Charles' Appearence
by Mr. Samuelson
Main Idea
Charles had a distinctive appearance which was not easily forgotten.
Source
Einhard, Life of Charlemagne, S.E. Turner, trans. (New York; Harper and Brothers, 1880), pp. 56-62, 51-54, 64-66.
Support #1
"...his height is well known to have been seven times the length of his foot..."
At seven feet tall, it would have been very hard not to remember Charles' size. The man was a giant!
Support #2
"...his eyes very large and animated..."
An individual's eyes are frequently a distinguishing feature, even more so when they are both large and active.
Support #3
"... his neck was thick and somewhat short..."
This description of a short and thick neck brings to mind the idea of a bull's neck, which is so short and thick that it seems to disappear into it's body. Such a feature would certainly have been remarkable.
Summary Paragraph
Charles had a distinctive appearance which was not easily forgotten. Einhard tells us that "...his height is well known to have been seven times the length of his foot..." (Einhard, Life of Charlemagne). At seven feet tall, it would have been very hard not to remember Charles' size. The man was a giant! Additionally, his eyes have been described as "very large and animated", which adds even more to his appearance. An individual's eyes are frequently a distinguishing feature and this is even more true when they are large and active. Finally, Einhard shares that "...his neck was thick and somewhat short...". This image of a bull-necked Charles would certainly have been remarkable. In all, Einhard shares a description of Charles are a giant with large, active eyes, and a short, thick neck. The man was certainly a memorable figure!