LEO III., whose pontificate (795-816) covered the last eighteen years of the reign of Charlemagne, was a native of Rome, and having been chosen successor of Adrian I. on Dec. 26, 795, was consecrated to the office on the 27th day. His first act was to send to Charles as patrician the standard of Rome along with the keys of the sepulchre of St. Peter and of the city. On April 25, 799, Leo was attacked while riding in procession through the city; the object of his assailants, incited by Paschalis and Cam pulus, nephews of Adrian I., was, by depriving him of his eyes and tongue, to disqualify him for the papal office. This barbarous intention was not executed, but Leo sought the help of Winegis, the Frankish duke of Spoleto. Having vainly requested the pres ence of Charles in Rome, Leo crossed the Alps to meet the king at Paderborn ; he was received with much ceremony and respect, but Charles appointed both the pope and his accusers to appear as parties before him in Rome. Leo returned to his diocese;
Charles, who did not arrive until November in the following year acquitted the pope, who, however, was permitted or rather re quired to clear himself by the oath of compurgation. The corona tion of Charles followed two days afterwards. His enemies renewed their attacks after Charles's death; the violent repression of a con spiracy led to an open rebellion at Rome; serious charges were once more brought against him, when he died in 816. Under Leo's pontificate Felix of Urgel, the adoptianist, was anathe matized (798) by a Roman synod. Leo at another synod held in Rome in 8io admitted the dogmatic correctness of the Pogue, but deprecated its introduction into the creed. On this point, however, the Frankish Church persevered in the course it had already initiated. Leo's successor was Stephen IV.