Karolus magnus et Leo papa

Karolus Magnus et Leo papa - the so-called Paderborn epic, even Charlemagne epic - is the poetic description of the meeting of Pope Leo III. with Charlemagne in Paderborn 799

The term Paderborn Epic leads the origin of Scripture misleading back to Paderborn itself. The usual written in hexameter epic arose soon after the event and comes from the hand of a highly educated, with classical and late antique hexameter tradition perfectly familiar layman who must have been a Member of the Court.

Were considered as the author of, among other things Einhard and Modoin (* 770, † 840/3 ), without the research would come to a mutually acceptable result. Similar to the annals wrote the unknown author of a Frankish perspective. Language, style and metrics meet the exacting standards of the Carolingian Renaissance.

From the epic probably originally consisting of four parts, only a fragment of 536 verses in a single manuscript (. . Zurich Central Library, Ms. 78: manuscript collection of St. Gallen, the questionable piece, fol 104r - 114v, SAEC IX) is handed. The manuscript was kidnapped along with others during the 1712 Toggenburgerkrieges as prey to Zurich and did not return to St. Gallen. In 2006, the cantons of St. Gallen and Zurich have also agreed on this heritage (see cultural property dispute between Zurich and St. Gallen).

In substantive terms, the text of the meeting and the negotiations between Pope Leo III. and Charlemagne dar. The occasion of the visit was an assassination attempt that had been perpetrated shortly before in Rome to the Pope. The meeting itself is considered as an important preparation for the imperial coronation of Charlemagne in the year 800, and thus has historical significance. Whether actually Leo and Karl have negotiated downright over the imperial coronation in September 799, is largely disputed in the literature. But the titles were using the Epic for Karl, so augustus, caput Europae, pater Europae, have already (ex post? ) On the imperial coronation and the Kaisertitulatur ahead, bearing in mind that the title of imperator metrical reasons, possibly in the rarely occupied Nebenform induperator could have been used.

The epic contains first in the tradition of classic Herrscherpanegyrik a praise to the King ( " sublime lighthouse ", " Father of Europe " ) and describes the meeting itself well as fast from the Virgilian model of the construction of Carthage ( Virgil, Aeneid I 421ff. ) Certain detailed ekphrasis from the expansion of Aachen to a " second Rome " takes the ekphrasis of a hunting train of the royal family ( cf. Virgil, Aeneid IV 117ff. ). Especially in detail the causes and circumstances of the flight from Rome Leos are treated.