Charlemagne received his elephant from Harun al-Rashid in 802. Named Abul-Abbas, the Asian elephant was a diplomatic gift from the Abbasid caliph and became one of the most memorable curiosities associated with Charlemagne's reign.
Charlemagne sent an embassy to Harun al-Rashid's court in Baghdad, probably seeking diplomatic ties and cooperation against their political rivals. The Jewish diplomat Isaac returned with the elephant, traveling from the Abbasid world through North Africa and across the Mediterranean. Isaac and Abul-Abbas reached Europe in 801, but the elephant arrived at Charlemagne's residence in Aachen on July 20, 802.
That distinction explains the nearby wrong answer of 801: it was the year of the return journey and European landing, not the year the emperor received the animal. The Royal Frankish Annals record the delivery in 802.
Abul-Abbas later accompanied Charlemagne during a campaign near the Rhine. The elephant died in 810, probably near Münster or Wesel. Although later stories add colorful details, contemporary records about his life remain brief.