Imagine waking up to discover that the year is not 2025, but 1728. Imagine learning that the great Emperor Charlemagne never existed, that the early Middle Ages were completely fabricated, and that nearly 300 years of human history were inserted into our calendars by a conspiracy of powerful rulers.
This is not the plot of a science fiction novel but the core premise of the “Phantom Time Hypothesis,” a historical theory proposed by German historian Heribert Illig in 1991. Illig argues that the years AD 614 to 911 never happened, meaning that everything we think we know about this era is a lie constructed to manipulate time itself.
The Conspiracy of Kings
According to Illig, this massive distortion of history was orchestrated by three men: Holy Roman Emperor Otto III, Pope Sylvester II, and Byzantine Emperor Constantine VII. The theory posits that these rulers wanted to align their reigns with the special, millennial year of AD 1000. To achieve this “sacred” timing, Illig claims they retroactively altered the dating system.
By inserting a “phantom” period of 297 years into history, Otto III could claim the legitimacy of ruling during a pivotal Christian epoch. To support this fabrication, Illig suggests these conspirators forged documents, altered physical evidence, and misrepresented historical records to fill the void of the missing centuries.
Evidence of the Void
Illig’s argument rests on several intriguing, albeit controversial, observations. He points to the scarcity of archaeological evidence from AD 614 to 911, suggesting that the physical record for this period is suspiciously empty compared to other eras. Furthermore, he argues that the presence of Romanesque architecture in 10th-century Europe implies that the Roman era was much more recent than conventional history accepts, bridging the gap over the “missing” Dark Ages.
Perhaps his most technical argument involves the calendar reform of 1582. When Pope Gregory XIII introduced the Gregorian calendar to correct the drift of the Julian calendar, a discrepancy of ten days was corrected. However, Illig calculates that if the calendar had been running correctly since its inception in 45 BC, the discrepancy should have been thirteen days. He concludes that the “missing” three days correspond to roughly three centuries that never actually occurred.
A World Without Charlemagne
The most striking casualty of Illig’s theory is Charlemagne, the King of the Franks and Lombards. In the Phantom Time scenario, the “Father of Europe” is nothing more than a fictional character, a composite figure created to give substance to the empty centuries.
Illig contends that the detailed biographies, the wars, and the cultural revival associated with the Carolingian dynasty are all later inventions designed to flesh out the phantom years. If Illig is right, the entire foundation of medieval European history is built on a ghost story.
The Scientific Rebuttal
Despite the fascinating narrative, mainstream historians and scientists have firmly rejected the Phantom Time Hypothesis. Dating methods such as dendrochronology (tree-ring dating) and solar eclipse records provide continuous timelines that contradict Illig’s claims. For instance, observations of Halley’s Comet and records from the Tang Dynasty in China align perfectly with the standard chronology, showing no gaps or added centuries.
The “missing” days in the Gregorian reform are explained by the fact that the calendar was intended to align with the Council of Nicaea in AD 325, not the original Roman calendar of 45 BC. While Illig’s theory remains a captivating historical “what if,” the weight of global evidence suggests that we are, in fact, exactly when we think we are.
We might actually be living in the year 1728.
German historian Heribert Illig claims the years AD 614 to 911 never happened.
He argues three centuries were faked by a conspiracy of kings to rewrite time.
If he’s right, the entire history of the Middle Ages is a lie…🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/5HtjXr6Hld
— Fascinating True Stories (@FascinatingTrue) December 10, 2025