The birth of the Holy Roman Empire—and the unlikely king who ruled it. The fall of Rome led to chaos in Western Europe. Enter Carolus Magnus, more commonly known as Charlemagne, who sought to ...

Charlemagne, the 7th-century king of the Franks, had about 20 children who went on to establish Europe’s royal houses and populate most of Europe.

Charlemagne, or Charles the Great, ruled over the vast Carolingian empire that spanned Europe during the Dark Ages. He became king of the Franks in A.D. 768 and conquered much of Europe during his ...

The illuminated manuscripts of the Court School of Charlemagne are amongst the preeminent highlights of medieval culture. The most important artists and scholars of the epoch gathered at Charlemagne's ...