.336 



ITALY. 



HUtOTT. 



The Sirs- 

 vena called 

 into Italy. 



But sub- 

 dued by 

 Louis the 2d 



Charles the 

 Bald poi- 

 coned, and 

 succeeded 

 by Carlo- 

 man. 

 A. D. 879. 



territory now denominated after him, Lotharingia, or 

 Lorraine, there remained nothing to Louis 1 1. his eldest, 

 but the title of emperor, and the kingdom of Italy. 



During these family discords of the successors of 

 Charlemagne, the feudatories of the empire in Italy had 

 made rapid advances towards independence; and over 

 most of them the emperor rather maintained an influ- 

 ence than an authority. Of these the most power- 

 ful were the Dukes of Benevento, a race of Lombard 

 princes, who had, as we have already seen, even defied 

 the power of Charlemagne himself. At this period, the 

 succession was contended between two competitors, 

 one of whom, distrusting his own resources, called in 

 to his aid a body of African Saracens. This measure 

 for a time proved successful, until his antagonist, fol- 

 lowing his example, obtained the assistance of the Sa- 

 racens of Spain. The Beneventan princes were soon 

 weary of these barbarous auxiliaries; and at length, 

 finding their cities destroyed, smd country pillaged by 

 the ferocity of their allies, were obliged to apply for 

 assistance to the emperor. The valour of Louis soon 

 succeeded in defeating the barbarians, and the contend- 

 ing princes having submitted to him their claims, the 

 duchy was divided into the principalities of Benevento 

 and Salerno, and their sovereigns reduced to their for- 

 mer situation of vassals of the empire. For a more 

 particular account of these and the succeeding revolu- 

 tions of the south of Italy, see the articles NAPLES and 

 SICILY. 



The reign of Louis II. lasted 20 years, during which 

 Italy regained that peace and prosperity which it had 

 lost during the struggles of his ancestors ; and for a 

 short period knew the advantages of a mild and well- 

 regulated government. On the death of Louis, with- 

 out issue, the succession was again contested by his 

 uncles Charles the Bald, King of France, and Louis 

 King of Germany. By the assistance of Pope John 

 VIII. the former was successful, and was crowned at 

 Rome Emperor and King of Italy. Louis of Germany 

 and his son Carloman still, however, continued to carry 

 on war against him ; and four of the Dukes of Italy, 

 Lambert of Spoleto, Berenger of Friouli, Bezon of 

 Provence and Lombardy, and Aripert of Tuscany, took 

 advantage of this contest to add to their territories, and 

 establish their independence. The Pope also was able 

 not only to confirm his temporal and spiritual dominion 

 'over the Roman states, but considerably to extend his 

 influence over the French church. 



Charles the Bald did not long survive his elevation, 

 being poisoned on his return over the Mount Cenis from 

 an unsuccessful expedition into Italy. He was succeed- 

 ed by Carloman, who only reigned two years ; and had 

 for his successor his brother Charles the Fat. The weak- 

 ness and unpopular conduct of this prince consumma- 

 ted the ruin of the French dynasty. The Italian ba- 

 rons everywhere asserted their independence; and the 

 unfortunate descendant of Charlemagne, having in vain 

 attempted to secure the succession to his natural son 

 Bernard, was himself expelled from the throne, and 

 during the short remainder of his life reduced to actual 

 beggary. On his demise, the principal competitors for 

 the crown were Berenger of Friouli, and Guido of Spo- 

 leto. The latter was at first successful, and Berenger 

 was obliged to flee to Germany, and throw himself un- 

 der the protection of King Arnulph, the natural son of 

 Carloman, King of Italy, and who himself aspired to 

 that crown. 



It was no difficult task to persuade Arnulph to un- 

 dertake the conquest of Italy. The (Jeath of Guido, 



who was succeeded as emperor by his son Lambert, a 

 very young man, favoured his designs ; and after a se- 

 ries of victories, he succeeded in making nimself mas- 

 ter of Rome, where he was crowned Vnperoi- by Pope 

 Formosus. He then marched against the Empress An- 

 geltrude, widow of Guido, who is said to have contri- 

 ved to administer to Arnulph a slow poison, which so 

 injured his health that he was obliged to return to 

 Germany. Italy was for a short time divided between 

 Lambert, Berenger, and Adelbert, Marquess of Tusca 

 ny ; but the ambition of the last soon occasioned his 

 ruin, and Lambert having been murdered by one of 

 his cou- tiers, the chief authority devolved to Berenger, 

 who was also at this period freed from another rival, by 

 the death of Arnulph. A formidable invasion by the 

 Hungarians, however, in repelling which Berenger was 

 unsuccessful, together with his despotic and insolent 

 behaviour, induced several Italian princes to offer the 

 kingdom of Italy to Louis, King of Provence. This 

 prince made several attempts to gain possession of it ; 

 and having in one of his invasions reached Rome, was 

 crowned Emperor by Pope Benedict IV. ; but being 

 surprised in Verona by Berenger, was by him deprived 

 of his eyes, and sent back to Provence. The latter ha- 

 ving at length made himself sole master of Italy, conti- 

 nued to reign undisturbed for 20 years. Having as- 

 sisted the Pope John X. against the Saracens, he was 

 by him crowned Emperor. 



A very formidable conspiracy soon was formed against 

 Berenger, headed by the Marquess of Yvree. Italy 

 was again invaded by the Hungarians, who destroyed 

 Pavia, and most of the principal cities ; and Rodolph, 

 King of Burgundy, was elected King of Italy by the 

 conspirators, in which the treacherous murder of Be- 

 renger soon left him without a rival. The intriguing 

 spirit of Hermengarde, Marchioness of Yvree, who had 

 been the author of the last revolution, did not leave 

 Rodolph long in quiet, and her artifices soon succeeded 

 in expelling him from Italy, and substituting in his 

 room Hugh, Count of Provence, who was crowned at 

 Pavia, A, D. 927. Having married Marozia, a Roman 

 lady of infamous character, but great influence over 

 her countrymen, he, for some time, enjoyed the sove- 

 reignty of that city ; but having insulted Alberie, the 

 son of Marozia by a Roman marquess, the latter per- 

 suaded the Romans to reassert their liberty, and was 

 elected by them consul. Hugh, however, obtained 

 some victories over his foreign opponents, regained the 

 friendship of Alberie, by giving him his daughter in 

 marriage. Hugh's reign lasted 20 years, in the part of 

 which his son,Lothaire F [.was associated with him in the 

 government. But his name never appears to have been 

 popular ; and, in947> Berenger, Marquess ofYvree suc- 

 ceeded in expelling both father and son from the throned 

 Hugh retired into Burgundy, and on the death of Lo- 

 thaire, in 950, Berenger II was acknowledged King 

 of Italy. The commencement of the new reign was 

 marked by calamities. Italy wns first invaded by Hen- 

 ry Duke of Bavaria, who took and plundered Aquileia, 

 but retired without making farther progress. After 

 him the Hungarians overrun the greatest part of Italy, 

 and were only persuaded to depart by an enormous 

 bribe, which was raised as a tax from the people. To 

 add to their misfortunes, Berenger was oppressive and 

 tyrannical. Having made himself master of Pavia, in 

 which Adelaide, the widow of Lotiwire, resided, he 

 imprisoned her in a dungeon, and treated her with the 

 greatest cruelty. From this confinement, however, she 

 contrived, in the most extraordinary manner, to make 



History. 



Arnulph 

 crowned 



emperor. 



A. D. 91 



Rodolph i 



elected 



king. 



Hugh, 

 Count of 

 Provence, 

 crowned 

 A. D. 927. 



Berenger 1 1. 

 A. D. 950. ' 



