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How did Charlemagneās coronation affect relations between western Europe and the Byzantine Empire?
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Charlemagne
Charlemagne, oil on limewood by Albrecht DĆ¼rer, 1512; in the collection of the German National Museum, NĆ¼rnberg, Germany.
Charlemagneās coronation as emperor in 800 CE significantly strained relations between the Latin West and the Byzantine Empire, as the Byzantines viewed the act as an illegal, revolutionary usurpation of the imperial title held by the emperors in Constantinople.1
The coronation had several key effects on these relations:
- Political Rivalry: The event solidified a political separation between East and West. Byzantium viewed its own emperor as the sole legitimate successor to the Roman Caesars, leading to a long-standing rivalry that persisted for centuries.1
- Diplomatic Conflict: Charlemagne initially sought recognition from Constantinople, even reportedly offering marriage to the Empress Irene to reunite the two realms. Following the failure of this plan, he engaged in years of unsuccessful war and difficult negotiations.1
- Grudging Recognition: In 812, the Byzantine emperor Michael I finally recognized Charlemagneās imperial title. However, this was a personal title rather than a recognition of him as "Emperor of the Romans," and the recognition was not automatically extended to his successors, remaining a point of contention whenever Byzantium felt strong enough to challenge it.1