Summary: The Life Of Charlemagne

Primary Source Paper 2 The Life of Charlemagne was written by Einhard a little after Charlemagne death in 814. Einhard wrote the biography to make sure that Charlemagne’s legacy would not be forgotten. He would list many points in this biography, but I’ve decided to only point out three of them. These three chapters are his deeds, his family life, and his life with the Christian religion. All the points described the legacy Charlemagne left behind. The first point in this source was Charlemagne’s deeds. Charlemagne waged many wars during his time as king. The first of the war was against the Aquitaine. “Of all the wars he waged, [Charles] began first [in 769] with the one against the Aquitaine, which his father started, but left

Charles father Pippen, the king before Charles, die in 768. After his death Charles and his bother Carloman became co-ruler. Einhard would example Charles relationship with his brother. “After the death of his father [in 768], when he was sharing the kingdom with his brother [Carloman], he endured the pettiness and jealousy of his brother with such great patience, that it seemed remarkable to all that he could be provoked to anger by him” (18). Charles relationship with his brother was decent, however his relationship. Charles had great respect for his mother. “He treated her with great respect, to the point that there was never any trouble between, except over the divorce of King Desiderius’s daughter, whom he had married at her urging” (18). After her death Charles buried her in St-Denis, which is the same where his father was laid to rest. Charlemagne also care about his children. He thought that all his kids should be educated starting with the liberal arts. He also kept all his children very close. Every time he was at home he would eat with them, and when he wasn’t at home he would take his kids with him. He also never allowed any of his daughters to

“With great piety and devotion [ Charles] followed the Christian religion, in which he had been reared from infancy.” “For this reason he constructed a church of stunning beauty at Aachen and adorned it with gold and silver, with lamps, grillwork, and doors made of solid bronze” (26). Charles was very committed to helping the poor with charity. Not only did he give to the poor in his own land but he gave to the poor overseas. Einhard quoted an example on his charity. “When he learned that the Christians in Jerusalem, Alexandria, and Carthage were living in poverty, he was moved by their impoverished condition and used to send money.” “It was chiefly for this reason that he struck up friendships with the kings overseas, so that the poor Christians living under their rule might receive some relief and assistance” (27). Not only did Charles help the poor but Charles but also he also helps renovate the church of St. Peters the Apostle. Charles loved the church however he only visited this church a total of four to during his reign as king. Charles last visit to Rome was to help restore the state of the church. The reason was because Roman residents attack Pope Leo the third and inflecting many injuries including cutting his tongue off and ripping his eyes out. This caused Charles to go to Rome, and spent the next three years trying to resolve the conflict. During those