_Charlemagne and the Ring_. Pasquier says that Charles le Grand fell in love with a peasant girl [Agatha], in whose society he seemed bewitched, insomuch that all matters of state were neglected by him; but the girl died, to the great joy of all. What, however, was the astonishment of the court to find that the king seemed no less bewitched with the dead body than he had been with the living, and spent all day and night with it, even when its smell was quite offensive. Archbishop Turpin felt convinced there was sorcery in this strange infatuation, and on examining the body, found a ring under the tongue, which he removed. Charlemagne now lost all regard for the dead body; but followed Turpin, with whom, he seemed infatuated. The archbishop now bethought him of the ring, which he threw into a pool at Aix, where Charlemagne built a palace and monastery, and no spot in the world had such attractions for him as Aix-la-Chapelle, where "the ring" was buried.--_Recherches de la France_, vi. 33. _Charlemagne and Years of Plenty_. According to German legend, Charlemagne appears in seasons of plenty. He crosses the Rhine on a golden bridge, and blesses both corn-fields and vineyards. Thou standest, like imperial Charlemagne, Upon thy bridge of gold. Longfellow, _Autumn_. _Charlemagne not dead_. According to legend, Charlemagne was crowned and armed in Odenberg _(Hesse)_ or Untersberg, near Saltzburg, till the time of antichrist, when he will wake up and deliver Christendom. (See BARBAROSSA.) _Charlemagne's Nine Wives_: (1) Hamiltrude, a poor Frenchwoman, who bore him several children. (2) Desidera'ta, who was divorced. (3) Hildegarde. (4) Fastrade, daughter of count Rodolph the Saxon. (5) Luitgarde the German. The last three died before him. (6) Maltegarde. (7) Gersuinde the Saxon. (8) Regina. (9) Adalinda. _Charlemagne's Stature_. We are told that Charlemagne was "eight feet high," and so strong that he could "straighten with his hands alone three horseshoes at once." His diet and his dress were both as simple as possible. _Charlemagne's Sword_, La Joyeuse. CHARLEMAGNE OF SERVIA, Stephen Dushan. CHARLES "the Bold," duke of Burgundy, introduced by sir W. Scott in two novels, viz., _Quentin Durward_ and _Anne of Geierstein._ The latter novel contains an account of the battle of Nancy, where Charles was slain. _Charles_ prince of Wales (called "Babie Charles"), son of James I., introduced by sir W. Scott in _The Fortunes of Nigel_. _Charles_ "the Good," earl of Flanders. In 1127 he passed a law that whoever married a serf should become a serf: thus if a prince married a serf, the prince would become a serf. This absurd law caused his death, and the death of the best blood in Bruges.--S. Knowles, _The Provost of Bruges_ (1836).