Is Charlemagne or Otto the Great the first emperor of the Holy Roman Empire?

by ShockinglyEfficient

I have been taught that Otto the Great was the first Holy Roman Emperor all throughout high school, but in college I'm being told that Charlemagne is actually the first Holy Roman Emperor. Which one is it?

DoctorEmperor

Follow up question: when did this question first appear among historians? Did Otto himself ever comment on it?