Charlemagne Crowned Emperor

What happened

On Christmas Day 800, Pope Leo III crowned the Frankish king Charlemagne 'Emperor of the Romans' in Rome — the first western emperor since the fall of Rome in 476. Charlemagne had united much of western Europe by conquest and sponsored a revival of learning known as the Carolingian Renaissance.

Why it matters

Charlemagne's coronation revived the idea of a Christian Roman empire in the west and laid foundations for the Holy Roman Empire and the shape of medieval Europe.

Sources

• World History Encyclopedia. Charlemagne · Reputable source