Charles the Great, known as Charlemagne and the father of Europe, created an empire which would last for 1,000 years. To secure it he fought continuously, on multiple fronts, throughout his long reign, relentless in his drive and determination to preserve his legacy. Charlemagne came to power at a time when Europe was made up of many small kingdoms and principalities. Since the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th century, it had also faced invasion from various peoples who had established kingdoms of their own, such as the Visigoths and Muslims in Spain. There were also new peoples on the outskirts of Europe who were either asserting themselves for the first time, such as the Danes and Norse
