Observations placeholder
Charlemagne sees a Great flaming globe - 811AD, Near Aachen on Via Aquisgrana, Germany
Identifier
028768
Type of Spiritual Experience
None
Background
Emperor Charlemagne sees a great flaming globe descending from east to west and is thrown from his horse. Although the horse may have been frightened by an especially bright meteor, the situation suggests either that the object was close to the emperor's party, or that the meteor was very spectacular indeed:
A description of the experience
Einhard: The Life of Charlemagne, trans. Samuel Epes Turner (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1880).
"One day in his last campaign into Saxony against Godfred, King of the Danes, Charles himself saw a ball of fire fall suddenly from the heavens with a great light, just as he was leaving camp before sunrise to set out on the march. It rushed across the clear sky from right to left, and everybody was wondering what was the meaning of the sign, when the horse which he was riding gave a sudden plunge, head foremost, and fell, and threw him to the ground so heavily that his cloak buckle was broken and his sword belt shattered; and after his servants had hastened to him and relieved him of his arms, he could not rise without their assistance.
He happened to have a javelin in his hand when he was thrown, and this was struck from his grasp with such force that it was found lying at a distance of twenty feet or more from the spot."