of Savoy Family - Ourfolk



Empress Hildegard of Savoy (Charlemagne) 758 - 30 APR 783

Empress Hildegard was born on 758 in Aachen, Rhineland, Prussia and died on 30 APR 783 in Thionville, Austrasia .
She was the daughter of Count Gerold of Vinzgau, I (B: ABT 710) and Duchess Emma of Swabia (of Vinzgau) (ABT 736 - 798).

Empress Hildegard was married to Emporer Charles Charlemagne on ABT 772 in Aachen, Rhineland, Prussia.

Emporer Charles was born on 2 APR 747 in Aix La Chapelle, Austrasia and died on 29 Jan 813-29 Jan 814 (age: 65) in Aix la Chapelle, France .
He was the son of King Pepin I of France (714 - 24 SEP 768) and Countess Bertha of Laon (of France) (720 - 12 JUL 783).
View Family Chart

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 ParentsGrand Parents  
Bishop Herold of May
Count Gerold of Vinzgau, I (B: ABT 710)
Empress Hildegard of Savoy (Charlemagne)
Duke Nebi or Alemania (BEF 709 - 788)
Duchess Emma of Swabia (of Vinzgau) (ABT 736 - 798)
 


Husband - Charlemagne - Emporer Charles was born on 2 APR 747 in Aix La Chapelle, Austrasia and died on 29 Jan 813-29 Jan 814 (age: 65) in Aix la Chapelle, France


Husband - Statute of Charlemagne, Notre-Dame, Paris

- Emporer Louis was born on AUG 778 in Casseneuil, France and died on 20 JUN 840 in Mainz, Germany


- King Pepin was born on APR 777 in of Aachenn, Rhineland, Prussia and died on 8 JUL 810 in Milan, Italy


- Count Gerold, I was born on ABT 710 in Aachen, Rhineland, Prussia


- Duchess Emma was born on ABT 736 in Aachen, Rhineland, Prussia and died on 798




-- Empress Hildegard --
Charlemagne married Hildegard in 771 after divorcing Desideria. With her, he had most of his
children and all of his heirs. She was the daughter of an Alemani duke.


-- Emporer Charles --
In 768, when Charlemagne was 26, he and his brother Carloman inherited
the kingdom of the Franks. In 771 Carloman died, and Charlemagne became
sole ruler of the kingdom. At that time the Franks were falling back into
barbarian ways, neglecting their education and religion. The Saxons of
northern Europe were still pagans. In the south, the Roman Catholic church
was asserting its power to recover land confiscated by the Lombard
kingdom of Italy. Europe was in turmoil.

CHARLEMAGNE (742?-814). 'By the sword and the cross,' Charlemagne (Charles the Great) became master of Western Europe. It was falling into decay when Charlemagne became joint king of the Franks in 768. Except in the monasteries, people had all but forgotten education and the arts. Boldly Charlemagne conquered barbarians and kings alike. By restoring the roots of learning and order, he preserved many political rights and revived culture.
Charlemagne's grandfather was Charles Martel, the warrior who crushed the Saracens. Charlemagne was the elder son of Bertrade ('Bertha Greatfoot') and Pepin the Short, first 'mayor of the palace' to become king of the Franks. Although schools had almost disappeared in the 8th century, historians believe that Bertrade gave young Charles some education and that he learned to read. His devotion to the church motivated him throughout life.
Charlemagne was tall, powerful, and tireless. His secretary, Eginhard, wrote that Charlemagne had fair hair and a 'face laughing and merry . . . his appearance was always stately and dignified.' He had a ready wit, but could be stern. His tastes were simple and moderate. He delighted in hunting, riding, and swimming. He wore the Frankish dress--linen shirt and breeches, a silk-fringed tunic, hose wrapped with bands, and, in winter, a tight coat of otter or marten skins. Over all these garments 'he flung a blue cloak, and he always had a sword girt about him.'
Charlemagne's character was contradictory. In an age when the usual penalty for defeat was death, Charlemagne several times spared the lives of his defeated foes; yet in 782 at Verden, after a Saxon uprising, he ordered 4,500 Saxons beheaded. He compelled the clergy and nobles to reform, but he divorced two of his four wives without any cause. He forced kings and princes to kneel at his feet, yet his mother and his two favorite wives often overruled him in his own household.
Charlemagne Begins His Reign

Charlemagne was determined to strengthen his realm and to bring order to Europe. In 772 he launched a 30-year campaign that conquered and Christianized the powerful pagan Saxons in the north. He subdued the Avars, a huge Tatar tribe on the Danube. He compelled the rebellious Bavarian dukes to submit to him.

When possible he preferred to settle matters peacefully, however. For example, Charlemagne offered to pay the Lombard king Desiderius for return of lands to the pope, but, when Desiderius refused, Charlemagne seized his kingdom in 773 to 774 and restored the Papal States.

The key to Charlemagne's amazing conquests was his ability to organize. During his reign he sent out more than 50 military expeditions. He rode as commander at the head of at least half of them. He moved his armies over wide reaches of country with unbelievable speed, but every move was planned in advance. Before a campaign he told the counts, princes, and bishops throughout his realm how many men they should bring, what arms they were to carry, and even what to load in the supply wagons. These feats of organization and the swift marches later led Napoleon to study his tactics.

One of Charlemagne's minor campaigns has become the most famous. In 778 he led his army into Spain, where they laid siege to Saragossa. They failed to take the city, and during their retreat a group of Basques ambushed the rear guard at Roncesvalles and killed 'Count Roland.' Roland became a great hero of medieval songs and romances.

By 800 Charlemagne was the undisputed ruler of Western Europe. His vast realm covered what are now France, Switzerland, Belgium, and the Netherlands. It included half of present-day Italy and Germany, part of Austria, and the Spanish March ('border'). The broad March reached to the Ebro River. By thus establishing a central government over Western Europe, Charlemagne restored much of the unity of the old Roman Empire and paved the way for the development of modern Europe.
Crowned Emperor

On Christmas Day in 800, while Charlemagne knelt in prayer in St. Peter's in Rome, Pope Leo III seized a golden crown from the altar and placed it on the bowed head of the king. The throng in the church shouted, 'To Charles the August, crowned by God, great and pacific emperor, long life and victory!'

Charlemagne is said to have been surprised by the coronation, declaring that he would not have come into the church had he known the pope's plan. However, some historians say the pope would not have dared to act without Charlemagne's knowledge.

The coronation was the foundation of the Holy Roman Empire. Though Charlemagne did not use the title, he is considered the first Holy Roman emperor (see Holy Roman Empire).
Reform and Renaissance
Charlemagne had deep sympathy for the peasants and believed that government should be for the benefit of the governed. When he came to the throne, various local governors, called 'counts,' had become lax and oppressive. To reform them, he expanded the work of investigators, called missi dominici. He prescribed their duties in documents called capitularies and sent them out in teams of two--a churchman and a noble. They rode to all parts of the realm, inspecting government, administering justice, and reawakening all citizens to their civil and religious duties.

Twice a year Charlemagne summoned the chief men of the empire to discuss its affairs. In all problems he was the final arbiter, even in church issues, and he largely unified church and state.

Charlemagne was a tireless reformer who tried to improve his people's lot in many ways. He set up money standards to encourage commerce, tried to build a Rhine-Danube canal, and urged better farming methods. He especially worked to spread education and Christianity in every class of people.

He revived the Palace School at Aachen, his capital. He set up other schools, opening them to peasant boys as well as nobles.

Charlemagne never stopped studying. He brought an English monk, Alcuin, and other scholars to his court. He learned to read Latin and some Greek but apparently did not master writing. At meals, instead of having jesters perform, he listened to men reading from learned works.

To revive church music, Charlemagne had monks sent from Rome to train his Frankish singers. To restore some appreciation of art, he brought valuable pieces from Italy. An impressive monument to his religious devotion is the cathedral at Aachen, which he built and where he was buried.

At Charlemagne's death in 814 only one of his three sons, Louis, was living. Louis's weak rule brought on the rise of civil wars and revolts. After his death his three quarreling sons split the empire between them by the Partition of Verdun in 843.


- King Pepin, I was born on ABT 803 in France and died on 13 DEC 835


- Princess Adelahide was born on ABT 800 in Of, Tours, France and died on AFT 866


- Emperor Lothaire was born on 795 in Of, Altdorf, Bavaria and died on 29 SEP 855 in Pruem, Rheinland, Prussia


- Emperor Charles was born on 13 JUN 823 in Frankfurt, Hessen-Nassau, Prussia and died on 6 OCT 877 (age: 54) in Brides Les Bains, Bourgogne, France


- Princess Gisela was born on ABT 820 in Of, Frankfort, Hesse Nassau, Prussia and died on AFT 1 JUL 874


- Gisele was born on 820 and died on 1 JUL 874


- King Bernard was born on 797 in Of, Vermandois, Austrasia and died on 17 APR 818 in Milan, Italy




- King Robert was born on ABT 860 in Of, Bourgogne, France and died on 15 JUN 923 in Soissons, France



- King Louis was born on 822 in Alsace-Lorraine, France and died on 875


- Duchess Ermengarde was born on ABT 832 in Alsace-Lorraine


- King Lothaire was born on ABT 835 in Alsace-Lorraine and died on 7 AUG 869 in Plaisance, Italy



- Princess Judith was born on 844 in France and died on AFT 870


- King Louis was born on 1 NOV 843 in France and died on 10 APR 879 (age: 35) in Compiaegne, Neustria


- Conte Unrouch was born on ABT 842 in Of, Friuli, Italy and died on AFT 874


- Berengar, I was born on 850 and died on 7 APR 924


- Count Pepin was born on ABT 818 in Of, Vermandois, Neustria and died on AFT 840 in Milan, Italy



- Duke Nebi was born on BEF 709 and died on 788




Last change (on this page): 15 OCT 2018