Vita Karoli Magni

"Vita Karoli Magni" ("Life of Charles the Great") is a biography of Charlemagne written by Einhard. Ogg, p. 109 ]

The biography was the first ever of a European king. [ Anzovin, P. 162 item 2930 "The first biography of a European king was Vita, Karoli Magni (Life of Charles the Great), a biography of Charlemagne written circa 830 by Einhard, a favorite of the court."] Einhard wrote it in Latin around 830 to 833. The author endeavored to imitate the style of that of the ancient Roman historian Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus. Suetonius was the Roman author who wrote the twelve biographies of the "Lives of the Caesars." Einhard's biography of Charlemagne is especially modeled after the biography of Emperor Augustus, the first emperor of the Roman Empire. The biography of Charlemagne is considered by most scholars to be ordinary, however some say it is perhaps superior to that of Suetonius' biographies.

Einhard's book is about intimate glimpses of king Charlemagne's personal habits and tastes. He was a favorite subject of Charlemagne's court so had inside information. Einhard received advanced schooling at the monastery of Fulda sometime after 779. Here he was an exceptional student and was quite knowledgeable. The word was sent to Charlemagne of Einhard's expertise. He was then sent to Charlemagne’s Palace School at Aachen in 791. Einhard then received employment at Charlemagne's Frankish court about 796. He remained at this position for twenty some years. Einhard's book was expressly intended to convey his appreciation for the advanced education. He wrote his biography after he had left Aachen and was living in Seligenstadt.

Einhard's position while with Charlemagne was that of a modern day minister of public works, so he had intimate knowledge of his court. Einhart was also given the responsibility of many of Charlemagne's kingdom abbeys. There is even legend that Einhart's wife was a daughter of Charlemagne, however this can generally be disregarded as a made up twelfth century tale since there is no actual proof.

Most biographies of the Middle Ages related only good deeds of their subject with many made up tales to make their writings look better. Einhard's biography, however, is considered on the most part to be a good faith and trustworthy account of Charlemagne's life. It is considered an excellent account of knowledge of earlier Middle Ages life. Despite the limitations's of Einhard, since this was his first attempt at a major writing, the British historian Thomas Hodgkin says, "almost all our real, vivifying knowledge of Charles the Great is derived from Einhard, and that the Vita Karoli Magni is one of the most precious literary bequests of the early Middle Ages." [ Hodgkin, p. 222 ]

Notes

Bibliography

*Anzovin, Steven et al, "Famous First Facts International Edition", H. W. Wilson Company (2000), ISBN 0-8242-0958-3
*Hodgkin, Thomas, "Charles the Great", London (1903)
*Ogg, Frederic Austin, "A Source Book of Mediæval History: Documents Illustrative of European Life and Institutions from the German Invasion to the Renaissance", American Book Company (1907), Original at Harvard University - now in public domain.
*1911