Charlemagne, King of the Franks and Holy Roman Emperor, is one of the truly heroic figures of the European Dark Ages. To many of his contemporaries he was the greatest man of his time—champion of civilization, promoter of scholarship and defender of Christianity. A vast cycle of legends, much like those on King Arthur of Camelot, was created around the exploits of Charlemagne and the men who served at his side.
During his long reign Charlemagne fought some fifty-three military campaigns, but his fame rests on more than his impressive military achievements. A man of many interests and tremendous abilities, he organized the first codification of the laws of his vast kingdom, promoted basic education, not just for the sons of noblemen at court, but for boys of humble birth if they displayed sufficient promise. He was responsible for the revival of learning known as the Carolingian Renaissance, studied mathematics and astronomy, learned Latin and even began to compile a Frankish grammar.
The legends of his great deeds have been preserved in the old French epics called chansons de geste (songs of deeds). Written down in the 12th and 13th centuries, they were sung by wandering minstrels in the Middle Ages, and were told in simple language so as to reach a wide audience.
Arranged in chronological order, these beautifully retold tales of brave men struggling against great odds tell the story of Charlemagne throughout the span of his long reign. Included are the two most famous epics, The Song of Roland and The Four Sons of Aymon, together with four lesser known tales. They are retold for modern readers in words that are elegant and fluid, and true to the originals from which they were adapted.
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