During a routine Christmas day service, Pope Leo III (r. 795 – 816) crowns King Charlemagne (French for “Charles the Great”; grandson of Charles “the Hammer” Martel), as the first Holy Roman Emperor.  Leo makes this gesture out of appreciation for Charlemagne’s having given refuge to Leo, after the family of his predecessor, Adrian I (r. 772 – 795), tried to assassinate him.  This finalizes the “split” between the eastern (Byzantine) and the bygone, western Roman Empires.

       NOTE: Charlemagne’s realm incorporated all of western Europe from modern day France eastward through Hungary, and Rome northward through Germany.

       [updated 9/7/2024]