In the year 796, [10] _Leo_ III being made Pope, notified his election to _Charles_ the great by his Legates, sending to him for a present, the golden keys of the Confession of _Peter_, and the Banner of the city of _Rome_: the first as an acknowledgment of the Pope's holding the cities of the Exarchate and _Lombardy_ by the grant of _Charles_; the other as a signification that _Charles_ should come and subdue the Senate and people of _Rome_, as he had done the Exarchate and the kingdom of the _Lombards_. For the Pope at the same time desired _Charles_ to send some of his Princes to _Rome_, who might subject the _Roman_ people to him, and bind them by oath _in fide & subjectione_, in fealty and subjection, as his words are recited by _Sigonius_. An anonymous Poet, publish'd by _Boeclerus_ at _Strasburg_, expresseth it thus: _Admonuitque piis precibus, qui mittere vellet_ _Ex propriis aliquos primoribus, ac sibi plebem_ _Subdere Romanam, servandaque foedera cogens_ _Hanc fidei sacramentis promittere magnis_. Hence arose a misunderstanding between the Pope and the city: and the _Romans_ about two or three years after, by assistance of some of the Clergy, raised such tumults against him, as gave occasion to a new state of things in all the _West_. For two of the Clergy accused him of crimes, and the _Romans_ with an armed force, seized him, stript him of his sacerdotal habit, and imprisoned him in a monastery. But by assistance of his friends he made his escape, and fled into _Germany_ to _Charles_ the great, to whom he complained of the _Romans_ for acting against him out of a design to throw off all authority of the Church, and to recover their antient freedom. In his absence his accusers with their forces ravaged the possessions of the Church, and sent the accusations to _Charles_; who before the end of the year sent the Pope back to _Rome_ with a large retinue. The Nobles and Bishops of _France_ who accompanied him, examined the chief of his accusers at _Rome_, and sent them into _France_ in custody. This was in the year 799. The next year _Charles_ himself went to _Rome_, and upon a day appointed presided in a Council of _Italian_ and _French_ Bishops to hear both parties. But when the Pope's adversaries expected to be heard, the Council declared [11] that he who was the supreme judge of all men, was above being judged by any other than himself: whereupon he made a solemn declaration of his innocence before all the people, and by doing so was looked upon as acquitted.