CHARLEMAGNE AND THE REVIVAL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE, 800
A.D.
CORONATION OF CHARLEMAGNE, 800 A.D.
Charlemagne, the champion of Christendom and the foremost
ruler in Europe, seemed to the men of his day the rightful successor of the
Roman emperors. He had their power, and now he was to have their name. In the
year 800 A.D. the Frankish king visited Rome to investigate certain accusations
made against the pope, Leo III, by his enemies in the city. Charlemagne
absolved Leo of all wrong-doing and restored him to his office. Afterwards, on
Christmas Day Charlemagne went to old St. Peter's Church, where the pope was
saying Mass. As the king, dressed in the rich robes of a Roman patrician, knelt
in prayer before the high altar, the pope suddenly placed on his head a golden
crown, while all the people cried out with one voice, "Long life and
victory to Charles Augustus, the great and pacific emperor of the Romans,
crowned by God!"
REASONS FOR THE CORONATION
Although Charlemagne appears to have been surprised by the
pope's act, we know that he wished to become emperor. The imperial title would
confer upon him greater dignity and honor, though not greater power, than he
possessed as king of the Franks and of the Lombards. The pope, in turn, was
glad to reward the man who had protected the Church and had done so much to
spread the Catholic faith among the heathen. The Roman people also welcomed the
coronation, because they felt that the time had come for Rome to assume her old
place as the capital of the world. To reject the eastern ruler, in favor of the
great Frankish king, was an emphatic method of asserting Rome's independence of
Constantinople.
