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Charlemagne was the eldest child of Pepin the Short (Pippin III), King of the Franks, and Bertrada of Laon. The exact date of his birth is disputed, with his courtier and later biographer Einhard placing his birth at about 742. However, some scholars believe other evidence suggests he was born April 2, 748. Image Credit: http://cdn.history.com/sites/2/2013/11/charlemagne-hero-AB.jpeg
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After Pippin III’s death, Charlemagne and his brother Carloman inherited the Frankish crown. The relationship between the brothers was strained. Carloman died in 771, leaving Charlemagne as the sole king of the Franks. Image Credit: http://www.route-charlemagne.eu/stationen/Dom/index.html?lang=EN.
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Charlemagne forms an alliance with Desiderius, king of the Lombards, by marrying Desiderata, daughter of Desiderius. After the death of Charlemagne’s brother Carloman in 771, Charlemagne became sole king of the Franks and had his marriage to Desiderata annulled and repudiated his alliance with King Desiderius. He then married Hildegard of Vinzgouw who bore him his successor Louis the Pious. Image Credit: http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CX--KKSSBRE/Vi9PE1OrPGI/AAAAAAAAy-s/i6mJJxFeaa8/s1600/karldergro
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From 772 to 804, Charlemagne engaged in forcible mass conversions of the Saxons to Christianity, with large scale deportations and mass killings of prisoners. Image Credit: http://www.medievalists.net/2014/02/02/was-charlemagne-a-mass-murderer/charlemagne-widikund/
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After repudiating King Desiderius, Charlemagne lays siege to the Lombards in Pavia, Italy and travels to Rome to meet with Pope Hadrian. After Desiderius finally submits, Charlemagne declares himself ruler of the Lombard kingdom. Image Credit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlemagne#/media/File:Charlemagne_and_Pope_Adrian_I.jpg
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Charlemagne has two of his sons (Pippin and Louis), whom he had with his second wife Hildegard, anointed and crowned in Rome by Pope Hadrian I. Pippin is named king of the Lombards and Louis is named king of the Aquitanians. Image Credit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlemagne#/media/File:Charlemagne_et_Louis_le_Pieux.jpg
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During the continued conflict with the Saxons, Charlemagne takes revenge by beheading 4,500 Saxon prisoners in a single day due to their rebellion against the Franks. Image Credit: http://hoocher.com/Charlamagne/Charlemagne.html
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In 787 to 788, Bavaria is forcible annexed resulting in an expansion of Charlemagne’s empire and leading to confrontation with the Avars, Asiatic nomads whose empire lies next to Bavaria. Charlemagne’s forces eventually defeat the Avars and convert the Avars and their former Slavic subjects to Christianity. Image Credit: http://hoocher.com/Charlamagne/Charlemagne.html
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At Christmas mass Charlemagne is crowned in the basilica of Saint Peter in Rome as the first Holy Rome Emperor by Pope Leo III. The coronation was controversial at the time and according to Charlemagne’s courtier and later biographer Einhard, took Charlemagne by surprise. Einhard wrote that had Charlemagne known of the pope’s plan, he would not have entered the church that day. Image Credit: http://new-webacademy.com/ai1ec_event/2014-charlemagne-year-charlemagneaachen/?instance_id
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In declining health and apparently sensing his days were numbered, Charlemagne crowns his son Louis the Pious, King of Aquitaine, as Co-Emperor. Image Credit: http://www.britannica.com/biography/Louis-I-Holy-Roman-emperor
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After several years of poor health, Charlemagne dies of pleurisy at Aachen, and his empire is passed down to Louis the Pious. Image Credit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palace_of_Aachen#/media/File:Ottmarsheim_7.JPG
