so guys since we are here at aachen
let me tell you a brief history about the life of charlemagne its most famous resident
charlemagne's name came from the french Charles-le-magne meaning charles the great
he was a medieval emperor who ruled much of western europe and founded the holy roman empire
he ruled between 768-814
early life
charlemagne was born around 742 the son of Bertrada of Laon and Pepin in the Short who became
king of the franks in 751 charlemagne's exact birthplace is unknown although historians have
suggested leige in present-day belgium and aachen in modern-day germany as possible locations similarly
little is known about his childhood and education although as an adult he displayed
a talent for languages and could speak latin and understand greek among other languages
after pepin's death in 768 the frankish kingdom was divided between charlemagne and his younger
brother carloman the brothers had a strained relationship however with carloman's death in 771
charlemagne became the sole ruler of the Franconians
charlemagne expands his kingdom
once in power charlemagne sought to unite all the germanic peoples into one kingdom
and convert his subjects to christianity in order to carry out his mission he spent the majority of
his reign engaged in military campaigns soon after becoming king he conquered the lombards
in present-day northern italy the avars in modern day austria and hungary and bavaria among others
charlemagne waged a bloody three decades long series of battles against the saxons
a germanic tribe of pagan worshipers and earned a reputation of ruthlessness in 782 at the
massacre of verden charlemagne reportedly ordered the slaughter of some 4500 saxons
he eventually forces saxons to convert to christianity
and declare that anyone who didn't get baptized or follow other christian traditions be put to death
charlemagne's family
in his personal life charlemagne had multiple wives and mistresses and perhaps as many
as 18th children he was reportedly a devoted father who encouraged his children's education
he allegedly loved his daughters so much that he prohibited them from marrying while he was alive
Einhard a frankish scholar and contemporary of charlemagne wrote a biography of the emperor
after his death in the work titled vita karoli magni or "life of charles the great" he described
charlemagne as a broad and strong in form of his body and exceptionally tall without however
exceeding inappropriate measure his appearance was impressive whether he was sitting or standing
despite having a neck that was fat and too short in a large belly
charlemagne as an emperor
in his role as a zealous defender of christianity
charlemagne gave money and land to the christian church and protected the popes
as a way to acknowledge charlemagne's power and reinforce his relationship with the church
pope leo the third crowned him emperor of the romans on december 25th 800 at saint peter's
basilica in rome as emperor charlemagne proved to be the talented diplomat and able administrator of
the vast area he controlled he promoted education and encouraged the carolingian renaissance
a period of renewed emphasis on scholarship and culture he instituted economic and religious
reforms and was a driving force behind the carolingian miniscule
a standardized form of writing that later became a basis for modern european printed alphabets
charlemagne ruled from a number of cities and palaces but spent significant time in aachen his
palace there included a school for which he recruited the best teachers in the land
in addition to learning charlemagne was interested in athletic pursuits
known to be highly energetic he enjoyed hunting horseback riding and swimming aachen held particular
appeal for him due to its therapeutic warm springs charlamagne's death and succession
according to Einhard charlemagne was in good health until the final four years of his life
when he often suffered from fevers and acquired a limp
however as the biographer notes even at this time he followed his own counsel rather than the
advice of his doctors whom he very nearly hated because they advised him to give up roasted meat
which he loved and to restrict himself to boiled meat instead
in 1813 charlemagne crowned his son louis the pious king of Aquitaine
as co-emperor louis became sole emperor when charlemagne died in january 1814
ending his reign of more than four decades at the time of his death his empire considered much
of western europe charlemagne was buried at the cathedral of aachen
in the ensuing decades his empire was divided among his heirs
and by the late 1800s it had dissolved in 1165 under emperor frederick barbarossa charlemagne
was canonized for political reasons however the church today does not recognize his sainthood
today emperor charlemagne is referred by some as the father of europe
charlemagne was important for the concept of europe
for he united most of western europe for the first time since the classical era of the roman empire
and united parts of europe that had never been under frankish or roman rule he hinged aggressive
evangelization of christianity developing the rules of the feudal system encouraging reading
and writing throughout his empire developing commerce with a unified monetary system building
an empire that came closer to rivaling rome than any other that claimed the same ancient legacy
lastly he was a patron of the first renaissance
of classical antiquity and thus a savior of western culture
so now you learn something about charlamagne the famous resident of aachen
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