between his two sons Charles and Carloman. The latter dying two years afterwards, Charles came into possession of the whole kingdom. The exploits and policy of this prince, procured for him the title of Great, which was incorporated with his name, Charlemagne,* as he is known in history. He excelled all the sovereigns of his age, both as a warrior and statesman, although he is said to have been extremely illiterate. With a great reputation for talent, he has, however descended to us as being deficient in several moral qualities, particularly in humanity.

His cruelty was exercised chiefly upon the Saxons, with whom he was engaged in war during thirty years. Their bravery and love of freedom gave him infinite trouble. They revolted no less than six times, and were as often reduced by force of arins. As a means of subduing their bold and ferocious character, he attempted to convert them to Christianity; but their obstinacy induced him to resort to compulsory pro cesses for this end. Several thousands of them were butchered on their refusal to receive Christian baptism.

Besides his success against the Saxons, Charlemagne put an end to the kingdom of the Lombards in Italy, as has already been narrated; he successfully encountered the arms of the Saracens ; defeated numerous barbarous tribes, and extended his empire beyond the Danube.

§ Notwithstanding the short stature of his father, Charlemagne is said to have been seven feet in height, and of a robust constitution. He was no less signalized for activity and vigour of mind. His supervision of his dominions was most strict and vigilant. He heard and saw every thing for himself. He discountenanced luxury, encouraged industry, and sought to elevate the social and intellectua. character of his subjects.

When he saw any of his courtiers sumptuously dressed, he would invite them to a hunting party, in the course of which he led them into the wilds and forests. On their return, he would not permit them to change their garments which the thorns had torn. Afte showing them his uninjured sheepskin cloak, as a contrast to their tattered vestments, he would say, by way of advice or reproach, "Leave silks and finery to women; the dress of a man is for use, not for show."

In his wars, Charlemagne met with scarcely a disaster. The only considerable reverse that he ever experienced, was when he was recrossing the Pyrenees, after conquering Navarre, and a part of Arragon. The rear of his army was then cut to pieces by the Gascons, in the plains of Roncevaux. On this occasion, his nephew, the cele

# Charlemagne-Charles the Great,

brated champion Roland, lost his life-an event which laid the foun dation of the "Orlando Furioso" of Ariosto.

As the reign of Charlemagne extends several years into the following period, we shall resume it, at the commencement of that period, with a sketch, in the biographical department, of his more private history and character.

Distinguished Characters in Period IV.

1. Mahomet, an Arabian impostor, and founder of the re ligion which is called by his name.

2. Adhelme, a British theological writer.

3. Bede, a venerable English historian.

4. Charles Martel, the father of a race of kings, and con queror of the Saracens.

5. John Damascenus, a Christian writer, strongly tinctured with the Aristotleian philosophy.

§ From the paucity of great men during this period, genius and learning must have been at a low ebb indeed, and the human mind greatly debased and neglected.

1. Mahomet, as has already been stated, was born at Mecca, in 569 A. C. The tribe from which he descended, was that of the Korashites, the most noble in Arabia. His immediate ancestors seem, however, to have been undistinguished; and though his natural ta lents were great, it is certain that his education was inconsiderable. He acquired knowledge, but not from books. Intercourse with mankind had sharpened his faculties, and given him an insight into the human heart.

The steps he took in propagating his religion have already been detailed in part. It may be added, that the main arguments which Mahomet employed to persuade men to embrace this imposture, were promises and threats, whic. he knew would work easiest on the minds of the multitude. If s promises related chiefly to paradise, and to the sensual delights to be enjoyed in that region of pure waters, shady groves, and exquisite fruits. Such a heaven was very taking with the Arabians, whose bodily temperament, habits, and burning climate, led them to contemplate images of this sort with excessive pleasure.

On the other hand, his threats were peculiarly terrific to this people. The punishment attending a rejection of his religion, he made to consist of evils, that seemed most insufferable to their feelings. The reprobates would be permitted to drink nothing but putrid and boiling water, nor breathe any, save exceedingly hot winds; they would dwell forever in continual fire, intensely burning, and be surrounded with a black, hot, salt smoke, as with a coverlid, &c.; and. to fill the measure of their fears, by joining the present with the fu ture life, he threatened most grievous punishments in this world.

As it was one of the impostor's dogmas, that his religion might ha

defended and propagated by the sword, he invented the doctrine of a rigid fate, to reconcile the minds of the timid, and add ardour to the brave, under the exigencies of war. He taught that those who were slain in battle, though they had tarried at home in their houses, must, nevertheless, have died at that very moment, the time of every man's life being before appointed by God, in that unqualified sense; that is, without reference to means.

Mahomet was distinguished for the beauty of his person. He had a commanding presence, a majestic aspect, piercing eyes, a flowing beard, and his whole countenance depicted the strong emotions of nis mind. His memory was retentive, his wit easy, and his judgment clear and decisive. In his intercourse with society, he observed the forms of that grave and ceremonious politeness, so common to his country. His natural temper may not have been worse than that of many others; but the imposture which he forced upon mankind, was an instance of most daring impiety and wickedness.

Mahomet persisted in his religious fraud, or fanaticism, to the last. On his death bed he had asserted, that the angel of death was not allowed to take his soul, till he had respectfully asked the permission of the prophet. The request being granted, Mahomet fell into the agony of dissolution; he fainted with the violence of pain, but recovering his spirits in a degree, he raised his eyes upwards, and looking steadfastly, uttered with a faltering voice, the last broken, though articulate words, "O God!-pardon my sins.-Yes,-I come-among my fellow-citizens on high ;" and in this manner expired.

2. Adhelme was the first bishop of Sherbourne, (England.) He is said to have been nephew to Ina, king of the West Saxons. The period of his death was 709. He composed several poems concerning the Christian life, but his fancy was quite indifferent. He wrote in Latin, and is reported to be the earliest Englishman who wrote in that tongue. A translator of his writings, speaks of him as profoundly versed in Greek, Latin, and Saxon.

3. Bede, who was surnamed the Venerable, was an English monk. His birth-place was Wearmouth, in the bishopric of Durham, where he was born in 672 or 673. He is celebrated as a writer on Ecclesiastical history. In his youth he studied with great diligence, and soon became eminent for learning. Such was his fame, that he was frequently consulted on various subjects, by scholars from different parts of the country.

He published his excellent Ecclesiastical history of England, in 731, when he was about fifty-nine years of age. He wrote other works, particularly an epistle to the bishop of York, which exhibits a more curious picture of the state of the church at that time, than is elsewhere to be found. That epistle was the last of Bede's writings. His last sickness, was a consumption, ending in an asthina, which he supported with great firmness. During his weakness, he never remitted the duties of his place, being employed the whole of the time in instructing the monks. He appears to have been a person of genuine piety. His death was in 735.

4. Charles Martel was the son of Pepin d'Heristel, and duke of

Austrasia. He succeeded his father as Mayor of the Palace, as has before been stated. That he was a man of great capacity, appears from the record of his exploits. As the progenitor of the Carlovingian race of kings, and conqueror of the Saracens, when they were upon the point of overrunning all Europe, he is entitled to a very respectful notice in the page of history. Divine Providence seems to have raised him up for a great purpose, in checking the conquering career of the followers of the false prophet. The prodigious number of 375,000 Saracens, he is said to have defeated and slain. He died in 741.

5. John Damascenus flourished in the eighth century, dying about the year 750. His birth-place was Damascus. He was liberally educated, and early made great progress in literature. He succeeded his father, as counsellor of state to the Saracen Caliph of Damascus. Becoming zealous for the forms of religion, and warmly espousing the cause of images, he greatly offended Leo Isauricus, the Eastern emperor.

There is a wild legend of the times, that the emperor caused the hand of Damascenus to be cut off, and that it was miraculously replaced by the kind interposition of the Virgin Mary. After a while, he is said to have retired from public affairs, and spent the remainder of his life in solitude. In this situation he wrote books of divinity, of which he left many behind him. He is not generally thought to have been an evangelical writer. Mosheim says that he surpassed all his contemporaries among the Greeks and Orientals, but was superstitious, and absorbed in a vain philosophy.

PERIOD V.

The Period of the New Western Empire; extending from the Crowning of Charlemagne, 800 A. C., to the First Crusade, 1095 years A. C.

NEW WESTERN EMPIRE.

SEC. 1. The New Western Empire, so called, included the dominions of Charlemagne, or the countries of which he was acknowledged as the sovereign, in 800 A. C. It was at this period that the title of Emperor of the West, was conferred upon him. He was established in that august sovereignty, by being crowned at Rome, by Pope Leo III.

It is thought by some, that had he chosen Rome as the seat of his government, and at death transmitted an undivided dominion to his successor, the fallen empire of the Ro

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mans might have once more been restored to prosperity and greatness. But Charlemagne had no fixed capital, and divided, even in his life-time, his dominions among his children.

Be

The countries, included under the title of the New Western Empire, were principally France, Burgundy, Germany, Italy, and a part of Spain. The Empire, as such, continued but a short time. One country after another separated from it under the successors of Charlemagne, and Germany, at last, became the sole seat or representative of the Empire. fore the expiration of the present Period, the structure reared by the French monarch, was dissolved. After pursuing the few details of the empire as a body, we shall resume our narrative of the individual countries, in their separate or independent state.

The occasion and the manner of the crowning of Charlemagne, were as follows:

He was wont to pass annually, from the Pyrenees into Germany, and thence into Italy. In approaching Rome for the last time, the Pope despatched a messenger to meet him with the keys of the Confession of St. Peter, and the standard of the city of Rome. From this union of religious and military attributes, it was evident that Charlemagne was on the eve of becoming emperor.

Accordingly, on Christmas day, which was then the day of the new year, being present at the service of the mass, and on his knees before the altar, the Pope came suddenly behind him, and placed on his head the Crown of the Cæsars. This act was followed by loud acclamations among the populace. An august title, which had lain dormant for several centuries, was thus revived, but it did not restore Rome to its ancient splendour, for reasons which were given above. Charlemagne lived nearly 14 years after he became Emperor of the West. He died at Aix-la-Chapelle, in the 72d year of his age, and the 46th of his reign.

2. Charlemagne was succeeded, 814 A. C., by his son, Louis the Debonaire, or the Mild. Of the lawful children of Charlemagne, Louis alone survived his father, and all the imperial dominions came of course into his hands, except Italy, which the emperor had settled on Bernard, one of his grandsons.

The reign of Louis was highly calamitous. In 817, he associated his eldest son, Lothaire, in the empire, and gave Aquitain to Pepin, his second son, and Bavaria to Louis, his third.

A disagreement occurring between Louis and Bernard, king of Italy, the latter was subdued, and had his eyes put out, in consequence of which he died three days after. The