EUROPEAN. 223 



completed by Julius Caesar, in the year 50 B. C. The ancient 

 Cherusci, afterwards styled Franks, or freemen, began to migrate 

 from Germany to France as early as A. D. 264; and at length, 

 having defeated the Romans, at Soissons, in 486, they founded the 

 Prankish empire, including France and Germany, under Clovis, 

 grandson of Merovaeus, and head of the Merovingian dynasty. His 

 successors were mostly weak monarchs ; and after the death of 

 Dagobert II., in 638, the mayors of the palace became possessed 

 of the principal power. Their office became hereditary, in the family 

 of Pepin Heristel : whose son Charles defeated the Saracens from 

 Spain, near Tours, in 732, and hence was surnamed Martel, or the 

 Hammer. His son, Pepin the Short, (le Bref), was proclaimed king 

 of France in 751 ; with whom commenced the second or Carlovingian 

 dynasty. Charles, the son of Pepin, having subdued the Lombards, 

 and become monarch of Italy, Germany, and France, was crowned 

 Emperor of the West, by Pope Leo III., in 800; taking thencefor- 

 ward the name of Charlemagne, or Charles the Great. 



The grandsons of Charlemagne, sons of Louis Debonnaire, con- 

 tended for the crown before their father's death ; and fought with 

 each other the battle of Fontenoy ; after which, by the treaty of 

 Verdun, in 843, Italy was assigned to Lothaire ; Germany, to Louis; 

 and France, to Charles the Bald. This dynasty continued till the 

 death of Louis V., in 987; when Hugh Capet, count of Paris and 

 Orleans, founded the third, or Capetian dynasty. From this time, 

 the royal power, favored by the clergy and the common people, 

 began to predominate over that of the nobles ; thus undermining the 

 Feudal system. In 1087, France, under Philip I., was invaded by 

 William the Conqueror, of England ; but without success. Louis 

 VII. took part in the second Crusade, in 1147 ; Philip II. (Augustus), 

 joined in the third, in 1188; and Louis IX. (St. Lewis), led the 

 fifth and last Crusade, in 1248, but without success. (See p. 219). 

 The kingdom of France was, for a long time, extremely limited ; 

 Flanders, Champagne, Burgundy, and several other states being inde- 

 pendent ; while a large part of northern and western France belonged 

 to England. 



In 1328, Philip VI., of the house of Valois, a branch of the Cape- 

 tian race, ascended the throne. The pretensions of Edward III. of 

 England, to the French crown, led to a war, in which the English 

 were victorious at Cressy, in 1347 ; and they took Calais soon after. 

 John II., the successor of Philip, was defeated at Poictiers, in 1356; 

 and carried a prisoner to London. Charles V., the Wise, was more 

 successful ; but in the next reign, the French were again defeated at 

 Jlgincourt, (or Azincourt), in 1415. Charles VII., aided by Joan 

 of Arc, raised the siege of Orleans in 1429; and regained all of 

 France, which had been held by the English, except Calais. Louis 

 XII., of Orleans, was succeeded in 1515, by Francis I., of Angou- 

 leme ; who contested the crown of Germany, in a war with Charles 

 V. (See p. 222). This war, after the release of Francis, was 

 renewed, till the peace of Crespi, in 1544. The reign of Charles 

 IX., was stained by internal religious wars, and by the massacre of 



