
- BGG rank
- BGG #7,910
- BGG rating
- 6.1
Krieg und Frieden
- 3–4 players
- 60–90 min
- Complexity 2.5/5
- 1999

1998
Rules assistance for Charlemagne
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Charlemagne is a board game released in 1998 for 2–4 players, 90 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Gerard Mulder and its main mechanics are Auction / Bidding.
This game debuted at Essen 1998 and was a minor hit, considering only three hundred copies were made. The game was later re-released as the slightly modified Krieg und Frieden (War and Peace) by TM Spiele. Players are feudal lords that rule their own land and seek to help King Charlemagne build pieces of his castle. The entire game is made from wood, in a light, clear stain, including the over-sized game board. Each turn is four seasons, and play continues until all six pieces of the ornate castle are placed. Players use their resource tiles to bid for that year's agenda, and some resources have more or less value in the bid depending on what type of agenda is available. Then players use their remaining resources to build their lands, sack others' lands, bribe others' knights away from defense, or help to build Charlemagne's castle. There are slight rules differences between this game and Krieg und Frieden, but mostly a reduction of agenda cards to shorten the game (for the better usually). Re-implemented by: Krieg und Frieden
Charlemagne supports 2–4 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Charlemagne is 90 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Charlemagne for ages 10 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Charlemagne has a complexity rating of 3.0 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-weight game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Charlemagne belongs to these categories: Medieval and Political. Its main mechanics are Auction / Bidding. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Charlemagne are: Gerard Mulder. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Charlemagne as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.