Charlemagne, sometimes referred to as Charles the Great, was a mighty ruler who, by the end of his life, reigned over the vast Carolingian Empire that spanned across Europe. He became king of the Franks in 768 and set off on his quest to expand his domain, conquering much of Europe during his 46-year reign. During his life, he laid the foundations for an empire that would last for nearly a millennium and established a new kind of rulership that would inspire a new generation of European kings, reshaping monarchical rule across the continent.
In the centuries before Charlemagne was born, the Roman Empire dominated the political and geographical landscape of Western Europe. However, in the 4th century Roman influence in Europe drastically diminished as the Germanic-speaking peoples repeatedly fought against Rome's control. One of these groups, the Franks, many of whom had settled in Gaul (modern-day France and parts of Belgium, western Germany and northern Italy) after various uprisings against the Romans had been defeated, consolidated their authority under the rule of a series of kings. The Merovingian Dynasty invaded neighbouring territories, defeating tribes to the south such as the Burgundians and Visigoths, to expand their growing kingdom.
“CHARLEMAGNE UTILISED VIOLENCE TO ASSERT HIS POWER OVER HIS SUBJECTS”
However, by the end of the 7th century, the Merovingian kings held little power and authority over their lands. The Frankish territories were very rarely united under a single
