ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Iconography of Charlemagne

Alright young one, let's dive into learning about the iconography of Charlemagne! First things first, what is iconography? It's just a fancy word for talking about the images or symbols that represent a certain person or idea.

Now, Charlemagne was a very important person in history who ruled over a big chunk of Europe a long time ago (about 1,200 years ago). Since he was so important, people wanted to make sure that everyone knew who he was and how special he was. That's where iconography comes in!

One thing you might notice about pictures of Charlemagne is that he is often shown wearing a crown or holding a sword. These are symbols to show that he was a powerful king and warrior. He was also known for being very religious, so sometimes you might see him holding a big book or being surrounded by angels.

Another important symbol for Charlemagne is the fleur-de-lis. This is a fancy flower-shaped symbol that you might recognize from the French flag. It was used to show that Charlemagne was a ruler with a lot of power and authority.

So, to sum up, the iconography of Charlemagne includes things like crowns, swords, religious symbols, and the fleur-de-lis. These symbols were used to show that he was an important king and a powerful ruler.