Can u tell me anything about Catherine the Great or Charlemagne, King of the Franks?

Question

From what u have learnt personally through history books.

Answer 1

Charlemagne-

742 AD-Charles born in the territory between the Loire and Rhine Rivers

768-Pepin the Short, Charle's father, dies, splitting kingdom between Chares and 17 year old brother Carloman

771-Carloman falls sick and dies, his Lombard wife and sons, potential heirs to the throne, flee to the Lombard capital of Pavia, allowing Charles to grab the entire kingdom

772-Invades northern empire of the Saxons, wagin a 32 year war

774-Invades Italy and captures the Lombard throne

799- Pope Leo III asks Charles to protect him from another rival papal faction

800-Charles marches into Rome and arrests and imprisons Pope Leo's rivals. Christmas Day of that year, Pope Leo crowns an unknowing Charles, proclaiming him the ruler of the Western Roman Empire. History would come to know his empire, although it is not called this while he lived, as the Holy Roman Empire.

804-Finally defeats the Saxons, forcibly converts them to Christianity

811- Marches on and captures part of Norther Spain

814- January 28th, Charles dies of pneumonia. Buried in his castle's chapel, the castle would be leveled by WWII fighting, leaving on the chapel itself, known as the Aachen Cathedral

Was a walking contradiction during his reign. Standardized weights and measures, sponsored building programs. Although he supported major educational undertakings, including sending nuns, monks and scholars to make copies of classic Latin literature, and wished to make his kingdom into St. Augustine's "City of God", he was a brutal ruler. Forced his conquered enemies to convert to Christianity, often at the sword, and spent 50 of his 72 years at war.

Was not called Charlemange during his reign, that title was given to him after he died by his contemporaries. Charlemagne-Charles the Great ( "le magne" in French)

Could speak Frankish (a Germanic language predating modern French), could read Latin, and mastered enough Greek to understand Byzantine emissaries, yet he is believe to have not been able to write.

A tall man, over 6 feet, Charlemagne towered over his kinsman. However, it is unlikely he ever wore a beard, as he is often portrayed in paintings and sculpture.

Used the term "Emperor" for only a year, and only after he established peace with the Byzantine Empire, who had a claim on the Western Roman Empire. Even then he used a long title: "Charles, the most serene Augustus, crowned by God, great and peaceful Emperor who governs the Roman Empire and who is, by the mercy of God, King of the Franks and Lombards". Although he did not reject the crown of the Western Roman Empire given him by Pope Leo III, he was upset because he did not want the Pope to be seen as more powerful than he (Charlemagne) was, thus the "crowned by GOD" part of his title.

Both France and Germany (where his capital was) claim Charlemagne as one of their best rulers. Napoleon proclaimed that he was "the successor, not of Louis XIV but of Charlemagne". Hitler even "tried to wrap his Third Reich in the hallowed cloak of the fatherland's glorious ancestor 'Karl de Grosse' " .



(P.S. Hope this helps with Charlemagne, i don't know anything about Catherine the great)

Answer 2

About Catherine, she was a German princess who married the heir of the Russian throne in the XVIII century. She had to be baptized according to the Russian Orthodox rites before the wedding.
Nevertheless, Catherine told later that when she entered Russia she thought: "Here I will reign alone."
The fact is that, shortly after the wedding, her husband was murdered by the Orlov brothers. During the wake, the deceased was dressed with a large tie to cover the fact that he had been strangled.
Then, things happened very fast, and Catherine seized power before the Russians realized that she was a foreigner without any right to the throne.
A very strong personality, she conquered the Crimea, that so far had been in the hands of the Turks, accomplishing Peter the Great's dream.
About Charles, he conquered the North of Italy and part of Germany in the VIII century . He was very interested in extending the culture

Answer 3

well catherine the great is considered to be an elightened despot meaning she wanted reform. Charlemagne was a barbarian who provided changes that would benefit all like giving an education.

Answer 4

Catherine the great enjoyed sex with horses.

Answer 5

Both of them started wars to expand their empires. Both of them forced conquered peoples to convert to the state religion. Both of them are now dead.