Charlemagne

American  

[shahr-luh-meyn, shar-luh-man-y^uh] / ˈʃɑr ləˌmeɪn, ʃar ləˈman yə /

noun

1. Charles the Great, a.d. 742–814, king of the Franks 768–814; as Charles I, emperor of the Holy Roman Empire 800–814.

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Charlemagne British  

/ ˈʃɑːləˌmeɪn /

noun

1. ?742–814 _ad , king of the Franks (768–814) and, as Charles I, Holy Roman Emperor (800–814). He conquered the Lombards (774), the Saxons (772–804), and the Avars (791–799). He instituted many judicial and ecclesiastical reforms, and promoted commerce and agriculture throughout his empire, which extended from the Ebro to the Elbe. Under Alcuin his court at Aachen became the centre of a revival of learning

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Charlemagne Cultural  

1. The first emperor of the Holy Roman Empire; his name means “Charles the Great.” Charlemagne was king of France in the late eighth and early ninth centuries and was crowned emperor in 800. He is especially remembered for his encouragement of education.

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Throughout the Middle Ages, Charlemagne was considered a model for Christian rulers.

Example Sentences

Charlemagne, the king of the Franks, addressed Offa as an equal, calling him brother.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026

Former European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi has won the annual Charlemagne prize for promoting European unity, organisers said Saturday, as they warned that Europe needs to urgently boost its economy.

From Barron's • Jan. 17, 2026

The period under review is 800 to 1600 — the long Middle Ages, a stretch that roughly spans the death of Emperor Charlemagne and the end of the Renaissance.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 22, 2024

In a surviving letter sent to Offa in 796, Charlemagne discussed trade in commodities as well as political exiles.

From Science Daily • Apr. 8, 2024

But the unification of Europe has resisted the efforts of such determined conquerors as Charlemagne, Napoleon, and Hitler; even the Roman Empire at its peak never controlled more than half of Europe’s area.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond