King of The Franks
© 2015 by Brayden Courtney
Primary Source 1: Sketch of son's Coronation
Source: Book - The Restoration of Rome, Barbarian Popes & Imperial Pretenders By Peter Heather
Information:
This sketch shows the Coronation of Louis the Pious, his only surviving son. The unexpected deaths of Charlemagne's older sons in the years before 813 left Louis as his father's sole heir. This picture shows the imperial coronation ceremony to which the pope was not even invited.
Relevance:
Louis the Pious was Charlemagne's last remaining son, he would be the sole king when Chalemagne dies, unlike Charlemagne, who first ruled with his brother, and then on his own. Louis ended up taking over from his father, Charlemagne when he died in 814 January 28th.
Reliability of Information:
This source is quite reliable as it has come from an original sketch of the time, reproduced in a book, and not a website like wikipedia. The detail is characteristic of the time such as the robes, the crowns and religious ceremony.
Information:
Primary Source 2: Photograph of Charlemagne's throne dating from 800
Source: Book - Emperor of the West, Charlemagne and the Carolingian Empire
By Hywel Williams
The source shows Chalemagne's throne of marble slabs, dating from 800CE. These were placed in the gallery of Aachen's palatine Chapel. That unusual position of the emphasised the emperor's combination of religious authority with temporal power.
Relevance:
The throne of Charlemagne was a revelant and significant primary source, as this was where Charlemagne ordered campaigns against rival enemys, truces with more stable countries, laws to be passed out and people to be executed.
Reliability of Information:
This source is very reliable as it shows the original throne and research suggests that it was indeed Charlemagne's.