Britannica
Sources used in this answer
How did Charlemagne protect the Papal States?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Charlemagne
Charlemagne, oil on limewood by Albrecht DĆ¼rer, 1512; in the collection of the German National Museum, NĆ¼rnberg, Germany.
Charlemagne protected the Papal States by maintaining a long-standing protectorate over the papacy, a role he inherited and expanded upon from his father, Pippin III.12
His protection involved several key actions:
- Military Intervention: In 773ā774, Charlemagne answered the appeals of Pope Adrian I for protection against the Lombards. He led a successful military expedition into Italy, which resulted in his assumption of the Lombard crown and the annexation of northern Italy.3
- Reaffirmation of Rights: During his Italian campaigns, Charlemagne visited Rome to reaffirm the Frankish protectorate and formally confirm the papal rights to territories previously granted by his father in the Donation of Pippin.3
- Diplomatic Asylum: Charlemagne provided critical political support, notably in 799 when Pope Leo III fled to him for asylum following an attack in Rome. Charlemagneās support led to the pope's reinstallation and culminated in Charlemagneās own coronation as Holy Roman emperor in 800 CE.1