author
Einhard
d. 840
A close companion of Charlemagne, he wrote one of the earliest and most vivid biographies of a medieval ruler. His account of the emperor has shaped how later generations picture the Carolingian world.
1 Audiobook
Early Lives of Charlemagne by Eginhard and the Monk of St Gall edited by Prof. A. J. Grant
by Einhard, Balbulus Notker
About the author
Born around 770 in the Frankish realm and educated at the monastery of Fulda, he rose to prominence at the court of Charlemagne. He served as a scholar, courtier, and trusted official, and later remained active under Louis the Pious.
He is best known for the Vita Karoli Magni (Life of Charlemagne), a lively biography that remains one of the most important firsthand sources for the age of Charlemagne. Readers still value it for its clear style and for the way it brings a towering historical figure into human focus.
Einhard spent his later years connected with Seligenstadt, where he died on March 14, 840. His work stands at the meeting point of history, literature, and memory, preserving a rare personal view of the early Middle Ages.