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The Development of Latin Christendom 253 The name of Charlemagne looms large in European history, but his personality is but indistinctly seen. He could not read or write, but he had a considerable respect for learning ; he liked to be read aloud to at meals and he had a weakness for theological discussion. At his .winter quarters at Aix-la-Chapelle or Mayence he gathered about him a number of learned men and picked up much from their conversation. In the summer he made war, against the Spanish EUROPE airth^de^dtoPCHAJiLElS/iKGME'-Sl^ Saracens, against the Slavs and Magyars, against the Saxons, and other still heathen German tribes. It is doubtful whether the idea of becoming Caesar in succession to Romulus Augustulus occurred to him before his acquisition of North Italy, or whether it was suggested to him by Pope Leo III, who was anxious to make the Latin church independent of Constantinople. ' I There were the most extraordinary manoeuvres at Rome between the Pope and the prospective emperor in order to make it appear or not appear as if the Pope gave him the imperiarcrown.. The Pope succeeded in crowning his visitor and conqueror by surprise in St.