How did Charlemagne rise to power?

As the son of his father King Pepin, he inherited half the kingdom of the Franks in 768. His brother Carloman inherited the other half. The two brothers seem to have disliked each other, each feeling he should have been the sole heir. Three years later, the 20-year old King Carloman got a nosebleed. read more

Meanwhile, Desiderius had gone to war with the Pope over control of some cities in central Italy. The Pope asked Charlemagne for his help; since Charlemagne had personal reasons to see Desiderius as an enemy, he was happy to oblige. Charlemagne led the Frankish army over the Alps in 773. read more

As a way to acknowledge Charlemagne’s power and reinforce his relationship with the church, Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne emperor of the Romans on December 25, 800, at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. read more