Legends of Charlemagne | Page 6

hundred of the Franks. Charles
received the surname of Martel (the Hammer) in consequence of this
victory.
The Saracens, notwithstanding this severe blow, continued to hold their
ground in the south of France; but Pepin, the son of Charles Martel,
who succeeded to his father's power, and assumed the title of king,
successively took from them the strong places they held; and in 759, by
the capture of Narbonne, their capital, extinguished the remains of their
power in France.
Charlemagne, or Charles the Great, succeeded his father, Pepin, on the
throne in the year 768. This prince, though the hero of numerous
romantic legends, appears greater in history than in fiction. Whether we
regard him as a warrior or as a legislator, as a patron of learning or as
the civilizer of a barbarous nation, he is entitled to our warmest
admiration. Such he is in history; but the romancers represent him as
often weak and passionate, the victim of treacherous counsellors, and at
the mercy of turbulent barons, on whose prowess he depends for the

maintenance of his throne. The historical representation is doubtless the
true one, for it is handed down in trustworthy records, and is confirmed
by the events of the age. At the height of his power, the French empire
extended over what we now call France, Germany, Switzerland,
Holland, Belgium, and great part of Italy.
In the year 800 Charlemagne, being in Rome, whither he had gone with
a numerous army to protect the Pope, was crowned by the Pontiff
Emperor of the West. On Christmas day Charles entered the Church of
St. Peter, as if merely to take his part in the celebration of the mass
with the rest of the congregation. When he approached the altar and
stooped in the act of prayer the Pope stepped forward and placed a
crown of gold upon his head; and immediately the Roman people
shouted, "Life and victory to Charles the August, crowned by God the
great and pacific Emperor of the Romans." The Pope then prostrated
himself before him, and paid him reverence, according to the custom
established in the times of the ancient Emperors, and concluded the
ceremony by anointing him with consecrated oil.
Charlemagne's wars were chiefly against the pagan and barbarous
people, who, under the name of Saxons, inhabited the countries now
called Hanover and Holland. He also led expeditions against the
Saracens of Spain; but his wars with the Saracens were not carried on,
as the romances assert, in France, but on the soil of Spain. He entered
Spain by the Eastern Pyrenees, and made an easy conquest of
Barcelona and Pampeluna. But Saragossa refused to open her gates to
him, and Charles ended by negotiating and accepting a vast sum of
gold as the price of his return over the Pyrenees.
On his way back, he marched with his whole army through the gorges
of the mountains by way of the valleys of Engui, Eno, and
Roncesvalles. The chief of this region had waited upon Charlemagne,
on his advance, as a faithful vassal of the monarchy; but now, on the
return of the Franks, he had called together all the wild mountaineers
who acknowledged him as their chief, and they occupied the heights of
the mountains under which the army had to pass. The main body of the
troops met with no obstruction, and received no intimation of danger;

but the rear-guard, which was considerably behind, and encumbered
with its plunder, was overwhelmed by the mountaineers in the pass of
Roncesvalles, and slain to a man. Some of the bravest of the Prankish
chiefs perished on this occasion, among whom is mentioned Roland or
Orlando, governor of the marches or frontier of Brittany. His name
became famous in after times, and the disaster of Roncesvalles and
death of Roland became eventually the most celebrated episode in the
vast cycle of romance.
Though after this there were hostile encounters between the armies of
Charlemagne and the Saracens, they were of small account, and
generally on the soil of Spain. Thus the historical foundation for the
stories of the romancers is but scanty, unless we suppose the events of
an earlier and of a later age to be incorporated with those of
Charlemagne's own time.
There is, however, a pretended history, which for a long time was
admitted as authentic, and attributed to Turpin, Archbishop of Rheims,
a real personage of the time of Charlemagne. Its title is "History of
Charles the Great and Orlando." It is now unhesitatingly considered as
a collection of popular traditions, produced by some credulous and
unscrupulous monk, who thought to give dignity to his romance by
ascribing its authorship to a well- known and eminent individual. It
introduces its pretended author, Bishop Turpin, in this manner:
"Turpin, Archbishop