The Tale of the Greatest Divine King Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Tale of the Greatest Divine King - Essay Example Charlemagne journeyed to Rome and at Easter time he accompanied Pope Hadrian I to St. Peter’s Basilica, where they avowed mutual oaths, hence validating the union of Charles’ father with the papacy. The implication of the alliance was revealed by Charlemagne in a correspondence to Pope Leo III in 796,â€Å"It is our part with the help of divine holiness to defend by armed strength the holy church of Christ everywhere from the outward onslaughts of the pagans and the ravages of the infidels and to strengthen within the knowledge of the Catholic faith. It is your part, most Holy Father, to help our armies with your hands lifted up to Gold like Moses, so that, by your intercession and by the leadership and gift of God, the Christian people may everywhere   and always have victory over the enemies of his holy name and that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified throughout the world† (Logan, 2002, 73). Through this letter, written by Charlemagne himself, it is logical to assume about his motive in forging the alliance and good relationship with the church. Here is an idea of a perfect Christian society, to whose security and prosperity both king and pope were tied together in a joint effort.Four years following the letter of Charlemagne, at Christmas in St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Leo anointed and crowned Charlemagne as the new Roman emperor. Charlemagne, a king whose roots are barbaric, received the title of emperor on an occasion whose entire implication still mystifies modern scholarship. Since 487, there had been no Roman emperor in the West; the lone emperor was the woman named Irene, ruling the vestiges of the ancient Roman Empire from Constantinople.