Charlemagne
king of Franks, regarded as the first Holy Roman Emperor (747–814) (742-814)
Feast: 18 January (not on the universal Roman calendar; kept in the Roman Martyrology or local calendars)
Who they were
Charles the Great, King of the Franks and first emperor of the Christian West, was born on 2 April 742 (or a few years later). He was acknowledged by the Holy See as its chief protector, fought the pagan Saxons, and supported the Church throughout his long reign.
He died at Aachen on 28 January 814, in his seventy-second year, after forty-seven years of reign.
The miracles
In parts of the empire popular affection placed him among the saints. In 1165 the antipope Paschal III declared him a saint to please Frederick Barbarossa, but this was never ratified by putting his feast in the Roman Breviary.
Why that counted as sanctity
The emperor who defended the Church and shaped Christian Europe.
Connected on this site
- Bertrada of Laon Saint Parent, Mother“A member of the Frankish Carolingian dynasty, Charlemagne was the eldest son of Pepin the Short and Bertrada of Laon.” — Wikipedia
- Gisela, Abbess of Chelles Saint Brother or sister
- Hildegard of Vinzgouw Blessed Spouse
- Leo III Saint“In 800, Charlemagne was crowned emperor in Rome by Pope Leo III.” — Wikipedia
- Catholic Encyclopedia (1913), via New Advent - Charlemagne
- Wikidata Q3044 — dates, feast day and identifiers (CC0)
- English Wikipedia — Charlemagne (CC BY-SA)
Checked against the sources listed on 21 September 2026. Corrections welcome.