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the other to the West. The soldiers
conquered the Ebro Valley then joined
forces before Zaragoza. Unfortunately
for Charlemagne, they were not suc-
cessful: the city’s old Roman walls re-
sisted the assaults of the Franks.
The conquest of the Spanish territories
was not yet solid. It took six new ex-
peditions over the following 30 years,
between 797 and 812 to finally assert
domination over these lands. For exam- 2: French, Andorra, 1963, Louis the Pious, son of Charlemagne
ple, Barcelona was only taken again and King of Acquitaine, also called Louis the Debonaire (wrongly
in 801. These campaigns were led by used since the 13th century).
Prince Louis the Pious (2) (778- 840)
the son of Charlemagne and King of
Aquitaine since 15 April 781. The lands
conquered south of the Pyrenees be-
came the Spanish March, divided into
counties. The county of Urgel included
Andorra.

The legend of Charlemagne in Andorra
They are truly legends because all of the
military campaigns in Spain were car-
ried out from 797 by his son Louis the
Pious, King of Aquitaine. 3: French, Andorra, 1963, Charlemagne crossing Andorra.
Charlemagne’s troops, which came
from Toulouse, via the Ariège Valley -
travelled through the mountains from
Ax and entered Andorra (3) through the
Fontargente Pass (2260 m) then the
Valley of Incles. Legend has it that, to
attach his horse, Charlemagne had a
large iron ring embedded in a rock at
Xuclant, which can still be seen today.
And it was said that he had his horse
drink from a trough at Engordany.
According to legend, during the vic-
torious battle of the Carolingians and
the Andorrans against the Saracens
at a place called La Serra de l’Honor
(the Mountain of Honour), Emperor
Charlemagne felt overcome by the heat
and went to the river. He used his sword

Delcampe Magazine 21