I 56. CHARLES THE GREAT. A. D. 7G8-814. 24l
was thick and somewhat short, and his belly rather prominent; but the symmetry of the rest of his body concealed these defects. His ^ait was firm, his whole carriage manly, and his voice clear, but not so strong as his size led one to expect."1
He was naturally eloquent, and spoke with great clearness and force. He was simple in his attire, and temperate in eating and drinking; for, says Eginliard, " he abominated drunkenness in anybody, much more in himself and those of his household. lie rarely gave entertainments, only on great feast days, and these to large numbers of people." He was fond of muscular exercise, especially of hunting and swimming, and enjoyed robust health till the last four years of his life, when he was subject to fre quent fevers. During his meals he had extracts from August ine's "City of God" (his favorite book), and stories of olden times, read to him. He frequently gave audience while dressing, without sacrifice of royal dignity. He \vas kind to the poor, and a liberal almsgiver.
HIS ZEAL FOR EDUCATION.
His greatest merit is his zeal for education and religion. He was familiar with Latin from conversation rather than books, he understood a little Greek, and in his old age he began to learn the art of writing which his hand accustomed to the sword had neglected. He highly esteemed his native language, caused a German grammar to be compiled, and gave German names to the winds and to the months.2 He collected the ancient heroic songs of the German minstrels. He took measures to correct the Latin Version of the Scriptures, and was interested in theological ques tions. He delighted in cultivated society. He orathered around
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him divines, scholars, poets, historians, mostly Anglo-Saxons,
1 The magnificent portrait of Charles by Alhrecht Purer is a fancy picture, and not sustained by the oldest representations. Ve'tault gives several portraits, and discusses them. p. 540.
2 Wintcrmonat for January, Hornung for February, Lenz for March, Ostermonat for April, etc. See Eginliard, ch. 29.
242 FOURTH PERIOD. A.D. 590-1049.
among whom Alcuin was the chief. He founded the palace school and other schools in the convents, and visited them in person. The legend makes him the founder of the University of Paris, which is of a much later date. One of his laws enjoins general education upon all male children.
HIS PIETY.
Charles was a firm believer in Christianity and a devout and regular worshipper in the church, " going morning and evening, even after nightfall, besides attending mass." He was very liberal to the clergy. He gave them tithes throughout the empire, appointed worthy bishops and abbots, endowed churches and built a splendid cathedral at Aix-la-Chapelle, in which he was buried.
His respect for the clergy culminated in his veneration for the bishop of Rome as the successor of St. Peter. " He cherished the church of St. Peter the apostle at Rome above all other holy and sacred places, and filled its treasury with a vast wealth of gold, silver, and precious stones. He sent great and countless gifts to the popes ; and throughout his whole reign the wTish he had nearest at heart was to re-establish the ancient authority of the city of Rome under his care and by his influence, and to defend and protect the church of St. Peter, and to beautify and enrich it out of his own store above all other churches." 1
HIS VICES.
Notwithstanding his many and great virtues, Charles was by no means so pure as the poetry and piety of the church repre sented him, and far from deserving canonization. He sacrificed thousands of human beings to his towering ambition and passion for conquest. He converted the Saxons by force of arms ; he waged for thirty years a war of extermination against them ; he wasted their territory with fire and sword ; he crushed out their indepen dence ; he beheaded in cold blood four thousand five hundred prisoners in one day at Verden on the Aller (782), and when
1 Eginhard, ch. 27.