Who was Charlemagne?

Question

I'd like to know who Charlemagne was and where his story originated from.

Answer 1

Charlemagne (English: Charles the Great, Dutch: Karel de Grote, German: Karl der Grosse, Latin: Carolus Magnus) was born on April 2, 742 in Northern Europe. Charles was the eldest son of Pippin III and Bertrada of Laon. "By the sword and the cross," Charlemagne became master of Western Europe.

In 768, when Charlemagne was 26, he and his younger brother Carloman inherited the kingdom of the Franks. In 771 Carloman died, and Charlemagne became sole ruler of the kingdom. At that time the Franks were falling back into barbarian ways, neglecting their education and religion. The Saxons of northern Europe were still pagans. In the south, the Roman Catholic church was asserting its power to recover land confiscated by the Lombard kingdom of Italy. Europe was in turmoil.

Charlemagne was determined to strengthen his realm and to bring order to Europe. In 772 he launched a 30-year military campaign to accomplish this objective. By 800 Charlemagne was the undisputed ruler of Western Europe. His vast realm encompassed what are now France, Switzerland, Belgium, and The Netherlands. It included half of present-day Italy and Germany, and parts of Austria and Spain. By establishing a central government over Western Europe, Charlemagne restored much of the unity of the old Roman Empire and paved the way for the development of modern Europe.

On Christmas Day in 800, while Charlemagne knelt in prayer in Saint Peter's in Rome, Pope Leo III placed a golden crown on the bowed head of the king. Charlemagne is said to have been surprised by the coronation, declaring that he would not have come into the church had he known the pope's plan. However, some historians say the pope would not have dared to act without Charlemagne's knowledge.

Charlemagne learned to read Latin and some Greek but apparently did not master writing. At meals, instead of having jesters perform, he listened to visiting scholars read from learned works. Charlemagne believed that government should be for the benefit of the governed. He was a reformer who tried to improve his subject's lives. He set up money standards to encourage commerce and urged better farming methods.

"By the sword and the cross," Charlemagne became master of Western Europe
As is often the case, people considered great by historians are great killers as well. Thoughtout his conquests, Charlemagne was responsible for the death of masses of people who refused to accept Christianity, or their new king. Choosing to keep faith with their old gods and leaders, many thousands were slaughtered.

Blessings )O(

Answer 2

Who Was Charlemagne

Answer 3

There was both a real Charlemagne and a legendary one. The real one was King of the Franks but conquered much territory and was crowned Emperor of Rome in AD 800 by the Pope. He fought off the Moslems. As you see, wars between Christians and Moslems have been occurring a long time. As a legend, his court was home of his 12 paladins. Notable among them were Roland (or Orlando), Ogier the Dane, Huon of Bordeaux, Rinaldo and more. Charlot, Charlemagne's treacherous son tried to kill Huon but was slain instead. Huon and King Arthur of Brtitain both went to Fairyland and struggled to be king of it when Oberon retired.

Answer 4

Charlemagne was king of the Franks from 768 to 814 and king of the Lombards from 774 to 814. He was crowned Imperator Augustus in Rome on 25 December 800 by Pope Leo III and is therefore regarded as the first Holy Roman Emperor (as Charles I). Through military conquest and defence, he solidified and expanded his realm to cover most of western Europe. His rule is associated with the peak of the Carolingian Renaissance, a revival of central authority in western Europe after the fall of the Western Roman Empire.

Answer 5

Many great answers so far about Charlemagne. He is also related to the one of the many re-conquests of Spain from the Moors, and the Song of Roland is associated to that particular campaign, primarily about the battle of Ronceveaux, where Roland, leading the rear-guard of his uncle Charlemagne's army, we ambushed by a superior Moorish force as a retaliation for destroying an army's baggage train and they were killed to a man, just before the reinforcements from the main body of the army came to relieve them.

Answer 6

Who is Charlemagne? Wow, I thought he wqas such a popular and important king of Europe that everyone studied him in World History.

Charlemagne was one of the important Kings of the Mervolian Dynasty of the Francs that is highly remembered because he united the Franc tribes together under one standard rule and Practice. He was born in a city called Aachen which was a hotly contested piece of property between France and Germany. Or what is now called france and Germany.

He was so widely popular that it was said he was the descendant of Jesus Christ, of course there is no proof, but who wouldn't love the idea that a king in Old Europe was actually a descendant of God himself.

Answer 7

He was an early emperor of France.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlemagne

Answer 8

Ancient Europe but not to be confused with Chamillionare

Answer 9

He was a king,that officially had his country turn to Christianity,or die.

Answer 10

http://www.chronique.com/Library/MedHistory/charlemagne.htm

-M