1. Charlemagne, the Carolingians, and the Empire

3. Merovingians (481/82–751)
Carolingians (751–987)
Charles Martel (“the Hammer”) (died 741)
Defeated a Muslim army at the Battle of Tours in 732
Pepin the Short ( )
Overthrew the last Merovingian king in 751
Marched into Italy and defeated the Lombards
Established the Papal State
Crowned “King of the Franks” by the pope in 754
Charlemagne (“Charles the Great”) (768–814)
Crowned “Emperor of the Romans” by the pope in 800

4. Charlemagne, or “Charles the Great” (768–814)

5. on Christmas in the year 800
Charlemagne, ruler of the Franks, crowned emperor by Pope Leo III in Rome
on Christmas in the year 800

7. Inscription on Charlemagne’s seal: Renovatio Romani Imperii
(“Revival of the Roman Empire”)

8. Charlemagne’s silver coin (denarius)
KAROLUS IMP[ERATOR] AUG[USTUS]
(“Charles Emperor Augustus”)
XPICTIANA RELIGIO
(“Christian Religion”)

9. Constantine’s gold coin Charlemagne’s silver coin

10. Charlemagne, or “Charles the Great” (768–814)

11. Odo of Metz, Palace complex at Aachen (Aix-la-Chapelle), Germany, 792–805

12. Reconstruction of the Palace complex at Aachen

13. Palatine Chapel
(now Aachen Cathedral)

14. Palatine Chapel, Aachen, 792-805

18. Throne of Charlemagne

19. San Vitale,
Ravenna

20. He cherished with the greatest fervor and devotion the principles of the Christian religion, which had been instilled into him from infancy. Hence it was that he built the beautiful basilica at Aix-la-Chapelle (i.e. Aachen), which he adorned with gold and silver and lamps, and with rails and doors of solid brass. He had the columns and marbles for this structure brought from Rome and Ravenna, for he could not find such as were suitable elsewhere.
Einhard, The Life of Charlemagne

21. spolia

22. Gold medallion of Theodoric, King of the Ostrogoths, ca. 493
Mausoleum of Theodoric, Ravenna, ca. 526

23. Bronze equestrian statuette of Charlemagne or his grandson, Charles the Bald, bronze (once gilded), height: 25 cm,
9th century

24. Barberini Ivory, mid-6th century
Equestrian statue of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, Rome, ca. 176 C.E.

25. Gatehouse,
Abbey of Lorsch,
Germany, ca. 800

26. Arch of Constantine, Rome,
Gatehouse at Lorsch,
ca. 800
Arch of Constantine, Rome,
315 CE