HISTORY AND ETHNOLOGY. 63 



Charles the Great stands forth pre-eminent in this period. He was the 

 son of Pepin and Bertha, and was born 742 A.D. Nature had endowed him 

 richly, both as to physical and intellectual gifts, which he developed by 

 early exercise. With a quick glance he surveyed all, was great in word 

 and action, yet not faultless. 



At the death of his father he inherited the north, from the limits of 

 the Slavonic territories to the Garonne, while his brother Carloman 

 obtained Alemannia, Alsacia, Burgundy, and all the southern parts of 

 France, as far as the Pvrenees. The first occasion for the exercise of 

 Charles's warlike genius was furnished by the rebellion of the Aquitanians, 

 under the old Hunalde, who had formed a secret alliance with the Spanish 

 Arabians. He soon quelled the insurrection, but this war involved him in 

 a quarrel with his brother, who had refused his aid in the struggle. 

 Before this quarrel could lead to civil war between the brothers, Carloman 

 died suddenly, and Charles, regardless of the claims of his nephews, 

 induced the chief men of his brother's realm to proclaim himself king. 

 Charles thus assumed the sole government of the whole empire, 771 A.D. 



This empire, founded by force of arms, could only be maintained and 

 extended by the same means, being entirely surrounded by savage and 

 warlike tribes, who frequently invaded the frontiers, spreading death and 

 destruction wherever they went. 



At this period Desiderius was king in Pavia, the capital of the Longo- 

 bardic empire. He had given his daughter in marriage to Charlemagne, who, 

 however, became enraged with his father-in-law for offering refuge to his 

 exiled nephews, the sons of Carloman, and sent his wife back to her father. 

 Desiderius felt this insult keenly, but not daring to take open steps against 

 Charlemagne, he tried to raise a party in favor of the sons of Carloman, 

 and applied to Pope Hadrian to anoint them as kings of France. The 

 pope refusing, Desiderius turned his forces against him, invading the 

 territories which the pope had received from Pepin. The holy father 

 sought protection from Charles. The latter proposed a compromise, which 

 being refused by the proud king of Lombardy, induced Charles to declare 

 war and to besiege Pavia. The city maintained an obstinate resistance 

 for ten months, but hunger and pestilence finally compelled the 

 Lombards to surrender. Desiderius was taken prisoner, and after being 

 deprived of his sight, was consigned for the remainder of his life to a 

 monastery. Charles was crowned king of Lombardy 774 A.D. Adelgi, 

 son of Desiderius, tried to oppose him, but was defeated. The Duke 

 Friaul, who would not submit quietly to the authority of Charles, was 

 punished like a common felon, and even the powerful duke of Benevento 

 was compelled to acknowledge the Franconian supremacy. 



The quarrel with the Saxons had commenced previous to this time, and 

 continued for more than thirty years (772-803). Charles opened the war 

 by capturing Cresburg, and enraged the Saxons by destroying the column 

 of Irmin, which was venerated by them. He then penetrated as far as the 

 Weser ; but however successfully he fought, the Saxons, having only 

 yielded to superior numbers, always rallied and attacked their oppressors 



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