Act 3: The Bloody Verdict of Verden

Young Charlemagne (Vincent Ricciardi):
Does a man have to fight all his life
Only in death to take flight to the skies?
Warmongers vie to take my throne
No respect is ever shown

To Pope, or Prince, nor man, nor beast
And steal our cattle for to feast!
No Earthly princeling mind shall take
For scandalous idolatry so fake!

Old Charlemagne (Christopher Lee):
In borderland raids, they came in their hordes; ransacking villages, taking the spoils!
With nothing to lose and possessions few: Bold, sturdy, fearless and cruel!

Young Charlemagne:
Defiant of Baptism on pain of death
Tough measures call for me to be ruthless
To set an example to the rebels
Draconian for their worship of devils

Old Charlemagne:
How many times did I venture forth
To the extreme wilderness of the north?
To subdue those whose hatred was great
Against churches and priests of our Christian state

Four thousand men all dead in one day
They would not renounce their heathen ways
Thirty years of campaigning consumed
To subject those Pagans to Christianhood

Choir:
The Bloody Verdict of Verden!

Young Charlemagne:
Rivers flowing red
With the blood of four thousand men that I did behead!

Both:
I shed Blood of Saxon Men!
I shed the Blood of the Saxon men!
I shed the Blood of the Saxon men!
I shed the Blood of the Saxon men!
I shed it at Verden!
I shed the Blood of the Saxon men!
I shed the Blood of four thousand Saxon men!
I shed the Blood of the Saxon men!
I shed the Blood of the Saxon man!

Young Charlemagne:
Shall my realm be taken as I toil
To force others out of Frankish soil?
And I return to learn that all is lost
Yet my companions I trust, the sword and the Cross

Those good industrious Frankish folk
Who toil out lands with oxen and yoke!
Whilst Lombard, Vulgar and Moorish men
Dare to even glance at them!

Old Charlemagne:
Converting entire tribes by the sword
In the name of Jesus Christo, our Lord!
On that day in Verden
No mercy given
Victory to the chosen people!

Young Charlemagne:
Weary grow I of this task which fell
On the shoulders of a man who yearns to spend
But one hour with wife and child
To gaze on faces innocent and mild

Old Charlemagne:
Four thousand men all dead in one day
They would not renounce their heathen ways
Thirty years of campaigning consumed
To subject those pagans to Christianhood

Choir:
To build a better world than even has been seen
An empire made great by deeds of great kings

Both:
I shed Blood of Saxon Men!
I shed the Blood of the Saxon men!
I shed the Blood of the Saxon men!
I shed the Blood of the Saxon men!
I shed it at Verden!
I shed the Blood of the Saxon men!
I shed the Blood of four thousand Saxon men!
I shed the Blood of the Saxon men!
I shed the Blood of the Saxon man!