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Charlemagne (c. April 742 – 28 January 814) was King of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans from 800 until his death.
General Info
Charlemagne leads the Holy Roman Empire in Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword.
Thanks to Charlemagne's traits, unique building, and unique unit, he is an incredibly powerful aggressive force in the Medieval Era. When he gets access to the devastating Landsknecht unit - a Pikeman with double attack versus both mounted units and melee units - he renders Knights, some of the fastest and most powerful units of the Medieval Era, much less useful. Despite his prominence in the Medieval Era, Charlemagne has the potential to be a military powerhouse throughout the entire game, with many units good at defending cities buffed up even more by the extra Great Generals he will generate from the fighting that is likely to occur. However, he does take a bit of mastery to use properly, and if used incorrectly, it can be nigh impossible to win games with him.
Starting Techs: Hunting, Mysticism
AI Traits
- Strategy: military (5) and religion (2).
- Favourite religion: Christianity.
- Wonder Construct random: 15 (from 0 to 50).
- Base Attitude: 0 (from -1 to 2).
- Base Peace Weight: 6 (from 0 to 10).
- Warmonger Respect: 1 (from 0 to 2).
- Espionage Weight: 100 (from 50 to 150).
- Refuse To Talk War Threshold: 8 (from 6 to 10).
- No Tech Trade Threshold: 15 (from 5 to 20).
- Tech Trade Known Percent: 30% (from 0 to 100).
- Max Gold Trade Percent: 10% (from 5 to 20).
- Max War Rand: 100 (from 50 to 400).
- Raze City Prob: 0 (from 0 to 75).
- Build Unit Prob: 30 (from 0 to 40).
- Close Borders Attitude Change: -3 (from -4 to -2).
- Same Religion Attitude Change Limit: 6 (from 2 to 7).
- Different Religion Attitude Change: -2 (from -2 to 0).
- Favorite Civic Attitude Change Limit: 4 (from 1 to 6).
- Demand tribute will be refused when: cautious or worse.
- Request help will be refused when: cautious or worse.
- Request technology will be refused when: annoyed or worse.
- Request strategic bonus will be refused when: annoyed or worse.
- Request happiness bonus will be refused when: furious.
- Request health bonus will be refused when: furious.
- Request map will be refused when: cautious or worse.
- Request declare war will be refused when: cautious or worse.
- Request declare war them will be refused when: cautious or worse.
- Request stop trading will be refused when: cautious or worse.
- Request stop trading them will be refused when: annoyed or worse.
- Request adopt civic will be refused when: cautious or worse.
- Request convert religion will be refused when: pleased or worse.
- Request open borders will be refused when: annoyed or worse.
- Request defensive pact will be refused when: pleased or worse.
- Request permanent alliance will be refused when: pleased or worse.
- Request vassal will be refused when: pleased or worse.
- Max War Nearby Power Ratio: 100 (from 80 to 130).
- Max War Distant Power Ratio: 30 (from 30 to 100).
- Max War Min Adjacent Land Percent: 1 (from 0 to 4).
- Limited War Rand: 80 (from 40 to 200).
- Limited War Power Ratio: 100 (from 80 to 130).
- Dogpile War Rand: 75 (from 25 to 100).
- Make Peace Rand: 20 (from 10 to 80).
- Demand Rebuked Sneak Prob: 60 (from 0 to 100).
- Demand Rebuked War Prob: 20 (from 0 to 50).
- Base Attack Odds Change: 0 (from 0 to 6).
- Worse Rank Difference Attitude Change: -1 (from -3 to 0).
- Better Rank Difference Attitude Change: 1 (from 0 to 4).
- Share War Attitude Change Limit: 2 (from 2 to 4).
- Vassal Power Modifier: 10 (from -20 to 50).
Civilopedia Entry
Charles the Great, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, fathered a kingdom that encompassed France, Germany, Italy and much of Eastern Europe. Legends of his conquests are pervasive throughout history, and he is considered one of the great figureheads of European Chivalric society.
During his lifetime Charlemagne successfully campaigned in many countries. Some wars he completed personally and others were left for his sons to finish. His first campaign was against Desiderius of Lombardy who, soon after the succession of Pope Hadrian I, marched on Rome. Charlemagne pressed into Lombardy, and after a lengthy siege (772-774), he accepted Desiderius' unconditional surrender. Desiderius would live out the remainder of his life confined to a monastery.
The longest lasting and most challenging conquest of Charlemagne's reign would be that of Saxonia. It would be a theater that he would continually revisit during his lifetime. After Charlemagne's initial push into Saxonia he was continuously forced to retake previously conquered land which had rebelled against his authority. Weary of war and losing more rights and freedoms with every capitulation, the Saxons eventually accepted Charlemagne's terms, including renouncement of their national religious customs and adoption of the Christian faith and its associated Frankish customs.
Charles was both a highly religious man and a philanthropist. He often built friendly relationships with other countries, such as Egypt and India, so that he could later send money in an effort to assist struggling Christians in those regions. Although much more of a conqueror than an economic or social reformer, Charles often contributed money to relieve the poor and sick in his kingdom.
Charlemagne, despite being unable to write well himself, had a vast love of literature and education. Due to his conquests, Charlemagne came into contact with many different cultures and learning institutions. Having contributed considerable funding to existing monastic schools and institutions of learning, Charlemagne's era became known as the Carolingian Renaissance, with a blossoming of the arts and sciences.
As a member of the Nine Worthies, a group of both fictional and real people that represented the pinnacle of chivalry during their eras, Charlemagne was the embodiment of honor in both person and position. A conqueror, a philanthropist, lover of the arts and a highly devout Christian, Charlemagne stands as one of the important figures of the first millennium, and the forefather of Central Europe as it stands today.
Trivia
Charlemagne's appearance is based on his reliquary, made centuries after his death. It is more based on the ideal look of Jesus Christ than on Charlemagne's real appearance. The king in reliable sources is described having a round head, large lively eyes, slightly larger nose than usual, white but still attractive hair, and a short fat neck.
The background depicts the interior of the Palace of Aachen.