CHARLES THE GREAT

Evening Star, Volume 12869, Issue 12869, 19 July 1906, Page 6

CHARLES THE GREAT

HIS TOMB OPENED AFTER 1 ioo YEARS. Preaa Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. BERLIN, July 18. (Reowved July 19, at 8.2 aja.) The sarcophagus of Charlemagne was officially opened at tho Cathedral of Aix-la-Chapeilo. Two costly vestments of groat artistic and historical value were temporarily removed and -sent to Berlin to he photographci

[Charks the Great, King of the Franks reigned between the years 768-814 Ho was great as a general, a legislator, a ruler, and, for his age, a scholar. He conouered and held m subjection an empire which extended from the Ebro to tho Elbe, and he devoted his life to consolidating his possessions into a homogeneous whole. He built palaces, churches, .ind schools, and sought to mould the conflicting kingdoms of Middle Europe into a single Christian power. He hail, however, no successor competent to carry on hie work, and on hk death his empire fell to pieces. The now busy town of Aix-la-Chapelle emerged from obscurity prior to the reign of Charlemagne, but it was the latter who gave it prominence. It is doubtful whether he was born thero, but he was buried in his own imperial palace and chapel in 814. On tho ruins of the old pile was built, the new cathedral, in the middlo of wliich a stone with the inscription "Carolo Magno" marked the site of the grave. In 1215 the Emperor Frederick 11. caused the remains to be enclosed in a costly shrine. In the newer part of the building (which still has the cohamns brought by Charlemagne from the palace of the Exarch of Ravenna) are some famous relics.]