Thatempirewasnotunworthyofitstitle；^105andsomeofthefairestkingdomsofEuropewerethepatrimonyorconquestofaprince，whoreignedatthesametimeinFrance，Spain，Italy，Germany，andHungary。^106I。TheRomanprovinceofGaulhadbeentransformedintothenameandmonarchyofFrance；but，inthedecayoftheMerovingianline，itslimitswerecontractedbytheindependenceoftheBritonsandtherevoltofAquitain。
Charlemagnepursued，andconfined，theBritonsontheshoresoftheocean；andthatferocioustribe，whoseoriginandlanguagearesodifferentfromtheFrench，waschastisedbytheimpositionoftribute，hostages，andpeace。Afteralongandevasivecontest，therebellionofthedukesofAquitainwaspunishedbytheforfeitureoftheirprovince，theirliberty，andtheirlives。
Harshandrigorouswouldhavebeensuchtreatmentofambitiousgovernors，whohadtoofaithfullycopiedthemayorsofthepalace。Butarecentdiscovery^107hasprovedthattheseunhappyprinceswerethelastandlawfulheirsofthebloodandsceptreofClovis，andyoungerbranch，fromthebrotherofDagobert，oftheMerovingianhouse。TheirancientkingdomwasreducedtotheduchyofGascogne，tothecountiesofFesenzacandArmagnac，atthefootofthePyrenees:theirracewaspropagatedtillthebeginningofthesixteenthcentury；andaftersurvivingtheirCarlovingiantyrants，theywerereservedtofeeltheinjustice，orthefavors，ofathirddynasty。BythereunionofAquitain，Francewasenlargedtoitspresentboundaries，withtheadditionsoftheNetherlandsandSpain，asfarastheRhine。II。
TheSaracenshadbeenexpelledfromFrancebythegrandfatherandfatherofCharlemagne；buttheystillpossessedthegreatestpartofSpain，fromtherockofGibraltartothePyrenees。Amidsttheircivildivisions，anArabianemirofSaragossaimploredhisprotectioninthedietofPaderborn。Charlemagneundertooktheexpedition，restoredtheemir，and，withoutdistinctionoffaith，impartiallycrushedtheresistanceoftheChristians，andrewardedtheobedienceandservicesoftheMahometans。InhisabsenceheinstitutedtheSpanishmarch，^108whichextendedfromthePyreneestotheRiverEbro:BarcelonawastheresidenceoftheFrenchgovernor:hepossessedthecountiesofRousillonandCatalonia；andtheinfantkingdomsofNavarreandArragonweresubjecttohisjurisdiction。III。AskingoftheLombards，andpatricianofRome，hereignedoverthegreatestpartofItaly，^109atractofathousandmilesfromtheAlpstothebordersofCalabria。TheduchyofBeneventum，aLombardfief，hadspread，attheexpenseoftheGreeks，overthemodernkingdomofNaples。
ButArrechis，thereigningduke，refusedtobeincludedintheslaveryofhiscountry；assumedtheindependenttitleofprince；
andopposedhisswordtotheCarlovingianmonarchy。Hisdefencewasfirm，hissubmissionwasnotinglorious，andtheemperorwascontentwithaneasytribute，thedemolitionofhisfortresses，andtheacknowledgement，onhiscoins，ofasupremelord。TheartfulflatteryofhissonGrimoaldaddedtheappellationoffather，butheassertedhisdignitywithprudence，andBenventuminsensiblyescapedfromtheFrenchyoke。^110IV。CharlemagnewasthefirstwhounitedGermanyunderthesamesceptre。ThenameofOrientalFranceispreservedinthecircleofFranconia；
andthepeopleofHesseandThuringiawererecentlyincorporatedwiththevictors，bytheconformityofreligionandgovernment。
TheAlemanni，soformidabletotheRomans，werethefaithfulvassalsandconfederatesoftheFranks；andtheircountrywasinscribedwithinthemodernlimitsofAlsace，Swabia，andSwitzerland。TheBavarians，withasimilarindulgenceoftheirlawsandmanners，werelesspatientofamaster:therepeatedtreasonsofTasillojustifiedtheabolitionoftheirhereditarydukes；andtheirpowerwassharedamongthecounts，whojudgedandguardedthatimportantfrontier。ButthenorthofGermany，fromtheRhineandbeyondtheElbe，wasstillhostileandPagan；
norwasittillafterawarofthirty—threeyearsthattheSaxonsbowedundertheyokeofChristandofCharlemagne。Theidolsandtheirvotarieswereextirpated:thefoundationofeightbishoprics，ofMunster，Osnaburgh，Paderborn，andMinden，ofBremen，Verden，Hildesheim，andHalberstadt，define，oneithersideoftheWeser，theboundsofancientSaxonytheseepiscopalseatswerethefirstschoolsandcitiesofthatsavageland；andthereligionandhumanityofthechildrenatoned，insomedegree，forthemassacreoftheparents。BeyondtheElbe，theSlavi，orSclavonians，ofsimilarmannersandvariousdenominations，overspreadthemoderndominionsofPrussia，Poland，andBohemia，andsometransientmarksofobediencehavetemptedtheFrenchhistoriantoextendtheempiretotheBalticandtheVistula。
Theconquestorconversionofthosecountriesisofamorerecentage；butthefirstunionofBohemiawiththeGermanicbodymaybejustlyascribedtothearmsofCharlemagne。V。HeretaliatedontheAvars，orHunsofPannonia，thesamecalamitieswhichtheyhadinflictedonthenations。Theirrings，thewoodenfortificationswhichencircledtheirdistrictsandvillages，werebrokendownbythetripleeffortofaFrencharmy，thatwaspouredintotheircountrybylandandwater，throughtheCarpathianmountainsandalongtheplainoftheDanube。Afterabloodyconflictofeightyears，thelossofsomeFrenchgeneralswasavengedbytheslaughterofthemostnobleHuns:therelicsofthenationsubmittedtheroyalresidenceofthechaganwasleftdesolateandunknown；andthetreasures，therapineoftwohundredandfiftyyears，enrichedthevictorioustroops，ordecoratedthechurchesofItalyandGaul。^111AfterthereductionofPannonia，theempireofCharlemagnewasboundedonlybytheconfluxoftheDanubewiththeTeyssandtheSave:theprovincesofIstria，Liburnia，andDalmatia，wereaneasy，thoughunprofitable，accession；anditwasaneffectofhismoderation，thatheleftthemaritimecitiesundertherealornominalsovereigntyoftheGreeks。ButthesedistantpossessionsaddedmoretothereputationthantothepoweroftheLatinemperor；
nordidheriskanyecclesiasticalfoundationstoreclaimtheBarbariansfromtheirvagrantlifeandidolatrousworship。Somecanalsofcommunicationbetweentherivers，theSaoneandtheMeuse，theRhineandtheDanube，werefaintlyattempted。^112
Theirexecutionwouldhavevivifiedtheempire；andmorecostandlaborwereoftenwastedinthestructureofacathedral。
[Footnote105:Seetheconcise，butcorrectandoriginal，workofD\'Anville，EtatsFormesenEuropeapreslaChutedel\'EmpireRomainenOccident，Paris，1771，in4to。，whosemapincludestheempireofCharlemagne；thedifferentpartsareillustrated，byValesiusNotitiaGalliacumforFrance，BerettiDissertatioChorographicaforItaly，DeMarcaMarcaHispanicaforSpain。
ForthemiddlegeographyofGermany，Iconfessmyselfpooranddestitute。]
[Footnote106:Afterabriefrelationofhiswarsandconquests，Vit。Carol。c。5—14，Eginhardrecapitulates，inafewwords，c。15，thecountriessubjecttohisempire。Struvius，CorpusHist。German。p。118—149wasinsertedinhisNotesthetextsoftheoldChronicles。]
[Footnote107:OnachartergrantedtothemonasteryofAlaonA。D。845byCharlestheBald，whichdeducesthisroyalpedigree。Idoubtwhethersomesubsequentlinksoftheixthandxthcenturiesareequallyfirm；yetthewholeisapprovedanddefendedbyM。Gaillard，tom。ii。p。60—81，203—206，whoaffirmsthatthefamilyofMontesquiounotofthePresidentdeMontesquieuisdescended，inthefemaleline，fromClotaireandClovis—aninnocentpretension!]
[Footnote108:ThegovernorsorcountsoftheSpanishmarchrevoltedfromCharlestheSimpleabouttheyear900；andapoorpittance，theRousillon，hasbeenrecoveredin1642bythekingsofFrance，Longuerue，DescriptiondelaFrance，tomi。p。220—
222。YettheRousilloncontains188，900subjects，andannuallypays2，600，000livres，Necker，AdministrationdesFinances，tom。
i。p。278，279；morepeople，perhaps，anddoubtlessmoremoneythanthemarchofCharlemagne。]
[Footnote109:Schmidt，Hist。desAllemands，tom。ii。p。200，&c。]
[Footnote110:SeeGiannone，tom。i。p374，375，andtheAnnalsofMuratori。]
[Footnote111:Quotpraeliaineogesta!quantumsanguiniseffusumsit!TestaturvacuaomnihabitationePannonia，etlocusinquoregiaCaganifuititadesertus，utnevestigiumquidemhumanaehabitationisappareat。TotainhocbelloHunnorumnobilitasperiit，totagloriadecidit，omnispecuniaetcongestiexlongotemporethesauridireptisunt。Eginhard，cxiii。]
[Footnote112:ThejunctionoftheRhineandDanubewasundertakenonlyfortheserviceofthePannonianwar，Gaillard，ViedeCharlemagne，tom。ii。p。312—315。Thecanal，whichwouldhavebeenonlytwoleaguesinlength，andofwhichsometracesarestillextantinSwabia，wasinterruptedbyexcessiverains，militaryavocations，andsuperstitiousfears，Schaepflin，Hist。
del\'AcademiedesInscriptions，tom。xviii。p。256。Moliminafluviorum，&c。，jungendorum，p。59—62。]
[Footnote*:IshoulddoubtthisinthetimeofCharlemagne，eveniftheterm\"expended\"weresubstitutedfor\"wasted。\"—M。]
ChapterXLIX:ConquestOfItalyByTheFranks。
PartV。
Ifweretracetheoutlinesofthisgeographicalpicture，itwillbeseenthattheempireoftheFranksextended，betweeneastandwest，fromtheEbrototheElbeorVistula；betweenthenorthandsouth，fromtheduchyofBeneventumtotheRiverEyder，theperpetualboundaryofGermanyandDenmark。ThepersonalandpoliticalimportanceofCharlemagnewasmagnifiedbythedistressanddivisionoftherestofEurope。TheislandsofGreatBritainandIrelandweredisputedbyacrowdofprincesofSaxonorScottishorigin:and，afterthelossofSpain，theChristianandGothickingdomofAlphonsotheChastewasconfinedtothenarrowrangeoftheAsturianmountains。ThesepettysovereignsreveredthepowerorvirtueoftheCarlovingianmonarch，imploredthehonorandsupportofhisalliance，andstyledhimtheircommonparent，thesoleandsupremeemperoroftheWest。^113HemaintainedamoreequalintercoursewiththecaliphHarunalRashid，^114whosedominionstretchedfromAfricatoIndia，andacceptedfromhisambassadorsatent，awater—clock，anelephant，andthekeysoftheHolySepulchre。ItisnoteasytoconceivetheprivatefriendshipofaFrankandanArab，whowerestrangerstoeachother\'sperson，andlanguage，andreligion:buttheirpubliccorrespondencewasfoundedonvanity，andtheirremotesituationleftnoroomforacompetitionofinterest。TwothirdsoftheWesternempireofRomeweresubjecttoCharlemagne，andthedeficiencywasamplysuppliedbyhiscommandoftheinaccessibleorinvinciblenationsofGermany。Butinthechoiceofhisenemies，wemaybereasonablysurprisedthathesooftenpreferredthepovertyofthenorthtotherichesofthesouth。Thethree—and—thirtycampaignslaboriouslyconsumedinthewoodsandmorassesofGermanywouldhavesufficedtoasserttheamplitudeofhistitlebytheexpulsionoftheGreeksfromItalyandtheSaracensfromSpain。TheweaknessoftheGreekswouldhaveinsuredaneasyvictory；andtheholycrusadeagainsttheSaracenswouldhavebeenpromptedbygloryandrevenge，andloudlyjustifiedbyreligionandpolicy。Perhaps，inhisexpeditionsbeyondtheRhineandtheElbe，heaspiredtosavehismonarchyfromthefateoftheRomanempire，todisarmtheenemiesofcivilizedsociety，andtoeradicatetheseedoffutureemigrations。Butithasbeenwiselyobserved，that，inalightofprecaution，allconquestmustbeineffectual，unlessitcouldbeuniversal，sincetheincreasingcirclemustbeinvolvedinalargersphereofhostility。^115ThesubjugationofGermanywithdrewtheveilwhichhadsolongconcealedthecontinentorislandsofScandinaviafromtheknowledgeofEurope，andawakenedthetorpidcourageoftheirbarbarousnatives。ThefiercestoftheSaxonidolatersescapedfromtheChristiantyranttotheirbrethrenoftheNorth；theOceanandMediterraneanwerecoveredwiththeirpiraticalfleets；andCharlemagnebeheldwithasighthedestructiveprogressoftheNormans，who，inlessthanseventyyears，precipitatedthefallofhisraceandmonarchy。
[Footnote113:SeeEginhard，c。16，andGaillard，tom。ii。p。361
—385，whomentions，withaloosereference，theintercourseofCharlemagneandEgbert，theemperor\'sgiftofhisownsword，andthemodestanswerofhisSaxondisciple。Theanecdote，ifgenuine，wouldhaveadornedourEnglishhistories。]
[Footnote114:ThecorrespondenceismentionedonlyintheFrenchannals，andtheOrientalsareignorantofthecaliph\'sfriendshipfortheChristiandog—apoliteappellation，whichHarunbestowsontheemperoroftheGreeks。]
[Footnote*:Hadhethechoice?M。GuizothaseloquentlydescribedthepositionofCharlemagnetowardstheSaxons。Ilyfitfaceparleconquete；laguerredefensivepritlaformeoffensive:iltransportalaluttesurleterritoiredespeuplesquivoulaientenvahirlesien:iltravaillaaasservirlesracesetrangeres，etextirperlescroyancesennemies。Delasonmodedegouvernementetlafondationdesonempire:laguerreoffensiveetlaconquetevoulaientcettevasteetredoutableunite。CompareobservationsintheQuarterlyReview，vol。
xlviii。，andJames\'sLifeofCharlemagne。—M。]
[Footnote115:Gaillard，tom。ii。p。361—365，471—476，492。
IhaveborrowedhisjudiciousremarksonCharlemagne\'splanofconquest，andthejudiciousdistinctionofhisenemiesofthefirstandthesecondenceinte，tom。ii。p。184，509，&c。]
HadthepopeandtheRomansrevivedtheprimitiveconstitution，thetitlesofemperorandAugustuswereconferredonCharlemagneforthetermofhislife；andhissuccessors，oneachvacancy，musthaveascendedthethronebyaformalortacitelection。ButtheassociationofhissonLewisthePiousassertstheindependentrightofmonarchyandconquest，andtheemperorseemsonthisoccasiontohaveforeseenandpreventedthelatentclaimsoftheclergy。Theroyalyouthwascommandedtotakethecrownfromthealtar，andwithhisownhandstoplaceitonhishead，asagiftwhichheheldfromGod，hisfather，andthenation。^116Thesameceremonywasrepeated，thoughwithlessenergy，inthesubsequentassociationsofLothaireandLewistheSecond:theCarlovingiansceptrewastransmittedfromfathertosoninalinealdescentoffourgenerations；andtheambitionofthepopeswasreducedtotheemptyhonorofcrowningandanointingthesehereditaryprinces，whowerealreadyinvestedwiththeirpoweranddominions。ThepiousLewissurvivedhisbrothers，andembracedthewholeempireofCharlemagne；butthenationsandthenobles，hisbishopsandhischildren，quicklydiscernedthatthismightymasswasnolongerinspiredbythesamesoul；andthefoundationswereunderminedtothecentre，whiletheexternalsurfacewasyetfairandentire。Afterawar，orbattle，whichconsumedonehundredthousandFranks，theempirewasdividedbytreatybetweenhisthreesons，whohadviolatedeveryfilialandfraternalduty。ThekingdomsofGermanyandFrancewereforeverseparated；theprovincesofGaul，betweentheRhoneandtheAlps，theMeuseandtheRhine，wereassigned，withItaly，totheImperialdignityofLothaire。Inthepartitionofhisshare，LorraineandArles，tworecentandtransitorykingdoms，werebestowedontheyoungerchildren；andLewistheSecond，hiseldestson，wascontentwiththerealmofItaly，theproperandsufficientpatrimonyofaRomanemperor。Onhisdeathwithoutanymaleissue，thevacantthronewasdisputedbyhisunclesandcousins，andthepopesmostdexterouslyseizedtheoccasionofjudgingtheclaimsandmeritsofthecandidates，andofbestowingonthemostobsequious，ormostliberal，theImperialofficeofadvocateoftheRomanchurch。ThedregsoftheCarlovingianracenolongerexhibitedanysymptomsofvirtueorpower，andtheridiculousepithetsofthebard，thestammerer，thefat，andthesimple，distinguishedthetameanduniformfeaturesofacrowdofkingsalikedeservingofoblivion。Bythefailureofthecollateralbranches，thewholeinheritancedevolvedtoCharlestheFat，thelastemperorofhisfamily:hisinsanityauthorizedthedesertionofGermany，Italy，andFrance:
hewasdeposedinadiet，andsolicitedhisdailybreadfromtherebelsbywhosecontempthislifeandlibertyhadbeenspared。
Accordingtothemeasureoftheirforce，thegovernors，thebishops，andthelords，usurpedthefragmentsofthefallingempire；andsomepreferencewasshowntothefemaleorillegitimatebloodofCharlemagne。Ofthegreaterpart，thetitleandpossessionwerealikedoubtful，andthemeritwasadequatetothecontractedscaleoftheirdominions。ThosewhocouldappearwithanarmyatthegatesofRomewerecrownedemperorsintheVatican；buttheirmodestywasmorefrequentlysatisfiedwiththeappellationofkingsofItaly:andthewholetermofseventy—fouryearsmaybedeemedavacancy，fromtheabdicationofCharlestheFattotheestablishmentofOthotheFirst。
[Footnote116:Thegan，thebiographerofLewis，relatesthiscoronation:andBaroniushashonestlytranscribedit，A。D。813，No。13，&c。SeeGaillard，tom。ii。p。506，507，508，howsoeveradversetotheclaimsofthepopes。FortheseriesoftheCarlovingians，seethehistoriansofFrance，Italy，andGermany；
Pfeffel，Schmidt，Velly，Muratori，andevenVoltaire，whosepicturesaresometimesjust，andalwayspleasing。]
Otho^117wasofthenobleraceofthedukesofSaxony；andifhetrulydescendedfromWitikind，theadversaryandproselyteofCharlemagne，theposterityofavanquishedpeoplewasexaltedtoreignovertheirconquerors。Hisfather，HenrytheFowler，waselected，bythesuffrageofthenation，tosaveandinstitutethekingdomofGermany。Itslimits^118wereenlargedoneverysidebyhisson，thefirstandgreatestoftheOthos。AportionofGaul，tothewestoftheRhine，alongthebanksoftheMeuseandtheMoselle，wasassignedtotheGermans，bywhosebloodandlanguageithasbeentingedsincethetimeofCaesarandTacitus。
BetweentheRhine，theRhone，andtheAlps，thesuccessorsofOthoacquiredavainsupremacyoverthebrokenkingdomsofBurgundyandArles。IntheNorth，ChristianitywaspropagatedbytheswordofOtho，theconquerorandapostleoftheSlavicnationsoftheElbeandOder:themarchesofBrandenburghandSleswickwerefortifiedwithGermancolonies；andthekingofDenmark，thedukesofPolandandBohemia，confessedthemselveshistributaryvassals。Attheheadofavictoriousarmy，hepassedtheAlps，subduedthekingdomofItaly，deliveredthepope，andforeverfixedtheImperialcrowninthenameandnationofGermany。Fromthatmemorableaera，twomaximsofpublicjurisprudencewereintroducedbyforceandratifiedbytime。I。
Thattheprince，whowaselectedintheGermandiet，acquired，fromthatinstant，thesubjectkingdomsofItalyandRome。II。
ButthathemightnotlegallyassumethetitlesofemperorandAugustus，tillhehadreceivedthecrownfromthehandsoftheRomanpontiff。^119
[Footnote117:HewasthesonofOtho，thesonofLudolph，inwhosefavortheDuchyofSaxonyhadbeeninstituted，A。D。858。
Ruotgerus，thebiographerofaSt。Bruno，Bibliot。BunavianaeCatalog。tom。iii。vol。ii。p。679，givesasplendidcharacterofhisfamily。Atavorumataviusqueadhominummemoriamomnesnobilissimi；nullusineorumstirpeignotus，nullusdegenerfacilereperitur，apudStruvium，Corp。Hist。German。p。216。
YetGundlinginHenricoAucupeisnotsatisfiedofhisdescentfromWitikind。]