Editing Siege of Pavia (773–774) (section)

==Legacy==
After the victory, Charlemagne had himself declared [[King of Italy|''rex Langobardorum'']], and from that time onwards he was to be called "King of the Franks ''and'' Lombards". This was unique in the history of the [[Germanic monarchy|Germanic kingdoms]] of the [[Early Middle Ages]]: A current ruler taking the title of the conquered for his own. Charles was forging what could in modern language be called an "empire" proper; he was also allying himself very closely with the Church as its protector. His recognition of temporal Papal authority in [[central Italy]] helped lay the foundation for medieval Papal power.
[[File:Antiche mura 03.JPG|thumb|[[Pavia]], via dei Mulini, part of the ancient Roman and early medieval walls inserted inside houses.]]

The decline of the Lombard state had been swift, and the changes wrought in Italy by the Frankish conquest were great. Many Franks entered into positions of power and authority in Italy, though many Lombards, on account of their willingness to make peace with Charles, retained their positions.

As Paul K. Davis writes, "The defeat and consequent destruction of the Lombard monarchy rid Rome of its most persistent threat to Papal security, laying the groundwork for the [[Holy Roman Empire]]."<ref>Paul K. Davis, ''100 Decisive Battles from Ancient Times to the Present: The World’s Major Battles and How They Shaped History'' (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1999), 106.</ref>