Charlemagne and later \"Roman\" emperors

[Theodosius the Great]

It is important to note that Theophylact had already seen an actual attempt to reinstall a western Emperor: the (eastern) Roman commander of Italy, Eleutherius, was encouraged by the bishop of Ravenna to march on Rome and to be crowned by the pope, because Emperor Heraclius was incapable of protecting Italy.

Interesting. I think the origin of the perceived right of the Pope to crown a western emperor was deduced from the practice of eastern emperors always being crowned by the Patriarch of Constantinople which pre-dates the fall of the Western government.

According to the Catholic Encyclopedia on the Byzantine Empire: The high civil and military officials took part in the enthronement of a new monarch, often by means of a palace or military revolution. Legally, the people participated in the government only through the Church. From the time of Marcianus, the Byzantine emperors were crowned by the Patriarchs of Constantinople.

If Marcian was the first emperor to be crowned by the Patriach maybe it was a sign that he wanted to shore up his legitimacy to the throne after the untimely death of Theodosius II. After his reign the practice just became traditional.

The people of Italy were not exactly thrilled by the Justinian reconquest either – not because the wanted to be ruled by their own emperor, but because they were satisfied enough to be ruled by the Goths.

The church was probably the most supportive group of the invasion since they were under the rule of Arians. The general population to a lesser degree may have had misgivings as well. But the Ostrogoths were mild, largely assimilated rulers unlike the Vandals.

the WRE was dead as an idea and a project. Only the glory of the past was remembered and claimed. No citizen saw himself as a Roman any longer, or had done so since the late 5th c., or perhaps the late 6th.

I suspect some still considered themselves Roman citizens for a lot longer than that. The Exarchate of Italy did not disappear until well into the eighth century. Italians could still aspire to the office. The Eastern Empire was still the wealthiest state in Europe and probably remained alluring among the ambitious elite. Besides, the senatorial families of Rome with their lands and wealth did not disappear from the scene for a long time.

~Theo