Queen Bertrada, King Charlemagne's mother, banishes his first wife, sending Himiltrude and her son from the Frankish court in the early hours of a winter
King Charlemagne's eldest daughter, Rotrud, is disgusted with her father. Buoyant and excited, she is in love with the third-born son of a Frankish count.
Warrior, Lover, King recounts the tale of the eighth-century, barbarian king, Charlemagne, known for his love of learning, his commitment to the spread of Christianity,