...By Judah Olanisebee for TDPel Media.
All Europeans Share a Common Ancestor, Researchers Claim
A recent study by Peter Ralph and Graham Cooper suggests that almost all Europeans can trace their ancestry back to one person – Charlemagne, the first Holy Roman Emperor.
The study claims that Charlemagne, meaning Charles the Great, lived during the 700s and 800s and is one of the most historically significant people in European history.
He united most of central and Western Europe for the first time since the fall of the Roman Empire, earning him the nickname “Father of Europe”.
Charlemagne is believed to have had at least 18 children with seven different women.
The Significance of Charlemagne
Charlemagne’s bloodline is believed to be so widespread that all people of European descent are likely related to him in some way.
He lived before the “isopoint” and had living descendants, meaning everyone with European ancestry is directly descended from him.
Charlemagne’s legacy has been felt in different ways, and one famous example of a descendant of the Holy Roman Emperor is Sir Christopher Lee, who even released a symphonic metal album paying homage to him in 2010.
The Reign of Charlemagne
Charlemagne was an 8th-century Frankish king who united most of Europe under his rule by the power of the sword.
He is also known for helping to restore the Western Roman Empire and becoming its first emperor.
He facilitated a cultural and intellectual renaissance, and his rule included extensive military campaigning, in particular against the Saxons.
Charlemagne married at least four times, and three of his legitimate sons lived to adulthood.
He died in 814 after contracting an infectious lung disease and was laid to rest in the Aachen Cathedral in Germany.
The Ancestral Link
While some who take a DNA test can see their lineage be directly traced back to Charlemagne, others cannot as bloodlines have been diluted – meaning not all genes are passed from parent to child.
Nevertheless, the research by Ralph and Cooper has shown that the family tree of humanity is much more interconnected than we might think.
All Europeans can trace their ancestry back to a single person, which is a fascinating discovery.
