirs, Charlemagne - Concubinages and Bastards, Charlemagne - Notes, Charlemagne - Sources

Read more here: » Charlemagne: Encyclopedia II - Charlemagne - Background

Charlemagne's reign is often referred to as the Carolingian Renaissance because of the flowering of scholarship, literature, art, and architecture. Most of the surviving works of classical Latin were copied and preserved by Carolingian scholars. The pan-European nature of Charlemagne's influence is indicated by the origins of many of the men who worked for him: Alcuin, an Anglo-Saxon; Theodulf, a Visigoth; Paul the ...

See also:

Charlemagne, Charlemagne - Background, Charlemagne - Date and place of birth, Charlemagne - Life, Charlemagne - Early life, Charlemagne - Joint rule, Charlemagne - Conquest of Lombardy, Charlemagne - Saxon campaigns, Charlemagne - Spanish campaign, Charlemagne - Imperator, Charlemagne - Administration, Charlemagne - Death, Charlemagne - Cultural significance, Charlemagne - Charlemagne's personal appearance, Charlemagne - Family, Charlemagne - Marriages and Heirs, Charlemagne - Concubinages and Bastards, Charlemagne - Sources

Read more here: » Charlemagne: Encyclopedia II - Charlemagne - Cultural significance

Charlemagne's personal appearance is not known from any contemporary portrait, but it is known rather famously from a good description of Einhard, who wrote his biography Vita Caroli Magni. He is well known to have been tall, stately, and fair-haired, with disproportionately thick neck. As Einhard tells it in his 22nd chapter: Charles was large and strong, and of lofty stature, though not disproportionately tall (his height is well known to have been seven times the length of his foot); the upper part of his head was r ...

See also:

Charlemagne, Charlemagne - Background, Charlemagne - Date and place of birth, Charlemagne - Life, Charlemagne - Early life, Charlemagne - Joint rule, Charlemagne - Conquest of Lombardy, Charlemagne - Saxon campaigns, Charlemagne - Spanish campaign, Charlemagne - Imperator, Charlemagne - Administration, Charlemagne - Death, Charlemagne - Cultural significance, Charlemagne - Charlemagne's personal appearance, Charlemagne - Family, Charlemagne - Marriages and Heirs, Charlemagne - Concubinages and Bastards, Charlemagne - Sources

Read more here: » Charlemagne: Encyclopedia II - Charlemagne - Charlemagne's personal appearance

Charlemagne - Marriages and Heirs. His first wife was Himiltrude, married in 766. The marriage was never formally annulled. By her he had: Pippin the Hunchback (767-813) His second wife was Ermengarda (often erroneously called Desiderata or Desideria), daughter of Desiderius, king of the Lombards, married in 768, annulled in 771. By her he had: His third wife was Hildegard of Savoy (757 or 758-783 or 784), married 771, died 784. By her he had:

See also:

Charlemagne, Charlemagne - Background, Charlemagne - Date and place of birth, Charlemagne - Life, Charlemagne - Early life, Charlemagne - Joint rule, Charlemagne - Conquest of Lombardy, Charlemagne - Saxon campaigns, Charlemagne - Spanish campaign, Charlemagne - Imperator, Charlemagne - Administration, Charlemagne - Death, Charlemagne - Cultural significance, Charlemagne - Charlemagne's personal appearance, Charlemagne - Family, Charlemagne - Marriages and Heirs, Charlemagne - Concubinages and Bastards, Charlemagne - Sources

Read more here: » Charlemagne: Encyclopedia II - Charlemagne - Family

The Franks, originally a pagan, barbarian, Germanic people who migrated over the River Rhine in the late fifth century into a crumbling Roman Empire, were, by the early eighth century, the masters of Gaul and a good portion of central Europe east of the Rhine and the protectors of the Papacy and the Roman Catholic faith. However, their ancient dynasty of kings, the Merovingians, had long before descended into a state of complete disutility. Their chief officers, the mayors of the palace, had, practically-speaking, usurped all government powe ...

See also:

Charlemagne, Charlemagne - Background, Charlemagne - Date and place of birth, Charlemagne - Life, Charlemagne - Early life, Charlemagne - Joint rule, Charlemagne - Conquest of Lombardy, Charlemagne - Saxon campaigns, Charlemagne - Spanish campaign, Charlemagne - Imperator, Charlemagne - Administration, Charlemagne - Death, Charlemagne - Cultural significance, Charlemagne - Charlemagne's personal appearance, Charlemagne - Family, Charlemagne - Marriages and Heirs, Charlemagne - Concubinages and Bastards, Charlemagne - Sources

Read more here: » Charlemagne: Encyclopedia II - Charlemagne - Background

Charlemagne's personal appearance is not known from any contemporary portrait, but it is known rather famously from a good description of Einhard, who wrote his biography Vita Caroli Magni. He is well known to have been tall, stately, and fair-haired, with disproportionately thick neck. As Einhard tells it in his 22nd chapter: Charles was large and strong, and of lofty stature, though not disproportionately tall (his height is well known to have been seven times the length of his foot); the upper part of his head was r ...

See also:

Charlemagne, Charlemagne - Background, Charlemagne - Date and place of birth, Charlemagne - Personal appearance, Charlemagne - Dress, Charlemagne - Life, Charlemagne - Early life, Charlemagne - Joint rule, Charlemagne - Conquest of Lombardy, Charlemagne - Saxon campaigns, Charlemagne - Spanish campaign, Charlemagne - Charles and his children, Charlemagne - During the Saxon peace, Charlemagne - Avar campaigns, Charlemagne - The Saracens and Spain, Charlemagne - Imperator, Charlemagne - Danish attacks, Charlemagne - Death, Charlemagne - Administration, Charlemagne - Monetary reforms, Charlemagne - Learning, Charlemagne - Writing reforms, Charlemagne - Political organisation, Charlemagne - The division of the empire, Charlemagne - Cultural significance, Charlemagne - Family, Charlemagne - Marriages and Heirs, Charlemagne - Concubinages and Bastards, Charlemagne - Notes, Charlemagne - Sources

Read more here: » Charlemagne: Encyclopedia II - Charlemagne - Personal appearance