Database: Francia

Over centuries following the fall of the Roman Empire, Rome became unhappy with the growing power of Constantinople in the East. So in 795 AD, the western bishops named Leo III Pope in the West. On Christmas Day, Leo crowned a reluctant Charlemagne as Emperor of the Romans, sealing the deal and forever splitting Christiandom into East and West. The collection of Christianized tribes Charlemagne already ruled became the new kingdom of Francia.

Abbo of Cernuus, when describing the siege of Paris in 885 AD, would have us believe Francia was God's kingdom on earth, that its Pope alone spoke for God, and its king battled demonic hordes of Norse on behalf of all Heaven. But then, nothing about that tricky little Benedictine monk was straightforward.