Charlemagne: The Man and Ruler

We know a fair amount about Charles from the biography by Einhard, a scholar at his court and an admiring friend. Einhard stresses that Charles was very fond of all his family, friendly to "foreigners," lively, athletic, and strong-willed. Of course this view must be taken with a grain of salt due to the realization that Einhard held the king he had so loyally served in high esteem; but it still serves as an excellent …

…