CHARICLE’IA, the fiancee of Theag’enes, in the Greek romance called The Loves of Theagenes and Charicleia, by Heliodo’ros bishop of Trikka (fourth century).

CHARI’NO, father of Angelina.  Charino wishes Angelina to marry Clodio, a young coxcomb; but the lady prefers his elder brother Carlos, a young bookworm.  Love changes the character of the diffident Carlos, and Charino at last accepts him for his son-in-law.  Charino is a testy, obstinate old man, who wants to rule the whole world in his own way.—­C.  Cibber, Love Makes the Man (1694).

CHAR’LEMAGNE AND HIS PALADINS.  This series of romances is of French origin, as the Arthurion is Welsh or British.  It began with the legendary chronicle in verse, called Historia de Vita Carola Magni et Rolandi, erroneously attributed to Turpin archbishop of Rheims (a contemporary of Charlemagne), but probably written two or three hundred years later.  The chief of the series are Huon of Bordeaux, Guerin de Monglave, Gaylen Rhetore (in which Charlemagne and his paladins proceed in mufti to the Holy Land), Miles and Ames, Jairdain de Blaves, Doolin de Mayence, Ogier le Danais, and Maugis the Enchanter.

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.