Throughout the Middle Ages, Aachen basked in a prestige of being a capital founded by Charlemagne. From King Henry III in 1028, the rulers of the Holy Roman Empire were crowned there for over five centuries. The imperial dignity passed into the hands of the Habsburg dynasty in 1452. From that point on, the emperor's investiture ceremony took place in the Cathedral of Frankfurt, the city they were elected. Charlemagne's throne was too heavy to carry, so a new imperial seat made its appearence. Like faldstools, it consisted of a simple metal frame covered in precious fabric to increase its prestige.