Editing Michael I Rangabe (section)

== Assessment and legacy ==
The reigns of the [[iconoclast]] emperors [[Leo III the Isaurian]] ({{reign|717|741}}) and [[Constantine V]] ({{reign|741|775}}) were militarily successful and saw the abatement of the Arab and Bulgar threat. According to the iconodule Patriarch [[Nicephorus I of Constantinople]], Leo III the Isaurian propaganda ascribed both their military successes and longevity to their iconoclasm. The validity of iconoclasm was only confirmed by the military disasters under the iconodule emperors Michael I and his predecessor [[Nikephoros I]] ({{reign|802|811}}) as well as the success of the iconoclast [[Leo V the Armenian]] ({{reign|813|820}}) against the Bulgars.{{sfn|Auzépy|2008|p=282}} Michael I was in general a weak emperor whose policies were formed in mere reaction to outside pressures.{{sfn|Brubaker|Haldon|2011|p=364}} [[Warren Treadgold]] describes him as "amiable to a fault, lacking in judgment and easily led", "dithering", seeming "to have done whatever he had been told most recently".{{sfn|Treadgold|1997|p=429, 543}} He was also the last Byzantine emperor to be overthrown by the military, which is ironic given its increased strength in succeeding centuries.{{sfn|Treadgold|1997|p=543}}

In 813, [[Carolingian Emperor]] [[Charlemagne]] crowned his son [[Louis the Pious]] co-emperor in a manner resembling Michael I's crowning of his own son, [[Theophylact (son of Michael I)|Theophylact]], in 811. This was likely because of the Byzantine practice of inviting foreign ambassadors to witness state rituals. Accepting one such invitation, [[Hugh of Tours]], [[Count of Tours]], and [[Haito]], [[Bishop of Basel]], were present for Michael I's crowning of his son, and so probably returned to the [[Franks|Frankish]] court with knowledge of Byzantine ceremonies.{{sfn|McCormick|2008|pp=424-425}}