218 CHHONOGRAPHY. 



earliest accounts of their origin and growth ; and thence, through 

 the middle and modern ages, to the present time. The History of 

 Europe, is that of our own ancestors, and that of modern civilization 

 and improvement. It is a chapter often stained by scenes of crime 

 and bloodshed, and by the struggles of arbitrary power, against the 

 rights and interests of humanity. But though darkened thus at 

 intervals, it has its brighter hues ; its redeeming features ; and the 

 retrospect affords us strong grounds for hoping that, under the influ- 

 ence of Christian philanthropy, the cause of truth and justice will 

 yet prevail throughout the world. 



The present nations of central and western Europe, arose from the 

 fragments of the Roman Empire : and, sharing in its religion and 

 laws, they constitute together a family of nations. Most of them 

 were united under Charlemagne ; and notwithstanding their divisions, 

 wars, and quarrels, their intercourse was maintained by the spread of 

 the Papal power, the fellowship of the Crusades, and the spirit of 

 Chivalry. The age of Charles V., again saw the wielding of colossal 

 power in the west ; but it witnessed a far mightier change in the 

 prospects of the civilized world. The introduction of the compass ; 

 the application of gunpowder; the invention of printing; the open- 

 ing of the marine route to India ; the discovery of America ; and the 

 protestant Reformation ; all conspired to give that impetus to the 

 human mind which neither tyranny nor superstition have yet been 

 able to arrest. 



We proceed to the history of the European nations ; commencing 

 with that of Italy, and thence following the geographical order, 

 adopted in the preceding department. The Greek revolution, which 

 resulted in the establishment of Otho, of Bavaria, on the throne of 

 Greece, has already been alluded to, under Turkish history, (p. 213). 



1. The History of Italy, properly commences with that of the 

 Papal power ; which extended, in the middle ages, not only to Italy, 

 but to all the western and central parts of Europe ; overshadowing 

 the power of kings, by an influence mightier than that of the sceptre. 

 Of its origin, we have already spoken under Ecclesiastical History ; 

 (p. 147). Its growth was vigorous under Leo I., the Great, in 

 the fifth century, and Gregory I., the Great, in the sixth. In 606, 

 Boniface III., was declared Universal Bishop, by the tyrant Phocas ; 

 but Theodore I., who died A. D. 649, first received the title of 

 sovereign pontiff. Although the popes exercised secular autho- 

 rity, they had no territorial dominion till 755 ; when Pepin the Short, 

 king of France, made over to Pope Stephen III., twenty-two cities in 

 Italy, which he had taken from the Exarch of Ravenna. From this 

 period, the papal power extended rapidly in the west; aided much 

 by the forged decretals, ascribed to Isidore, and which greatly exag- 

 gerated the power of the early Roman bishops. In the year 800, 

 Pope Leo III., conferred on Charlemagne the ancient crown of the 

 Caesars, saluting him emperor of the West ; and in 875, Pope John 

 VIII., elevated Charles the Bald to the throne of France.* In 1080, 

 Matilda, countess of Tuscany, bequeathed a large territory to Pope 



* In 1039, three popes, chosen by bribery, were living together at Rome; all of 

 them obnoxious, from their immoral character 



