The Probert Encyclopaedia of People

CHARLEMAGNE

Charlemagne (Charles the Great) was king of France. He was born in 742 and died in 814. His father was Pepin the Short, king of the Franks, son of Charles Martel. On the death of his father, in 768, he was crowned king, and divided the kingdom of the Franks with his younger brother Carloman, at whose death in 771, Charlemagne made himself master of the whole empire, which embraced, besides France, a large part of Germany. His first great enterprise was the conquest of the Saxons, a heathen nation living between the Weser and the Elbe, which he undertook in 772; but it was not until 803 that they were finally subdued, and brought to embrace Christianity. While he was combating the Saxons, Pope Adrian implored his assistance against Desiderius, king of the Lombards. Charlemagne immediately marched with his army to Italy, took Pavia, overthrew Desiderius, and was crowned King of Lombardy with the iron crown.

In 778 he repaired to Spain to assist a Moorish prince, and while returning his troops were surprised in the valley of Roncesvalles by the Biscayans, and the rear-guard defeated; Roland, one of the most famous warriors of those times, fell in the battle. As his power increased, he meditated more seriously the accomplishment of the plan of his ancestor, Charles Martel, to restore the Western Empire. Having gone to Italy to assist the pope, on Christmas-day 800 he was crowned and proclaimed Caesar and Augustus by Leo III.

His son Pepin, who had been made king of Italy, died in 810, and his death was followed the next year by that of Charles, his eldest son. Thus of his legitimate sons one only remained, Louis, king of Aquitania, whom Charlemagne adopted as his colleague in 813.

Charlemagne was a friend of learning, and deserves the name of restorer of the sciences and teacher of his people. He attracted by his liberality the most distinguished scholars to his court (among others, Alcuin, from England), and established an academy in his palace at Aix-la-Chapelle, the sittings of which he attended with all the scientific and literary men of his court. He invited teachers of language and mathematics from Italy to the principal cities of the empire, and founded schools of theology and the liberal sciences in the monasteries. He strove to cultivate his mind by intercourse with scholars; and, to the time of his death, this intercourse remained his favourite recreation. His mother-tongue was a form of German, but he spoke several languages readily, especially Latin, and was naturally eloquent. He sought to improve the liturgy and church music, and attempted unsuccessfully to introduce uniformity of measures and weights.

He built a lighthouse at Boulogne, constructed several ports, encouraged agriculture, and enacted wise laws. He convened councils and parliaments, published capitularies, wrote many letters (some of which are still in existence), a grammar, and several Latin poems. His empire comprehended France, most of Catalonia, Navarre, and Aragon; the Netherlands, Germany as far as the Elbe, Saale, and Eider, Upper and Middle Italy, Istria, and a part of Sclavonia. In private life Charlemagne was exceedingly amiable; a good father and generous friend. In dress and habits he was plain and economical. His only excess was his love of women. In person he was strong and of great stature. He was succeeded by his son Louis le Debonnaire.
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