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A HISTORY OF

GERMANY

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Authorof "OUR ISLAND STORY: *X HISTORY OF FMNCE'

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CORNELL

UNIVERSITY

LIBRARY

DD 90.M36™" """^""'^ """^ „ Hifjorv of Germany

3 1924 028 190 399 1,„

Cornell University Library

The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library.

There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text.

http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924028190399

<i/i History of Germany

'By H. E. Marshall

Author of " A History of France," " Our Island Story," " Scotland's Story,"

etc.

W^ith Illustrations in Colour by A. C. Michael

LONDON HENRY FROWDE AND HODDER & STOUGHTON

Uniform with this Volume

<tA History of England

'By C. R. L. FLETCHER and RUT)rART> KIPLING

PICTURES hy HENRY FORD Price 7/6 net

<iA History of France

"By H. E. MARSHALL

PICTURES hy A. C. MICHAEL Price 7/6 net

Copyright, 191 3, by Hodder & Stoughtun.

To

ARTHUR, JUSTIN

and

ETHELDREDA BOTD

PREFACE

No story, of course, can be so brave and splendid as our own " rough island story." No story can touch our hearts as that story touches it. Yet in the history of other nations there are things worth knowing. Men of other nations have done brave deeds, they have fought for the right, they have struggled for freedom even as we have done, and a pity it is that we should not know of it. For a brave deed is a brave deed all the world over, and the language of a brave deed is one that we all can understand, whatever our nationality may be.

The history of Germany is of great importance ; it is more important perhaps than any other European history, and in it there is many a thrilling tale to be found. Yet I fear some of us know little about it. For outside school books (and there are few of these) no simple history of the German Empire exists in the Enghsh language.

Than that fact no further excuse or apology for this book is necessary. But if indeed excuse were needed I should find it in some words of Lord Haldane. " It is want of knowledge of each other," he said, " that renders the great nations suspicious. It is the influence of real knowledge that alone can dispel the clouds of suspicion, and set us free from the burden of preparing against attacks that are in truth contemplated by none of us."

We all admit nowadays that it is little use trying to reform the grown-ups, for they are too set in their old ways, whether they be good or bad. The cry is " get hold of the children." So in doing my little bit to remove the ignorance of which we are guilty, I make my appeal to the children of the nation.

H. E. MARSHALL.

CONTENTS

Chapter Page

I ABOUT THE GOD TEW AND HIS CHILDREN . i

II TEUTONS AND ROMANS 5

III ARIOVISTUS, THE FIRST GREAT GERMAN lo

IV HERMANN, THE HERO OF GERMANY 15 V THE HUNS AND GOTHS 23

VI WINFRID, THE APOSTLE OF THE GERMANS . 26

VII CHARLEMAGNE ... . . 32

VIII CHARLEMAGNE . . .38

IX CHARLEMAGNE .... 42

X CHARLEMAGNE .... . . 46

XI LEWIS THE GERMAN ... 52

XII LEWIS I AND CHARLES THE FAT ... 61

XIII ARNULF OF CARINTHIA .... 71

XIV LEWIS THE CHILD 77

XV CONRAD I .84

XVI HENRY I THE FOWLER 92

XVII OTTO I THE GREAT 103

XVIII OTTO I THE GREAT 115

XIX OTTO II THE RED 124

XX OTTO III ... . 134

XXI HENRY II THE HALT . . 142

XXII CONRAD II . . 149

XXIII HENRY III THE BLACK 159

XXIV HENRY IV ... . 169

Chapter XXV	HENRY IV .				Pagb 177
XXVI	HENRY V . . .				187
XXVII	LOTHAR THE SAXON .				191
XXVIII	CONRAD III .				195
XXIX	FREDERICK I, REDBEARD				205
XXX	FREDERICK I, REDBEARD				215
XXXI	HENRY VI . . .				221
XXXII	PHILIP OF SWABIA				225
XXXIII	OTTO IV . . .				228
XXXIV	FREDERICK II, THE WORLD'S WONDER .	233
XXXV	CONRAD IV AND THE GREAT INTER- REGNUM	238
XXXVI	RUDOLPH OF HAPSBURG ....	241
XXXVII	ADOLPHUS I OF NASSAU ....	250
XXXVIII	ALBERT THE ONE-EYED ....	253
XXXIX	HENRY VII OF LUXEMBURG	260
XL	LEWIS IV OF BAVARIA AND FREDERICK THE HANDSOME	264
XLI	LEWIS IV OF BAVARIA AND FREDERICK THE HANDSOME	269
XLII	CHARLES IV— THE STEP-FATHER OF THE EMPIRE	273
XLIII	WENCESLAUS OF BOHEMIA AND RUPERT THE MILD	279
XLIV	SIGMUND	284
XLV	ALBERT II	292
XLVI	FREDERICK III	294
XLVII	MAXIMILIAN I	298
XLVIII	CHARLES V . .				305

Chafieb

XLIX CHARLES V

L CHARLES V

LI FERDINAND I AND MAXIMILIAN II

LII RUDOLPH II

LIII MATTHIAS ....

LIV FERDINAND II . . .

LV FERDINAND II

LVI FERDINAND III .

LVII LEOPOLD I . . . .

LVIII LEOPOLD I . .

LIX JOSEPH I AND CHARLES VI

LX THE RISE OF THE HOUSE OF BRANDEN BURG .

LXI CHARLES VII

LXII FRANCIS I .

LXIII JOSEPH II .

LXIV LEOPOLD II .

LXV FRANCIS II .

LXVI UNDER THE HEEL OF NAPOLEON

LXVII UNDER THE HEEL OF NAPOLEON

LXVIII UNDER THE HEEL OF NAPOLEON

LXIX THE DOWNFALL OF NAPOLEON

LXX DIVIDED GERMANY .

LXXI DIVIDED GERMANY

LXXII THE STRUGGLE BETWEEN AUSTRIA AND PRUSSIA .... . .

LXXIII WILLIAM I— UNITED GERMANY .

LXXIV FREDERICK THE NOBLE AND WILLIAM II

Page 313

319

327

330

333

338

345

353

356

362

367

372 379 383 390 397

399 406

413 419

424 428

433

438 441

447

LIST OF COLOUR PLATES

Maximilian would often take part in tourna- ments ...... Frontispiece

Facing page

On and on they came, hungering for battle . . i6

Barefoot, clad in a hair shirt, Henry appeared before the gates, begging for admission . . 72

In vain they sought his dead body among the slain 116

He reached the altar where the crown lay ; lifting it, he placed it upon his head .... 172

" Father, into Thy hands I commend my spirit," cried Huss ....... 232

Once when attacked by a she-bear he choked her with his bare hands ..... 294

The plucky little Prussian King made all Europe stare at his soldiery ..... 348

Through their ranks rode Wallenstein, drawn sword in hand ...... 388

" Long live his Imperial Majesty, Emperor WiUiam I " 432

Map showing the Empire of Charlemagne at the Treaty of Verdun.

Map of Europe under Napoleon.

CHAPTER I

ABOUT THE GOD TEW AND HIS CHILDREN

In the dim days of very long ago there was a country The strange called Fensalir. It was a low-lying country of rich rSisalfa^ green meadows and fair cornfields. Beside the slow- flowing streams trees drooped their branches laden with wondrous fruit. Upon the endless meadows count- less herds of cattle browsed. It was a rich and peaceful land, but no man knew where it began or where it ended, for round the fair green meadows there hung ever a soft white mist, and any who strayed far were lost in its rolling folds. Weary of the quiet peace, stung by the longing to adventure and to know, some indeed wandered forth, never to return.

Over this strange land there ruled a beautiful giantess. The Queen Her hair was gold with the gold of the cornfields, her ° ^^^ dress was rich and green with the rich green of the meadows. Only she knew the length and breadth of the fair country over which she ruled. Only she knew what lay beyond the rolling mists. All who remained under her rule found lasting peace and gladness. For she was to them a gracious, tender mother. She spread her hands abroad to bless her land with warmth and fruitfidness ; she stretched forth her skirts to shelter her people from cold and frost.

So long years passed, and to this fair giantess there Tew came a son. This son she called Tew. He was bold

1 B

2 A HISTORY OF GERMANY

and he was wise. To him was given victory in war. To him was given the wisdom of words. So it came to pass that if a man was very brave it was said of him, " He is as brave as Tew " ; if a man was very wise it was said of him, " He hath the wisdom of Tew." And at length people made songs about Tew, in which they told of his deeds of valour and his wisdom.

And so as years went on, to the people Tew became a god, even as the sun and the moon. One day of the week was called after him, and to this day we still call it Tuesday.

The son and Now Tcw had a SOU, and he again had many children, ^^oi Tew SO that soon the land was filled with people. Of these people there were many tribes, each taking its name from one of the grandsons of Tew ; but the whole people were called Teutons, after the name of the great god himself.

This is a fairy-tale and an allegory. The beautiful giantess is a giantess we all know, for she is Mother Earth, and from her broad green lap there rose the god Tew, the father of the great Teutonic race. It is a race which stretches far and wide, and nearly all the peoples of Northern Europe belong to it. The Germans are but one of its many branches, and it is of them I mean to tell in this book.

Germans or They first got the name of Germans in Roman times.

neig ours j^qj.^.]^ ^f ^j^g Rhine dwelt the Teutons, south of the Rhine dwelt the Gauls. But there came a time when a wild horde of Teutons crossed the Rhine, and drove the Gauls out. The Gauls then gave to the wild tribe the name of Germans or neighbours, and by degrees the name was given to the whole race. We stiU call them Germans, but they call themselves die Deutschen.

THE GOD TEW AND HIS CHILDREN 3

That is a much newer name, and they did not receive it until the end of the ninth century.

It too has a meaning which is interesting. The Dutch or Gauls and the Franks who had settled south of the Rhine gradually began to talk Latin, or the Roman language, which later grew into French. It was the language of the learned. But the tribes on the north of the Rhine continued to speak the old language. It was the lan- guage of the common people. Thiod means " people " ; iheotisce means " of the people." So the language was called theotiscos, meaning " the people's language," and gradually it became changed from theotiscos to Deutsch.

So Deutsch means nothing less than " a son of the soil, a son of Mother Earth." And perhaps the httle fairy- tale at the beginning of this chapter may help to make some of us understand better why we so often speak of Fatherland or Mother Earth. And it is interesting to find in the early story of the German people the dim outlines of this tale, for they more than any other people have given to their country the name of Fatherland.

But whence really came these Teutons or Germans ? The Teutons In the dim far-off days of the long-forgotten past, in as^,^ °™ a time so far back that neither history nor legend can tell us ought of it, they dwelt in Asia. But their home was never settled. They loved battle and hated labour. It was easier to conquer new lands than to till that they already possessed. So slowly they moved west- ward from country to country until they reached Europe. At first they settled along the shores of the Baltic, but by degrees they passed southward to the country of the Gauls.

These ancient Teutons were heathen, but not Druids They are like the Britons or the Gauls. They worshipped other

4 A HISTORY OF GERMANY

gods. Wodan was chief of them all, but they worshipped also his son, Thor, the god of the hammer, and many a god besides. And when they died these old heathens believed that they went to Wodan's palace, the splendid hall of Valhalla. There, in company with all the gods and heroes of their race, they would lead, they believed, for ever a life of feasting and drinking, such as they had loved on earth.

Their They were fair-haired giants those Germans of old '^PP'^'^'"'" time— " Children with old men's hair," the Romans called them. Huge they were, strong of limb, and able to endure both cold and hunger. They cared nothing for gold and ornaments, and were clad only in a cloak of cloth, or the hide of some animal. This was held about their shoulders by a simple clasp or even by a thorn. They were armed with long spears and short javelins. Few wore helmets or armour of any sort.

Their As they dashed to war the very sight of them struck warfare ^^^^ ^^ ^j^^ hearts of their enemies. Their fierce blue eyes and yeUow streaming hair, their huge bodies, the shrieks of the women and children who surrounded the battle- field, and, above all, the hoarse sound of their war-chants, which rose and fell in harsh roar, all added to the terror of their attack.

These ancient Germans loved battle. They held it more honourable to win their daily bread by blood and conquest than to earn it by the sweat of the brow. Their sloth Yet cvcu the best and bravest warriors in times of peace did nothing but eat and drink. "It is marvel- lous," says a Roman writer, " that the same men should so love sloth and hate peace."

CHAPTER II

TEUTONS AND ROMANS

Besides the Teutons we hear also in ancient times of How Rome the Cimbri, another wild tribe of the same Germanic before the family. These blue -eyed savages hated peace too. xe^or" They were for ever wandering forth, clamorous for new lands, so again and again they came into conflict with the Romans. And even the world-conquerors could not stand against them. Many battles these Germans won, and for twelve years the Romans trembled before the " Cimbric Terror." Thrice the way to Rome lay open to the plundering hordes, but each time, why or wherefore we know not, they turned aside to Spain or Belgium, and Rome was saved. For the moment, it may be, they desired not conquest south of the Alps, but a home north of them.

At length, however, the German hordes decided to attack Rome, to waste all Italy, and lay the capital in ruins. An enormous host gathered. It was not merely an army of warriors, it was a whole people on the march. They came with their tents and their household goods, their wives and children, their slaves and servants, their cattle and dogs.

Slowly this enormous host wound southward, divided into two great bands, the Teutons under their King Teutobod and the Cimbri under their King Boiorix. The two hosts marched upon Italy by different routes,

6 A HISTORY OF GERMANY

and it was the Teutons who first met the Roman army- arrayed against them. For the Roman leader Marius resolved not to wait for Italy to be attacked, but crossed the Alps and marched to meet the foe. Romans and It was at the mouth of the Rhone valley that the two Teutons meet g^^^^^ ^^^^ jj^rc Marius fortificd his camp weU, and dug a deep trench about it. Then he awaited the enemy. It was not long before the Teutons appeared upon the plain in numbers beyond all imaginings. On and on they came, hungering for battle. Soon their terrible war- song resounded, rising and falling in harsh roars. It was very awful to hear, for each man held his shield in front of his mouth, so that it acted like a sounding- board, and gave to his voice a strange unearthly tone.

Urged on by this wild music the warriors advanced. But Marius and his men lay still within their strong encampment. They refused to fight. For three days the barbarians raged around the camp in vain. From every attempt to storm it they were beaten back with great loss. TheBomans But if the barbarians raged without, the Roman impatie^ soldicrs raged within the camp. They were eager to sally forth, give battle to the foe or scatter them in flight, and they were made to sit still, or allowed at best only to throw a few arrows from the walls. " What does Marius take us for," they grumbled, " that he thus locks us up and will not let us fight ? Is building walls and digging trenches worthy labour for a soldier ? Are we not here to fight for our country ? "

Marius was not ill-pleased to find his soldiers so eager for battle. He soothed them gently and bade them wait.

At length, weary of the useless attack, the Teutons

TEUTONS AND ROMANS 7

resolved to march past the Roman army and reach Italy without further delay.

Marius allowed them to go. Growing bolder and The Teutons ever bolder, they passed close to the camp, flinging taunts Romans^ at the Romans. " Have you any messages for your wives and families ? " they asked, " for we shall soon see them."

For six days the mighty host filed onward, horse and foot, men, women, and children, with numberless wagon- loads of baggage. Marius watched them calmly and did nothing. Then, as soon as the Teutons had passed, he left his camp and followed. And as they marched onward each night he encamped near to them in some strong, well-guarded position.

At length they came to a place named Aquae Sextise or Sextilius Waters, and here Marius resolved to give battle. He chose a strong position for his camp, but it lacked water. This was pointed out to him. There- upon Marius pointed to a stream which flowed close by the camp of the enemy. " There," he said, " you can get water if you buy it with your blood."

" Why, then," asked a soldier wrathfully, " do you not lead us to it ere our blood is dried up in us ? "

At that Marius smiled, well pleased, for he had only restrained his men so that they might fight all the better when the right time came.

" Wait," he said quietly, " let us first fortify our camp " ; and the soldiers were fain to obey.

Three days later the battle was fought.

Marius drew up his soldiers upon the summit of a little hill. Up this the barbarians rushed, and the fight began. It was long and bitter. For hours the Teutons fought with fierce, untamed bravery. When the fore-

are'defeated

8 A HISTORY OF GERMANY

most fell those behind took then* place. But at length the wild northern savages, unused to the blaze of a southern sun, began to weary. Bit by bit the Romans drove them down the hill, and at length scattered them in flight. The Teutons The slaughter was awful, and so many thousands fell upon the field that it is said the people of Marseilles for many years after fenced their vineyards about with the bones of the slain Teutons. But the men did not fight alone. The women too joined, and when all hope of victory had fled, rather than fall into the hands of the conquerors, they slew themselves and their children. The Teuton host was thus utterly wiped out. Few escaped ; those who were not slain were taken prisoner, the king among them.

Meanwhile the Cimbri had crossed the Alps into Italy. The snow and the cold of the high passes did not appal them. Almost naked as they were, they strode carelessly through the snowdrifts, and sitting on their shijelds they slid down the icy slopes with shouts of triumph. Thus, like an avalanche, they poured into the plain of Italy.

As the Cimbri advanced, plundering and wasting on every side, the Romans fled before them. Their leader was in despair when Marius, already victorious over the Teutons, came to help him.

The Cimbri, who knew nothing of the battle of Aquae Sextiae, wondered why the Teutons were so long in coming. Full of their triumphs, they now sent to Marius, and demanded land and towns for themselves and their brethren, so that they might make their home in the fair realm of Italy.

" Who are your brethren ? " asked Marius.

TEUTONS AND ROMANS 9

" The Teutons," was the reply.

Then Marius laughed. " Do not trouble yourselves Manus jests for your brethren," he said, " for we have already given them all the land they need, and which they shall possess for ever."

Soon the Cimbri learned that Marius mocked at them, and that the land their brethren had was but a soldier's grave. Then were they angry. " You will pay for this jest," they cried, and at once made ready for battle.

It was a terrible fight, both fierce and long. But the discipline of Rome overcame at length the wild bravery of the barbarians. The men fell in thousands, many of them slaying themselves rather than be taken prisoners. The women too fought. Clad in black robes, with wild eyes, and streaming hair, they seemed avenging furies as they defended the encampment. They fought the enemy, they slew the cowards who fled, they put their own children to death, and last of all slew them- selves. So at length when night came there was no living thing upon the ghastly field, save only the faith- ful dogs, who howled dismally through the darkness over their dead masters' bodies.

Thus were the Cimbri wiped out. Seeking a home they found a grave in the sunny land beyond the Alps.

CHAPTER III

ARIOVISTUS, THE FIRST GREAT GERMAN

How Cffisar The Germans and the Gauls were neighbours, the swift-

jJo^Btut flowing Rhine alone dividing them. Now two tribes

''"^GeZans oi the Gauls, the Sequani and the ^dui, who dwelt

remained alons the borders of the Rhine, quarrelled, and after

unsubdued ° . i i •

some time the Sequani asked Axiovistus, who was kmg over one of the tribes of Germans, to come to their aid.

This Ariovistus very gladly did. For the thought of battle, of rich plunder, and, above all, of the fair well- tilled fields of Gaul, drew his soldiers on. So a great army poured over the Rhine. But they did not come alone; they came with their wives and children, their cattle and their household goods.

The war against the ^dui was long, but at length they were defeated. Then the Sequani offered Ario- vistus gold and precious booty as a reward, and bade him return to his own land.

But Ariovistus had no mind to go. The fields of Gaul were rich and fair, and he had a mind to make his home among them. So he subdued the Sequani and, taking a third part of their land from them, gave it to his own followers. As the years went on Ariovistus demanded ever more land and more tribute, until at length the people who had asked for a deliverer found that they had saddled themselves with a tyrant. It

10

ARIOVISTUS, THE FIRST GREAT GERMAN 11

was plain that Ariovistus had made up his mind to turn Gaul into a German kingdom.

The Gauls were too weak to drive him forth, so now they sought help from the greatest of all conquerors, the Romans.

Julius Caesar had by this time been made governor JuUus Csesar of Southern Gaul. He hoped one day to bring the whole rf^^""^ of Gaul under Roman sway. But he saw well that if Ariovistus was allowed to conquer at will there was danger that Gaul would become a German instead of a Roman province. He determined forthwith to make it Roman, and willingly came to help the oppressed tribes.

Csesar now sent a message to Ariovistus begging him to come to meet him, for there were weighty matters of state of which he wished to talk.

But Ariovistus received Caesar's messengers haughtily. " Tell Caesar," he said, " that if he has aught to say he may come to me. I marvel what manner of business he has that may concern me, and I demand to know by what right he enters that part of Gaul which is mine by the power of the sword."

When Caesar received this proud reply he again sent a messenger to Ariovistus. This time he made known his terms. First, Ariovistus must promise that not another German should be allowed to cross the Rhine. Second, he must give back all the hostages he held. Last, he must promise to leave the Sequani and their friends in peace. If Ariovistus would keep these con- ditions then Rome would be his friend. If not, then let him look to himself.

Ariovistus again answered as haughtily as before. " I have conquered these people," he said, " and as a

12 A HISTORY OF GERMANY

conqueror I have the right to treat my subjects as I will. I do not dictate to Rome how she shall treat her conquests, neither shall Rome dictate to me. If Caesar desires war, he shall have it. He shall learn of what stuff the Germans are made, who have never known defeat and who, for fourteen years, have never slept beneath a roof."

So it was to be war, and Caesar, gathering his army, marched to meet the haughty barbarians. But brave though the Roman soldiers were, as they marched to TheEomans mcct the German host their hearts sank. Such tales rem e ^j^^y j^^^j heard of these wild warriors, of their enormous size, of their lightning-flashing eyes, of their more than human courage. White terror shook the whole army ; both men and officers were ready to flee.

When Caesar heard of it he gathered his men together and spoke words to them, both brave and stern. He reminded them how fifty years before Marius had de- feated the Teutons and the Cimbri ; he bade them cease to tremble, and be true to their leader, for fight the Germans he would. If all the army deserted him, he vowed still to go forward with the 10th Legion alone, for they, he knew, were the bravest of the brave, and would never forsake him.

Caesar's words put such heart into his men that they became ashamed of their fears, and from wishing to flee they became eager for battle. So the army marched onwards into the strange unknown country to meet this strange unknown foe. 58 B.C. At length the two armies came in sight of each other, and a great battle took place. The Romans were far outnumbered by the Germans ; the Germans, too, fought fiercely and well, but in the end they were defeated.

ARIOVISTUS, THE FIRST GREAT GERMAN 13

In wild panic the Germans fled towards the Rhine. Of the great army only a few reached and crossed the river in safety, among them Ariovistus.

Ariovistus is the first great German of whom we hear in history. But after he fled across the Rhine before the victorious Romans we hear no more of him. We know nothing of his after-life or of how he died.

This battle is one of the important battles of old times, but we do not know where it took place. It was, however, fought not far from the Rhine, and probably in Alsace, not far from the town of Besangon. By this one battle the Germans were driven back over the Rhine, and for hundreds of years the Rhine became the boundary of the Roman Empire against the Germans. But this boundary was not held without great trouble. Again and again the Germans overstept it. Again and again the Romans drove them back. Twice Caesar himself crossed the Rhine, but he could not conquer the Germans. He could only show his strength, and by the terror of his name keep the barbarians to the right bank of the river.

Still better to shut the Germans into their own land, The Roman the Romans also built great walls along their frontiers. Upon these walls forts or watch-houses were built at short intervals, and in each a few soldiers lived to give warning of an attack by the barbarians. These walls were sixteen feet high, and they were further strengthened by a deep ditch twenty feet broad. There were about three hundred miles of them in all. Yet in spite of these tremendous barriers there was much coming and going between the Germans and the Romans. Roman traders came among the Germans, young Germans went to serve in the Roman army, and

14 A HISTORY OF GERMANY

almost without knowing it the Germans began to follow Roman manners and customs and take on Roman learning.

Yet these years were not peaceful, for the Romans made many efforts to conquer Germany. The great Drusus gains Roman General Drusus made three expeditions into victories Germany, he overran the country as far as the Elbe, and won so many victories over the Germans that he received the surname of Germanicus. It is said that he would have crossed the Elbe and tried to carry his conquests beyond it. But upon the banks of the river there stood a wise woman. As Drusus and his host advanced she waved them backward. " Cross not the stream, great soldier," she cried, " for on the further side defeat awaits you. Death is not far from you, therefore be warned, and at the end of life do not darken your fame by defeat."

So Drusus turned backward from the Elbe, but he had not gone far before he fell from his horse and broke his leg. A few days later he died in the arms of his brother Tiberius, who sorrowfully carried his body to Rome, where it was buried with great honour.

CHAPTER IV

HERMANN, THE HERO OF GERMANY

Tiberius succeeded to his brother Drusus, and under How Her- him it seemed as if German freedom was to be lost. S^'oemana It was he who sent the triumphant message to Rome, y °^ *{® " All the land between the Rhine and the Elbe is sub- ^""^^ dued." He had no doubt that Germany was at length to become a province of Rome,

But the spirit of freedom was still alive. More than fifty years had passed since Ariovistus had defied Caesar. Now there came to power a much greater man. This was Hermann, or, as the Romans called him, Arminius. He is indeed the German national hero.

Hermann was a prince. He was one of the many German princes who had learned Roman manners, and who had served in the Roman army. But although he had learned much from the Romans, he remained a German at heart. He loved his country, and longed to see it freed from the yoke of Rome.

Tiberius had by this time been recalled from Germany, and his place was taken by the Roman General Varus. He treated the free Germans as if they were slaves, varus makes

1 1-fi'i fijTj!!' Tc himself hated

and soon roused in their hearts hatred for himself, and an intense desire for revenge. Far and wide low mutterings of rebellion were soon heard. All that was needed to make it burst forth was a leader. And one in Arminius the people found. He was only twenty-

15

16 A HISTORY OF GERMANY

five, but he was bold and ready and loved his country.

The Germans At once the Germans began to plot to get rid of the

piotagam^t Romaus. Varus was told of these plots, but he paid

little heed to them. How should base Germans dare

to plot against Rome? he asked.

So the time passed, autumn came, and all was ready. Then, as had been arranged, a small and distant tribe rose in revolt. Varus marched to put down the revolt. This was the awaited signal. Hermann and the princes and peoples in league with him at once gathered and followed the unsuspecting Roman General. Varus believed he was marching to crush a petty tribe. He was marching to his own destruction.

Germany at this time was full of pathless forests, swamps, and marshes. Now Varus and his legions had to pass through a dense forest called the Teutoburg Forest. It was a terrible march, for the season was already late, there were no roads, the ground was sodden with autumn rain, the streams were swollen and impossible to ford. To make a path for themselves the Romans had to hew down trees and make bridges over rushing torrents. The rain poured down in floods, the wind roared in the mighty trees, as, heavily laden with baggage and provisions, the men toiled on through forest and swamp.

Then suddenly one day above the roar of the storm the fierce, wild war-cry of the Germans was heard. It seemed as if the forest around was alive with armed men, and a hail of arrows and javelins poured upon the Romans from every side. It was Arminius with his gathered tribes who had surrounded the Roman army. The Roman discipline was splendid, and desperately they fought.

Un and on {hey came, hungering far baitle

HERMANN, THE HERO OF GERMANY 17

All day the struggle lasted, the Romans slowly re- treating before the foe, and when night came they encamped upon a small open space which they had reached.

When morning dawned, the fight and retreat again began. The Romans were now growing exhausted and thousands fell beneath the swords and battle-axes of their terrible foe, and all the way was marked with dead and dying. The retreat became a rout, and at length the Roman army of thirty or forty thousand men was Vamsis utterly wiped out, only the shattered remnant, under cover of the friendly darkness, reaching the Roman fortress of Aliso.

Varus was not among these few. Rather than face the bitterness of defeat and disgrace he had thrown himself upon his own sword and died.

This is perhaps the worst defeat which ever fell upon the Romans. It is one of the great turning-points in the history of Europe. For that day it was made certain that Northern Europe would never be added to the Empire of Rome.

When the dire news was carried to Rome it was received with a cry of rage and fear. The Emperor Augustus was now an old man, and the news filled The him with unutterable grief. He rent his robes in despair, ^^^°^'^ he wandered frantically about his palace beating his head in helpless wrath against the gilt and marble pillars. With tears running down his furrowed cheeks he cried in anguish, " Varus, Varus, bring me back my legions." For a whole month long he neither shaved his beard nor cut his hair, vowing splendid offerings to the gods if they would take his kingdom once more under their care.

c

18 A HISTORY OF GERMANY

All Rome was filled with dire expectation. The Cimbric Terror once more laid hold upon the people, and every day they feared to see the wild barbarians at their gates.

But the Germans had no thought of conquest. For freedom alone they had fought. The desire alone of freedom had held them together. Now that the Roman power was broken they fell apart once more.

Almost at once the Romans made another effort to conquer Germany. Germanicus, the son of Drusus, who inherited the name Germanicus from his famous father, was the leader of the Romans. Arminius was still the leader of the Germans.

Many battles were fought, and in one Thusnelda, the wife of Arminius, was taken prisoner.

At that Arminius was mad with grief and wrath. Here and there he hurried among his people, urging them to war. " Before me three legions have fallen," he cried. " But not by treachery, not against women, but openly against armed men do I wage war. The standards which I took from Rome and hung up in honour of our country's gods may still be seen in the groves of Germany. One thing the Germans will never forgive, that is that the rods and axes and togas of Rome have been seen between the Rhine and the Elbe. If you prefer your fatherland, and your own peaceful life to tyrants and new laws, follow your leader Arminius to glory and freedom."

These words so stirred the people that from far and

near they flocked to the standard of Arminius.

Germanicus Mcanwhilc thc Romans too had been stung to

Tlutoburl wrath by the sight of the fatal field in the Teuto-

Forest j^^pg Porcst, whcrc six years before so many of their

HERMANN, THE HERO OF GERMANY 19

kinsmen had fallen. As Germanicus and his men reached the spot it was a dreadful sight they saw. Everywhere the field was strewn with whitening bones, now piled in heaps where some brave stand had been made, now scattered wide as the men had fallen in flight.

As he walked sadly over the ghastly field Germanicus fought the battle again in his imagination. As he listened to the tale of one who had escaped from that dreadful day he seemed again to see the fight. Here the eagle was captured, here Varus was wounded, here again he died by his own hand.

Six years had passed, but the heart of Rome still bled from the wound. And now Germanicus was seized with a great longing to give honourable burial to these dead comrades. So he bade his soldiers gather the bones together, and lay them in one huge mound, and cover them over with earth. This the men did, not a soldier knowing whether or not the bones he laid on the pile might not be those of some dear kinsman. So they looked upon them all as their kinsfolk, and their anger against the Germans grew more bitter than before.

But in doing honour to his dead kinsmen Germanicus had given Arminius an opportunity. And in the wild rocky passes of the Teutoburg Forest Germanicus soon found himself surrounded even as Varus had been. The Roman soldiers were slain in thousands; but Ger- manicus was a far finer soldier than Varus, and he succeeded in cutting his way through the enemy, and retreated in good order to his ships.

With hearts enflamed with hatred and desires of revenge on either side the war went fiercely on. At Arminius is length in a.d. 17 Arminius was defeated at the Maiden's ^ "'^^^

20 A HISTORY OF GERMANY

Meadow near Minden. But, although Arminius was defeated, the Romans had lost so many men that they dared fight no longer. They dared stay in Germany no longer. So they retreated to their ships which lay waiting for them on the river Ems, and set sail for the stormy North Sea on their way home.

At first the sea was calm, but soon a terrible storm burst forth. Soon with broken masts and torn sails the Roman galleys were driven helplessly hither and thither. Some were dashed upon the rocks and were splintered to pieces ; others were swallowed by the angry waves ; only a few, with broken spars and with shirts for sails, at length reached port.

Germany was still unconquered. But Tiberius, who was now Emperor, was jealous of the fame of Ger- manicus, and he would not allow the General to con- Gennanious tinuc the fight and recalled him to Rome. After thirty Rome years' fighting the Romans had gained nothing, and Tiberius now decreed that the Rhine should be looked upon as the German border.

Yet, although the war was thus made useless, Ger- manicus was given a triumph. And in the splendid procession there walked Thusnelda, the beautiful wife of Arminius, a prisoner, leading by the hand her Uttle three -year -old son. The deliverer of Germany had not been able to free his own wife and child from the chains of Rome. Thusnelda never saw her home or her husband again, but died in Rome, when and how we know not. Let us hope it was soon, for hfe held only misery for her, and she was robbed even of her little son. He had been born in captivity, and as a tiny boy he was taken away from his mother. But what became of him we hardly know. He was perhaps

HERMANN, THE HERO OF GERMANY 21

trained as a gladiator, and taught to fight with wild beasts to amuse his captors. All that is certain is that he died while still quite young, and that he never saw his father or his fatherland.

So ended Rome's last attempt to conquer Germany by force.

But now there was war within German borders. Marbod, the king of the Marcomani, was after Arminius the greatest leader in Germany. He had never joined with Arminius in his war of liberty, he had instead made friends with Rome. His kingdom was the largest of all the German kingdoms. Now he began to try to take possession of still more land. It seemed as if he wanted to conquer all Germany and bring every part of it under his sway. This was not to be suffered, for was he not the friend of Rome ? So now Arminius turned his sword against Marbod, and at length defeated him so utterly that he was obliged to flee the country and take refuge with the Romans. Thus Arminius a second time saved his country from tyranny.

After this very little is known of the life of the great Arminius. He had saved his country from the yoke of Rome, and his people were grateful to him. Yet there were those who were jealous of his greatness, and in the year 21 a.d. he was treacherously murdered by Arminiua his own kindred. He was only thirty-seven.

" Truly he was the deliverer of Germany," said a Roman writer. " He defied Rome, not in her early days, as other kings and generals had done, but at the height of the glory of the Empire. He fought, indeed, undecisive battles, yet in war he remained un- conquered."

22 A HISTORY OF GERMANY

To this day the Germans look upon Arminius as the saviour of their country. Not far from the town of Detmold a huge statue of him may be seen standing guard above the field where it is thought his great battle was fought.

CHAPTER V

THE HUNS AND GOTHS

For long years the Rhine remained the boundary of the How the Germans. But although the Romans made no further spread°over attempt to conquer the Germans there was no lasting ho^°tw ""^ peace with Rome, for the world was rarely at peace *°°^ .

^ ^ J. possession

in those far-off days. of many

But as the years went on the Romans began to grow the Roman few and weak, the Emperors were either slothful or "^^"^ wicked, and to the once mighty Empire there remained but a shadow of its former greatness. The Germans, on the other hand, grew to be many and strong. Then the order of things was changed. It was no longer the Romans who crossed the Rhine or the Danube in order to conquer the Germans. It was the Germans who now crossed these rivers in order to conquer the Romans. At this time, too, began what is known as the Wandering of the Nations. From their northern lands whole tribes of Germans began to move southwards, seeking new lands and new conquests. The warriors and the mighty men of battle did not come alone. They brought with them their wives and their children and all their goods. For they did not mean to return homeward. They meant to settle and found new homes in the southern lands.

These German tribes left their homes in search of new ones partly because their old lands had become too

23

24 A HISTORY OF GERMANY

small to hold them, partly because they themselves had been driven out by the terrible Huns, who came upon them from the wilds of Asia. The Huns Thcsc Huns wcre a wandering shepherd people. They had neither houses nor towns, but lived in tents. They spent their lives wandering from place to place, seeking fresh pasturage for their horses and cattle. They always rode on horseback, so their legs were feeble and bent, their bodies were short and broad, their arms very long and of great strength.

These misshapen barbarians, with their dark ugly faces, flat noses, and wicked eyes, struck terror into the hearts of the Germans. They seemed to them some- thing less than human, they thought they must be the children of witches and of demons. So they fled before them in fear.

But even before these terrible Huns appeared the

xhe Gotha Wandering of the Nations had begun. It was the Goths

who led the way. They came from the very north of

Europe, and to this day part of Sweden is called Gota-

land or Gothland.

The Goths were divided into two, the East or Ostro- goths and the West or Visigoths, and throughout their many wanderings they kept these names. It was before the might of the Goths that Rome at last fell.

But the story of how in 410 Alaric the Goth took and sacked Rome belongs rather to Roman than to German story. So too does the story of how, in 476, a German soldier deposed the last Roman Emperor of the West, Romulus Augustulus, and ruled in Italy as King.

But even before Rome fell the Roman Empire had been torn to pieces by these barbarians, and province

THE HUNS AND GOTHS 25

after province had fallen under Germanic sway. That Germany, as far as the Elbe, should be a Roman pro- vince was for what the Romans had fought. And now, after six centuries of war, the end of the long struggle had come. Rome had fallen. Instead of Germany being a Roman province, Spain, Gaul, Britain, and Africa had all been conquered by wandering German tribes. In Spain the Suevi and the Vandals had settled ; in Gaul the Franks, Burgundians, and Goths ; in Britain the Anglo-Saxons ; in Africa the Vandals.

But of all these newly-founded Germanic kingdoms it is with Gaul alone that we have to do. For of all the German peoples the Franks alone founded a lasting kingdom on the continent of Europe, and out of that kingdom grew the new Empire of the West. And for some centuries the history of the Franks is also the history of Germany.

CHAPTER VI

WINFRID, THE APOSTLE OF THE GERMANS

How the Before the Roman Empire fell, Christianity had become

Tidings was the religion of the people. The Goths, too, who over-

thl^ltX whelmed the Empire, had heard the story of Christ.

of Germany g^t many Other of the German tribes who still dwelt

in their old homes remained heathen. Some too, like

the Franks and the Anglo-Saxons, who wandered forth,

were also heathen, and where they settled they crushed

out the religion of peace and gentleness, and instead

of the cross they set up again their heathen idols.

But good and wise men were never wanting who were ready and willing to take their lives in their hands, and, unafraid at the thought of death or suffering, go to preach the story of Christ to the wild heathen.

Many were the brave and gentle men who went among the fierce German tribes, but the greatest of them winfrid all was Winfrid. Winfrid was an Englishman, and his home was a little Devonshire village. His father and mother were wealthy people of great importance in their own country-side. In those days, when there were no inns, all travellers were made welcome at the great houses of the nobles. And among the travellers who came and went in Winfrid's home there were many wandering priests and monks. And after the evening meal was over they would sit around the board, and in

• 26

WINFRID, THE APOSTLE OF THE GERMANS 27

the glowing firelight they would tell of the distant lands His childhood they had visited, of the dangers they had run, and of all that they had suffered at the hands of the strange heathen folk, who had never, until they came, heard the story of Christ. And as the little boy listened to those tales a great desire grew up in his heart one day to become a priest, and to wander forth carrying the Good Tidings to heathen folk.

But Winfrid's father was rich, and he hoped that his little son would one day inherit all his wealth and his broad fair lands, and do great deeds in the world. So with all his might he tried to turn Winfrid's heart away from his desire. But it was all in vain, and so Winfrid He becomes had his way and he became a monk. * ™°"

For many years he lived in his monastery, learning all he could of history and poetry as well as Bible know- ledge. He became a great preacher, and was looked up to and beloved by all who knew him. But ever in his heart lived the desire to carry the Good Tidings to the heathen.

At last Winfrid had his desire, and he set sail with and a two monks for the land of Frisia. missionary

They landed safely, but they found that they had come at an evil time. For there was a terrible war going on between the Frisians under their King Radbod and the Franks under Charles the Hammer.

Radbod was a fierce, wild heathen, and he hated Radbod Christianity and everything belonging to it. Yet once he nearly allowed himself to be baptized. For the Franks had defeated him, and there seemed little choice left to Radbod, he must die or become a Christian. For in those fierce far-off days the sword and the water of baptism went, as it were, hand in hand.

28 A HISTORY OF GERMANY

He consents So Radbod allowcd himself to be persuaded. He to baptism p^^ ^^ j^.g ^Y^Q^j. and clothed himself in the white

robe of a penitent, and stood before the Bishop ready to be baptized. One foot he dipped in the water, then he paused. He had been told the wonderful story of the love of Christ. He had also been told of heaven and of hell. So now he paused.

" Where are my forefathers ? " he asked, turning to the Bishop. " Are they in heaven ? "

" No," rephed the stern Bishop, " they are in hell,

for they were heathen."

Refuses " Then," said Radbod fiercely, withdrawing his

ap ism £^^^ from the water, " then will I never be baptized,

for I would rather be with my forefathers than have

all the joys of heaven without them."

So Radbod and his people remained heathens, hating the Christians and all their teaching. And now, when Winfrid saw the turmoil of the country, and how it was torn asunder with war and hate, he saw he could do no good, so he turned home again.

But Winfrid did not despair. Soon he set out once more. This time, however, he went first to Rome to receive the blessing of the Pope. Then, full of hope and faith, and having received the new name of Boniface, he crossed the Alps once more, and began his long labours among the heathen Germans, which have earned for him the name of the Apostle of Germany.

His deeds were bold and fearless. In one place there was a huge oak called the Thunder Oak. It was sacred to the god Thor, and because of its great age, its towering height, and mighty girth, it was looked upon with trembling reverence.

But Boniface made up his mind to show the heathen

WINFRID, THE APOSTLE OF THE GERMANS 29

that there was nothing sacred in their tree. So, taking an axe in his hand, with only a few followers behind him, he marched to the spot where it stood.

In sullen wrath the heathen folk crowded round him. They dreaded the awful anger of the god Thor should Boniface insult his tree. They were ready to slay the bold and insolent priest. Yet some strange fear of him held them back. In shuddering awe they waited.

Boniface raised his axe. It fell and fell again and The Thunder again. Then through the forest a muttering was heard. It was the distant rumblings of a storm. Louder and louder it grew, nearer and nearer it came. The heathen folk shrank trembling together. " Truly," they said, " it is the anger of Thor." But, undismayed, Boniface laboured on.

The storm grew ever wilder, the mighty wind roared among the trees, bending their strong stems, snapping their branches. Still Boniface toiled on, half his work done. Then suddenly a terrific blast swept the forest, and, amid the sound of rending timber, with an awful crash the gigantic oak fell to the groimd, split asunder. Shrieking in terror, the heathen fled from the spot.

Thor had not avenged himself. Boniface and his followers stood unharmed, and the unknown God had helped them with His wind. So thought the heathen. It seemed to them that the unknown God was stronger than Thor. And when Boniface cut up the huge oak into planks, and used it for the building of a church, no man hindered him.

And thus the work went on. Sacred groves were hewn down, gods of wood and stone were broken in

30 A HISTORY OF GERMANY

pieces or burned. Throughout the country crosses were raised, and here and there httle churches were built. Even to Frisia the Good Tidings were carried, for Radbod, the fierce enemy of Christianity, died, and Boniface once again turned his thoughts to that dark heathen land.

So for nearly forty years the Apostle of Germany laboured on, journeying far and wide over the land. At length, in the spring of 755, he returned to Frisia. He was grey and bent with age and many labours, and he felt that he had not long to hve. But he was content that his end was near, for he knew that he had fought a good fight, and that he had been a good soldier of the Cross.

Old as he was, Boniface was still fearless, and he journeyed now through a land beset with heathen. Many of them, however, listened to his words and were baptized, and a day was arranged when these new converts should be confirmed.

When the day came a great crowd of people was seen coming towards Boniface and his followers. But as they came near, it was seen that this was no peaceful company, but an army of savage warriors, armed with swords and spears.

The followers and servants of Boniface at once made ready to fight. But Boniface gently forbade them. " We may not return evil with evil," he said, " but evil with good. The long-wished-for day is come, and our salvation is near. Be strong in the Lord, and He will free your souls."

Even as he spoke the heathen horde burst upon the little Christian band.

For one moment Boniface saw a sword gleam above

WINFRID, THE APOSTLE OF THE GERMANS 31

his head. Quickly he raised the Bible which he held as if to ward off the blow. The sword descended and, cutting through the Book, gave Boniface his death- Boniface dies stroke. Thus did the Apostle of the Germans meet a martyr's death.

CHAPTER VII CHARLEMAGNE

How Among the many German tribes which had taken ^fougM with possession of the Roman Empire were the Franks who the Saxons invaded Gaul.

and con- quered the At first their kingdom was small, but after a time

Lombards ° r~n t •

there came to the throne a King whose name was Clodwig or Clovis. He was a great soldier and conqueror. He fought and conquered tribe after tribe, and king after king, until at length he ruled over a great kingdom, which included part of what is now Germany.

But as years went on the Merovingians, as the line of kings to which Clodwig belonged was called, grew weaker and weaker, and at length their place was taken by a new line called the Carolingian. The Carolingians rose from a family which had at first been servants of the King. They had been Mayors of the Palace. To begin with, the Mayors of the Palace merely looked after the King's household. But by degrees they became very powerful, they led the army in battle, and were the King's chief advisers. Then, as time went on, the kings became ever weaker and weaker, until they were called Do-Nothing Kings. They indeed did nothing, and the whole power lay in the hands of the Mayor.

For many years this state of affairs lasted. The King in name sat in his palace and did nothing, while the Mayor ruled. Then at length the long pretence

32

CHARLEMAGNE 83

was put an end to. It was decided that the man who ruled should have the name of ruler. The last long- haired, blue-eyed, empty-headed Merovingian was sent into a monastery, and Pepin the Short, the first Caro- lingian King, was crowned.

Pepin was a great King, but his son Charles was far greater. Charles came to the throne in 768, and for a time shared it with his brother Carloman. But in 771 Carloman died. Then Charles ruled alone.

Charles became so great a King that he is known in history as Charles the Great or Charlemagne. When Charlemagne he came to the throne the Franks had not forgotten that they were Germans, and one of Charlemagne's great desires was to bring all German tribes under his rule. He wanted, too, to make his kingdom a great Christian kingdom. For the Franks who, when they first stormed over the Rhine into Gaul, had been heathen, were now Christian. But the Saxons and the Danes, in spite of Boniface and many other Christian priests who had come before and after him, were still heathen. They rose again and again in fury, slaying the priests and burning the new-built churches.

Hearing of these disturbances, Charlemagne marched into the land with sword in hand. His first attack was upon a strange idol called Irminsul or Irmin's Column. This is thought by some to have been merely a statue of the great Arminius, which the people had come to worship as an idol. The great hero, it is said, was shown in full armour. In one hand he held a standard, in the other a pair of scales, to show forth the un- certainty of battle. Upon his breastplate was painted a bear, upon his shield a lion resting upon a bed of flowers. The one was meant to teach the wild brave

D

34 A HISTORY OF GERMANY

Saxon that death upon the battle-field would bring him sweetest rest. The other was an emblem of death- less courage.

Whether this mysterious figure really represented Arminius or not, it had at least grown to be a national He destroys idol, and Charlemagne cast it down, broke it in pieces, Cokimn bumcd the wooden temples which surrounded it, and carried off all the gold and silver treasure which he found there. Then, taking with him many hostages, Charlemagne marched away to make war against the Lombards in Italy. But if he hoped the Saxons were subdued he was mistaken, for again and again they rose against him.

Meanwhile Charlemagne fought the Lombards or Longbeards. They, too, were a German race, who had come from their northern home upon the shores of the Baltic, and had taken possession of the sunny lands of Italy.

Now two great Frankish armies poured over the Alps into Italy, and soon the town of Pavia was be- sieged. Then, while the siege was going on, Charle- magne marched to Rome, where the Pope welcomed him with great honour. The people of the city came out to greet him as their deliverer, casting green branches before him and singing, " Blessed is he who cometh in the name of the Lord."

Then, having celebrated the solemn feast of Easter at Rome, and sworn friendship with the Pope, Charle- magne returned to Pavia. Betakes Now at length the city was taken, and all the north ^"■""^ of Italy yielded to the conqueror. The King, his wife, and daughter were taken prisoner and sent to end their days in Frankist convents. Only Adelchis, the

CHARLEMAGNE 35

King's son, would not yield; he held out to the last, and when at length no hope remained he fled in disguise.

Adelchis was very strong. In battle, instead of a Adeichis sword, he used an iron staff, with which he felled his enemies to the ground. He could snap a hop-pole as easily as one might break a twig. And now it is told of him that as he wandered homeless and alone he came one day to the palace of Pavia, which had once been his father's, and where now Charlemagne held high state. There, as the custom was, he sat down to table as any might, none saying him nay. As the feast went on, Charlemagne was astonished to see him break up the bones of stags and oxen as if they were match- wood. He marvelled much who this stranger might be, who was so strong and had such a valiant air.

But ere the end of the feast Adelchis quietly slipped away. There were those, however, among the company who, even in disguise, well knew the Prince. So it was told to Charlemagne that the noble stranger was Adelchis, the son of the conquered King. When he heard that, Charlemagne was right sorry that he had allowed his enemy to escape.

Therefore, said a knight, " Sire, if you will give me the bracelet which is upon your arm, I swear to bring him back to you alive or dead."

So, as Charlemagne would most willingly have Adelchis a prisoner, he took the golden bracelet from his arm, and, giving it to the knight, bade him go and fetch back the Prince.

The knight sped away, and soon he came upon Adel- chis as he sailed in a boat upon the river Ticino.

" Hold, sir knight," he cried. " Why did you leave

36 A HISTORY OF GERMANY

the feast so secretly ? The King sends to you his golden bracelet as a gift."

When Adelchis heard the knight call, he turned his boat and came towards the bank. But as he came near he saw that the knight held out the bracelet to him on the end of a spear. Then said he to himself, " There is treachery here."

Quickly then he buckled on his armour, and, standing in his boat a little way from the bank, he called out, " What you offer me at the spear's point I wiU receive at the spear's point. Even if your master sends me this gift falsely, so that you may compass my death, I will not be outdone. I too will send him a gift." He sends his Thcrcupou hc took off his bracelet, and, putting it Chariemagne OTi the end of his spcar, held it out to the knight. The knight took it, but by no means could he persuade Adelchis to come nearer or leave his boat and foUow him to Charlemagne. So in great sorrow for the oath which he had sworn, that he would bring Adelchis back with him either dead or ahve, the knight was fain to return alone.

And when the knight came to Charlemagne he gave him the bracelet, and told him how he had fared. Then Charlemagne shpped the bracelet over his hand, but it was so large that it passed all the way up his arm to his shoulder. Then was Charlemagne greatly astonished. " It is no wonder," he cried, " that a man with such huge arms should have the strength of a giant."

And so it is said Charlemagne feared Adelchis greatly, and would very wiUingly have compassed his death. But Adelchis fled away to Constantinople. There the Emperor received him kindly, and gave him the rank

CHARLEMAGNE 37

of Patrician. There he hved quietly until he died at a good old age.

Meanwhile, with solemn ceremony, Charlemagne Charlemagne, was crowned King of the Lombards. All the nobles Lombards* of the land came to do him homage. He was girt with a sword of gold, a purple robe was placed upon his shoulders, and the iron crown of the Lombards was set upon his head. Henceforth he called himself King of the Franks and of the Lombards, and Patrician of Rome.

And now once more from his triumphs in Italy, Charlemagne was called back to fight the heathen Saxons. " It is hard to say," writes an historian who lived in those days, and who wrote the history of Charlemagne, "It is hard to say how often they were beaten, and humbly yielded to the king, promising him obedience. Sometimes they were so tamed as even to promise to give up their worship of idols, vowing that they wished to become Christians. But, ready as they were at times to promise all these things, they were always far more ready to break their promises."

At the very slightest chance of success they revolted, and of all Charlemagne's wars that against the Saxons was the fiercest and the longest.

CHAPTER VIII CHARLEMAGNE

In the To Charlemagne the war against the Saxons was not

Ronlea^vYiief merely a war of conquest. He fought against the

Saxons for the love of Christ, and by war and hatred

he meant to lead them to the religion of peace and

love.

But beside the Saxons there were other heathen to fight. For Spain was in the power of the infidel Saracens. They had brought the teaching of Mohammed from Africa, and all but crushed out the Christian religion in Spain. But now the Saracens were at war amongst themselves, and there came to the court of ibn-ai-Arabi Charlemagne an Arab, named Ibn-al-Arabi, to ask help of the mighty King against the Caliph Abderrahman.

Charlemagne gladly promised help, for he hoped to win back Spain to the Christian faith. So, gathering a great army from every part of his kingdom, he set out across the Pyrenees.

At first his march was victorious and easy. Town after town opened its gates to the conqueror, and, taking hostages with him, Charlemagne passed on his way triumphant until he reached Saragossa.

Ibn-al-Arabi had promised that as soon as Charle- magne arrived the gates of Saragossa should be opened to him. But Ibn-al-Arabi had promised more than he could perform, for the gates of the town remained closed.

38

CHARLEMAGNE 39

Worse still, the Arabs and Saracens, forgetting their He faUs to own quarrels, now joined to resist the Christian King. proL^^

Charlemagne saw that he had been deceived. He had been beguiled by empty promises into the heart of a hostile land. He had no great engines of war with which to batter down the walls or force open the closed gates of Saragossa. To starve the city into surrender was not to be thought of, for already food for his own great army was growing scarce. So, seeing nothing else for it, Charlemagne turned homeward. With him chariemagne went the unfortunate Ibn-al-Arabi, a prisoner. retreats

All went well until the Valley of Roncesvalles was reached. Here the pass is so narrow that scarcely three men could walk abreast. But Charlemagne and the main part of the army passed safely through, and began to descend the farther slope into France. Roland, the beloved nephew of Charlemagne, followed next, in command of the rear-guard.

Now, as they marched, the sound as of an advancing army came to the ears of Roland's comrade, Oliver.

" I fear me. Sir Comrade," he said to Roland, " that we shall have battle with the heathen foe."

" God grant it," replied Roland proudly ; " are we Roland's not here to fight for our King ? " ^" ^

But Oliver had not the careless pride of Roland, so he climbed to a height and looked backward the way they had come. And there, in the glorious sunlight, he saw the gathered splendour of the heathen host. Helmet plumes and many-coloured pennons waved in the breeze, and the sun was reflected from a thousand glittering points of steel. At the sight Oliver's heart was filled with dread. Well he knew that the rear- guard alone could not withstand that mighty host.

40 A HISTORY OF GERMANY

Charlemagne must return to their aid. So it came to his mind that he would ask Roland to sound his horn. For Roland carried a wonderful horn of ivory, the sound of which could be heard many miles afar. Well Oliver knew that should Charlemagne hear it he would return to their aid. So hastily he came down from the hill and sought out Roland.

" I have seen the heathen," he said, " with their helmets and their shining hauberks, their lances and their gleaming spears. We shall have such a battle as never before. God give us courage, my lords of France. Stand firm or we shall be vanquished."

" Sorrow overtake those who flee," replied the peers. " There is not one of us who fears to die."

But although the peers were brave and ready to fight to the last, Oliver's heart misgave him. " The heathen are many, and our Franks are few," he said. " Friend Roland, sound your horn, and Charlemagne will hear it and return."

" Nay," said Roland, " I should act as a fool. I should sully the glory of gentle France. I will not sound my horn, but I will strike such blows with my good sword Durandal that it shall be dyed red in the blood of the heathen."

Then, as the heathen rode forward to the attack, they taunted the Franks.

" Felon Franks," they cried, " he who ought to de- fend you has betrayed you. The King who left you in this pass is a fool. To-day the realm of France will lose its glory, and Charlemagne his right arm."

But such taunting words only roused the Franks to

The Franks greater courage, and recklessly they dashed against the

foe. The fight was fierce and long, but the Franks

George FTtilip i. Sen, If

Th& LonBnn, Geogrof^vLcaX IristxtzUc.

CHARLEMAGNE 41

were far outnumbered by the Saracens. Darkness at length closed over the dreadful field where the Franks to a man lay dead, among them wise Oliver and his proud friend Roland.

Real history has very little to say about this fearful fight in the Valley of RoncesvaUes, and we know nothing more of Roland but that he fell there, and that he was Warden of the Marches of Brittany. But legend has made it famous, and some day I hope you will read the whole splendid story in the Song of Roland.

In the Song of Roland we are told that Roland at length sounded his horn, and that Charlemagne hearing it returned to help his army, and that he defeated the Saracens with awful slaughter. But that is not true to history.

Charlemagne never returned to Spain, and he never avenged the defeat of RoncesvaUes. For, as soon as the battle was over, the enemy scattered, taking refuge among the forest-clad hills, and to follow them would have been difficult and dangerous, and would have meant a long and troublesome war.

Meanwhile Charlemagne had other needs for his army. For the Saxons, never truly subdued, had once more risen against him under the leadership of a chieftain called Wittekind.

CHAPTER IX CHARLEMAGNE

How WiTTEKiND Seemed a second Arminius, and he fought

the sl^n Charlemagne as Arminius had fought the Romans,

1°^^^ When other Saxons had yielded to Charlemagne, he

Charlemagne j^^d Still defied him, and at length, when resistance

was useless, he had fled to the court of the Danish King

Siegfrid.

Now, knowing that Charlemagne was far away in Spain, he returned. With the desire for freedom burning in his heart, he called upon every Saxon who truly loved his country to join him and shake off the fetters of slavery.

Gladly the Saxons answered his call. They broke their oaths, they denied the waters of baptism which had been forced upon them at the sword's point. They cast down the crosses, burned the churches, and advanced through the country, filling it with terror and bloodshed.

As soon as Charlemagne heard of this revolt he gathered his army and marched against the rebels. Again many battles were fought, and all the land was filled with misery, and wasted with war. At length Wittekind gained a great victory over one of Charle- magne's generals. charie- When Charlemagne heard of it, his wrath was terrible, wrath and, gathenng another army, he marched against the

42

CHARLEMAGNE 43

rebels. The Saxons had fought bravely, but now when they heard that the mighty King was coming against them himself, their courage gave way. They laid down their arms, and scattered to their homes. And Witte- kind, finding himself alone, fled once more to Denmark.

But Charlemagne, although he found no enemy in arms against him, was determined to be avenged. So he commanded the Saxon chiefs to appear before him. Not daring to disobey, they came. Then very sternly the King asked of them why they had revolted, and who was their leader.

With one accord they answered, " It was Wittekind."

But Wittekind was beyond the reach of Charlemagne's vengeance. Yet he was not to be baulked of it. So, threatening to waste the country with fire and sword were he not obeyed, he commanded that the chief of those who had helped in the rebellion should be given up to him.

And now the men who had fought so bravely in the absence of their conqueror quailed before his frown, and four thousand five hundred men were given into his power. Charlemagne condemned them all to death, and in one day all their heads were cut off. Those His were rough times. But even in those days it was a ^®°^®*°''® deed of horror, and it remains as a dark blot upon the fame of Charlemagne.

By this terrible vengeance Charlemagne had hoped to crush the Saxons and to put an end to the constant rebellions. And indeed, for a short time, it seemed as if he had succeeded, for the Saxons were stunned with horror and grief. They seemed quiet, but it was only the dreadful quiet of sullen rage, and in spring it burst into wild rebellion.

44 A HISTORY OF GERMANY

Wittekind was recalled, and once more the land was desolated by war. Battle after battle was fought, again and again the Saxons were defeated, yet still they fought. Never before had they shown themselves so brave, and so determined. They were defeated, but not conquered. Winter put an end to the strife, but spring again renewed it, and so year by year the struggle continued.

Then one year Charlemagne made up his mind to remain in Germany all winter, and utterly crush the rebellion. This he did, and all winter long the wretched Saxons were harried and plundered. They were hunted from their hiding-places, and slain without mercy, until at length the spirit in them was broken, and they yielded to the conqueror. Wittekind alone, with a few faithful followers, held out beyond the Elbe. Wittekind At last cvcu Wittekind yielded and was baptized. ^® There is a story told, which, however, we fear is not true, of how Wittekind dressed himself as a beggar, and so found his way into the camp of Charlemagne in order to spy out its strength or weakness. He wandered about for some time, and at length came to the tent of Charle- magne, where Mass was being celebrated.

Wittekind, in his beggar's disguise, crept in among the worshippers, and, greatly wondering, watched the solemn service. It seemed to him very strange and beautiful. Then, as he stood watching in silent awe, a marvellous thing happened. It seemed to him, as he His vision gazcd at the lifted hands of the priest, that he saw in them a child clad in shining garments, radiant in beauty, such as never before had been seen on earth. And as Wittekind looked a sudden change was wrought in him. A wondrous peace seemed to fall upon his heart, and

CHARLEMAGNE 45

sinking on his knees he bviried his face in his hands, tears of some strange unearthly joy running down his face.

When Mass was over, alms were given to all the beggars. When it came to Wittekind's turn he was so shaken by what he had seen that he forgot his danger, he forgot to act his part. It was soon seen that this was no beggar, but the great Saxon leader.

At once he was seized and led before Charlemagne. There he told of the shining vision he had seen, and of the wondrous peace which had come upon him.

And when it was told to Wittekind that he had seen a vision of the holy Christ-child, he begged to be baptized and received into the Church of Christ. Then he sent to his camp, and begged all his generals to come and be baptized even as he had been.

This story is very likely not true, and we do not really know how Wittekind was at length persuaded to be- come Christian. We only know that, weary of the hopeless struggle, he gave in at last, and promised to serve the God of Charlemagne who had proved himself the stronger.

Charlemagne rejoiced greatly over Wittekind's con- version. He stood as godfather for him, gave him the title of Duke of Saxony, and loaded him with many costly gifts.

After this we hear no more of Wittekind. It is be- lieved that he lived quietly on his own estates until he died peacefully in some monastery.

CHAPTER X

CHARLEMAGNE

The With the baptism of Wittekind the resistance of the *°"of thf Saxons was at an end for a time. For seven years the Empire, jg^j^^j ^^^ j,gg^^ ^^^^^ -j^ Seeming at least, the Saxons yielded

to the rule of Charlemagne. Saxon soldiers even served in the Frankish army, but it was easy to see that it was but a grudging service. They had no love for their leader, no desire to see him win. The old longing for freedom still slept in their hearts, the old hatred against their conqueror was still alive, though hidden. So, in secret, they plotted with every tribe unfriendly to Charlemagne, and at last, when he was fighting another foe, the Saxons once more broke out into wild rebellion. They refused to fight longer in the Frankish army. If fight they must, they resolved to fight for their own freedom. Once more they threw down the crosses, burned the churches, and slew the priests. Once more they turned to their old heathen ways, and wiped out the disgrace of baptism with the blood of their enemies. So again, and yet again, Charlemagne marched against them. Again, and yet again, he cowed them, and wrung promises of obedience from them. These promises the Saxons gave because they needs must, or perish ; but as soon as the conqueror was at a safe distance they broke their promises, and once more returned to heathendom and freedom.

46

CHARLEMAGNE 47

But with iron determination Charlemagne returned to his task. He swept the country with fire and sword. He destroyed towns and villages, farms and fortresses, everything that would burn was set aflame, what would not burn was smashed to atoms and trodden under foot. Men, women, and children were slain or led into captivity. He settled these captives on Frankish lands, far from their own homes, and gave their old lands and possessions to Frankish soldiers and others whom he wished to reward.

Thus, at length, the unhappy country was subdued, saxonyu but it was left desolate. So many of the people were ^" slain that it was said the very colour of the earth was changed, and the brown fields were dyed red with the blood of its sons. So many had been carried away into captivity that whole tracts of country which had once been smiling corn-fields were now nothing but howling wildernesses, empty of inhabitants, given over to the wolf and the wild boar. Charlemagne, however, re- turned in triumph to his palace at Aachen. For he had sworn to convert the heathen or sweep them from the face of the earth, and he had kept his word. " He had done a work," says an old writer, " that even the Romans had failed to do. He had by a reasonable terror bent the savage and iron will of both Franks and barbarians." But when we remember all the blood which had been shed, all the thousands of women and children who had been driven forth homeless, fatherless wanderers, all the thousands more who had been led into bitter exile, we wonder if the terror of Charlemagne's name had indeed been " reasonable."

But before the Saxons were thus finally subdued, Charlemagne had reached his highest fame, he had

48 A HISTORY OF GERMANY

become the first of the German Caesars. Through all his wars Charlemagne had been friends with the Pope. He had sided with him against all his enemies, and looked upon him as God's representative on earth. " God," it was said, " had given two swords with which to rule the world, the one to the Pope, the other to the Emperor."

The great Roman Empire, you remember, had been split in two, so there had been one Emperor of the West, another of the East. But since the Goths had invaded Rome, since a German soldier had deposed the last weak Roman Emperor, there had been no Emperor of the West. But now together the Pope and Charle- magne agreed that the time to crown a new Emperor had come.

So Charlemagne once more journeyed to Rome. Here, on Christmas Day 800, all the people were gathered to hear Mass in the great Cathedral of St. Peter. It was a splendid scene. A thousand lights glowed in soft radiance upon gold and purple, upon gleaming gems and silken robes, upon glittering steel armour and waving many-coloured plumes. The deep notes of the organ rang through the lofty dome, and a thousand voices rose in songs of Christmas joy.

Mass was over. The Pope still stood by the altar ; Charlemagne knelt on the steps in prayer. Then, suddenly, as Charlemagne was about to rise from his knees, the Pope took from the altar a splendid crown. He raised it high in his hands, then, stooping, he placed Charlemagne it upou the head of thc kneeling King. " To Charles Em^ror Augustus, crowncd by God, great and peace-giving Emperor of the Romans, life and victory," he cried.

There was a moment of deep silence, then the gathered

CHARLEMAGNE 49

people took up the cry, and three times the mighty dome resounded with the words. Once more the solemn sound of chanting voices rose, and the Pope prostrated himself before the new Emperor.

Thus, after more than three hundred years had passed, during which there had been no Emperor of the West, a new Emperor was crowned. He was still called Emperor of the Romans, and his Empire was called the Holy Roman Empire. But although it was to be called Roman for many centuries to come, this was in reality the first foundation of the German Empire. The new Empire depended on the Germans as much as the old Empire had depended upon the Romans.

Charlemagne's Empire was very vast. It stretched from the Baltic to the Pyrenees and the Mediterranean, from the North Sea and the Atlantic to the borders of what is now Russia. From his father he had received only a small part, the rest he had won by his sword.

But Charlemagne was not merely a soldier and Charlemagne

, , J 1 • 1 Ti ^5 law-giver

conqueror, he was a ruler and law -giver also. He made laws for his whole kingdom, taking an interest in everything, however small. But one man, of course, could not rule so great a kingdom alone, so to all parts of his Empire he sent officers who were called Missi Dominici or King's Messengers. These men were travelling envoys ; they visited the different parts of the country, doing the King's justice. They listened to complaints, punished the evil-doers, protected the poor and feeble, and brought back to their Emperor an account of all that they had done.

This account they gave to the Emperor at his Parlia- ment, which he held twice every year. In May he held a great Parliament, in autumn a small one, and because

E

50 A HISTORY OF GERMANY

the chief meeting was held in May these meetings came to be called the Maifeld or Mayfield. His interest Charlemagne also took a great interest in learning, in learning jj^ foundcd schools throughout his kingdom, and caused not only the children of the rich but also the children of the poor to be taught. He gathered round him many of the learned men of the day, chief among them the Enghshman Alcuin. He himself set the example of learning, and tried hard to learn to write. But although he mastered both Greek and Latin, he was never able to write well.

Charlemagne and the learned men at certain times used to meet together to talk. At those times he did not wish that they should speak to him as to a great and mighty ruler, but as to an equal. So he took the name of David. The learned men called themselves Homer, or Pindar, and such like, and the Court ladies also took other names. They used to write poetry or make up puzzles, and when they met together they would read them and talk about them, and criticise each other's work. His love of Charlemagne loved the German language, and he ^^^^ did what he could to make people use it in writing. For although people in those days spoke German, Latin was still the language of the learned. Everything which was written, either poetry or history, was written in Latin. Now Charles tried to induce people to write in German, and before he died he began to make a German grammar. He changed the names of the months, too, from Latin into German. January, for instance, was called Wintermanoth or Winter month; April, Ostermanoth or Easter month; December was Heilagmanoth or Holy month. But these never really

CHARLEMAGNE 51

came into use, and the Germans to-day still use Latin names for their months just as we do.

In speaking of German we must remember, however,

that in those days there was as yet no German language

as we know it to-day. But just as out of Charlemagne's

great Empire there grew the Germany of to-day and the

France of to-day, so there grew out of it the German

language and the French language of to-day. In those

days there were neither Germans nor Frenchmen, but

only Romanised Franks and not Romanised Franks.

The language which Charles the Great spoke and loved

was the language of the not Romanised Franks, and

that grew into German. But to a great number of his

subjects Charlemagne's speech was like a foreign tongue.

They spoke only Romanised Frankish, which, as time

passed, became French.

Charlemagne ruled as Emperor for foTirteen years. Then at the age of seventy-one he died. He had been ill for some days and felt he must die. Then at dawn one February morning, in 814, he felt the end had come. His death Gathering his last strength he feebly moved his hand to and fro signing himself with the sign of the Cross. Then folding his hands he murmured, " Into Thy hands, O Lord, I commit my spirit," and lay still.

The next day, with much pomp, he was buried in the great church at Aachen, which he himself had founded. He was not laid to rest as men usually are, whether kings or beggars. He did not lie taking his last sleep, but was placed in the vault sitting in a golden chair of state, with his royal robes around him, and a crown upon his head.

CHAPTER XI LEWIS THE GERMAN

The be- All Charles the Great's sons died before him except ^ G°ermany onc, the youHgcst and weakest of them all. This son was called by the Germans Lewis der Fromme, or the Lewis the Pious, whilc the French generally call him Louis le '°"^ Debonnaire, or the Good-natured. He was thirty-six when he came to the throne, and very soon it was seen that he held the sceptre of his great father with feeble hands. The whole Empire was filled with unrest when, about three years after he came to the throne, Lewis shared his Empire with his three sons. But this only brought confusion and warfare, for Lewis's sons were never satisfied. He divided and redivided his kingdom among them again and again, and they as constantly rebelled. At length they drove him from the throne, and thrust him prisoner into a monastery. Here the poor Emperor was humbled in every way possible. He was stripped of all his kingly dignities, and forced in public to read aloud a long list of crimes of which he was accused, and to do penance for them.

But the sons, who had united against their father, soon quarrelled amongst themselves. Once more Lewis was released and set upon the throne, but until his death he was never more than a mere tool in the hands of his scheming, passionate sons, who filled the Empire with strife. Meantime, while the kingly family fought

62

LEWIS THE GERMAN 53

within the realm, it was attacked on all sides from without. Northmen and Vikings came from out the northern seas, Moors and Saracens stormed over the Pyrenees or sailed across the blue Mediterranean from Africa. But Lewis paid little attention to them. At length, in 840, still at war with his sons, Lewis died.

As soon as their father was dead, his sons began to quarrel amongst themselves. To Lothar, the eldest, the title of Emperor had been given. But he grudged to his two younger brothers, Lewis der Deutsche or the German, and Charles, any share of the kingdom. So Lewis the they joined together against him, and a great battle '*™*° was fought at Fontenay-en-Puisaye. The battle was a terrible slaughter, huge numbers of knights and nobles being killed on both sides. Indeed, there were so few young nobles left, that for many a day great ladies were married to simple farmers, who were then made nobles, so that the great houses might not be altogether wiped out.

But the dreadful battle settled nothing. The hate and war between the brothers still went on.

In the following spring Lewis the German and Charles met near the town of Strassburg, and in presence of their armies took a solemn oath of friendship.

When the armies were gathered, Lewis the German, as being the elder, spoke first. "It is well known to you," he said, " how Lothar has persecuted and hunted this my brother and myself, and how he has sought utterly to destroy us. Yet out of brotherly love, and out of compassion for his Christian people, we desired not utterly to destroy him, and many times would we willingly have made peace with him. But he wiU not cease from pvirsuing me and this my brother

54 A HISTORY OF GERMANY

as enemies. He is minded, by fire and sword, by robbery and murder, to crush our people to the ground. There- fore are we forced to come together against him. But not through any vile selfishness are we enticed to do this, but only for the well-being of our people, trusting that through your help God will give us peace."

Then Charles in his turn made a like speech, after which in very solemn fashion the brothers swore friend- ship with each other. The oath of Now the soldicrs of Lewis were Saxons from beyond straesburg ^^^ Rhine, whilc the soldiers of Charles were Franks or Gaulo-Romans. They spoke different languages. The Franks spoke a Romance language, which was no longer Latin, and which was not yet French, but which grew into French, while the Saxons spoke the Teutonic language, which has since grown into German. So that all might understand, Lewis the German spoke in the Romance language, and Charles spoke in the Teutonic.

This oath of Strassburg is very interesting to re- member, for in it we see the beginnings of both the German and the French language.

And now Lothar found that his brothers, being united, were too strong for him. So he became willing to make peace. He sent messengers to his brothers no longer as bearers of proud defiance, but as ambassadors of peace. " I see," he said, " my guilt towards God and towards you, my brothers. I would end this fatal strife."

Lothar asked that he might be allowed to keep the title of Emperor and a third part of the kingdom. This the brothers were willing to give to him.

It was an old German custom that when two princes,

LEWIS THE GERMAN 55

who had been fighting against each other, wished to make peace, they met to talk of it in the middle of some river which bounded their lands. So now the brothers met on a little island in the middle of the river Saone. And here the great treaty, known as the Treaty of Verdun, Treaty of

1 , Verdun

was agreed to.

To Lothar was given Italy and a strip of land running right through the Empire, from the Mediterranean Sea to the North Sea ; the land which lay to the east of that was given to Lewis the German ; and the land which lay to the west of it was given to Charles. Thus the great Empire which Charlemagne had spent his life in building up was once more broken in pieces, and out of it were carved the three kingdoms of Germany, France, and Italy. But it is with Germany alone that we have to do in this book, and we may look upon that August day in 843, on which the Treaty of Verdun was signed, as the birthday of Germany. For, until now, the German lands had been merely a part of the great Frankish Empire, and the history of France was also the history of Germany. Now they were separate, although the kingdom of Lewis did not by any means contain aU the wide lands which were to be gathered into the German Empire.

Now for thirty-three years Lewis ruled as King of Germany, but, although the quarrels of the brothers were at rest for the time being, those were no peaceful days. For all along the eastern boundaries of Lewis's kingdom were tribes who constantly fought against him, such as the Slavs, the Bulgarians, and many others. But Lewis conquered most of these peoples, and made his kingdom greater.

His northern shores, too, were attacked by the

56 A HISTORY OF GERMANY

The Northmen, those wild Sea-kings who came like storm Northmen ^.^^^^ rcjoicing in the wind and waves, who came not to settle, but to plunder and to burn. The Saxon land, however, was poor, and these robbers found little treasure or plunder of gold or silver to carry off. So they turned rather to the rich fields of Frankland, where the feeble Charles the Bald paid them great sums of money to be gone. They attack But Suddenly one day the people of Hamburg saw Hamburg ^^^ j,-^^^. ^^^q grow dark with sails, and heard at their very gates the fierce war-cry of the Northmen. The wind was fair, and the swan-necked boats came sail- ing up the river with terrible speed. On and on they came, six hundred strong. The people were struck with despair, for the garrison was away, and the ships came in with such speed that they knew they would reach the town before the soldiers could arrive.

The Bishop tried to rouse the courage of the people, to make them man the walls, and hold the town until help could come. But it was in vain, they dared not face the wild freebooters. So, seeing no help for it, the Bishop gathered all the Church treasures together and fled.

The citizens too fled, but many of them fell into the hands of the Northmen and were kiUed or led into captivity.

For two nights and a day the Danes filled Hamburg with horror and bloodshed. They seized all the treasure they could find, and set fire to many of the buildings. Then once more they took to their ships and sailed home- ward.

Lewis had not been able to stop the robbery at the time, but that summer he sent a messenger to Horich, the King of the Danes, demanding satisfaction.

LEWIS THE GERMAN 57

Now, but shortly before this time another robber band had returned from France. There they had done as they would with the fair city of Paris, had seen the King tremble before them, and had returned laden with much treasure, flushed with triumph and swollen with insolence.

But not plunder alone had they brought with them. They had, unknown to themselves, brought also a terrible plague. And now, one by one, these haughty Sea-kings They are sickened and died, struck down in their pride by this b;^iague™ dread disease. They knew not how to stay it. In vain they prayed to their gods. Their gods made no answer. At length a prisoner bade them become Christians, and pray to the God of the Christians for relief.

So Horich and aU his warriors bowed their proud heads and humbled their high hearts. For fourteen days they fasted with tears and prayers, and at length the evil was stayed and the plague passed away.

Thus it was with a softened heart that Horich listened to the messengers of King Lewis. He promised not only to release all his Christian prisoners, but also, so far as possible, to give back all the stolen treasure. So there was peace on the Saxon shores, and the German They make King had rest from the Northern robber folk. Germany

For more than ten years after the Treaty of Verdun there was peace between the brothers Then once more the war broke out, this time between Charles and Lewis, who had sworn everlasting friendship with each other.

Charles ruled his people ill, and he had neither wit nor strength to combat the fierce Northern pirates. They, finding him feeble, returned again and again in ever greater numbers, plundering and burning, murder-

58 A HISTORY OF GERMANY

ing the people and carrying them away into captivity. So the people sent to Lewis, praying him to come and be their ruler and deliver them from the misrule and tyranny of Charles. " If you will not come," they said, " then must we turn to strangers and to the enemies of our faith for aid. And that will be a great danger to Christendom." Lewis So at length Lewis listened to these prayers, and ag^st his gathering his army he marched across Lothar's kingdom brother -j^^^ ^^^^ ^^ Charlcs. And Charles, hearing that his brother was come against him, gathered his army and marched to meet him. Over against each other the brothers lay, both armies ready for battle. But no battle was fought, for as Charles gazed upon the glitter- ing array his heart misgave him, his courage oozed away. In the night, with a few of his chief followers, he fled in secret, while the bulk of his army marched over to the enemy. Without striking a blow Lewis was thus master of his brother's kingdom. And so sure did he think his conquest, that he sent his own army homeward, and trusted himself entirely to the rebel army.

But Lewis soon found that to govern his new king- dom was no easy matter. Almost at once mm-murs were heard against the new deliverer, as he had been called. Things had not gone as the people had expected. The Northmen still worked their evil will unchecked, the misery of the land was as great as before.

So the rebels rebelled a second time ; they turned traitor to the new and went back to the old King.

Suddenly the news burst upon Lewis that his brother Charles was marching upon him with a mighty army. His own army had melted into nothing. He found

LEWIS THE GERMAN 59

himself almost alone, without a single follower. There was nothing left for him but to flee. So with aU possible speed he fled back to his own land.

As a bubble that is burst Lewis's fancied conquest vanished into air, and Charles once more was master in his own kingdom. Ever afterwards, the day upon which his brother had fled before him, upon which the enemy had been " hunted forth and shattered," was kept as a solemn feast day.

Once again it seemed as if the land was to be torn asunder by the strife of brothers. But once again they met and vowed to forget all the evil they had done They make one to the other, and be at peace for evermore. ^^^^ ^^^^

Long ere this Lothar the Emperor had died. He Lothar dies had, after tl^ Carolingian fashion, divided his kingdom among his three sons. One, Lewis II, received the title of Emperor and the kingdom of Italy. Lothar II re- ceived the long strip of land which lay between the kingdoms of France and Germany, and Charles received Burgundy.

Now in 869 Lothar II died. At once his two uncles began to quarrel over his kingdom. For it lay between theirs, and they fought over it as two hungry dogs The w is might for a bone. Lewis lay ill, sick nigh unto death strife at the time. So Charles at once seized upon the throne and with solemn ceremony had himself crowned at Metz.

From his sick-bed Lewis sent an angry message to Charles, bidding him at once to leave Lothar's kingdom. But to this message Charles paid no heed. He had been first in the field, and he meant to hold fast that which he had won. From town to town he journeyed receiving the homage of the vassals, and soon he was

of Mersen

60 A HISTORY OF GERMANY

recognized as King in almost every part of his nephew's realm.

Again, as Charles was holding the feast of Christmas, came a threatening message from Lewis. To this Charles might have paid as little heed as before, but hard upon the heels of the message came the news that Lewis was well once more, and gathering his army. So Charles was forced to hsten to his brother's demand for a share of the spoil. And at length, by the Treaty of Mersen in 870, they agreed to divide the kingdom. The Treaty By this Treaty of Mersen Lewis's kingdom was extended far beyond the Rhine. The Maas and not the Weser was the boundary on the north, the Saone and not the Rhine the boundary on the south. Indeed the boundary between France and Germany became now almost, though not quite, the boundary between the French-speaking and the German-speaking peoples.

For six years longer Lewis ruled. These years were hardly more peaceful than those which had gone before, for his three sons, Karlmann, Lewis, and Charles, all rebelled against him again and again. But he got the better of them always.

At last, bowed down with the weight of years, worn out by the labours and troubles of an eventful life, Lewis died in 876.

Lewis was no unworthy follower of his famous grand- father, Charles the Great. He was brave and wise, and those who lived at the same time have only words of love and praise to give him. And the Germans owed him love and loyalty, for under his sceptre for the first time the German-speaking peoples were united, and the foundations of their great nation laid.

CHAPTER XII

LEWIS I AND CHARLES THE FAT

Lewis was succeeded by his three sons Karlmann, How the Lewis, and Charles, and the kingdom was once more harried the divided. Karlmann, however, did not live many years. Gennany He soon became very ill, and when Lewis heard that he could not get better he hurried as fast as he could into his brother's part of the kingdom and claimed it for his own.

Karlmann, the poor sick King, was powerless, but he commanded Lewis to come to him as he lay helpless in bed. Lewis came, but Karlmann could no longer speak. Only with his trembling hand he signed to him to have pity on his wife and his son. With be- seeching eyes he prayed for mercy to them.

But Lewis's greed for land made him utterly hard- hearted. He cared little for the claims of his brother's wife or child, and he knew that they were not strong enough to fight him. He promised them, however, a little land and money, so that they need not become home- less wanderers. The rest of the kingdom he took as his own, and the dying King could only submit. Soon after he was thus deposed Karlmann died. There were thus only two kings left in Germany. But after adding to his kingdom with such hard-hearted greed, Lewis had enough to do to keep it safe. For there were rebel lords within the kingdom, and from without there

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The North- threatened the old danger of the Northmen. They ™™ppelr had harried the shores of England, they had wasted the fairest fields of France with fire and sword. Now they turned again to Germany.

But Lewis was resolved to drive these freebooters forth from his kingdom. So he gathered his army and marched against them. The Northmen had been plundering far and wide, and were on their way back to their ships with immense booty when the Germans fell upon them. A terrible fight followed, in which the Northmen were beaten. Five thousand of them lay dead, and the rest fled. But they carried with them in their flight Lewis's beloved son, sorely wounded. This son was young and brave and greatly beloved. When Lewis knew that he was wounded and a prisoner, he bade his soldiers cease from the pursuit of the foe, for he wanted at all costs to save his son. He sent messengers at once to treat for his ransom, not knowing that the Prince was already dead.

The Northmen were careful to hide the truth from Lewis. They were slow, too, to come to terms. Night came on fast, and Lewis was obliged at length to go back to his camp and, full of anxiety and sorrow, wait for morning.

But during the night the Normans fled to their ships, leaving behind them the dead body of the young Prince. When next morning the King found his dear son lying cold and pale upon the battle-field his grief was great. His anger too was great, for not only had he lost his son, but in the hope of saving him he has lost the chance of utterly destroying the robber horde.

But even after this great battle the Northmen Terror

LEWIS I AND CHARLES THE FAT 63

grew ever greater and greater. Again and again the sea robbers sailed up the rivers which opened, to the North Sea. They plundered and destroyed at will, They plunder and town after town went up in flames. Added to ^^ °^ ^°^" this the harvest failed. A bitter winter followed on, and this hard winter seemed never-ending. Spring- time came, but it brought no milder breezes, no early flowers. The earth remained frost-bound and barren, and the cattle, finding no fodder, died of cold and hunger. In this time of misery many of the great nobles, too, revolted against their King, and the whole land was filled with desolation.

But of all the troubles and sorrows which darkened the land, the Northmen Terror was the greatest. Again and again Lewis defeated the Northmen. But still they flocked down upon Germany in greater numbers than ever before. France, up to this time, had been their best-beloved hunting-ground. But King Louis of France had won such a brilliant victory over them that they now fled from that land seeking new battle- fields. They turned to Germany. And at length the sword which had kept them so long in check was still. For King Lewis lay sick to death. So, like ravening Lewis faUs m wolves, the Northmen stormed over the land. At Aachen they burned Charles the Great's famous palace, they stabled their horses in the great Cathedral, they burned the towns of Cologne and Bonne with their stately churches. Towns, palaces, convents alike were given to the flames, men and women to the sword. Behind them they left a track of blood and ashes.

While the horror of war came ever nearer and nearer to his palace doors Lewis lay helpless. He ordered his army forth. But without their King as leader

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they could do little to stem the flood of disaster. A comet now appeared in the sky, and to those ignorant folk of long ago it seemed an omen of evil, a warning of some terrible mischance. Shudderingly they gazed at the terrible apparition in the nightly sky.

While thus the black cloud of ruin hung over his

He dies kingdom, Lewis died on January 20, 882. And when

the heathen folk heard that he was dead they burst forth

into unmeasured joy ; " they thought no more of war, but

only of plunder," says a chronicler of the times.

Meantime Lewis's brother. King Charles, did nothing. He led an idle, aimless life, seeking only his own pleasure, and he is known as Karl III der Dicke, or the Fat. Besides being King of Italy he had also received the title of Emperor. In anointing him Emperor the Pope had hoped that Charles would help him against his enemies. But he had found himself deceived. The Emperor's chief policy was to sit still and do nothing.

And as he sat still it seemed fortune poured out treasures upon him. He had already been made Emperor without effort on his part. Now that his brother Lewis was dead he became ruler over all his kingdom, again without any effort on his part. For Lewis left no son to succeed him.

Charles was in Italy when the news of his brother's death was brought to him. But he made no haste to claim his inheritance, or defend it from the Northmen.

From all sides messengers came to him praying him

to hasten to his kingdom, to save his people from

destruction and from the scorn of the spoiler.

Charles the At last Charlcs the Fat set out from Italy, and after

rec^fved Hiauy delays reached Worms, where he was joyfully

as King received as King by his new subjects.

LEWIS I AND CHARLES THE FAT 65

Here many of the princes of the realm were gathered together to decide by what means the growing insolence of the Northmen might be checked. It was decided that a general attack should be made upon them, and soldiers were gathered from every part of the Empire. They came even from Italy. Never since the time of Charlemagne had Italian soldiers fought beside the Germans.

At length an enormous army was gathered, an army The Germans huge enough to strike terror to the hearts of any enemy, against the an army certain of victory, if only they had had a brave ^°'^'""™ and clever leader.

But the first attack made upon the enemy failed. They had been warned, and already in the German camp there was talk of treachery.

After this the Emperor and his great army marched to Elsloo on the Maas, there to besiege the Northmen in their headquarters. A few days after the siege had begun there was a tremendous storm. It was brilliant summer weather, but one afternoon the sun was suddenly darkened by great clouds, until day became as black as night. Thunder growled and crashed, and sudden lightning lit up the darkness. Then hail came crashing down with such force that the noise of it was like falling houses. Such a storm no man living could remember. Some of the hailstones were so large that they could not be spanned by thumb and finger. They fell with such force that they shattered trees in the forest. Cattle in the fields were killed, and a great part of the wall of the town of Elsloo was broken down.

The breach was so wide that a whole troop in march- ing order might have ridden through it. The fortress

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lay at the mercy of the besiegers. One sharp assault was all that was needed, and the fortress was theirs. The soldiers clamoured to attack, for now they saw a speedy and glorious ending to the war. They saw before them a glorious vengeance on their foes.

But suddenly all their eagerness and joy were turned

to wrath and shame. For a truce was ordered, and

it became known throughout the camp that the Emperor

Charles the was treating with the enemy. And they, the enemy,

terms^with already hard put to it, already half -conquered, were

*'^®'° making conditions !

A cry of wrath ran through the camp at the news, but the Germans were helpless. For hostages of peace had been already given, besides which Charles threatened with death or the loss of his eyesight any man who should lift his hand against the foe.

The insolence and knavery of the sea robbers now knew no bounds. As their custom was, they hung a shield upon the walls of their fortress in sign of truce, and threw open their gates. This they did to entice the Germans in. They came in numbers, either to spy out the fortification or to trade with the Northmen. Then suddenly, when many of the foe were within their gates, the Northmen shut them and pulled down the shield. Then with fierce war-cries they fell upon the unsuspecting strangers, slaying them at ease. And the slaughter only ceased when every man was slain or taken prisoner.

Yet in spite of this shameful treachery Charles completed his treaty with the Northmen in his safe camp, five or six miles away from the scene of battle. Godfrid, the King of the Northmen, gave a worthless promise that neither he nor his men would ever again

LEWIS I AND CHARLES THE FAT 67

invade Germany during the Emperor's lifetime. He was baptized, Charles himself standing as godfather, and giving him a christening gift of part of Friesland. Charles then married this speedily-made Christian to his niece Gisla. Thus in a day the heathen ravager, who had been a terror to the Empire, became a Christian and a prince of the realm.

Besides this, the Northmen were given an enormous sum in gold and silver upon their promise to go away and not return. To get this sum Charles was obliged to rob the churches and convents. So now these very treasures which had been fought for and defended so bravely, and which had cost so many lives to keep, were freely given over to the robbers by the spiritless Emperor.

At length, laden with spoil, dragging many prisoners in their train, the Northmen turned to their ships and sailed homeward.

Thus the great campaign in which every German tribe had taken part came to a shameful end. But the blame lay not with the soldiers, who were eager to fight The soldiers for the freedom of their country, but with the cowardly ^^^ ^°^^ Emperor, " Thereover was the army right sorrowful," says one who lived at that time. " They grieved that a prince had been set over them who was favourable to the foe and who robbed them of victory over their enemies. And right sadly they turned homeward."

But the shameful pact of Elsloo was quite useless. The very next year hordes of Northmen, forgetting The North-

. T . • • J i_ • j.i_ J. men return

their promises, again appeared, harrying the coast, sweeping up the rivers in their swan-necked boats, plundering and destroying. Charles did nothing. Then under his weak rule the great nobles began to grow

68 A HISTORY OF GERMANY

restless and unruly, and to fight amongst themselves. Charles let them fight. Charles Then, in 884, the young King of France died, leaving ^Zf^Z, no son to follow him on the throne. So the nobles of France, although they knew Charles to be weak and cowardly, asked him to be their King. For, save for a child not yet five, he was the last descendant of the great Charlemagne.

Thus the great Empire was once more united under one sceptre. But with what a difference ! The bound- aries were indeed almost the same, but the sceptre was now in the hands of a ruler treacherous and idle, and neither a soldier nor a statesman.

Charles had won another kingdom as he had won the rest of his possessions, without effort on his part. He accepted the new kingdom, but he was not minded to do anything to make good his kingship, although the land was in sore need of help.

If the Northmen Terror was bad in Germany, it was still worse in France. " The Northmen never ceased," said a writer who lived at the time, " to drag these Christian folk into captivity and to murder them, to destroy the churches, to throw down the walls and burn the villages. On every road lay the dead bodies of priests and layman, of noble and peasant, of women, children, and babes. There was no way, no place, where the dead did not lie, and where wailing might not be heard."

And now, hearing of the death of the King, knowing

the weakness of the Emperor, the Northmen returned

to France in greater numbers than ever. You will read

^^^orth- in French history how they sailed up the Seine and

Paris besieged Paris, how the people sent messengers to

LEWIS I AND CHARLES THE FAT 69

Charles beseeching him to come with all the might of Germany and Italy to save them ; how he long delayed, but, coming at last, how he again made a shameful treaty with the foe, and marching away left Paris and France to its fate.

The siege of Paris ended gloriously for the French, disgracefully for the Emperor, The news of his folly and cowardice robbed him of the last semblance of respect from his people. In every corner of the realm mutterings of rebellion might be heard.

Then at length the anger of the people burst forth. Not, indeed, at first against the Emperor, but against his chief adviser and favourite Liutward. This Liutward Liutward was a man of low birth, but Charles had set him above all the nobles of the land, and heaped honours upon him. And Liutward's greed and insolence knew no bounds, until the people said he outdid Haman of whom we read in the book of Esther. For Haman, they said, with all his pride and insolence, was second to the King, but Liutward put himself higher than his Emperor, and was more honoured and feared than he.

The people blamed Liutward more than any one else for the disgrace of Elsloo ; for was he not the Emperor's favourite and adviser, and could he not twist and turn him at will ?

As the months went past the hate against this low- He is hated born favourite grew and grew. At length it burst ^ ^ ^°^ ^ forth. Liutward was accused of many wicked deeds. Neither he nor the Emperor knew how to deny them, and so in shame and disgrace Liutward was driven from the Court. And with a heart full of anger, and vowing awful vengeance, the fallen favourite went.

But now, without his friend and adviser, the Emperor

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felt absolutely helpless. He had long been ill. He was so stout that he could not move without help, and now his illness increased fourfold. He was sick both in mind and body, and without the guiding hand to which he had been used he felt utterly forlorn. His mind began to give way.

Then the nobles, seeing in his huge bulk nothing but a witless mass of flesh, resolved to thrust him from the throne and choose another ruler. So in 887 they held a great assembly and chose as their King Arnulf, the son of Karlmann, Charles's eldest brother, who, you remember, had died in 880. There was no fighting. Charles is At oncc cvcry ouc flocked to the new King, and in three ^^°^^ days Charles found himself utterly alone.

Without fighting a battle, without effort or trouble on this part, Charles the Fat had won a mighty Empire, until in power and riches he rivalled Charles the Great, Fortune had simply showered favours upon him, and now in a moment everything that fortune had heaped upon him was torn from him. One day he was Emperor, the next a beggar.

Humbly he sent to the new King begging for bread, and for the bare necessities of life. Arnulf granted his request, and the poor discrowned wretch crept into a monastery to die. And thus his miserable reign came to a miserable end.

CHAPTER XIII ARNULF OF CARINTHIA

The great Carolingian Empire was now once again How Amuif

i 1 J.1 • J.' J. 1 'j_ T i! A li? defeated the

broken up, this time never to be reunited, tor Arnuli Northmen,

was chosen only as King of the Germans. The French ^^^^^0^6^

and the Italians chose other kings, and a kingdom was

also formed out of Burgundy. And although Burgundy,

and Italy too, often again came under the same ruler

as Germany, France and Germany were never again

united.

Arnulf had won the throne of Germany almost without a struggle. But soon he had to fight, and that with his country's old enemy the Northmen. In 891 these riders of the sea appeared once again. Arnulf, when he heard of their coming, gathered his army, but before they were ready for battle the Northmen fell upon them and defeated them. They slaughtered every man who fell into their hands, and captured much booty, together with many wagon-loads of food.

When Arnulf heard of this defeat he was very sorrow- ful. He bitterly mourned the loss of his brave knights and men. He burned with wrath against the foe, and quickly gathering another army he marched against the Northmen.

It was at Louvain on the Dyle that the two armies met. At first King Arnulf hesitated to begin the battle, for on one side lay a marsh and on the other a

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river, and between the two there was no room for horse- men to fight. For foot-soldiers truly there was room enough, but his men were unused to fighting on foot.

In anxious thought the King swept the field with his keen eyes ; he noted now this, now that ; in his mind he weighed now one thing, now another. The North- Meanwhile from the Northmen's lines came sounds thro^rmana ^f mockiug laughter and of scorn. With sneers and insults they accosted the foe. " Remember your last battle," they cried. " Remember the little stream which we turned into a bath of blood. Soon we will show you such another."

The insults and mockery raised the King's ire, they roused his men to fury. " Men," cried Arnulf, turning to them, " commend yourselves to God. With His help you will be unconquerable in the defence of your country. Take courage. Think of all the blood of your kindred shed by these ruthless heathen. Think of the holy ones they have murdered, of the churches they have desecrated, of your homes they have ruined. Up and at them, soldiers. You have the felons before you. I myself will get from my horse and carry the flag before you. After me ! It is not alone our own honour we defend, but God's honour. Up and at them, in God's Name ! "

The King's words awoke a glow of courage in the hearts of all who heard him. As one man they leaped from their horses, old and young together, and from the ranks a battle-cry went up that seemed to shake the vault of heaven.

Shouting their battle-cry the Germans advanced. With a cry scarcely less loud, with rattling of bones and clash of sword on shield, the Northmen answered.

/3arefoct, c/ad in a hair shirt, Slenry appeared Se/ore the gaies, begging for admission

^

PAGE 181

ARNULF OF CARINTHIA 73

Thus the battle began, and fierce and stern was the The Germans fight. But the victory lay with the Germans. The ^to^ Northmen turned and fled. And now the river, which had been to them a safeguard, proved their undoing. With the Germans raging behind them, they dashed towards the river, and hurled themselves into it in hundreds. On and on they rushed, until the bed of the river was choked with dead and dying. The German victory was complete, and of all the countless host of Northmen scarce a man was left alive to carry the news back to the ships. Among the dead lay two of the Northmen kings, and fifteen banners were captured, besides much spoil. On the German side it was said that only one man was killed.

As soon as the battle was over the whole army was formed into a procession, and singing hymns of thanks- giving and victory, they marched solemnly over the field. And for hundreds of years afterwards every year a festival was held in memory of this great victory.

This victory of Louvain gained for Arnulf lasting fame. But even yet the Northmen were not thoroughly beaten. Next year, knowing Arnulf to be far away fighting another enemy, they returned, sailed up the Rhine, and, unhindered, wasted and plundered the land in their usual fashion. A German army met them, it is true, " but they did nothing which might be called a brave deed," says a writer of the time. This was, however, the last time that the Northmen sailed up the German rivers. In autumn a famine swept over the land, and to escape the pangs of hunger the Northmen took to their ships and sailed away. They went to England, to fight with Alfred the Great, and never more returned to Germany.

Besides the Northmen, Arnulf had other enemies to

74 A HISTORY OF GERMANY

Arnuif fight. Chief of these were the Moravians. They had Mom^ans formed a kingdom on the eastern boundaries of Germany, and although their King was supposed to own the King of Germany as overlord, it was really a mere form. He did as he chose, so there was war between the two countries. In this way Arnuif was victorious, but he was helped by new and strange allies. These were the Hungarians. He is helped The Hungarians were a heathen wandering people Hungarians who had comc from the steppes of Asia. They were fierce and wild, and splendid riders, and many people thought that they were descendants of the Huns, who long before had swept over Europe in conquering hordes. Like them they were little and ugly, with deep-sunk fiery eyes. Like them they seldom walked, but rode upon swift horses, dashing upon the enemy with terrible swiftness, and disappearing as rapidly as they had come. Arnuif made friends with these wild people, and they helped him in his war with the Moravians.

Arnuif also fought in Italy, for he wanted to be overlord of Italy and Emperor. The Pope too wished it, and when the Emperor died the Pope sent a message to Arnuif asking him to come to Rome to be made Emperor. He goes to Aruulf wcnt, but when he reached Rome he found, ^^ instead of the friendly reception he expected, the gates shut against him. The Pope was no longer master in his own city, for the Emperor's widow, Ageltruda, had taken possession. She had shut all the gates and garrisoned the walls, so that Arnuif should not be able to reach the Church of St. Peter. For she was deter- mined that none but her son Lambert should be Emperor.

ARNULF OF CARINTHIA 75

Deeply enraged, Arnulf drew back from the walls, and gathered his men to a council of war in a neighbour- ing church. First they heard Mass, then the King asked his followers what was to be done.

With a shout they replied as one man, " Let us take the city by storm." With tears running down their cheeks they once more swore the oath of fealty to their King, they confessed their sins, and marched out ready to do or die.

The King npw rode round the walls to see how the assault might best be made. Meanwhile the watching defenders began to fling insults at the invaders, mocking them with scornful laughter. This made the Germans angry, and the soldiers clamoured to assault the city at once. Eager for battle, they rushed upon the walls.

Some threw great stones at the defenders, hurling them from the battlements. Others crowded to the gates, hacking them down with axes and battering-rams. Some dug mines beneath the walls, others laid ladders against them and climbed over. They worked with such heat and fury that all resistance was overcome. When the shadows of evening fell the great city of Rome was He takes in the hands of the Germans, and the Pope was set free, °™^ The next day Arnulf held his triumphal entry. The Senate of Rome, in splendid robes, with many priests and nobles carrying flags and crosses, met the King ; and singing hymns of praise, they led him into the city.

With fatherly tenderness the Pope received him, and led him into the great Church of St. Peter. There with solemn ceremony he placed the crown upon his head, is crowned as and hailed him as Caesar Augustus. mperor

When they saw that their cause was lost, Ageltruda and her son fled. But Arnulf knew that although the

76 A HISTORY OF GERMANY

crown was set upon his head his work was only half done. If his Empire was to be made safe, Lambert must be crushed.

So fourteen days later he marched forth with his army to do battle with him. But on the way he became very ill, and instead of fighting Lambert, Arnulf turned home- ward with all speed. It was thought by some that he had been given poison by the Italians which by slow degrees killed him.

Arnulf lived for three years after he received the

Emperor's crown, but his life was henceforth a sad one.

He diea Hc was ill, troublcs crowdcd in upon him, and at last,

worn out with sickness and sorrow, he died in December

899.

CHAPTER XIV LEWIS THE CHILD

Arnulf was succeeded by his little son Lewis. He was How au the

land was filled with

only seven years old when he came to the throne, so he '^""^ "'^^

is called Lewis das Kind, or Lewis the Child. v*"^'''A5"i'i .

how Adalbert

Lewis was, of course, too young to rule, so the power ^as betrayed fell into the hands of the great churchmen of the realm. Chief among these were Bishop Adelbero and Archbishop Hatto, But these priests and bishops were more intent on making the Church powerful and themselves rich, than on governing the land well. Then the nobles, caring little for the weak rule of a child, began to do as they liked. As the King's power grew less theirs grew greater. They built themselves strong castles, they raised armies and made war, and ruled within their own lands as if they were kings, merely owning the King in a far-off sort of way as overlord.

These great lords, too, began to fight among them- selves, and the whole land was filled with the noise of their feuds. The mightiest of these nobles were the Babenbergers, so called after their castle of Babenberg, The and the Conradiners, who were related to the kingly andtL''^^^™ house, and who took their name from their leader Count Comadiners Conrad.

They were at deadly feud with each other, and they filled the land with bloodshed, now one side, now the other getting the better. But on the whole the Con-

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radiners were the stronger, and the Babenbergers saw themselves being always more and more crushed by their great rivals. Bishop Hatto Bishop Hatto had always been friendly to the Conrad- iners, and now he prepared to help them. Adalbert, the head of the Babenbergers, was commanded to appear before the royal council, to answer for his misdeeds. But he haughtily refused to come. Then an army was sent against him, and he was besieged in his castle of Theres on the river Main.

Adalbert made a brave resistance. But when his most trusted friend suddenly forsook him, and went over to the enemy, he had no more heart to hold out.

Then it was that Bishop Hatto, hoping to make Adalbert yield, came to him with fair words and promises. Promises " FoUow my couusel," he said, " make peace with safe conduct your King. I givc you my word of honour that you may go to him without any fear. In safety and comfort as I lead you forth, so will I lead you back to your fortress. If you will not trust my priestly word, at least trust my solemn oath."

Adalbert believed the wily Bishop, and agreed to go with him. Very solemnly then the Bishop swore to be his safe conduct.

Before setting forth Adalbert begged the Bishop to partake of some food. But the wily Hatto, full of his wicked plans, refused. So together the Prince and Bishop left the fortress, Hatto leading Adalbert by the right hand.

But they had not gone far when Hatto stopped. " I grieve now," he said to Adalbert, " that I did not take your advice and have some food before we started, for

LEWIS THE CHILD 79

the way is long and we are like to faint from hunger ere the end of it."

" Let us return, then, my lord Bishop, and have some food, so that you may not be wearied by the long fast," said Adalbert.

To that the Bishop agreed, and at once they turned round and went back to the fortress, the Bishop as before leading Adalbert lovingly by the hand.

When they were once more within the castle the Prince led his guest to the great dining-hall, and there feasted him with his best. Then once more together they set out for the King's camp.

Adalbert thought that he had gained a powerful friend, so little did he suspect the Bishop's treachery. But he was soon to be undeceived. As the little thirteen- year-old King sat in state Adalbert appeared before him Adalbert to make his submission. Then an angry noble started ^bmLsion up. " Hearken not to him, my lord King," he cried. " He does this only out of treachery. His submission is but a deceit and trick to save himself from a desperate situation. So soon as he receives your pardon he will return again to his rebellion. Let him die the death."

" For seven long years," cried another, " has this Adalbert disturbed the land. What blood has he not shed, what grief has he not brought upon the people by his wasting and plundering ? Let him die the death."

Then, as with one voice, the assembled nobles con- demned Adalbert to death for high treason.

But amidst the clamour and the rage Adalbert stood calm and unmoved. " Ye cannot touch me," he cried, " I have the Bishop's promise of safe conduct."

But the Bishop smiled a cruel smile, and was silent.

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Then suddenly Adalbert's heart misgave him. " You are forsworn," he cried, " if you consent to my death."

" Nay," answered the Bishop, with a scornful laugh, " I have kept my word. Did I not promise that if you came forth from your fortress I would lead you back in safety ? And have I not done so ? Did I not, as soon as you came forth, lead you back in safety ? I am absolved of my oath."

Darkly Adalbert looked upon his betrayer. " Would God," he cried, " that I had never come here. Too late have I learned your deceit, oh traitorous Bishop." Is betrayed Then, loaded with fetters, he was led out before the assembled army, and his head was cut off.

Thus was the house of Babenberg crushed, and the house of Conrad became greater than ever. From that day Conrad the younger took the name of Duke, and henceforth he had no rival in the land.

But while within its borders the land was thus torn by the feuds of the great nobles, without a new danger A new foe threatened. This new danger was the Hungarians. appears King Amulf, you remember, had made friends with these wild people, and they had helped him against the Moravians. And so long as Arnulf lived, Germany had been safe from them. But they had overrun all the neighbouring lands. They had attacked the north of Italy, they had wasted all the countries along the western borders of Germany ; they had utterly wiped out the Moravians.

And now that there was only a weak child-King to oppose them, they spared Germany no more. Great hordes of wild horsemen, more awful to look upon than wild beasts, it was said, stormed over the river Ems, and wasted the land with fire and sword.

LEWIS THE CHILD 81

Year by year they returned, year by year they stretched their plundering expeditions farther and farther. Bavaria, Thiiringia, Saxony all felt the scourge, and the harvest-fields of Germany as far as the Rhine were trodden and destroyed by the hoofs of their horses. Without mercy they slew the old, both men and women ; the young they carried away captive, in their savagery often fettering the women with their own long hair.

The whole land trembled before these terrible Hungarians. The people believed that the curse of God had come upon them, and they remembered the words of the prophet Jeremiah, " Lo, I will bring a nation upon you from far. It is a mighty nation, it is an ancient nation, a nation whose language thou knowest not, neither understandest what they say. Their quiver is as an open sepulchre, they are all mighty men. And they shall eat up thine harvest, and thy bread, which thy sons and thy daughters should eat : they shall eat up thy flocks and thine herds : they shall eat up thy vines and thy fig trees : they shall impoverish thy fenced cities, wherein thou trustedst, with the sword."

So great fear fell upon the people. But at length in 910 all the nobles gathered together a mighty army, and Battle of with the young King at their head marched to fight gijf^ ^^' these terrible foes. Near Augsburg a great battle was fought.

In early morning, before the Germans were fully ready, the Hungarians attacked. But until midday thte Germans fought bravely, with no sign of yielding. Indeed it seemed as if victory would be theirs. Then the Hungarians, as their habit was, tried trickery when force failed. They pretended to flee. Breaking their

of Lewis's reign

82 A HISTORY OF GERMANY

ranks the Germans pursued. Then suddenly the fugi- tives turned, the reserve was called up. The Germans were surrounded on all sides, and defeated with cruel slaughter.

The victorious Hungarians then marched farther into the land, and a few days later met another army, which had not been able to reach Augsburg in time to join in the battle. A second fight took place, in which again the Germans were defeated, and although the defeat was not so crushing as the first, the Hungarians were able to turn homeward triumphantly, laden with much spoil. The character Lcwis the Child is but a shadow King. This bootless campaign against the Hungarians is the only deed of his about which we know anything during his whole reign. " The weakness of the child who, nevertheless, bears the name of King," said one who lived in those times, " has deprived us this long time of a true ruler. His age is neither useful in battle nor fit to wield the laws. His weak body and lack of manly strength only excite the people to contempt, the enemy to insolence. How often I tremble when I think of those words, ' Woe to the land whose king is a child ! ' "

But the land was not much longer to endure the reign of a child. A little more than a year after the battle of Augsburg, at the age of eighteen, Lewis died, where and exactly when is not known. It was probably on September 24, 911. He had reigned, if reigning it could be called, eleven years. With him the German branch of the Carolingians came to a miserable end. He left the kingdom which his forefathers had made great utterly shattered within, and at the mercy of a relentless foe without. He left it far smaller than it was when he had received it from his father. For on the east side, during

LEWIS THE CHILD 83

the many quarrels within, Lorraine had ceded from Germany, and the Duke now owned the King of France as his overlord, while on the west side the Hungarians had taken possession of great tracts of land which were lost to Germany for ever.

CHAPTER XV CONRAD I

How the Lewis the Child left no son. There was indeed no

unfortln^te! direct heir to the throne. A Carolingian, it is true, still

^Kshop ^^* upon the throne of France. But never once did the

treacheroua German noblcs think of offering the kingdom to him,

and thus once more uniting the East and West kingdoms.

No, they had grown too independent for that. So they

met together to choose a new King from their own

number.

Among the nobles there were two whose claims

seemed almost equal, for they were both distantly related

to the kingly house. One of these was Otto the

Illustrious, Duke of Saxony ; the other was Duke Conrad,

of whom you have already heard.

Duke otto Duke Otto was wise and good, and the first choice fell

'"^"'cro*^ on him. But he was old, he felt that he had no longer

the strength to bear the burden of the crown, that his

arm which had often wielded a sword was no longer

strong enough to hold the sceptre. That a greybeard

should follow a child upon the throne would be a great

misfortune for the land, he thought. The man who

would save Germany from the foes within and foes

without must not only be wise but strong. So Otto

Duke Conrad rcfuscd thc crowu, and the next choice fell upon the

King young and warlike Duke Conrad.

King Conrad I loved his country ; he wished his

84

CONRAD I 85

people to be happy and prosperous. But somehow he was always unfortunate. He never succeeded in doing anything great for his people and kingdom until he lay on his death-bed. Then, as you shall hear, he did a great deed.

Meanwhile the new King was led into war almost at once. He fought with the French King, and tried, but tried in vain, to recover Lorraine from him. It was a sad misfortune for the new King that his first war should be thus unsuccessful. But a greater misfortune befell him. Otto the Illustrious died. He had given the young King good advice, and kept the bishops in check. For bishops and nobles looked upon each other with jealous eyes, each fearful of the growing power of the other. But now that Otto was dead the bishops were once more all-powerful. They soon made their power felt.

After Duke Otto's death his son Henry became Duke. But Conrad had begun to be afraid of this great vassal. It seemed to him that unless his power was checked the Duke would soon be as great as the King. So Conrad took part of Henry's inheritance from him, and gave it to Bishop Hatto.

At this the whole of Saxony was filled with wrath. TheSaxons How could the King forget that he owed his crown to rebemou Duke Otto ? asked the people. They prayed their Duke not weakly to allow himself thus to be robbed, but to fight for his rights, and they gathered to him, both knights and barons and their followers, until he had a mighty army.

Now when Conrad saw how the people gathered to the Duke, and how they looked darkly on him, his heart misgave him. He dared not fight the Duke openly

86 A HISTORY OF GERMANY

because of his great army, so he listened to the wily Bishop and sought to overcome Henry by treachery. Hatto'B plot The Bishop, so the story goes, asked Henry to a great feast, promising him many favours and rich presents in order to entice him to come. Henry promised to come, and then the wicked Bishop went to a goldsmith and ordered him to make a beautiful chain of gold so cunningly contrived that it would be easy to strangle with it the person who wore it. This was to be Henry's gift at the feast.

All went well. As the day of the feast drew near the Bishop went to the goldsmith's workshop to see how he was getting on. As he watched the goldsmith work he sighed.

" Why do you sigh so deeply ? " asked the gold- smith in surprise,

" I sigh," replied the Bishop, " because that chain must be dyed with the blood of a brave man, with Duke Henry's blood,"

The goldsmith answered never a word. He told no man what he had heard, but as he worked his heart was sorrowful and heavy. When the chain was finished he took it to the Bishop, then he hurried away to Duke Henry.

As the goldsmith neared the castle he found Duke Henry mounted upon his horse, and ready to set forth as if on a journey.

" Stay, noble Duke," he cried, " whither will ye ride ? "

" I am invited to a feast," answered Henry, " and to a great present-giving. I would even be on my way."

" Nay, but go not," cried the goldsmith. Then he

CONRAD I 87

told Duke Henry of the golden chain, and how it was puke Henry wrought to cause his death. '^ *^^^ °^ '*

And when he heard it Duke Henry was right ireful. He called the messengers to him who had come to bid him to the feast. Darkly he looked upon them so that they trembled before him.

" Go," he cried, " thank your master for his friendly invitation. Say to him that Henry's neck is no harder than Adalbert's. Say to him that I will not trouble him with my great train of servants, that I will rather sit at home and think how I may best serve him."

The messengers sped away. But no long time did Duke Henry sit at home and think. In great wrath he fell upon the Bishop's possessions in Saxony and in Thiiringia and conquered them.

Shortly after this the Bishop died. We do not really know how he met his death. But the people hated him so that they said that the wrath of God had overtaken him in his wickedness, and that he had been struck down by a thunderbolt. Others said that he met with a still more terrible death which came about in this wise.

Many of the poor people were in great distress, for the The people land had been wasted by the Hungarians, and by the " '^*''^^^ armies of the rival nobles. Their crops had been trampled and destroyed, their houses burned. Then followed a terrible year when the harvest failed and the winter was long and hard, so that the land was filled with starving, beggared people.

At length in their distress and hunger they came to the They go to great Bishop, begging for bread, for well they knew that his vast granaries were still filled to overflowing with last year's corn. Hatto listened to their prayers coldly.

88 A HISTORY OF GERMANY

Their poor weak bodies and pale thin faces, their trembhng hands, awakened in his heart no pity. He saw in them only a crowd of useless beggars who could neither fight nor dig. Of what good were they ? he asked. They were fit for nothing but to eat bread, and take it from the mouths of others. If they could only be put out of the way the famine would the sooner cease, and there would be more corn left for others who were of far more use in the world.

With such thoughts in his heart Bishop Hatto laid his wicked plans. He bade the people come to him on an appointed day, and he would satisfy all their wants. The day came. The joyful people gathered in crowds, and were all told to go into the Bishop's great barn. His treat- In they went, more and more of them, till the barn ment of them ^^^ ^^ j^jj ^^^^ j^ ^^^^d hold no morc. Then the Bishop

locked the door and set fire to the barn, so that the wretched people were all burned up.

" A good riddance," said the Bishop. " They were just like mice, fit for nothing but to eat corn."

" But," says an old writer, " Almighty God, the just revenger of the poore folk's quarrel, did not long suffer this hainous tyranny, this detestable fact, luipunished. For He mustred up an army of mice against the Arch- bishop, and sent them to persecute him. So that they afflicted him both night and day, and would not suffer him to take his rest in any place." His Like a plague of Egypt were the mice. They followed punis ment ^-^^ Bishop everywhere ; they ate up all his corn ; they swarmed in his bed and over his dinner-table. He could neither eat nor sleep for them.

At last he resolved to flee to his strong tower, which he had built for himself on a little green island in the

CONRAD I 89

river Rhine. There he would surely be safe from them. For, he said,

The walls are high, and the shores are steep, And the stream is strong, and the water deep.

So in all haste Bishop Hatto set off. He crossed the Rhine, and reached his tower in safety. There he carefully barred the doors and windows, and stopped up every loophole. But all his care was of little use. " For the innumerable troupes of mice continually chased him very eagerly, and swumme unto him upon the top of the water to execute the just judgement of God. And so at last he was most miserably devoured by those silly creatures."

For they have swum over the river so deep, And they have climb'd the shores so steep. And up the Tower their way is bent, To do the work for which they were sent.

They are not to be told by the dozen or score, By thousands they come, and by myriads and more. Such numbers had never been heard of before, Such a judgement had never been witness'd of yore.

Down on his knees the Bishop fell,

And faster and faster his beads did he tell,

As louder and louder, drawing near,

The gnawing of their teeth he could hear.

And in at the windows, and in at the door, And through the walls helter-skelter they pour, And down from the ceiling, and up from the floor. From the right and the left, from behind and before, From within and without, from above and below. And all at once to the Bishop they go.

Thus miserably, said the common folk, who hated him, perished the wily Bishop. And still to this day,

90 A HISTORY OF GERMANY

among the vine-clad hills of the Rhine, there stands the Mausethurm or Mouse Tower on its little green island opposite the town of Bingen.

Even after the death of the Bishop fierce war raged between King Conrad and his mighty vassal, Duke Henry. But the King could not subdue his vassal. For no knight in all Germany was so brave and splendid as Henry, no ruler more beloved of his people.

And Conrad could not give all his mind to conquering Henry, for other nobles too rose against him, and, worst of all, the Himgarians again laid waste the land. They burned the churches, slew the priests at the altar, and hewed down and insulted the crucifixes.

Conrad marched now here, now there, against his foes. Often enough he won a victory, but as soon as his back was turned the unsubdued enemy rose again. His reign was one long struggle. At length, sorely wounded, sick at heart and worn out by the long struggle, he lay down to die. " He felt," says an old writer, " that his lucky star had set." Conrad's love In spitc of all his mistakcs and misfortunes Conrad co^try loved his country, and now he gave his great proof of it.

As the King lay on his death-bed he called his brother Eberhard to him. " My brother," he said, " I feel that I can no longer bear the burden of life. It is God's will that I should die. Now what shall become of the kingdom hes with you. Therefore take counsel with yourself, and listen to my advice, the advice of your brother. We have, my brother, troops and armies, we have towns and weapons in our hands, we have the crown and the sceptre. We have all that belongs to royal state, save only fortune and kingly puissance.

CONRAD I 91

Fortune, my brother, together with this kingly force, stands ever on Duke Henry's side, and the salvation of the state lies in his hand. Take, then, the sacred lance, the golden brooches, and the royal mantle, the sword and the crown of the old King. Go to Henry, greet him as King, and make your peace with him, so that you may have him henceforth as a friend. For he will be a true King and a ruler over many peoples."

And when Conrad had ceased speaking Eberhard promised him with tears running down his cheeks that all should be done as he wished.

Conrad then called the great nobles about his bed. He bade them to think of peace. " After my death do not be torn asunder by jealousy and greed of power. Choose Henry for your King, set him over you as lord. For he is wise and knows well how to hold the sceptre. I do not only counsel you, I beg and pray of you to obey him."

Then, having done the greatest deed of his life. His death, Conrad folded his hands and died, at peace with all the world.

CHAPTER XVI HENRY I THE FOWLER

How the Eberhard WES true to his word, and as soon as his Sious brother was dead he, with others of the great nobles, °^^euemtes Set out in search of Henry. With them they carried the crown and sceptre. But Henry was not in his castle, and after some search they found him among the mountains, amusing himself with catching birds. He was dressed like a simple hunter, and with his children about him he was busy with bird snares and nets.

And from this he received his name der Vogler or the Fowler. But I must tell you that many people think that this is a fairy-tale, and that Henry only received his name of the Fowler long afterwards.

At first Henry, like his father before him, refused the crown. But Eberhard asked to be left alone with the Duke, and when the nobles had withdrawn he threw himself on his knees before him, and begged him to accept the throne. Henry is So Hcury yielded. Then the nobles gathered round ^""^iSnghim with great joy. Standing upon his shield they raised him shoulder high, and with loud shouts acclaimed him King.

Then from the midst of the nobles an archbishop stepped forth, and would have led Henry to the altar

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HENRY I THE FOWLER 93

so that he might be crowned and anointed, and blessed by the Church, as the custom was.

But Henry waved him back. " Nay," he said, " it He refuses is enough for me that I am chosen King, and that I bear the name of King, which before me no Saxon of my house has borne. I thank your love and God's grace for it. And let that suffice. Let the anointing and the crowning be for one better than I. Of so much honour I am not worthy."

This Henry did, not because he despised the Church, but because he knew how powerful the great churchmen had become, and he wished to show that he did not mean to be under their rule. His words pleased the assembled nobles well, for they too disliked the growing power of the priests. And raising their right hands to heaven once more they swore fealty to their King, crying, " God save King Henry, God save the King," till the sound echoed and thundered afar.

With Henry the story of the Saxon rulers of Germany begins. For until now the rulers of Germany had been Frankish, descendants of that great Frankish Emperor Charlemagne, who had fought and conquered the Saxons. Henry himself was a true Saxon, and his wife He is the Mathilda was descended from Wittekind, the great kj^ ^^°° Saxon leader. So in Henry the Germans felt they had a true German King once more, and that the dominion of the Franks was at an end.

But although many of the nobles had chosen Henry for their King all had not done so, and soon he had to fight against his revolted vassals, even as Conrad had done. But Henry was more fortvmate than Conrad, and first one and then another of the rebels yielded to him. For Henry did not try to crush the great nobles

94 A HISTORY OF GERMANY

altogether. He left them much power in their own lands, but forced them to own him as overlord. He fought when needs must, but he used peacefiol means too. He over- One of the nobles whom Henry had to fight was comes Amuif ^rnulf, Dukc of Bavaria. But the King had no desire to fight. He thought that much horrible bloodshed might be avoided, that the lives of many gallant men might be spared, if only their leader would hsten to reason. So he sent a messenger to Arnulf asking him to meet him alone.

To this Arnulf consented, and, thinking that it was single combat the King offered him, he went alone, but fully armed, to the place appointed. What then was his astonishment when the King stepped towards him unarmed, and greeted him with kindly words.

" Why will you fight against God's will ? " Henry asked the astonished Duke. " It is by His will that the voice of the people has called me to be King. Why then out of jealousy will you shed the blood of all these Christian people ? Had they raised you to the throne no one would have been more ready to acknowledge your right than I."

When Arnulf heard the King's words he hung his head in shame. In deep thought he turned upon his heel and went back to his camp. There he gathered his chief knights and nobles about him, and took counsel with them. They counselled him to make peace with the King.

Then Arnulf Ustened to this wise counsel, and coming to Henry he knelt before him, put his hands within the King's hand, and swore to be his man.

Besides overcoming the great nobles Henry won

HENRY I THE FOWLER 95

Lorraine back. He struggled long for it, both by He wins peaceful and by warlike means, and at length cunning °"^"^® helped his sword.

It is told how in those days there lived a man in Lorraine called Christian. He saw that King Henry was fortunate in everything. He saw that although he had sometimes to fight long for a thing, he, in the end, was ever victorious. So he cast about in his mind for a way to win favom* of this powerful and fortimate ruler. At length he fell upon a plan.

Christian pretended to be very ill and about to die, and begged Duke Giselbert of Lorraine to come to him, so that he might place his inheritance in his hands. Suspecting no evil, Giselbert came to Christian's castle, where he was at once seized and cast into prison. Then, bound and securely guarded, he was led before King Henry.

Henry greatly rejoiced when he thus found his bold and dangerous enemy in his power. But he knew that Giselbert was a brave soldier and a wise man, so he treated him with all honour. Soon by his kindness he won Giselbert's heart, and from being a prisoner Giselbert became a friend. Henry gave him back his dukedom, and married him to his daughter Gerberga. So at last Lorraine was again united to Germany, and it remained a part of the Empire for many hundreds of years.

Thus after six years' reign Henry had succeeded in doing what Conrad had struggled in vain to do. He had peacefully united all the German peoples under one King. He had done it, too, more by statesmanship than by war and bloodshed.

And now that Henry had won peace within his

96 A HISTORY OF GERMANY

kingdom, he had another and deadly enemy to fight.

The The Hungarians, who, as good luck would have it,

"%t^^ta had spared the German lands during the first years of

Germany jjenry's xvle, now descended upon them Avith all their

old fury. Far and near they scattered devastation.

Towns and villages, convents and churches went up

in flames, so that the track of the marauders might be

traced by the ruins and the ashes, by the smoke clouds

that darkened the sky by day, and the flames which

made night terrible. Young and old, men, women,

and children were slain, or fled in terror to the mountains

and the forests, there to die in hunger and nakedness.

Brave though Henry was, he dared not meet these wild horsemen in open field. For well he knew he had no army fit to stand against them. His foot-soldiers were few, badly armed, and badly drilled ; horsemen he had none. Then fortune again was kind to him. His men, by chance, took a great Hungarian noble prisoner and led him bound before their King.

Henry was much rejoiced, but there was great sorrow in the Hungarian camp, for this noble was of high honour amongst them. They at once sent messengers to Henry offering untold sums of gold and silver for his ransom. But Henry treated all their offers with scorn. It was not gold he wanted, but peace, and Henry makes pcacc alonc he would havc. As ransom for their noble peace w^^ hc demanded from the Hungarians a nine years' truce. He promised also to pay them a yearly sum of money.

To this the Hungarians agreed ; their noble was set free, and they marched homeward.

But to pay tribute to these heathen folk was surely a shameful and a useless deed. Right well Henry knew how the Carolingian kings had suffered from the

HENRY I THE FOWLER 97

Northmen and the Danes from such bargains. But Henry did not make his bargain out of cowardice, but out of prudence. He wanted time in which to prepare for the hour of need, which he surely knew would come. And from the first moment of the peace which he thus bought he laboured to make his country strong against the heathen enemy on its borders.

In these days there were no walled towns in Saxony. Only on the banks of the Rhine and the Danube, where the Romans had long ago lived, there were a few fortresses. But these had nearly all been ruined by the Northmen or the Hungarians. Here and there, indeed, rose in frowning grandeur a fortress of some great lord, a castle of some bishop, a monastery or convent with its clusters of little houses built beneath its protecting walls. But for the greater part the people lived in lonely farms and small unprotected villages, a prey to every foe.

Henry made up his mind to change all that. And How he used

•> '■ ^ the peace

now, day by day, the sound of hammer and trowel was heard. All along the borders of the land strong fortresses were built. Unprotected villages were turned into walled and fortified towns, places of refuge in time of need. And in order to hold the people together and make them live in the towns, Henry ordered all courts of justice, all markets, indeed gatherings of every kind, to be held within the walls of the towns.

So gradually round the palaces of princes and bishops, round chiu-ches and cloisters, walled and fortified towns arose.

Henry I is remembered as the founder of German Henry the cities. And by degrees all the life of the kingdom began G^an ° to centre in those towns, and a new class arose, a class "'^^^^

H

98 A HISTORY OF GERMANY

of merchants and townsfolk. And in days to come the Kings and Emperors had cause to thank him, for many a time these burghers fought for them against the mighty nobles.

But meantime to defend these towns and fortresses men were needed. So Henry chose out every ninth man, and made him become a soldier. These men were drilled and taught how to fight. They were also taught how to ride, so as to be a better match for the Hungarians. And Henry's horsemen were soon so fine that they became the very backbone of the army, and as years went on the foot-soldiers became less and less, the horsemen more and more, important. How Henry Henry drew all sorts of men into his service. There "^^"^army wcrc many freemen who in those wild times found a living by wandering from court to coxirt, and offering their services to any great lord who might be at war with another. These Henry gathered into his army. Others there were who infested the highways, robbing and plundering unprotected travellers. To such Henry offered a free pardon if they would become his faithful soldiers, which they did. " Thus," says an old writer, "an army was made out of robbers. For King Henry wilhngly pardoned thieves and robbers, if they were only courageous and strong in war."

But the nine years' truce sped fast, and war with the most terrible of all their enemies again threatened the people. So Henry gathered his lords and barons together and spoke to them.

" Well you know," he said, " what confusion ruled in your land. But through God's help, through labour and care on my side, through bravery on yoxirs, we are now peaceful and united. But one thing yet remains

HENRY I THE FOWLER 99

for us to do. We must rise like one man against oiu- terrible enemy, the Hungarians. Until now I have, perforce, robbed you, your sons and daughters, to make rich their treasury. Now nothing more remains to us. Now if we must still pay tribute, must we rob the chiu-ches and the altars of God, for nothing more is left to us but our bare lives. Therefore take counsel together and choose what we shall do. Shall we take the treasure which belongs to the service of Heaven and give it to your enemy and God's? Or shall we take the tribute which we have hitherto paid to the heathen and dedicate it to the service of most high God who has created and redeemed us ? "

And when Henry had ceased speaking a great shout went up from the people. " May the true and living God, who is faithful and right in all His ways, and holy in all His works, make us free from our bonds," they cried.

Then, raising their hands to heaven, the people swore to stand by their King, and to help him against the heathen folk. And having thus sworn, the people went to their homes until the King should have need of them.

Soon after this the messengers from the Hungarians The came as usual for the promised tribute. But this time w™re"ewd they were received with scorn, and sent away with empty hands. When the Hungarians heard of it they were filled with wrath, and hurriedly gathering a great and powerful army they marched on Germany. Burning and wasting, they strode through the land. Then after a time the army divided in two, one part marching west, one north.

So soon as this happened Henry saw his chance.

100 A HISTORY OF GERMANY

He fell upon one part of the enemy's force, and a terrible battle was fought in which the Hungarians were defeated. Many were slain, others were scattered through the land, where they died of hunger and cold, or were taken into captivity by the Germans, and ended their lives miserably as slaves.

But the second and larger part of the Himgarian army was stiU to fight. When, however, they heard that their comrades had been utterly defeated, and that Henry was marching now upon them, great fear took hold of them. In haste and terror they broke up their camp in the night and fled. When morning came, Henry quickly followed the fleeing foe, and another great battle took place near Riade in Thuringia.

" The Hungarians are our enemies, but they are, too, the enemies of the whole Christian world," cried Henry to his soldiers. " Put your trust in the grace of God, and avenge our fatherland."

Their hearts beating high with hope, their eyes bright with the lust of battle, the Germans rushed to the attack. JoyfuUy they watched their King as he rode now in the front, now in the middle, now behind, encoiiraging and commanding, while the great banner with the fighting archangel Michael fluttered ever before him. The The fight was not long. Soon the Hungarians fled, are"dSted and flcd SO fast that although the Germans pursued them for eight long miles scarce a man was killed, scarce a prisoner taken. Their camp, however, with all its rich plunder and many prisoners fell into the hands of the victors, who set all the captives free.

The joy over this victory was great. Through the length and breadth of Germany Henry was greeted as

HENRY I THE FOWLER 101

the father of his country, and never more while he hved did the Hungarians molest his kingdom. And the tribute which had been paid to them was given to the Church for the benefit of the poor and needy.

But Henry's wars were not yet at an end. The Northmen were still terrible as of yore, so now Henry marched his victorious army against them. But their King, Gorm the Old, did not dare to meet the victor of the Hungarians in open fight. So he made peace.

The war with the Northmen was the last of Henry's wars. It was victorious and splendid as all his wars had been from first to last. And now his work was done. Germany stood high among the nations, and kings and princes sought Henry's favoiu*. In the whole realm, both within and without, there was peace.

And now in this time of peace Henry turned his thoughts to Rome. He, who had refused the kingly Henry seta crown at the hands of a bishop, thought that, like °" °^ °™^ other rulers before him, he would cross the Alps to receive the blessing of the Pope, and the title of Emperor.

But Henry never reached Rome, never received the title of Emperor. For sickness struck him down. Then, feeling his end near, he called his wife. Queen Mathilda. " My dearest and best beloved wife," he said, " I thank our Lord that I go out of life before you. No one has ever had such a wife as I. How often have you calmed my anger, how often given me wise advice, and when I wandered you have ever brought me back to the paths of righteousness. I thank you for all you have been to me."

In deep sorrow the Queen replied, thanking the dying King for all the love and truth he had shown her.

102 A HISTORY OF GERMANY

Then, bowed down with grief, she went into the church to pray for her husband.

And as she knelt in prayer the sounds of loud

wailing came to her. Then a great horror of darkness

He dies 935 fell upon her, for she knew that the King was dead,

that she was a widow, and the people a fatherless people.

CHAPTER XVII

OTTO I THE GREAT

When Henry I died the lords and nobles gathered How the together to choose a new King. Before he died Henry beTet with had prayed the nobles to choose his son Otto for their fou^fmany King. But Otto had been born while Henry was only ^"^y^f ^* Duke of Saxony, and so Henry's younger son, who had been born after his father became King, thought that he had a better right to the throne. " Nobler blood runs in my veins," he said, " than in the veins of my brother ; for I am the son of a King, he but the son of a Duke." The nobles, however, were true to their word, and Otto was chosen as King.

So in Aachen, where Charles the Great lay buried, there was a great and solemn ceremony. Clad in splendid robes, surrounded and followed by lords and nobles. Otto went to the great Cathedral. There at the door he was met by the Archbishop of Mainz with all his bishops and priests around him.

Holding his crosier in his right hand, the Archbishop led the young Bang by the left into the middle of the Cathedral, which was crowded by an eager throng in glittering holiday array. Turning to the swaying crowd of people the Archbishop cried aloud :

" See, I bring Otto to you, whom God has chosen for your King, whom Henry pointed out, and whom the

103

104 A HISTORY OF GERMANY

princes of the realm have acclaimed. If the choice pleases you, raise your right hand to heaven." otto I All raised their hands, and a thundering shout rang ^° ^iSng out, " All hail to our new King and ruler."

Then with slow and solemn steps the Archbishop led the King to the altar, where lay all the splendour of royalty, the sword and the mantle, the golden brace- lets, the crown and sceptre.

First the Archbishop raised the sword, and, turning to the King, he cried, " Take this sword, and with it drive forth all the enemies of Christ, all heathen, all bad Christians. For God has given the realm into your keeping so that you may make it a sure refuge for all the Christian world." Then he placed the golden bracelets upon the King's arms, and the splendid robe upon his shoulders : " Let the wide flowing folds of this robe," he said, " remind you to be zealous for the Faith, and to continue in peace until death." Next in his hands he placed the sceptre and the staff. " Let these be a sign to you," he said, " that you shall be a father to all those who are under you. But above all, stretch out a merciful hand over God's servants, over the widow and the orphan." Then anointing him he cried, " May the oil of compassion never dry from your head, and may you at the last be crowned with an everlasting crown," and with these words the Arch- bishop placed the crown upon the head of the kneeling King.

Then clad in all the kingly splendour Otto arose, and mounting the steps sat upon the golden throne prepared for him. When the long service was ended, the King, with all his lords, passed back again to the palace, where a splendid feast awaited them. And so in

OTTO I THE GREAT 105

feasting and rejoicing the great ceremony came to an end.

Never before at the crowning of a German King had his such splendour been seen as at the crowning of Otto I. ^^®° °^ The greatest lords in the land acted as his servants, and served him at table as his cupbearer and butler, as groom in the bed-chamber, in the stable as master of horse. And it was with no empty form that these great nobles put their hands within those of the King and swore to be his men, for well they knew that this young and war- like prince was indeed their master.

Yet hardly was Otto upon the throne than there were His many rebellions against him, and his whole reign was filled with ^^'^ wars. He had to fight outside enemies, he had to fight rebellious nobles, he had to fight his own sons and kins- men. But he fought well and bravely, and in the end he was victorious.

Quarrels soon broke out among the great nobles of the land. And for this, perhaps, the Saxons were mostly to blame. For, says an old writer, " the Saxons had become so proud that the royal honours had fallen saxon pride to them, that a Saxon could no longer bear to serve any other man. If a Saxon had an overlord belonging to any other State, he would not do homage to his overlord, but acted as if he had no overlord save the King only." And because of this Saxon pride many quarrels arose between Saxon vassals and Frankish overlords.

Such a quarrel arose between the great Frankish Frankish and Duke Eberhard and a great Saxon vassal Bruning, quarrel"'' ^^ who refused him obedience. In fierce wrath Duke Eberhard gathered his army and attacked Bruning in his castle. He took it and burned it to the ground, slaying all within the gates.

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But when King Otto heard of these lawless acts he ordered Eberhard and all the nobles who had helped him to appear before him, to answer for their misdeeds. Eberhard and his friends came. They came without fear, for they declared they had done nothing against the King. They had but used the right which was theirs of punishing a rebellious vassal.

The King, however, did not see it thus. Eberhard, he said, had broken the King's Peace, and he was ordered The Prankish to pay ouc hundred pounds in silver. For his friends "punTshed was rcscrvcd the light but shameful punishment of having to lead dogs in broad daylight to the King's palace. It was considered a great disgrace for a noble to have to do this. The Frankish nobles bowed their proud heads to the King's will and performed their punishment, and when they reached the palace Otto received them kindly and graciously, and sent them home laden with many and rich presents.

In this way Otto hoped to win peace within the realm, and to bind these princes to him. But Bruning the Saxon, whose pride had been the cause of all the strife, remained unpunished, and the Frankish nobles returned homeward with bitterness in their hearts. The King's graciousness, far from reconciling them, filled their hearts with deeper wrath against him.

So it came about that while the King was in Bavaria fighting another rebel lord, Duke Eberhard, despite the King's commands, once more attacked Bruning. Soon Renewed the wholc couutry-sidc was ablaze with war. Crops were bloodshed destroyed, towns and villages were burned to the ground. Mm-der and bloodshed were everywhere rife. The King's brothers, too, joined in the struggle, Thankman, the King's step-brother, taking sides secretly with Duke

OTTO I THE GREAT 107

Eberhard ; Henry, his younger brother, fighting openly against Eberhard.

When Otto heard of this renewed war and bloodshed he was deeply grieved, and he called his unruly vassals before him. But Eberhard and his friends had no mind a second time to lead hounds to the King's palace. They refused to obey, and openly declared themselves to be rebels.

Then Otto offered them free forgiveness if they would lay down their arms. He hoped by gentleness to put an end to this deadly strife which seemed to endanger the whole kingdom. But this gentleness only made the rebels more angry still. Many saw in it not policy but merely weakness. Instead of laying down their arms they fought with increasing bitterness, and day by day the horrors of war spread farther and farther throughout the land.

It seemed as if the evil days of King Conrad had come again. The throne seemed shaken to its foundations, and King Otto knew not which way to turn for help.

Thankman now openly joined with Diike Eberhard and marched against his brother Henry. He besieged the young Prince in his castle, took it and destroyed it, and took Henry prisoner. Bound with cords' like any prince Henry common fellow he led him captive to Duke Eberhard. prfg^n^e^

Things looked ill for the King. But now fortune favoured him, for Eberhard quarrelled with some of his followers, and they, from wrath towards the Duke rather than from any love towards the King, went over to the King's side.

And now Otto, thus strengthened, would no longer shut his eyes to the part his step-brother Thankman played. And gathering his army he marched to besiege

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the town of Eresburg, where Thankman was. But when the people of the town learned that the King had come against them with a great army they opened their gates to him freely, hoping thus to appease his wrath. Thank- man, however, dared not face his brother's anger, and he fled for refuge to the Church of St. Peter. There, with his hand upon the altar, he felt himself safe. But even there he was pursued. The door of the church was thick and strong ; it was bolted from within with huge heavy bars of wood and iron. But nothing stopped the enfuri- ated soldiers. With mighty blows they smashed the door to splinters and stormed into the church, axe in hand.

Thankman stood near the altar, upon which he had laid his weapons and the golden chain, which was the sign of his nobihty. Now as the savage horde rushed in upon him Thankman seized his sword, and made ready to defend his life to the last.

Hurling insults at him a bold Saxon rushed upon his foe. But with calm courage Thankman met the blow, and a moment later, uttering a terrible death-cry, the Saxon fell dead upon the steps of the altar. One foe was dead, but others followed thick and fast. Hotter and hotter grew the fight ; man after man went down, and still Thankman, though sorely wounded, stood fighting for his hfe upon the altar steps. But at length a javelin was hurled through the window behind the Thankman altar. It struck Thankman in the back, and without a groan he sank dead upon the ground.

But of all this struggle the King knew nothing. Although he had come against his brother with sword and spear he had never meant that he should be slain. When at length the news of his brother's death was

OTTO I THE GREAT 109

brought to Otto his grief and wrath were great. He bitterly blamed the passion of his unruly followers, but in this time of civil war he dared not punish them severely, lest they should forsake him and join his enemies.

If the King was sad at the death of his rebellious brother, Duke Eberhard was also sad, for in him he lost his great supporter. His courage sank within him. He looked this way and that and saw no hope or help any- where. It seemed as if there was nothing left for him but to make his peace with Otto, Then he bethought him that the King's brother Henry was still his prisoner. He remembered that Henry had laid claim to the throne, and he resolved now to try to persuade the Prince to join him in rebellion against the King.

So Eberhard went to the imprisoned Prince, and throwing himself on his knees before him, begged forgive- ness for all the evil which had been done to him. The Duke reminded Henry that once he had laid claim to the throne, that he had himself said that he was of more noble blood than Otto. And Henry, who was very young and very fiery of temper, and who longed for greatness and power, listened to the flattering words of the Duke. Eberhard He forgave all the wrongs and insults of his imprison- ™mpart with ment, and swore an oath of friendship with his jailor, p™"=« Henry promising also to help him against the King.

Then the Prince, who had been dragged thither on foot half -naked, and with a rope about his neck, retiu-ned homewards clad in splendid robes, and laden with rich gifts. With treachery in his heart he retiu-ned to Otto, who, little guessing at that treachery, received him with

joy.

Soon afterwards Duke Eberhard followed Henry. He came to the King, and upon his knees humbly begged

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for pardon, vowing once more to be his man, and to serve him truly with all that he had.

And Otto forgave his rebellious vassal. Yet he dared not leave his rebellion altogether unpunished. Nor did he dare to punish it heavily. So Eberhard was only banished from his dukedom for a little time. Very soon, however, he was received back into favour, and was given once more all the honours that had been his before. But still he hid hatred and treachery in his heart.

Meanwhile, in silence and in secret, Henry plotted. In one way or another, through promises or bribes, by awakening the jealousy of one noble, by flattering the pride of another, he won many to him, imtil far and wide throughout the kingdom men were eager to follow him. Prince Henry At length all was ready, and on a sudden the fires of ^^ ^ ^ rebellion burst forth. And so secretly had the prepara- tions been made that no one was more astonished than Otto.

Quickly, however, the King gathered his army, and marched to meet the foe. The first town he attacked was Dortmund. This was defended by Hagen, one of Henry's vassals. But the garrison no sooner heard that the King had come against them than they opened their gates. So without any hindrance Otto rode into the town and took possession of it. Then calling Hagen to him he bade him ride swiftly to his master, and try if by any means he might turn him from his evil purpose. " But, if you cannot so turn him, swear to me that you will come back hither, and yield you my prisoner," said the King.

So Hagen swore a great and solemn oath that he would do the King's bidding, and if he could not turn the Prince

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from his purpose he would come himself again, and yield him to the King as a prisoner.

In haste Hagen set forth. He found Henry, however, in no mood for peace, but already marching against his brother, and so, true to his oath, Hagen returned to the King.

Meanwhile Otto had marched towards the Rhine, meaning to cross over it. But only a small portion of his army had crossed when Hagen arrived.

At first Hagen hardly dare confess the ill success that he had had. Humbly he knelt before the King in greet- ing. Then rising, "Your brother, my overlord, greets you, O King," he said. " He wishes you long life and health to rule over your great kingdom. He bids me tell you that he will shortly be with you."

" Comes he in peace, or comes he in war ? " asked Otto.

But even as he spoke a great army appeared in the He marches distance. In a long and glittering line they came with '^^^'"^ banners fluttering in the breeze, advancing, as the King well saw, towards that part of the army which had already crossed the river.

The King sprang from his seat. " What crowd is that ? " he cried. " What people are these ? "

And quietly Hagen answered, "It is my lord your brother. Had he listened to my advice he would have come in different guise. But at least I have returned, as I swore to you that I should."

When the King heard that he was sorely distressed. Quickly he mounted, and back and forth upon the river banks he rode in vain seeking help. Bridge there was none, ships there were none ; the stream was too wide and swift to swim. What then was to become of the

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little company on the farther side ? Only certain death awaited them.

At length in his agony and distress the King sprang from his horse, sank upon his knees, and raised his hands otto prays to hcavcn. " O God," he cried, " Thou art the creator and ruler over all. Look down upon Thy people at whose head Thou hast set me, and save them from the hand of the enemy, so that all the earth may know that no mortal man may withstand Thy will. For Thou art almighty and livest and reignest to all eternity."

But while Otto on the one side of the river lifted despairing hands to heaven his soldiers on the other side were making ready to fight, and to sell their lives as dearly as might be. With the courage of despair the little company, scarce one hundred strong, divided its ranks, and one half attacked the enemy in the rear, while the other met them in front.

This Henry had not expected. He did not know the strength or the weakness of the foe ; he did not know from which side to expect the fiercest fighting ; and his ranks were thrown into confusion. Quickly the Royal army saw their advantage. A few of them could speak the Prankish language, the language of many of Henry's soldiers. So seeing the confusion and trouble of the rebel army they called out in the Frankish tongue, " Flee, flee ! all is lost. Save yourselves who can."

Then the enemy, believing that it was their comrades

who cried out, were seized with fear and fled. They fled

Heniy Is in uttcr rout, pursucd by a mere handful of victorious

Saxons. Many were the slain, many the prisoners,

Henry himself barely escaping with his life.

The victory was complete. But it seemed to the King that it was by no earthly power that it had been

OTTO I THE GREAT 113

gained, and that God Himself had fought for him in answer to his prayer.

Still the war went on. From battle-field to battle-field, from siege to siege, from one side of the kingdom to another the King sped. He fought bravely and well, but enemies rose thick and fast around him. Yet the greater the danger the greater seemed Otto's courage. He fought on when all seemed hopeless. When it seemed as if every noble in the land was against him he still did not despair.

At length in a great battle Duke Eberhard was killed. Duke The King was not at this battle and knew nothing of the is kuied^ death of his stubborn enemy. But one morning he mounted his horse at daybreak in order to go to church to say his prayers, as his custom was. As he rode along he saw a man in the distance who was hastening towards him at great speed. The King soon saw that this was a messenger, and a messenger too of good tidings. For as soon as the man saw the King he made signs to him and shouted aloud in joy.

The King and the nobles around him rode speedily forward eager to hear the news. In their impatience it seemed years ere the short distance which lay between them and the messenger was passed. But even when they reached him the messenger would not at once address the King. It was not fitting, he thought, that he should appear before his ruler in dusty and dis- ordered garments. So he turned aside to shake the dust of his journey from his clothes.

The King and nobles waited impatiently. At length he was ready, at length he knelt before the King and began a long and respectful greeting. But the King looking round at his impatient courtiers bade him cease.

I

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" Enough," he cried. " Say wherefore thou art sent. Tell us shortly the good news. Relieve my people here of their anxiety and fiiU their hearts with gladness. Afterward we will listen gladly to thy fine speeches."

Thus admonished the messenger told his news. " Duke Eberhard is dead," he said, " and his army scattered."

Then, as the messenger would have continued to tell how it happened, the King signed to him to be still. Quickly dismounting from his horse and kneeling on the ground he gave thanks to God for this victory. Then moimting again he rode onward to the church. Again it seemed to the King that God Himself had fought for the right.

CHAPTER XVIII

OTTO I THE GREAT

Things now went better for the King, Many of the how the rebels yielded to him, but his brother Henry still held ^red°M8 out. He fled now to a strong castle called Chevremont, hoTh^wa"'^ which was in the hands of his sister. But his sister would crowned

Emperor

not open her gates to him. " Do you want to have me besieged in my castle ? " she asked. " For when it is known that you are here the King's wrath will spread like a flood over the land. I will not suffer it, I will not bear it. I am not such a fool as to pay for your mis- deeds."

Thus denied a refuge in his own land Henry fled to the King of France. Otto, however, followed him there, and the war was carried into the very heart of France. And now Henry, weary of the struggle, sought to make peace with Otto. And Otto pardoned his brother, and otto forgives gave him again the dukedom and all the titles and '"^^ honours which had been his before.

Yet the anger and rebellion had not died out of Henry's heart. Soon he grew discontented, soon he plotted once more against his brother. And at length, Henry again tempted by evil men, he even made up his mind to ot°t'o ^^'*'"^' murder the King. All was ready when Otto discovered the plot. But it was now Easter time, and he was un- willing to distiffb the peace of the holy feast. So he resolved to wait until after Easter and then lead the

115

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traitors to justice. Meanwhile he was content to sur- round himself day and night with true and trusty followers.

Seeing these precautions the conspirators became uneasy, yet they could not believe that the plot was discovered. So they waited patiently, plotting and planning afresh. Then suddenly one day after Easter the ringleaders were seized upon and hanged or im- prisoned, Henry alone escaping.

For a long time no man knew whence Henry had fled, or how he lived. But at length true grief for his mis- deeds grew in his heart, and he made up his mind to cast himself once more upon his brother's mercy.

It was Christmas Day. King Otto in his splendid robes sat in the great Cathedral listening to the songs of joy and praise. He was surrounded by a glittering throng of knights and nobles, the great chm-ch was fiUed from end to end, a thousand lights glimmered, the organ rolled and the voices of the choir rose and fell in the well-known words, " Peace on earth, good will toward men."

As Otto listened he looked down the long aisle of the church, and there he saw a man come slowly towards him. His head and feet were bare, and he was dressed in the robe of a penitent. With bent head and clasped hands he came right up to the throne, where he threw himself at the King's feet. He repents It was Priucc Hcury, who came to beg forgiveness. With pitying eyes Otto looked upon his penitent brother, " Thy rebellious folly deserved small pity," he said. " Yet now that I see thee humbled at my feet I will not add to thy misery."

Then stooping the King raised his brother, and taking

2Jn oain they sought his dead body among the slain

PAGE 215

'^^^'

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him in his arms freely forgave him all the evil that he He is had done. ^°^^'^'"

And from that day Henry rebelled no more, and there was peace and loving-kindness between the brothers as long as they lived.

Still Otto had little rest. One after another all the great nobles in the land rebelled against him. But one after another the King conquered them. He took the dukedoms from these rebels, and gave them to men of his own family, until at length all the power lay in the hands of the King and of his near relatives. Thus the power of the crown became stronger than it had ever been.

But Otto had not only to fight rebellious nobles at home. He had also to fight many enemies abroad. Northmen once more attacked the shores of Germany. But Otto fought and conquered them and forced Harald Blue Tooth, their King, to do him homage and swear to be his man. He overcame the Duke of Bohemia, and made his land into a German dukedom. The Duke of Poland too yielded to him and paid him tribute. Every- where Otto was victorious. But greatest of all was his victory over the Hungarians. They, taking advantage Hungarians of the troubled state of the kingdom, burst once more Gfemany*" over the land in far greater numbers than ever before. They came a hundred thousand strong, threatening to drink every river in Germany dry ; swearing that unless the earth swallowed them, or the sky fell, they would conquer the land from boundary to boundary.

Burning and wasting in their old terrible fashion, Augsburg they swept through the land until they closed round Augsburg.

Augsbiirg was a large and wealthy town, but it was

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surrounded only by a low wall, and in no fit state to resist the terrible enemy. But by good fortune it was governed by the brave Bishop Ulrich.

He bade the people strengthen the walls as speedily as might be. And while the men worked, white -robed nuns marched through the streets in solemn procession, singing hymns and praying for God's help against the heathen host.

The good Bishop himself spent the long night on his knees praying before the altar. As soon as the first streaks of dawn reddened the sky he gathered his The Bishop soldiers to hear Mass. He bade them be of good courage Te°p6o|ie and fight for their faith and country, and think that day upon the words of Scripture, " Yea, though I go through the valley of death yet will I fear no evil, for Thou art with me. Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me."

So when in the early morning light the fierce Hungarians appeared before the walls they found them manned by brave stern men ready to die rather than yield.

And as the Germans looked down upon the surging heathen host they saw that the men were unwilling to attack. They saw that they were driven onward by whips, and their courage and hope rose high.

Suddenly a trumpet sounded loud above the noise of

battle. The onward march of the Hungarians ceased.

The Then the whole army faced about and marched away

Hungarians « ., n j? * i

retreat from the walls oi Augsburg.

News had come to the Hungarian leader that Otto was marching to fight him. So he turned about to meet the King. He would, he thought, first defeat Otto and then take Augsburg.

Beneath the burning August sun a fierce battle was

OTTO I THE GREAT 119

fought. From all parts of Germany men had gathered to the King's standard. Yet the army was far out- numbered by the Hungarians. It seemed as if the Germans must be swallowed up by the foe.

But Otto did not despair. Proudly he rode at the head of his army, the splendid banner of St. Michael fluttering before him. " See," he cried, " we have need of strength and courage, for the enemy lies before us. But have no fear. Everywhere in foreign lands we have fought and conquered. And here on our own native land shall we fail ? Shall we turn our backs to the foe ? Yes, I know it well, the enemy surpasses us in numbers, but not in courage or in skill. Many of them are ill-armed, and none of them have our best weapon, God's help. Truly, it would be shameful if we, after having conquered Europe, should give our kingdom into slavery to a heathen people. No, it is better to die in battle than to live shamefully in slavery."

Then, having thus spoken, Otto seized his shield and spear, set spurs to his horse, and dashed upon the enemy. After him stormed his whole army. They hurled themselves upon the foe with such force that soon the Hungarian ranks were broken, and the enemy fled in mad disorder.

Many were killed in the flight and pursuit, many They are were drowned in the river Lech, many were taken ®^ ' ^ prisoner, and the whole army was utterly shattered.

Many, too, of the noblest of the Germans lay among the slain. But, in spite of all, the victory was complete, and never again did the Hungarians attack Germany. Indeed, after this they ceased their wild wanderings, and settled down in the land which they had already won. So in this battle of Lechfield we may see the

120 A HISTORY OF GERMANY

The beginnings of Austria as a settled country. And for oi^^l many centuries the kings of Hungary were, in name at least, subject to the German King.

When the splendid victory became known, the army and the people of Germany greeted Otto with great rejoicing. They called him the Father of his country and Emperor, and as he passed through the land they crowded to bless and cheer him. And not only Germany rejoiced, but the whole of Europe, which was now freed from the raids of these terrible heathen.

In their joy over the defeat of the Hungarians the German people called Otto Emperor. But he was not really Emperor, no King of Germany since Arnulf having borne the title.

But now Otto turned his thoughts towards Italy, and his desires towards the Imperial title. Otto had already fought in Italy, and forced the King Berengar to own him as overlord. But Berengar soon threw off his yoke, and he also quarrelled with the Pope and fought against him. Then at length the Pope, finding himself well-nigh a prisoner in his own city, sent to Otto begging for help. In retm-n for his help the Pope promised to make Otto Emperor of the West, otto goes Very glad was Otto when he received the Pope's tay jjjggga.ge, and gathering an army he marched into Italy. But he had not gone far before he found the way barred by a huge army under King Berengar.

Berengar, however, was a tyrant, and his people hated him. At the last minute they refused to fight unless he would abdicate in favour of his son. This Berengar refused to do, and his army scattered, and Otto marched unhindered on his way.

His march was a triumphal progress. Towns opened

OTTO I THE GREAT 121

their gates to him, governors and people welcomed him with every sign of gladness. And so through a rejoicing land he passed until he reached the gates of Rome. Here, with crosses and with banners, and all solemnity and high state, the senate and people came forth to greet him. Kneeling before him they kissed his feet. Then, mounted on a splendid horse sent to him by the Pope, he rode in triumph to the great Church of St. Peter.

Here, clad in magnificent robes, seated in a golden chair, the Pope awaited the chosen Emperor. As Otto slowly mounted the marble steps the Pope rose. And having kissed him the Pope took him by the hand, and led him through the silver gates, into the church beyond, while the choir sang, " Blessed is he who cometh in the name of the Lord,"

A few days later, with great and solemn ceremony, is crowned Otto was crowned and anointed Emperor. But the ™p®™"^ Pope soon found that in seeking for a friend he had found a master. Otto indeed fulfilled all his promises to the Pope, but he showed that he did not mean the title of Emperor to be merely an empty title, but that he meant to rule his new kingdom with a firm hand.

The Pope was very young. He was greedy of power, and soon he was right sorry that he had helped to set this powerful German so high. But so long as the Emperor remained in Rome the Pope dared do nothing against him. As soon, however, as the Emperor had gone he turned traitor, sent messages of renewed friend- ship to Berengar, and began to plot to place him on the throne once more.

Otto soon heard of these plots, but he found it hard to believe them. He also heard that the Pope was

122 A HISTORY OF GERMANY

leading a wicked life, but to that too he paid little heed. "He is but a boy," he said, " the example of good men may make him better." He turned back, however, to Rome, and when he reached it he found the gates shut against him. But the Pope had no courage to fight, so he fled, and a second time Otto entered the city, this time as a conqueror.

Otto at once called the clergy together. They came in numbers, all loudly accusing the Pope of many evil deeds.

When Otto had heard all these accusations he sent a message to the Pope asking him to come to defend himself against them. But the Pope would not come. His answer to the clergy was short and sharp. " I have heard that you wish to choose another Pope," he said. " If you do, I will excommunicate you all in the name of Almighty God, so that you will no longer be able to say Mass or ordain any one."

But Otto cared little for these proud words, and as Deposea thc Popc would uot comc to defend himself he deposed °^^ him and appointed a new Pope.

It would seem now that the Emperor was at the very height of his power. He had forced the Roman people to bend to his will ; he made and unmade Popes at pleasure. But he was soon to find that he could put no trust in the faith of the fickle Italians, and again and again they rebelled against him. While he was among them they were obedient. As soon as his back was turned they rose in rebellion.

The crowning of Otto as Emperor is perhaps the greatest event in his reign. For it was an event which had important results for Germany in after -times. For after this the German kings claimed the title of

OTTO I THE GREAT 128

Emperor, and the crown of Lombardy as their right. And by being emperors, the German kings became mixed up in quarrels with which their own land had nothing to do. The Germans poured out their blood