68 HISTOKY AND ETHNOLOGY. 



the empire under his successor, Charles the Stout ; but, in consequence of 

 ii disgraceful peace with the N^orrnans, he was deposed by his nobles, 887. 

 lie was succeeded by his nephew Arnulph, duke of Carinthia. Arnulph 

 was a brave and energetic prince, and under his administration the 

 Xonnans and other enemies of Germany were kept at a distance. 



In Italy, more than in any other portion of the Carolingian empire, party 

 strife prevailed. At the time of Arnulph two competitors appeared for the 

 throne, Guido, duke of Spoleto, and Berengar, duke of Friuli. Guido was 

 victorious, and received the imperial crown from Pope Stephen Y. His 

 son Lambert followed him. The aid of Arnulph was now sought by the 

 rival faction. Arnulph crossed the Alps in 894, carved with his sword a 

 path through Italy, carried Home itself by storm, and obtained the imperial 

 purj^le in 896. But he had scarcely evacuated Italy, before the Romans, to 

 whom a foreigner was highly odious, again proclaimed Lambert emperor. 

 The latter died in 898, whereupon a long continued strife began between 

 King Louis of Lower Burgundy, and Berengar, duke of Friuli, and their 

 successors, until the accession of Otto the Great. 



x^rnulph died in the year 900. His son, Louis the Child, still in his 

 infancy, succeeded him. During his reign, the Hungarians invaded the 

 country, and desolated it terribly. He died prematurely in 911, and was 

 the last of his house. 



The various German nations, the Saxons, Thuringians, Lorrains, 

 Suabians, Friislanders, Bavarians, and Franks, now proceeded to choose a 

 king of their own, thus constituting Germany an elective monarchy. But 

 in Germany the great and the people have never agreed very well, 

 especially in the choice of a king. At the very first election Franconia 

 and Saxony only chose the Franconian duke, Conrad, 911, after the refusal 

 of the crown by Duke Otto of Saxony. 



Conrad could neither avert internal commotions nor suppress external 

 aggressions. The inhabitants of Lorraine, dissatisfied with his election, 

 annexed themselves to France. This movement originated tedious and 

 wasting wars between Germany and France. Conrad was obliged, at the 

 same time, to contend with refractory and powerful vassals, especially with 

 Henry, duke of Saxony, and son of Otto. The Hungarians also resumed 

 their aggressions upon the empire. In the midst of these annoyances 

 Conrad died, 918 A.D. 



Anticipating his decease, and desirous of promoting the welfare of 

 the country, he had himself nominated to the succession his old enemy, 

 Duke Henry of Saxony, who was duly elected. When his brother Eberard 

 brought to him the regal jewels, he found him at his fowling-floor, whence 

 his surname the Fowler. He succeeded in pacifying the princes of the 

 empire, in defeating the Slavonians on several occasions, and in con- 

 quering the Hungarians completely in 933. 



Henry was essentially German in character; he was simple and 



bland in his manners, modest while enjoying good fortune, and not easily 



disheartened in bad. Though ordinarily mild and easy, he exhibited 



unyielding firmness in trying circumstances. He reverenced religion 



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