CHARLEMAGNE and Desiderata

Life Stories for Young People

CHARLEMAGNE

Translated from the German of
Ferdinand Schmidt

BY
GEORGE P. UPTON

Author of “Musical Memories,” “Standard Operas,” etc.
Translator of “Memories,” “Immensee,” etc.

WITH FIVE ILLUSTRATIONS

CHICAGO
A. C. McCLURG & CO.
1910

Copyright
A. C. McClurg & Co.
1910
Published September 24, 1910

THE • PLIMPTON • PRESS
[W • D • O]
NORWOOD • MASS • U • S • A

Translator’s Preface

Charlemagne, or Charles the Great, mightwell have been entitled Charles the Greatest.He was great in war and great in peace—agreat conqueror, great law-maker, great scholar,great organizer, great civilizer. He subdued savagenations, introduced learning, extended religion, encouragedthe arts and sciences, and established oneof the mightiest empires of the olden times. Allthe races of Germany, of Italy, and of France werewelded by him into one great monarchy. He maintainedand extended the influence of Christian culture.A large part of his life was spent in the field,and yet he found time for the political establishmentand development of a great empire, for thereorganization of the Church, for the promotion ofeducation, for the conservation of classic culture,and for an astonishing display of many-sided activity.Gibbon, the historian, says of him:

“The dignity of his person, the length of his reign, theprosperity of his arms, the vigor of his government, andthe reverence of distant nations, distinguish him fromthe royal crowd: and Europe dates a new era from hisrestoration of the Western Empire.”

He was a monarch whose life was characterizedby extraordinary activity and energy, by nobilityof purpose and wisdom in administration, and bya constructive genius and innate capacity for wiseand generous ruling, which have rarely been foundin “the royal crowd.” As one of the most conspicuousfigures in history, the events of his life as narratedin this volume deserve careful study at thehands of youth.

G. P. U.

Chicago, July 1910.

Contents

Chapter Page

I Ingelheim 11

II Retrospect 20

III Charlemagne and Desiderius 30

IV ...