CHARLEMAGNE biography:

He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. During his reign, he conquered Italy and was crowned Imperator Augustus by Pope LLeo0 · on 25 December 800. His rule is also associated with the CaROLIGNIAN rEINASSENCE, a revival of art, religion, and culture through the medium of the Catholic Church.Charlemagne wore the traditional costume of thre frankish people, described by Einhard thus.

The language in either case suggests that there were not two inheritances, which would have created distinct kings ruling over distinct kingdoms, but a single joint inheritance and a joint kingship tenanted by two equal kings, Charles and his brother Carloman. As before, distinct jurisdictions were awarded. Charles received Pepin's original share as Mayor: the outer parts of the kingdom, bordering on the sea, namely Neustria, western Aquitaine, and the northern parts of austrasia, while Carloman was awarded his uncle's former share: the inner parts: southern Austrasia, Septim<ni<, eastern Aquitaine, Burgundy, Provence, and Swabia, lands bordering on Italy. The question of whether these jurisdictions were joint shares reverting to the other brother if one brother died or were inherited property passed on to the descendants of the brother who died was never definitely settled by the Frankish people. It came up repeatedly over the succeeding decades until the grandsons of Charlemagne created distinct sovereign kingdoms.The Latin chronicles on the end of Visigothic Hispania leave much to be desired: identification of characters, filling in the gaps and reconciliation of the numerous contradictions.The Saracensources, however, present a more coherent view, such as the Ta'rikh iftitah al-Andalus ("Tariq invades al-Andalus") by Qutiya, "the son of the Gothic woman," meaning by the named woman Sarah, granddaughter of the last king of all Visigothic Spain, who married a Saracen. Ibn al-Qūṭiyya, who had another, much longer name, must have been relying to some degree on family oral tradition.As an administrator, Charlemagne stands out for his many reforms: monetary, governmental, military, cultural, and ecclesiastical. He is the main protagonist of the "Carolingian Renaissance."