In January 814 Charlemagne died at Aix-la-Chapelle and was there buried on the same day. The event was of staggering importance. The Roman Empire of the West, which the barbarians had overthrown, was remembered even by them as the greatest thing in the world. Theodoric had tried to revive it and failed. It had lain dormant for more than three hundred years and then Charlemagne had apparently succeeded in reviving it, and had signalized the year 800 by being crowned Emperor by the Pope in the church of St. Peter at Rome.