General Notes

Political: The Franks, in a general assembly of the people, made thembo
th kings [Oct 9, 786] on condition that they should divide the whole kingd
om equally between them, Charles to take and rule the part that had to bel
onged to their father, Pepin, and Carloman the part which their uncle, Car
loman had governed. The conditions were accepted, and each entered into t
he possession of the share of the kingdom that fell to him by this arrange
ment; but peace was only maintained between them with the greatest difficu
lty, because many of Carloman's party kept trying to disturb their good un
derstanding, and there were some even who plotted to involve them in a w
ar with each other. The event, however, which showed the danger to have be
en rather imaginary than real, for at Carloman's death his widow [Gerberg
a] fled to Italy with her sons and her principal adherents, and without re
ason, despite her husband's brother put herself and her children under t
he protection of Desiderius, King of the Lombards. Carloman had succumb
ed to disease after ruling two years [in fact more than three] in common w
ith his brother and at his death Charles was unanimously elected King of t
he Franks.
.
His first undertaking in a military way was the Aquitanian War, begun by h
is father but not brought to a close; and because he thought that it cou
ld be readily carried through, he took it up while his brother was yet ali
ve, calling upon him to render aid. The campaign once opened, he conduct
ed it with the greatest vigor, notwithstanding his broth withheld the assi
stance that he had promised, and did not desist or shrink from his self-im
posed task until, by his patience and firmness, he had completely gained h
is ends. He compelled Hunold, who had attempted to seize Aquitania after W
aifar's death, and renew the war then almost concluded, to abandon Aquitan
ia and flee to Gascony. Even here he gave him no rest, but crossed the Riv
er Garonne, built the castle of Fronsac, and sent ambassadors to Lupus, Du
ke of Gascony, to demand the surrender of the fugitive, threatening to ta
ke him by force unless he were promptly given up to him. Thereupon Lupus c
hose the wiser course, and not only gave Hunold up, but submitted himsel
f, with the province which he ruled, to the King.
Political: After bringing this war to an end and settling matters in Aquit
ania (his associate in authority had meantime departed this life), he w
as induced [in 773], by the prayers and entreaties of Hadrian [I, 772-795
], Bishop of the city of Rome, to wage war on the Lombards. His father bef
ore him had undertaken this task at the request of Pope Stephen [II or II
I, 752-757], but under great difficulties, for certain leading Frank
s, of whom he usually took counsel, had so vehemently opposed his desi
gn as to declare openly that they would leave the King and go home. Nevert
heless, the war against the Lombard King Astolf had been taken up and ve
ry quickly concluded [754]. Now, although Charles seems to have had simila
r, or rather just the same grounds for declaring war that his father ha
d, the war itself differed from the preceding one alike in its difficulti
es and its issue. Pepin, to be sure, after besieging King Astolf a few da
ys in Pavia, had compelled him to give hostages, to restore to the Roma
ns the cities and castles that he had taken, and to make oath that he wou
ld not attempt to seize them again: but Charles did not cease, after decla
ring war, until he had exhausted King Desiderius by a long siege [773], a
nd forced him to surrender at discretion; driven his son Adalgis, the la
st hope of the Lombards, not only -from his kingdom, but from all Italy [7
74]; restored to the Romans all that they had lost; subdued Hruodgaus, Du
ke of Friuli [776], who was plotting revolution; reduced all Italy to h
is power, and set his son Pepin as king over it. [781]
Political: At this point I should describe Charles'