“And from that moment on, he was addressed as emperor and Augustus!” The coronation of Charlemagne on Christmas Day 800 AD, is one of the landmark moments in all world history. More than three centuries after the fall of the Roman Empire in the West, the emperors had returned once more, and a Caesar ruled in Rome. But how did this legendary event come to pass? For many years Charlemagne, though a formidable figure, had been but one power player in the game of empires, competing with the emperor of Constantinople and the new Pope in Rome. Then, in 797 a spectacular crisis struck Constantinople. The cruel and politically feckless emperor, Constantine VI, was ruthlessly usurped by his mother, Irene, who became the first and only ruling empress in the whole sweep of Roman history. In the West though, her rule as a woman was not acknowledged. To Charlemagne, then, it seemed the perfect opportunity to claim the vacant throne. What unfolded after this would see Rome and Constantinople lock horns in a terrible power struggle, involving blindings, mutilation and political scheming. With Charlemagne acting as arbiter between them, would he take the ultimate step and become, for the first time since 476 AD, the emperor in Rome? Join Tom and Dominic for the climax of their epic series on Charlemagne: the Frankish king turned emperor, who transformed the western world forever. What would become of his mighty empire, faced with Saracen pirates, vikings and division? _______ Twitter: @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Producer: Theo Young-Smith Assistant Producer: Tabby Syrett Editor: Aaliyah Akude Executive Producers: Jack Davenport + Tony Pastor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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On the 25th of December, Charles celebrated the Nativity of the Lord in Rome, and the count of the years from Christ's Nativity changed from 800 to 801. And that very same day, when the King rose from prayer before the altar that stands above the tomb of Saint Peter, Pope Leo placed a crown upon his head and all the Roman people acclaimed him in this manner.
To Charles Augustus, the God-crowned, great and peace-loving emperor of the Romans, life and victory. And after these acclamations of praise, Charles was saluted by the Pope in the same way that back in ancient times, the Roman emperors had been. And from that moment on, he was addressed as Emperor and Augustus. Happy Christmas, everybody.
So what more festive reading could there be than that little reading from the annals of the kingdom of the Franks? And it is describing one of the landmark moments, Tom, in all history. It is the imperial coronation on Christmas Day, 800 of Charlemagne. So more than three centuries after the fall of the Roman Empire in the West, the emperors have returned. There was an Augustus in Rome once again.
Happy Christmas, everyone.
And as you say, Dominic, what could possibly be more festive than that scene? An imperial coronation in Rome. The empire has struck back. It has indeed. So as you prepare your sprouts and do your turkey and all that kind of stuff, I hope that you will enjoy our explanation of what the hell is going on here.
So, in the previous episode, we heard about Charles' rise to greatness, how he comes to be Charles the Great Carolus Magnus Charlemagne, as he's known in English. And he commands by far the most potent war machine in Europe. He has extended his empire beyond the Pyrenees in the West and eastwards into what is now Hungary. and all the way up to the River Elbe in the north of Germany.
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