King of the Franks and son of Pepin, Charlemagne was crowned Holy Roman Emperor by Pope Leo III on Christmas Day 800, a culmination of the Frankish-papal alliance that established a rival imperial authority in the West. He briefly proposed marriage to the Byzantine empress Irene, a union that would have reunited the eastern and western empires, but her deposition ended the prospect before it could be realized. Despite the rivalry his coronation created with Constantinople, he modeled his palace at Aachen on Byzantine imperial architecture, reflecting the cultural prestige the Eastern Empire continued to hold even as the two powers competed for legitimacy.
Also known as: Charles the Great · Carolus Magnus · Charles I
What each episode says
Episode 11 (6 mentions)
Son of Pepin, Charlemagne took the Frankish-papal alliance to its fullest extent. He traveled to Rome to testify on behalf of Pope Leo III, and in a stunning move the pope placed the imperial crown on his head on Christmas Day 800, declaring him Holy Roman Emperor. Charlemagne also recognized a unique opportunity in Irene's situation and proposed marriage to her, which would have reunited east and west under one ruler, but the citizens of Constantinople deposed Irene before it could happen.
“But it was Pepin's son Charlemagne who was to take the relationship to its fullest extent.”
“In December of 800, Charlemagne made his way to Rome and testified on the pope's behalf.”
“imperial crown on Charlemagne's head, declaring that he was now a Holy Roman Emperor.”
Episode 12 (1 mention)
Mentioned as the rival emperor crowned during Irene's reign, Charlemagne was given the title Emperor of the Romans as a direct insult to the Eastern Empire, creating a rival western empire and contributing to the collapse of Byzantine prestige in the West.
“and the coronation of a rival emperor Charlemagne,”
Episode 17 (2 mentions)
Brownworth uses Charlemagne as a contrast to illustrate Byzantine cultural superiority: while Charlemagne struggled to learn to write his own name, Byzantine schoolchildren were studying Homer and Aeschylus. Charlemagne also modeled his buildings in Aachen on the Imperial Palace of New Rome.
“While Charlemagne was struggling to learn how to write his own name”
“Charlemagne modeled his buildings in Aachen on the vast glorious Imperial Palace of New Rome”
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