What was the relationship between Charlemagne and the pope?

The relationship between Charlemagne and the pope was significant and pivotal in shaping the legitimacy of Charlemagne's rule and the institution of the Church. The correct answer is that the pope crowned Charlemagne as emperor. This event took place in the year 800 when Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne at St. Peter's Basilica in Rome on Christmas Day. This act not only symbolized the pope's authority but also established a powerful alliance between the Frankish monarchy and the papacy. By crowning Charlemagne, the pope recognized him as the legitimate ruler of a revived Western Roman Empire, effectively linking the Carolingian dynasty with the legacy of ancient Rome.

This coronation helped to solidify Charlemagne's power, as the divine sanction of the pope added a religious legitimacy that was crucial in an era where the Church played a central role in political and social matters. Furthermore, this event marked the beginning of the notion that the pope had the power to confer authority upon kings, influencing future relationships between the Church and European monarchs.

Charlemagne’s reign and the relationship with the papacy would later be instrumental in the development of what is often referred to as the "Holy Roman Empire," a term that indicates the intertwining of secular and religious authority in medieval