Vita Karoli Magni = The Life of Charlemagne

Description

The Latin Text. With a New English Translation, Introduction, and Notes by Evelyn Scherabon Firchow and Edwin H. Zeydel. Einhard’s 'Vita Karoli Magni' is a unique document of the early Middle Ages, both from a historical and a literary point of view. It is a personal account by a close associate of the life, character, and achievements of the greatest ruler of his time, Charlemagne, a man who had a decisive impact on the history of Western Europe. Charlemagne’s character, wisdom, courage, and actions shaped the political map of Europe in a way that would decisively mark the trend of Western culture for centuries to come. This alone would explain why the study of his life remains perpetually fascinating to the general public as well as to the historian. But what of Charlemagne as a human being — what of his personal likes and dislikes, his relationships, the ordinary details of his everyday existence? These questions are answered in this concise biography by Einhard, who spent most of his life in the court as an associate and close friend of the emperor. We learn of a man who liked to dress modestly and felt uncomfortable when the occasion called for pomp and ceremony; a man who preferred hunting and swimming to any other form of recreation; and a man who, already a king and a mightv conqueror, accepted the imperial crown only because Pope Leo thrust it on him during a celebration in Rome. Charlemagne was a family man who loved his women and his children, yet he abandoned his first wife 'for unknown reasons' after a year of marriage and thereafter had several wives and concubines. A sincerely and deeply religious man, Charlemagne suffered silently because of the questionable behavior of his unmarried daughters. The biography contains many other details of the private life of Charlemagne without neglecting to describe his activities as a ruler of men and nations. This new translation is presented side-by-side with the original Latin text and is enhanced by the translators’ introduction, which tells us about Einhard’s life and clarifies questions that have been posed about his work. Illustrations 7 Preface 9 Introduction 13 Prologue 31 1. The Merovingians 35 2. Charles’ Ancestors 31 3. Charles Becomes King 39 4. Plan of This Work 41 5. War in Aquitaine 43 6. War with the Lombards 45 7. War with the Saxons 47 8. War with the Saxons (continued) 53 9. Expedition to Spain 55 10. Submission of the Bretons and Beneventians 57 11. Tassilo and the War with the Beneventians 59 12. War with the Slavs 6i 13. War with the Huns 63 14. War with the Danes 65 15. Conquests 67 16. Foreign Relations 69 17. Public Works 73 18. Private Life 75 19 Private Life (continued) 79 20. Conspiracies Against Charles 81 21. Treatment of Foreigners 83 22. Personal Appearance 87 23. Dress 89 24. Habits 91 25. Studies 93 26. Piety 95 27. Generosity 91 28. Charles Becomes Emperor 99 29. Reforms 99 30. Coronation of Louis and Charles’ Death 103 31. Burial 105 32. Omens of Death 105 33. Last Will 111 Notes 121 Selected Bibliography 141