Charlemagne Is Crowned Emperor in Rome
Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne emperor in Rome on December 25, 800.
Published · Updated · 1 min read
The Event
Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne emperor in Rome on December 25, 800. The ceremony reshaped political symbolism in Western Europe.
The Wider Story
The relationship between Frankish power and the papacy gave the act wider significance. Its meaning also affected relations with the Byzantine Empire.
Putting the Event in Perspective
The ceremony did not recreate the ancient Roman Empire unchanged.
Reading the Historical Record
A reconstruction should use an early-medieval Roman church setting rather than a later Gothic cathedral.
About the Historical Recreation
The accompanying visual is an illustrative reconstruction: a distant early-medieval imperial ceremony inside a Roman basilica, no Gothic architecture. It is not authentic archival footage, an eyewitness record or additional evidence for the event.
Sources
Found an error? Send a correction. Read our editorial standards.