In 486, Clovis, a Frankish king, defeated the independent Roman governor of Gaul (now mainly France). Clovis extended the boundaries of his territory by defeating other Germanic tribes in Gaul and parts of what is now western Germany. He became an orthodox Christian and also introduced other Roman ways of life into his kingdom. The greatest Frankish ruler, Charlemagne, came to power in 768. He established his capital in Aachen. Charlemagne expanded his kingdom east to the Elbe River and, in some places, beyond the river. In 800, Pope Leo III crowned him emperor of the Romans.