06-30-2011, 04:33 PM
He was recognised by Michael I in 812 in exchange for Frankish concessions on disputed territory in the Adriatic (but I am not sitting next to my books at the moment, so am relying on online sources:
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topi...cephorus-I
That said, most biographies of Charlemagne seem to stress that he saw himself as King of the Franks and King of Lombardy (i.e. his realm was an aggregation of kingdoms rather than a single empire, rather like the later "Angevin Empire"), and that the Imperial title was secondary to this. I think the precise title was Imperator Romanorum, "Emperor of the Romans", which perhaps carries a slightly more restricted meaning?
Frankish inheritance law recognised the rights of all sons rather than just the eldest, and it was more a matter of circumstance (lack of surviving male siblings) that Charlemagne's realm remained intact under Louis the Pius, before being split into several kingdoms under Louis' heirs under the Treaty of Verdun, AD843 (although the title of Emperor remained prestigious, in spite of the fact that it carried no right to direct rule of all of Charlemagne's realm).
Fascinating period!
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topi...cephorus-I
That said, most biographies of Charlemagne seem to stress that he saw himself as King of the Franks and King of Lombardy (i.e. his realm was an aggregation of kingdoms rather than a single empire, rather like the later "Angevin Empire"), and that the Imperial title was secondary to this. I think the precise title was Imperator Romanorum, "Emperor of the Romans", which perhaps carries a slightly more restricted meaning?
Frankish inheritance law recognised the rights of all sons rather than just the eldest, and it was more a matter of circumstance (lack of surviving male siblings) that Charlemagne's realm remained intact under Louis the Pius, before being split into several kingdoms under Louis' heirs under the Treaty of Verdun, AD843 (although the title of Emperor remained prestigious, in spite of the fact that it carried no right to direct rule of all of Charlemagne's realm).
Fascinating period!
