On Christmas day in 800 AD, the Frankish general, Charlemagne (Charles Magnus or "the great") became emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. He was given this title by the Pope of the Catholic Church, and crowned by the Pope.Â
This arrangement served as a precedent for the next 1000 years in Europe. Viz., political leaders received their authority from church leaders. This resulted in a full union of Church and State with Church being over State. Going to the present, it became the practice that a nation became officially the religion of the nation's political leader, appointed by the Church.
This is still the practice in places like England, where the King is crowned by the Archbishop and serves as the head of the Anglican Church, while every citizen born in England is, by default, a member of the Anglican Church.
DISCUSS: Why have most empires involved a union of Church and State?
DECISION: What are the pros and cons of uniting Church and State? What war was fought to separate the two? Has the United States truly separated the two?