The Importance Of Charlemagne

Any woman that is a relative of Charlemagne is regarded highly by Einhard. Charlemagne’s mother, sister and daughters are written about with the highest respect. They are portrayed as honorable, calm women who never caused any trouble. Charlemagne’s Bertrada, despite being a woman, was highly active in politics. Bertrada seemed to favor Charlemagne over her son other son Carloman. Her diplomatic skills may have helped Charlemagne’s success in his early years. She even arranged a marriage with Desiderius’ daughter, Desiderata, to secure an alliance with Lombardy. Even though her influenced may have diminished over the years her relationship with her son remained excellent. She lived with Charlemagne in court. The only time their relationship became strained was when Bertrada suggested to Charlemagne to marry Desiderate. When Charles sent Desiderata back to Lombardy, Bertrada was not pleased with her son. But this did not stop her from having a loving relationship with her son. Einhard writes: “Bertrada, also spent her old age in great honor with him. He treated her with the greatest respect, to the point that there was never any trouble between them [.]” Bertrada continued to live with Charlemagne until she died in 783. Charlemagne ensured that his mother was buried alongside her husband at St. Denis Basilica. Einhard also makes mention to Charlemagne’s sister. Gisela. Gisela was intended to marry the heir of the Byzantium Empire however she dedicated herself to the religious life. She served as an abbess at the convent at Chelles. Charlemagne is said to have “treated her with the greatest affection.” Charlemagne even had one of his daughters named after his sister.

Why did Einhard view these women as virtuous humans who deserv...

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...he same kind of information for the women who lived and were involved with Charlemagne. All we know about them is from the eyes of Einhard. We can learn from reading his texts that Einhard thought that Charlemagne’s mother and sister where honorable, virtuous women. Since Charlemagne’s daughters never married and where educated side by side with their brother we can get the feeling that Charlemagne was a dotting father. Einhard did not particularly agree with Charlemagne’s actions. Finally, we can see that Einhard thought any woman that went against Charlemagne was irrational, whether or not she had good reason for her actions. Since not many works survived the Carolingian society Einhard provides a unique perspective of the lives of the woman that lived in this period. These women, no matter their role or position, would have forever remained nameless and unknown.