Charlemagne's full name was Carolus Magnus, Latin for “Charles the Great.” He is also known as Karl der Große in German.¹⁾

Charlemagne was born on April 2, but the exact year is uncertain, either 747 or 748.²⁾

Charlemagne was the son of Pepin the Short, the first king of the Carolingian dynasty, and Bertrada of Laon.³⁾

Charlemagne became King of the Franks in 768, succeeding his father, Pepin the Short.⁴⁾

Charlemagne ruled for 46 years, from 768 until his death in 814.⁵⁾

Initially, Charlemagne co-ruled with his younger brother Carloman I, but Carloman's sudden death in 771 made Charlemagne the sole ruler.⁶⁾

Charlemagne greatly expanded the Frankish Empire, conquering much of Western and Central Europe, including parts of present-day France, Germany, Italy, and beyond.⁷⁾

On Christmas Day in the year 800, Charlemagne was crowned “Emperor of the Romans” by Pope Leo III, reviving the title in Western Europe.⁸⁾

Charlemagne is often considered the first Holy Roman Emperor, even though the official Holy Roman Empire was established later.⁹⁾

His coronation marked the revival of the Roman Empire in the West, which had fallen nearly 300 years earlier.¹⁰⁾

Charlemagne initiated the Carolingian Renaissance, a revival of art, culture, and learning based on classical models.¹¹⁾

Charlemagne promoted education and literacy, founding schools and encouraging the study of Latin, grammar, rhetoric, and logic.¹²⁾

He invited the scholar Alcuin of York to his court, who became one of the leading figures in the Carolingian Renaissance.¹³⁾

Under Charlemagne's rule, the Carolingian minuscule, a standardized script, was developed. It became the basis for modern European handwriting.¹⁴⁾

Charlemagne divided his empire among his three sons, but only one, Louis the Pious, survived to inherit the entire empire.¹⁵⁾