Charlemagne and his influence on the late medieval French kings

Abstract

This article studies the image and role of Charlemagne as seen in the reigns of the late medieval French kings. The evolution of Charlemagne's presentation from that of a warrior-king to that of a saint will be examined. This clear evolution in the portrait of Charlemagne can be attributed to the historical goings on during the composition of the late historical prose narratives in which he figures. A brief survey of how Charlemagne influenced the reign of each of the late medieval French kings will provide the background needed to understand the context in which this evolution was effected. The importance of the Descriptio, a tale about Charlemagne and his role in obtaining the relics of Christ's Passion, as well as the importance of the twelfth-century canonization of Charlemagne by the anti-pope Pascal III, will be explored as reinforcing the nascent idea of French nationalism. This new emphasis on Charlemagne as a Christian sovereign also leads to his being presented as a model of royal ethics held up for kings and princes to imitate.