question is of political rather than
ecclesiastical interest, and it may suffice to say that there are very
strong reasons for believing the passage to be a later interpolation.[4]

[Sidenote: The revival of the Empire, 800.]

Within four mouths Charles had subdued the Lombards and become "rex
Francorum et Langobardorum atque patricius Romanorum." For nearly a
quarter of a century Charles was employed in other parts of his empire:
he dealt friendly but firmly with the pope; but he kept away from Rome.
But in 799 the new pope Leo III., attacked by the Romans probably for
some harshness in his rule, fled from the city and in July came to
Charles at Paderborn to entreat his help. It is probable that the
great English scholar, Alcuin, who has been called the Erasmus of the
eighth century, had already suggested to the great king that the
weakness of the Eastern emperors was a real defeasance of power and
that the crown imperial might be his own. However that may be Charles
came to Rome and made a triumphal entry on November 24, 800. The
charges against the pope were heard and he swore to his innocence. On
the feast of the Nativity, in the basilica of S. Peter, when Charles
had worshipped at the _confessio_, the tomb of S. Peter, Leo clothed
him with a purple robe and set a crown of gold upon his head. "Then
all the faithful Romans beholding so great a champion given them and
the love which {153} he bore towards the holy Roman Church and its
vicar, in obedience to the will of God and S. Peter the key-bearer of
the kingdom of heaven, cried with one accord in sound like thunder 'To
Charles the most pious Augustus, crowned of God, the Emperor great and
peaceable, life and victory!'"

Thus the Roman pope and the Roman people claimed to make anew in Rome
the Roman Empire with a German for Caesar and Augustus. It was not, if
we believe Charles's own close friend Einhard, a distinction sought by
the new emperor himself. "At first he so disliked the title of
_Imperator_ and _Augustus_ that he declared that if he had known before
the intention of the pope he would never have entered the church on
that day, though it was one of the most holy festivals of the year."
[5] It may well be that Charles, who had corresponded with the Caesars
of the East, hesitated to take a step of such bold defiance. Men still
preserved the memories of how the soldiers of Justinian had won back
Italy from the Goths. Nor was Charles pleased to r