How the West Was One In a single act, Pope Leo’s coronation of Charlemagne changed all of that. Christendom still may have possessed only one Church, but now there were two Roman Empires to claim her. Charlemagne was crowned emperor by the pope. This created two Roman Empires. Until now, there was one empire, with its seat of power in the East: the New Rome of Constantinople. But Charlemagne was not of the East, not recognized as Emperor of any regions in the East. Hence, a second Roman Empire, headed by Charlemagne, and located…well, we will come to this.