How Charlemagne was the original fighter for European unity

In the world of diplomacy, nothing is left to chance. So, when Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron met last week to sign a treaty between their two nations in Aachen as tensions rise in Europe with Brexit looming, the chosen venue had its own message to send.

Aachen, located in North Rhine-Westphalia, is where one of the towering figures of European history both lived and died, In choosing Aachen, they were invoking the so-called ‘Father of Europe’, Charlemagne, known in German as Karl der Große.

Born sometime in the 740s - records differ - Charlemagne was a Frank, one of the peoples who made the areas on either side of the Rhine their home.

Beginning before his birth, the Franks had sought to increase the area under their control, and Charlemagne - just Charles back then - was thus born into a martial environment and raised to make war.

Make war he did.