Final answer:
Charlemagne's delays in responding could be due to the vast expanse of his empire and slow medieval communication. Einhard emphasizes Charlemagne's international prestige, showing the significance of alliances and gifts like the elephant from Harun al-Rashid. The Carolingian state had internal weaknesses, as seen in the divisions of the empire under Louis's sons with the Treaty of Verdun.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question seems to concern historical context and motivations in the reign of Charlemagne, particularly related to delays in addressing calls for aid, such as those from Roland mentioned in literary sources like the Song of Roland. While it's not historically detailed when exactly Charlemagne delayed turning back to help Roland, some interpretations suggest that Charlemagne's responsibilities of ruling a vast empire with slow medieval communication dictated his priorities and response times.
However, moving to the historical details provided, Einhard's account shows that Charlemagne's empire spanned many distant territories and alliances. The distances between these territories suggest that medieval communication was slow and complex, potentially contributing to delays in responding to various situations across the empire. Einhard emphasizes that even distant rulers like Harun al-Rashid favored Charlemagne, highlighting his international prestige; the gift of an elephant was a significant sign of esteem and recognition of Charlemagne's power. Greek rulers' anxiety might stem from Charlemagne's new title as Emperor and their concerns over him as a potential rival to their dominion.
The Carolingian state, while ambitious in its intellectual and religious projects under Louis, struggled with internal cohesion, prompting soldiers and Charlemagne's sons alike to seek power elsewhere, eventually leading to the division of the empire under the Treaty of Verdun. Issues of governance such as partible inheritance exacerbated these weaknesses, displaying the fragility of Charlemagne's successors' rule.