Source genres: Biographies of Rulers

The Vita Caroli Magni Magni is a description of the life of Charlemagne (Charles the Great). There are more than 80 surviving copies of this Life, which attests to the astonishing degree of interest in Charlemagne after his death. Despite the intensive interest in the life of Charles, few biographies were written of the rulers who succeeded him (lies of Louis the Pious, Henry II, Henry IV and an autobiography of Emperor Charles IV are all we have). The image at the left is an excerpt from an early manuscript of the ninth century that is preserved in the Österreichische Nationalbibliothek at Vienna. The hand is a Carolingian minuscule, and it is written on parchment.

Einhard, the author of the Vita, was educated at the monastery of Fulda. He was highly learned and soon received the post of tutor to the young Charlemagne. His closeness to the ruler allowed Einhard to paint a living, human portrait of Charlemagne, in close adherence to ancient models (Suetonius), which is characterized by a richness of detail unique in this genre.

But Ranke warned some time ago: "Without a doubt Einhard's intent was to create a pleasant impression in a minimum of space rather than a strictly accurate portrait consisting of historical facts". Rulers' lives are narrative sources that describe an emperor as the emperor wanted to be seen and in accordance with contemporary ideas about emperors and how they were supposed to be.