CHARLEMAGNE, CHARLES THE

GREAT, CHARLES I. (742-814), King of the Franks, Emperor of the West, and perhaps greatest figure of the Middle Ages; s. of Peppin the Short, King of the Franks, and Bertha, dau. of Count Charibert of Laon; place of his birth unknown, and it is uncertain whether his parents were then married. In 768 King Peppin divided his kingdom between his sons, Charles and Carlo man, and on the latter’s death in 771 the elder son became sole King of the Franks. In 772 he conducted a war against the Saxons, who threatened the Frankish frontiers, and advanced as far as the Weser, when he was recalled to the aid of Pope Adrian I., who was in conflict with Desiderius, the Lombard king. ©. had married a dau. of this monarch, but repudiated her because she bore him no offspring, afterwards uniting himself with Hildegarde, an Alemannian prince . Desiderius was endeavoring to compel the Pope by force of arms to establish the sons of Carlo man in their f.’s territory. C. cro ed the Alps with two large armies, and succeeded in conquering the Lombard kingdom, 774, which he added to his po e ions. During the years immediately following he was constantly engaged in warfare. He won @ victory over the Saxons, who acknowledged him as their king; was called to Spain, 778, as intermediary between the Moors and Arabs, where he secured considerable territory, but lost Roland, Oliver, and other knights in the famous fight at the Pa of Roncesvalles. On Christmas Day, 800, C. was crowned emperor by Pope Leo III., and saluted as Carolus August us; the remaining years of his life were chiefly devoted to the consolidation of his great empire, and an attempt to revive Rom. civilization, encouraging Alcuin (g¢.v.) in establishment of schools and commencing codification of the laws in the famous Capitularies; buried at his capital, Aachen; his empire was soon after his death dismembered. In personal appearance C. is said to have been tall and of a robust frame, with handsome features. He was sparing in his diet, loved hunting and other manly exercises, and was devoted to his children. ‘Though he was unable to write, he read Latin and Greek, and was greatly interested in history and astronomy. As a soldier his succe es were due rather to his ability as an organizer than personal brilliance in the field. His descendants, the ‘Caroling i ans,’ reigned over France until the death of Louis V. 985. His exploits, real and imaginary, were the subject of a cycle of romance. FEILD, iST EARL OF (1728-99), Irish statesman; man of fearle and resolute character, with literary and artistic tastes; prominently a ociated with Grattan in the a ertion of Irish independence.