"Charlemagne, the Frankish King"
             In the Eighth century Vikings, savages, and barbarians ruled Europe.
             The only unified kingdom in Europe at the time was Frankland, which
             included present day parts of Belgium, France, Germany, and the
             Netherlands. By the Ninth century, however, Frankland included
             most of Europe thanks to Charles the Great, or Charlemagne. He was
             one of the greatest kings that Europe has ever known.
             Charles, the first of two boys, was born in 742 A.D. to Queen
             Bertrada and Pepin "the short". Pepin inherited the position of mayor of the palace, or
             actual ruler of the Franks. Wanting to be king in rank as well as in power,
             Pepin seized the Frankish throne in 751 when Charles was only nine years
             old. Charles had long looked forward to the time when he would be king,
             when he would have the chance to serve his people with courage and
             Three passions had so early taken root in the young prince - his
             desire to rule men, his devotion to the Catholic church, and his love of literature,
             science, and art. Charles had been in charge of a command of his own since
             In 768 King Pepin died, leaving his kingdom to his two sons,
             Charles and his younger brother Carloman. The policy of dividing a kingdom among
             children rather than leaving it to the eldest was an old Frankish custom.
             In the same year that Pepin died, the Aquitainians rose up in revolt.
             Charles decided to march off at once with just a small group of men he had
             with him. He assumed that his brother would help. Carloman was in charge of half of
             Frankland. However, his brother spitefully refused to send aid and Charles
             found himself forced to confront the Aquitainians alone. Despite unfavorable
             odds, the brave and daring young king subdued the revolt in just two months.
             A twist of fate, however, kept the festering hostility between the two brothers
             from breaking out in actual fighting...