Napoleon before the Throne of Charlemagne

Henri-Paul Motte, 1898.

The throne of Charlemagne was set up in the 790s in the Palatine Chapel at Aachen. Until 1531 it served as the coronation throne of the King of the Romans and was used at thirty-one coronations. But Charlemagne was not crowned upon it; he merely sat there, having been crowned by Pope Leo III in Old St Peter's Basilica in Rome in the year 800 AD.

The throne looks quite plain and unadorned: six steps lead up to a seat of four marble slabs. The marble parts are fastened together with ordinary bronze clamps.

Napoleon visited Aachen Cathedral on 2 October 1804 to see the legendary place of coronation; out of respect, he did not sit upon the great throne himself. Nevertheless, the symbolism attached to the figure of Charlemagne was put to use by Napoleon at his own coronation. It began with the crown, made by the Parisian jeweller Martin-Guillaume Biennais in a style resembling that of Charlemagne's crown, and with the two sceptres he took to the coronation, one of which was the sceptre of Charles V, known in the early modern period as the sceptre of Charlemagne; it is topped by a figure of Charlemagne, while scenes from his legendary life are depicted on the pommel. In addition, for the coronation Napoleon demanded the sword Joyeuse, which had belonged to Charlemagne; however, because of the great number of alterations required, a new sword was in the end made in its place. Charlemagne's precious sapphire "love" talisman was set into a bracelet for Josephine.