The origin of the story of Charlemagne’s journey to Jerusalem and Constantinople: From diplomacy to the Crusades
EDN: ABYULP
Abstract
This article analyzes the origin and development of the legend of Charlemagne’s journey to Jerusalem and Constantinople. Its roots lie in ninth-century Frankish historiography: authors transformed Charlemagne’s diplomatic exchanges with the East into a narrative centered on Caliph Harun al Rachid’s concession of jurisdiction over the holy sites in Jerusalem. The evolution of the Emperor’s image as an ecclesiastical benefactor and collector of relics further contributed to the legend, as sending ambassadors with gifts and meeting pilgrims were replaced by his independent pilgrimage to the Holy Land in search of Passion relics. Charlemagne’s acquisition of relics of the Passion became a politically significant symbol of the transfer of imperial dignity from the Greeks to the Franks, beginning with his imaginary journey to the East. As the idea of a crusading movement developed, the friendship between Harun and Charlemagne faded, and his pilgrimage assumed the characteristics of a military campaign imbued with crusading rhetoric. The sources recounting Charlemagne’s pilgrimage to Jerusalem were composed independently of one another, which precludes the possibility of a continuous development within a single tradition. However, in each case, the author’s perspective may have been shaped by a collective belief in the potential reality of such an occurrence, and adapted to specific contexts. Consequently, Charlemagne’s journey to the East and the liberation of Jerusalem came to be seen as part of a broader sequence of events, alongside emperor Heraclius’ victory over the Sasanian Empire and the First Crusade.
About the Author
E. E. Otakulov
HSE University
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Emil Eldarovich Otakulov, Postgraduate Student, Doctoral School of History, Faculty of Humanitie
105066, Moscow, Staraya Basmannaya Str., 21/4, Bld. 3
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For citations:
Otakulov E.E. The origin of the story of Charlemagne’s journey to Jerusalem and Constantinople: From diplomacy to the Crusades. Shagi / Steps. 2025;11(4):15-34. (In Russ.) EDN: ABYULP
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