the 9th century persian geographer ibn khurradadhbih (d. 911), in his lexicographical discussion of instruments, cited the "urghun" (organ) as one of the typical instruments of the eastern roman (byzantine) empire. it was often used in the hippodrome in the imperial capital of constantinople. a syrian visitor describes a pipe organ powered by two servants pumping "bellows like a blacksmith's" as being played while guests ate at the emperor's christmas dinner in constantinople in 911. the first western european pipe organ with "great leaden pipes" was sent from constantinople to the west by the byzantine emperor constantine v as a gift to pepin the short king of the franks in 757. pepin's son charlemagne requested a similar organ for his chapel in aachen in 812, beginning its establishment in western european church music.