What is Pope Leo III?
[[File:Pope Leo III – Triclinium Leoninum.jpg|thumbnail|150px|Leo III]] '''Leo III''' (died 12 June 816) was [[Pope]] from 795 to 816. He is famous for the [[coronation]] of [[Charlemagne]] as [[emperor]] in 800. == Early life== Leo was born in Rome. ==Pope== Leo reported his election to [[Charlemagne]], sent him the keys of [[Saint Peter's tomb]] and the banner of [[Rome]]. Charlemagne replied that it was his function to defend the church and the Pope's to pray for the [[kingdom]] and for victory of the army. Charlemagne went to Rome in November 800, and on December 1 held a [[council]] there with representatives of both sides. Leo, on December 23, took an oath of [[purgation]] concerning the charges brought against him, and his opponents were exiled. Two days later Leo crowned Charlemagne at St. Peter's tomb. Charlemagne did intervene in church affairs, not always successfully. The reasons for the coronation, the involvement beforehand of the Frankish court, and the relationship to the [[Byzantine Empire]] are all matters of debate among historians. ==Related pages== * [[List of popes]] == Other websites == {{commons category-inline|Leo III}} * [http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/basis/einhard.html Translation of Einhard's ''Life of Charlemagne'' (c. 817-830, translated in 1880)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080514190052/http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/basis/einhard.html |date=2008-05-14 }} {{Popes}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Leo III}} [[Category:8th-century births]] [[Category:816 deaths]] [[Category:Italian popes]]