THERE WAS OF COURSE NO LEGALITY IN THE ACT AND KARL THE GREAT WAS IN NO REAL SENSE THE SUCCESSOR OF HONORIUS AND ROMULUS AUGUSTULUS BUT HE RULED A GROUP OF KINGDOMS WHICH EMBRACED THE LARGER HALF OF THE OLD WESTERN EMPIRE AND FORMED A FAIR EQUIPOISE TO THE REALM NOW RULED BY IRENE FROM EIGHT HUNDRED THEN ONWARD WE HAVE ONCE MORE A WEST ROMAN EMPIRE IN EXISTENCE AS WELL AS THE EAST ROMAN