Page:The history of medieval Europe.djvu/248

208 THE HISTORY OF MEDIEVAL EUROPE ence nor how large a territory it had under its own rule as papal states. Indeed, if some one like the Byzantine em- peror or the King of the Lombards controlled all Italy, he would probably see to it that the election of a pope proceeded in an orderly and decent manner, though he might influence it himself, and he would be strong enough to make the Roman mob behave. It has not always proved an unmixed blessing to the Papacy to be left free from outside interfer- ence and protection. This was now shown to be the case. Just before Charlemagne's accession there had been a shocking struggle for the papal chair, with murders and Charle- atrocities. The conspiracies and assassinations magne's continued until the election of Hadrian I and of the the coming of Charlemagne to Italy. Charle- Papacy magne, like Pepin, was called by the popes "Patrician of the Romans," and was regarded as the pro- tector of the city of Rome and the other papal territory. When Hadrian died in 795, his successor, Leo III, sent to Charlemagne as his overlord the keys of St. Peter's grave and the flag of the city of Rome as tokens of his homage and fidelity. Charlemagne's response was to warn him to be a good pope. This he was not, and after four years of his harsh rule the discontented Romans gave him a sound beating and forced him to flee to Charlemagne for succor. Charlemagne stood by him and sent him back to Rome, where the year following an assembly of Franks and Ro- mans decided that he might free himself from the accusa- tions against him by a voluntary oath- They felt that it would be unseemly to subject the pope to an ordinary trial. On December 23, Leo so cleared himself. Two days later on Christmas, 800, as Charles knelt in prayer in St. Peter's, the grateful pope surprised him b> Charlemagne Pacing a crown on his head and adoring him ir Byzantine style, while the assembled populace hailed him as "Augustus, crowned of God, greai and pacific Emperor of the Romans." Charlemagne's pos sessions might well be called an empire, since he was Kin* of the Lombards as well as King of the Franks, and als(