The History of Christianity. Lecture 19 of 30. From Charlemagne to the Holy Roman Empire.

Lecture 19.

After Justinian conquered Italy, the Popes found themselves subject to the whims of emperors in Constantinople, who failed to save Italy from the Lombards. The Popes looked for new protectors, the Franks.

The Papacy became a plaything for the Roman mob, local aristocrats, and foreign kings. An attempt to find a new protector, the Holy Roman Emperor, proved to be disastrous.