Want this question answered?
Charlemagne was not crowned emperor of the Romans. He was crowned as the Holy Roman Emperor, which had nothing to do with ancient Rome. The so-called Holy Roman Empire was a Germanic kingdom of the Middle Ages.
no one did but the pope crowned him emperor of the franks.AnswerPope Leo III crowned Charlemagne Holy Roman Emperor on Christmas Day in the year 800 in St. Peter's Basilicia.
Historically, we call people emperors of the Roman Empire if the Roman Senate endorsed them as such, or if an emperor approved by the Senate did so, making them co-emperors, and they subsequently ruled on their own. Anyone else who claimed independently to be the emperor is considered a claimant or usurper. The last known act of the Senate of the West Roman Empire took place in the year 603 AD, 197 years before Charlemagne was crowned emperor. He might be considered a legitimate Roman Emperor, if he had been accepted by Empress Irene of the Byzantine Empire, which was what remained of the Roman Empire at the time. From a certain point of view, all this is nonsense. If the Holy Roman Empire were still operating, our position on whether Charlemagne was legally Emperor of the Romans would almost certainly be different. There are links below.
Charlemagne was the king of the Franks. The pope asked him to attack the Lombards and end their rule in Italy. In exchange he was given the title of Roman emperor. This led to the formation of the Carolingian empire. It has been given this name because it was ruled by Charlemagne and his close relatives (after his death). Italy became part of this empire. Charlemagne was called Roman emperor to symbolise the independence of western Europe from the Roman empire of the East which previously was in charge of part of Italy. The pope also was meant to be a subordinate of this empire. Charlemagne provided the military power that gave the Pope and Italy this independence through his alliance with the pope.
It happened in Rome, on Christmas night of the year 800, when pope Leo 3rd , at the end of the mass in the basilic of Saint Peter, crowned Charles of the Franks as ''Ceasar and Emperor of the Romans''. Charles was dressed as a roman senator, the frank army officers in the church claimed him saying ''To Charles the Great, pious emperor krowned by God, life and victory'', while the roman people in the square in front of the basilical church claimed him as ''Charles Augustus, Great and pious Emperor of the Romans''. To note: Charlemagne was entitled Ceasar and Emperor of the Romans, not Holy Roman Emperor. The first who took this tile was only Otto 1st of Saxony in 963 a.D.
Charlemagne was crowned the new Roman emperor in A.D. 800
Charlemagne
Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne.
He was crowned as Holy Roman Emperor.
CHARLEMAGNE
Charlemagne
Holy Roman Emperor.
Charlemagne did not want people to think the pope had the power to choose who was emperor.
Pope Leo III crowning Charlemagne emperor, December 25, 800.
Charlemagne was crowned (Western) Roman Emperor
Charlemagne was not crowned emperor of the Romans. He was crowned as the Holy Roman Emperor, which had nothing to do with ancient Rome. The so-called Holy Roman Empire was a Germanic kingdom of the Middle Ages.
He was given the title of Holy Roman Emperor.