| [pending revision] | [pending revision] |
Content deleted Content added
m Reverted edits by 85.85.12.3 to last version by Inter |
|||
Line 3:
'''Charlemagne''' (c. [[742]] or [[747]] – [[January 28]], [[814]]) (or '''Charles the Great''', in [[German language|German]] '''Karl der Große''', in [[Latin]] '''Carolus Magnus''', giving rise to the adjective form "Carolingian"), was king of the [[Franks]] from [[771]] to [[814]], nominally King of the [[Lombards]], and [[Holy Roman Emperor]] — [[Imperator]] and [[Augustus]].
== Date of birth ==
Charlemagne's birthday was believed to be [[April 1]], [[742]], but several factors led to reconsideration of this traditional date. First, the year 742 was calculated from his age given at death, rather than attested with primary sources. Second, 742 precedes the marriage of his parents (in 744), yet there is no indication that Charlemagne was born out of wedlock, and he inherited from his parents. Another date is given in the ''Annales Petarienses'', the [[April 2]], [[747]]. In that year, [[April 1]] is [[Easter]]. Since the birth of an Emperor on Easter is a coincidence likely to provoke comment, but there is no such comment documented in 747, leading some to suspect the Easter birthday was a pious fiction concocted as a way of honoring the Emperor. Other commentators weighing the primary records have suggested that the birth was one year later, 748. So at present, it is impossible to be certain of the date of the birth of Charlemagne. The best guesses include [[April 1]], [[747]], after [[April 15]], [[747]], or [[April 1]], [[748]].
== Life ==
| |||