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Charlemagne and his brother Carloman I are both crowned King of the Franks

Charlemagne ( SHAR-lə-mayn; 2 April 748 – 28 January 814) was King of the Franks from 768, King of the Lombards from 774, and Emperor of what is now known as the Carolingian Empire from 800.

Charlemagne ( SHAR-lə-mayn; 2 April 748 – 28 January 814) was King of the Franks from 768, King of the Lombards from 774, and Emperor of what is now known as the Carolingian Empire from 800. He united most of Western and Central Europe and was the first recognised emperor to rule from the west after the fall of the Western Roman Empire approximately three centuries earlier. Charlemagne's reign was marked by political and social changes that had lasting influence on Europe throughout the Middle Ages.

A member of the Frankish Carolingian dynasty, Charlemagne was the eldest son of Pepin the Short and Bertrada of Laon. With his brother Carloman I, he became king of the Franks in 768 following Pepin's death and became the sole ruler three years later.

Historical Significance

Charlemagne ( SHAR-lə-mayn; 2 April 748 – 28 January 814) was King of the Franks from 768, King of the Lombards from 774, and Emperor of what is now known as the Carolingian Empire from 800.

Key People

Charlemagne

Carolingian emperor from 800 to 814

Carolingian emperor from 800 to 814

Events Before

  1. Tibetan troops occupy Chang'an for 15 days, capital of the Chinese Tang Dynasty

    Tibetan troops occupy Chang'an for 15 days, capital of the Chinese Tang Dynasty

  2. K'inich K'uk' Bahlum becomes king of the Maya city of Palenque - its last known ruler before the city's collapse

    K'inich K'uk' Bahlum becomes king of the Maya city of Palenque - its last known ruler before the city's collapse

  3. Coffin of Ho-tse Shen-hui interred in a stupa built in China

    Coffin of Ho-tse Shen-hui interred in a stupa built in China

  4. St Paul I ends his reign as Catholic Pope

    Pope Paul I (Latin: Paulus I; 700 – 28 June 767) was the bishop of Rome and ruler of the emerging Papal States from 29 May 757 to his death on 28 June 767.

  5. Duke Toto of Nepi stages a coup d'état in Rome and names his brother Constantine, Pope Constantine II. Today considered

    Duke Toto of Nepi stages a coup d'état in Rome and names his brother Constantine, Pope Constantine II. Today considered an antipope.

Events After

  1. Charlemagne becomes the sole King of the Franks after the death of his brother Carloman

    Carloman I (28 June 751 – 4 December 771), German Karlmann, Karlomann, was king of the Franks from 768 until his death in 771.

  2. Adrian I begins his reign as pope of the Catholic Church

    The pope is the bishop of Rome and the head of the worldwide Catholic Church. He is also known as the supreme pontiff, Roman pontiff, or sovereign pontiff.

  3. Willibald, Abbot of Heidenheim, dictates his pilgrimage to the Holy Land fifty years before, to nun Hugburc, who records

    Willibald, Abbot of Heidenheim, dictates his pilgrimage to the Holy Land fifty years before, to nun Hugburc, who records this and biographies of Willibald and his brother - the first known English woman writer [1]

More from the 760s

BC Assyrians record a solar eclipse that will be used to fix the chronology of Mesopotamian history

The chronology of the ancient Near East is a framework of dates for various events, rulers and dynasties.

Tibetan troops occupy Chang'an for 15 days, capital of the Chinese Tang Dynasty

Tibetan troops occupy Chang'an for 15 days, capital of the Chinese Tang Dynasty

Khan of the Uyghurs, Bögü Qaghan, conquers Luoyang, the capital of the Chinese Empire

Khan of the Uyghurs, Bögü Qaghan, conquers Luoyang, the capital of the Chinese Empire

K'inich K'uk' Bahlum becomes king of the Maya city of Palenque - its last known ruler before the city's collapse

K'inich K'uk' Bahlum becomes king of the Maya city of Palenque - its last known ruler before the city's collapse

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on October 9, 768?
Charlemagne ( SHAR-lə-mayn; 2 April 748 – 28 January 814) was King of the Franks from 768, King of the Lombards from 774, and Emperor of what is now known as the Carolingian Empire from 800. He united most of Western and Central Europe and was the first recognised emperor to rule from the west after the fall of the Western Roman Empire approximately three centuries earlier. Charlemagne's reign was marked by political and social changes that had lasting influence on Europe throughout the Middle Ages.
Why is Charlemagne and his brother Carloman I are both crowned King of the Franks significant?
Charlemagne ( SHAR-lə-mayn; 2 April 748 – 28 January 814) was King of the Franks from 768, King of the Lombards from 774, and Emperor of what is now known as the Carolingian Empire from 800.
Who was involved in Charlemagne and his brother Carloman I are both crowned King of the Franks?
Key figures include Charlemagne (Carolingian emperor from 800 to 814).

Explore More

October 9 in HistoryYear 768