History
Charlemagne: From Pavia to Aachen
Charlemagne's reign is traced here through Pavia, Paderborn, Roncesvalles, Rome and Aachen, the places where he won a kingdom, met a pope, lost his rearguard, became emperor and was buried.
The route follows five moments from 774 to 814: the surrender of the Lombard capital, the court in Saxony, the ambush at a mountain pass, the Christmas Day coronation of 800 and the chapel of his imperial capital. The exact site of the ambush is disputed.
Timeline & locations
What do the location labels mean?
- Exact
- The pin marks the actual place where it happened or was filmed.
- Approximate
- The right area — a town, park or district — but not a precise spot.
- Speculative
- A reasoned guess: sources disagree or the exact place is unknown.
In 773 Charlemagne marched into Italy against the Lombard king Desiderius, who held Pavia. He brought his wife Hildegard and their child to the camp at Pavia. The Lombards surrendered the city by June 774. Charlemagne deposed Desiderius and took the title of King of the Lombards.
Open area inGoogle MapsApple MapsOrganic MapsOpenStreetMap45.03685, 9.13783Visitability not confirmedLocation precision: The sources place the siege at Pavia but name no single spot, so the pin marks the city.
Sources
- Charlemagne
- Locator:
- Conquest, Coronation sections
- Siege of Pavia (773–774)
- Locator:
- Lead
- Charlemagne
In 777 he built a castle near the Paderborn springs and held an assembly of Frankish and Saxon men, attended by envoys from al-Andalus. In 799 Pope Leo III, fleeing his enemies in Rome, reached the town and met him there. As early as 777 the palace had an attached church.
Open area inGoogle MapsApple MapsOrganic MapsOpenStreetMap51.71889, 8.75556Visitability not confirmedLocation precision: The sources don't locate Charlemagne's palace exactly; the pin marks Paderborn Cathedral.
Sources
- Charlemagne
- Locator:
- Conquest, Coronation sections
- Paderborn
- Locator:
- Lead
- Paderborn Cathedral
- Locator:
- History
- Charlemagne
Leaving Spain in 778, Charlemagne tore down the walls of the Basque capital Iruña, then marched for the mountain pass. On the evening of 15 August his rearguard, which included Roland, was attacked as it crossed the pass. The Basques held the high ground and knew the terrain. The exact site is unknown; scholars have suggested places from Navarre to Catalonia, and the mainstream view puts it near Roncevaux.
Open area inGoogle MapsApple MapsOrganic MapsOpenStreetMap43.00917, -1.32017Visitability not confirmedLocation precision: The battle site is disputed; the pin marks Roncesvalles, the mainstream candidate area.
Sources
- Battle of Roncevaux Pass
- Locator:
- Battle, Location
- Battle of Roncevaux Pass
Leo III swore an oath on 23 December 800 declaring his innocence of all charges. Two days later, at mass in St. Peter's Basilica on Christmas Day, he proclaimed Charlemagne "emperor of the Romans". The ceremony took place in Old St. Peter's, the basilica of that time.
Visitor guidance: St. Peter's Basilica is in Vatican City.
Sources
- Charlemagne
- Locator:
- Conquest, Coronation sections
- Old St. Peter's Basilica
- Locator:
- Lead
- Charlemagne
Charlemagne began building the chapel around 792, with the rest of his palace. Its plan owes much to the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna. Pope Leo III consecrated it in 805. Charlemagne died in 814 and was buried here, in his imperial capital. Holy Roman Emperors were later crowned in the chapel until 1531. The chapel is now part of Aachen Cathedral.
Visitor guidance: The Palatine Chapel is now part of Aachen Cathedral.
Sources
- Charlemagne
- Locator:
- Conquest, Coronation sections
- Palatine Chapel, Aachen
- Locator:
- Lead, History, Structure
- Charlemagne
