Section 2 Unit 8 -- The Many Faces of Charlamagne

Medieval documents have provided historians with considerable detailed information about the life and reign of Charlemagne. The author of Document A was Charlemagne’s personal biographer, who was a student of Alcuin at the

Palace School at Aachen. He worked for Charlemagne loyally for 23 years and wrote Charlemagne’s biography after Charlemagne died. Document C was written by the Monk of Saint Gall at the request of the royal family about 70 years after Charlemagne’s death.

Document A

“Charles spent much time learning rhetoric (logic) and dialectic

(speaking/argumentation), and especially astronomy, from Alcuin. He learnt, too, the art of reckoning (math), and scrutinized most carefully the course of the stars.

He tried also to learn to write, and for this purpose used to carry with him tablets and writing sheets that he might in his spare moments accustom himself to the formation of letters. But he made little advance in this strange task, which was begun too late in life.”

-- From The Lift of Charlemagne by Einhard ​ ​

Document B

<< This image of Charlemagne was painted by a German artist in the 1500’s C.E

Document C

“Once when he was on a journey Charlemagne came unheralded (unannounced) to a certain town which lies on the seashore in Southern Gaul. While he sat eating his supper in disguise, a raiding party of Northmen Viking made a piratical attack on the harbour of this town. As their ships came in the night, some said that they were merchants, Charlemagne in his wisdom knew better. From the build of the ships and their speed through the water he recognized them as enemies rather than merchants. ‘Those ships are not loaded with goods,’ he said to his men. ‘They are loaded with savage enemies.’ His men rushed off to the ships at full speed, each striving to be the first to reach them. They were no successful. As soon as the Northmen learned that the man whom they were accustomed to call Charles the Hammer was in the neighborhood, they sailed away at incredible speed.’

-- From Charlemagne by Notker the Stammerer, the Monk of Saint Gall

Document D

This image of Charlegmagne on the battlefield was created about 1215 C.E. It is at the cathedral in Aachen, Germany, where Charlemagne is buried.

Questions! Answer on a separate sheet of paper -- Write Out The Multiple Choice Response You Pick Or No Credit

1) The description of Charlemagne in Document A reveals that he A) Did not care about mathematics B) Tried hard to educate himself C) Was a great scholar D) Was a poor student

2) Which of the following statements best reflects what the author of Document C wants to convey about Charlemagne? A) Both his men and his enemies fear him B) He is a knowledgeable and poweful military leader C) He is wise and willing to take personal risks D) He is powerful but has poor judgement

3) Documents B and C best support the statement that A) Later EUropeans admired Charlemagne B) Charlemagne was a great King C) Charlemagne was admired during his lifetime D) All Europeans admire Charlemagne

4) Written Response! Think about document A. Look at the source of the document (explained in the ​ ​ introductory paragraph). Do you think the source of Document A is a reliable source? In other words, what bias might the source have given who he was?