Charlemagne and His Guards

In 1853, the Rochet brothers envisioned a monument dedicated to Charlemagne, initially targeting Aachen as its location. They showcased a plaster mock-up during the Universal Exposition of 1867.

By the time the finished bronze sculpture was displayed at the 1878 Universal Exposition, Louis Rochet had passed away. Political sentiments had also shifted, making the glorification of Charlemagne more contentious due to his connections with monarchy and German heritage. Charles Rochet stepped in, proposing to finance the installation of the weighty 15-ton artwork in Paris. Heeding Eugène Viollet-le-Duc's advice and amidst some debate, Paris's city council agreed in January 1879, giving a temporary nod to Parvis Notre-Dame as its location. By 1882, the monument stood proudly atop a wooden base designed by Viollet-le-Duc.

In 1895, the City of Paris assumed ownership of the statue, compensating the founders. A stone pedestal replaced the wooden one in 1908. Notably, during World War II, German occupiers refrained from destroying this particular bronze statue, likely due to Charlemagne's significance in their national narrative. In 1973, discussions arose about substituting it with the Pillar of the Boatmen and moving it to Metz, though these changes never materialized.

The statue stands on the south side of the Parvis Notre-Dame – Place Jean-Paul-II, near the Seine river, to the right if you're facing the Notre-Dame cathedral.

Charlemagne is depicted in his later years, donning the Imperial Crown of the Holy Roman Empire and wielding the Scepter of Charles V, often referred to as the "Scepter of Charlemagne". At his side are Oliver, guiding his steed, and Roland, both vigilantly scanning their surroundings for threats. Roland is identifiable with his iconic olifant and a double-headed axe, known as a labrys but often mistaken in 19th-century France for the francisca related to ancient Franks, and his famed sword Durendal, inspired by the same-named weapon housed in Madrid's Royal Armoury. Oliver stands prepared, with a Frankish scramasax in hand and a pike by his side. Their attentive stances evoke an anticipation of their tragic end at Roncevaux Pass. Charlemagne, however, exudes a sense of accomplishment, hinting at his legacy that transcends the tragic tale of the two warriors.

There are multiple historical inconsistencies in the representation, likely deliberate to stress its symbolic nature. The depicted clothing and hair styles are more in line with Gauls or Merovingians than late-8th-century Franks. Historically, both paladins met their end in 778, a time when Charlemagne was yet to mature and long before his coronation as Emperor. Furthermore, the symbols of his power, such as the Imperial Crown, weren't present in his time—the crown itself being crafted more than a hundred years posthumously. The scepter's origin traces back to the 14th century.

The statue's design carries a wealth of political and patriotic messages. The Rochet brothers, its creators, aimed to connect Charlemagne's heritage with France and Napoleon III, resonating with the sentiments of the Second French Empire. Drawing parallels between Charlemagne and Napoleon was strategic to overshadow the intervening Capetian dynasty, thus undermining French royalist factions of the era, specifically the Orléanists and the Legitimists. At the same time, by including Roland and Oliver, the creators rooted Charlemagne firmly within French culture, challenging the symbolic claims of emerging Belgium and particularly Germany, which was undergoing its own unification. Charlemagne's prominent gesture, elevating his "French" scepter over his "German" crown, can be interpreted in this light.