An Introduction to the History of the Principal Kingdoms and States of Europe

Chapter VIII

323 u chapte r vi i i u Of the German Empire.§1. Germany was not antiently one Commonwealth [Republic], but divided into a great many {moderately sized} States [Staaten], {sovereign to themselves} and independent of each other, most of them being Democracies : And tho some of them had their Kings, yet these had more Authority to Advise than to Command. These several States [Völcker] were at last united under the Government of the Francks: The Kings of the Merovingean Family having undertaken several Expeditions into Germany, did reduce several of these States under their Subjection: And Charles the Great reduced all Germany under his Jurisdiction, he being at the same time Master of France, Italy, Rome, and a part of Spain; all which Provinces he committed to the care of certain Governours, who were called Graves [Grafen] or Marc-Graves [Marggrafen]. The Saxons retained more of their antient Liberty than the rest; wherefore the better to keep this, then barbarous Nation [Volck] in obedience, he erected several Episcopal Sees in Saxony, hoping, by the influence of the Christian Doctrine, to civilize this barbarous People. Lewis Surnamed the Pious, Son of Charles the Great, had three Sons, viz. Lotharius, Lewis, and Charles [the Bald], who divided the Empire of the Francks among them. In this Division Lewis got for his share all Germany, as far as it extends on this side of the Rhine, and also some Countries on the other side of that River, by reason of the Vineyards, as ’tis said, which are on both sides. All which he was possess’d of as Sovereign, without being in any ways dependent on his elder Brother, much less the younger, who had France for his share: And at that time Germany was first made a Kingdom independent of any other. The antient condition of Germany. Charles the Great. Lewis the Pious. Lewis K. of Germany. 324 chapter viii§2. Carolomannus, the Son of this Lewis, did, after the death of Charles the Bald, who was King of France, and had born[e] the Title of Roman Emperour, conquer Italy, and took upon him the Imperial Dignity, notwithstanding that Lewis, Son of Charles the Bald and King of France, had, upon instigation of the Pope, assumed the same Title. After him succeeded his younger Brother Carolus Crassus, who maintained both the Kingdom of Italy and the Imperial Title. But the great Men in Germany having deposed the said Charles \A. 887\, they made Arnolph, the Son of the abovementioned Carolomannus, King of Germany, who went into Italy \A. 894\ and took upon him the Title of Roman Emperour, for which had contended for a good while Berengarius Duke of Frioul, and Guido Duke of Spoleto. But after the death of Arnulph \A. 899\, his Son Lewis, Surnamed the Child, obtained the Crown of Germany, under whose Reign the Affairs of Germany were in so ill a condition, that he had no leisure to look into those of Italy: For Arnulph had called to his assistance the Hungarians against Zwentepold, King of Bohemia and Moravia, who had Rebell’d against him, with whose assistance he reduced Zwentepold to obedience; but the Hungarians, who were at that time a most barbarous Nation, having got a taste of Germany, made an inroad into that Country, ravaging every where with an inhuman Cruelty . They also defeated Lewis near Augsburgh \A. 905\, obliging him to pay them a yearly Tribute. This overthrow was chiefly occasioned by the Kings tender Age, and the Divisions of the great Men among themselves, who aimed at nothing more than to establish their own Authority. After the death of Lewis \A. 911\, Cunrad, Duke of Franconia, was elected King [of ] Germany, under whose Reign the Potent Dukes of Lorain, Swabia, Bavaria, and Saxony, did pretend to maintain the Sovereignty over their own Countries, and a Hereditary Possession; which Cunrad was not able to prevent; and because Henry Duke of Saxony was the most Potent, and Cunrad feared, that at last he might quite withdraw himself from the German Empire, he upon his Deathbed advised the rest of the Princes of Germany to make him their King, C. Crassus. Lewis the Child. Cunrad. of the german empire 325 which was done accordingly. And thus the Empire was transferred from the Carolingian Family to the Saxons {A. 919}.§3. Henry Surnamed the Birdcatcher, did bridle the...