Alcuin - Tutor:
Poet, historian and educator,
Alcuin
became private tutor to Charlemagne and head of the palace school at
Aachen. He made important reforms in the Catholic liturgy, brought
Anglo-Saxon traditions of humanism into Europe, and was the foremost
scholar of the Carolingian Renaissance. He encouraged the use of
"Carolingian minuscule," but whether he actually invented the
alphabet himself is unknown.
Einhard - Biographer:
This trusted friend and advisor to Charles also had architectural skill, and he participated in Charlemagne's court and school. After the emperor's death Einhard wrote a biography of him which, while admiring and clearly biased, nevertheless remains a valuable source of information about Charles and his world. It was also the first medieval biography of a non-ecclesiastical individual.
Paul the Deacon - Advisor:
This Lombard historian and poet was once involved in a plot against the conqueror of his people, but after his verses persuaded Charles to free his brother from captivity, he became a member of Charlemagne's court and took part in the Frankish king's palace school. There he engaged in learned discussion with Charlemagne, Alcuin and Einhard. Paul the Deacon retired to the abbey of Montecassino and wrote an important history of the Lombards.
Desiderius - Lombard King:
King of the Lombards, Desiderius broke his agreement with Charlemagne when he aided Carloman's widow and children. It was the pressure that Desiderius put on the pope to anoint Carloman's sons as Frankish kings that caused Charlemagne to come to the pope's aid and attack Lombardy, which he eventually conquered.
Widukind - Saxon Leader:
For a time in the midst of the Saxon wars, Widukind was able to unify his people somewhat against Charlemagne. It was a revolt led by Widukind that led to the horrific execution of 4,500 Saxon prisoners. Widukind would eventually submit to Charlemagne and spend the rest of his life in a monastery, although it would be another 20 years before the Saxons were finally subdued.
Popes:
Stephen II: anointed Charles and Carloman as kings when he
visited Pepin and sought his aid against the Lombards
Adrian I: turned to Charlemagne for help when Desiderius
tried to force him to recognize Carloman's children as the rightful
heirs of Francia
Leo III: attacked in the streets of Rome, Leo
III fled to Charlemagne for aid. After setting things straight
back in Rome, Leo crowned Charlemagne emperor
Family:
Pippin - Father: Known as Pippin the Short (sometimes spelled "Pepin"),
Charlemagne's father Pippin
III was the first Carolingian to take the title "King of the
Franks." He acquired Aquitaine, and took Charles along with him on
some of his campaigns. Following the Frankish tradition of
gavelkind, he divided his kingdom equally between his sons
upon his death, fracturing what he had put together
Bertrada - Mother: (Also spelled Berthrada.) Charlemagne's mother
was something of a peacemaker between her two sons, but she also
appeared to favor Charles more than his younger brother.
Carloman - Brother: Carloman was a much less effective leader than
his older brother Charles, who forged alliances against him
with the king of the Lombards, Desiderius, and with his cousin
Tassilo, Duke of Bavaria. Carloman's death at such a young age was
unexpected, but foul play was never seriously considered.
Louis I - Son & Heir: Known as Louis
the Pious, Charlemagne's sole surviving legitimate son would
inherit all of the lands that Charles had conquered and controlled.
But, like his grandfather before him (and just as his father would
have done if any of Louis' brothers had lived), Louis divided the
lands among his sons according to the tradition of
gavelkind.
Charlemagne Study Guide
