GERMAN Y. 
and the war, and trading only in the produce of their 
lands and cattle. Thefe likewife were the only perfoiis 
who were appointed to the offices of the court, and per¬ 
formed the feudal duties, which the inhabitants of the 
towns v/ere wholly excluded from. At lall: people were 
required to produce proof of the noble defcent both of 
their paternal and maternal anceftors, in religious foun¬ 
dations, and at tournaments. Hence we may conceive 
how the few people of the country, whofe liberty and 
birth otherwife entitled them to no fuperiority over the 
inhabitants of towns, who were originally equally free, 
in a few centuries confidered themfelves of a diltindi 
rank from the burghers, and endeavoured to emulate 
the rank of thofe independent families which had hi¬ 
therto conftituted the real nobility of Germany ; though 
an ell'ential difference has been always prel'ervcd be- 
tw'ecn this order of high nobility, and thole free fami¬ 
lies which conllitute at prefent wliat is called the infe¬ 
rior nobility. On the other tide, the burghers, by vir¬ 
tue of the freedom which they originally inh.erited from 
their anceftors, or elle by obtaining their burgherlhip, 
or freedom of the town, remained as ell'entially diftinft 
from the order of peafants, who were ftill either in a 
Hate of llavery, or elfe groaned under the grievous 
hardlhips of villanage, and impofts on their property. 
This was the origin of the four diftindt ranks of people 
ftill exifting in Germany. The high nobility, conlifting 
of princes, counts, and barons ; the inferior nobility, 
who had anciently no other pretenllon to fuperiority 
than their mere enjoyment of freedom ; the order of 
burghers, or freemen of towns ; and, laftly, the peafants. 
“ The cotemporary writer, to wdiom we are indebted 
for the account of the towns founded by the emperor 
Henry I. fpeaking of the manner adopted to people 
them, by means of taking every ninth man from the 
country, makes ufe of an expreilion,.which fome inter¬ 
pret as if the iirft inhabitants of the German towns had 
been only peafants: but he exprefsly fays, viilitcs agra- 
riot, which, according to the language of the fucceed- 
ing times, muft be tranflated “country knights,” or 
warriors who lived on their eftates. 'I'he addition of 
the word agrarius wnis probably intended to diftinguiffi 
fuch knights or freeholders from thofe who were obliged 
to perform military fervice as vaftals in the field, or 
elfe garrifon duty in the callles, or the offices of the 
court.as minifters, juft as at prelent the country gentle, 
men, landjunkers, are diftinguilhed from thofe noblemen 
who are in offices at court, or in the army.”—See Dorn- 
ford’s Tranftation of Putter’s German Empire. 
Purfuant to the dying requeft of Henry I. his fon 
Otho, furjiamed the Great, was elected emperor at Aix- 
la-Chapelle, A.D. 936. The ceremonial of his elec¬ 
tion is thus recorded : The eccleliaftical and fecular 
princes, having taken the oath of allegiance, condudfed 
him to the great church, where lie was met by the arch- 
bifliop of Mentz and the diocefan, in their pontificals, 
aftilted by other bilhops and clergymen. On his advanc¬ 
ing Into the church, tiie prelate addreHed the congre¬ 
gation to this effect ;—“ I prefent the imperial crown 
unto Otho, chofen of God, formerly nominated to the 
empire by his reverend father, and now eledted into 
that fupreme ftation by the princes here alfembled. If 
this eledtion be agreeable to you, hold up your hands 
in token of approbation.” This addrefs was received 
with unbounded applaufe ; and Otho was condudted to 
the high altar. T he archbiftiop tlien girded on the em¬ 
peror’s fword, faying: “ Receive this fword, and ufe it 
againft the enemies of Jefus Chrift; and employ the 
power of the empire, which God hath put into your 
hands, to preferve and confirm the welfare of the 
churcli.” Then, putting on the imperial mantle, 
“ Remember, (continued he,) with what fidelity and 
fortitude you are obliged to maintain peace and tran¬ 
quillity to the end of your life.”. Laftly, prefenting 
the mace and fccptre, he added, “ Warned by thefe 
Vol.VHI. No. 518. 
473 
emblems, inlliifl no other than paternal chaftifement 
upon your fubjefts ; extend your mercy to the minifters 
of God, to the widow and the orphan; and let the 
balm of your pity never ceafe to flow, that with your 
diadem in this life you may acquire an unfading one in 
that which is to come.” After this folemn exhorta¬ 
tion, Otho received the imperial crown from the hands 
of the archbiftiop ; and on his return to the palace a 
magnificent feaft was ferved up, which terminated the 
ceremony. 
The commencement of Otho’s reign was marked by 
profound tranquillity ; but an irruption of the Hunga¬ 
rians, fome fucceffes of the Bohemians under their duke 
Bolellaus, and a revolt in the province of Bavaria, foon 
alarmed the emperor, and called liis army into acftion. 
After fome time, howev'er, the invaders were defeated; 
Bbleftaus was compelled to fubinit to iiis powerful op¬ 
ponents; and Bavaria was reduced to obedience. The 
emperor now marched into France, in order to fupport 
Louis againft his formidable enemy Hugh the Great. 
Upon this occafion he made fome noble exertions, and 
acquired much military renown. 
Having, in 930, made a fuccefsful expedition againft: 
tlie Danes, and employed his mediation in terminating 
the troubles of France, Otho efpoufed Alix, widow of 
Lotharius king of Italy ; and gained a decifive conquell 
over Beranger, who hadrece:itly perfecuted and ftripped 
her of her dominions. Shortly after the marriage, 
Otho’s fon, Ludolphus, engaged in a treafonable confe¬ 
deracy with Conrad duke of F'ranconia, and feveral 
other German noblemen. This unnatural revolt pro¬ 
duced fome ferious hoftilities, and occafioned the de- 
ftruftion of the city of Ratifbon; but, after fome time, 
the prince was made fenfible of his error, and took an 
opportunity, while his father was hunting, to throw 
hiiiifelf at his feet, and implore his clemency: “ Have 
pity (iiiid he) upon your mifguided child, who returns 
like the'prodigal fon to his father. If you permit him 
to live after he has deferved death, he will aft'uredly 
repent of his ingratitude, and the refidue of his life 
fliall be marked by exemplary obedience.” To this 
aft'edting appeal Otho could only reply by a paternal 
embrace; but when his agitations I'ubfided, he atfured 
the penitent of his warmeft favour, and generoully par- 
doned all his adherents. The bitter reproaches, how’- 
ever, which Ludolphus received from the Italians, in 
hisfubfequent expeditionagainft Beranger, overwhelmed 
him w ith infupportable. diitrefs, and brought him to an 
untimely grave. 
At the earneft felicitation of the Italians, Otho. re¬ 
paired in perfon to Rome, where he was fblemnly 
crowned emperor of the Romans, dignified with the ap¬ 
pellation of Auguftus, and honoured with the homage 
of the fenate and people, who unanimoufly fvvore obe¬ 
dience to him as their lawful Ibvereign. Yet, notwith- 
ftandingthe exterior marks of relpedt which he received 
upon this occalion, Otho had Icarcely withdrawn his 
armv, before pope John introduced Albert the fon of. 
Beranger into the-'City, and endeavoured to excite the 
fears of the populace, by afferting that the lands of the 
chiirch were in danger. The emperor, however, re¬ 
turned with fuch i'peed to Rome, that the treacherous 
pontiff' and his new patron conl'ulled their i'afety by 
flight ; and a council was convened, wfiich, after a ma¬ 
ture examination of John’s licentious conduct, folemnly 
depoled him, and ekbted Leo VI 11 . to fill the papal 
chair. This pontilf executed a decree by which Otho 
was recognifed emperor of the Romans and king of 
Italy, with all the rights and prerogatives to him and 
his luccellbrs wliich pope Adrian I. had granted to 
Charlemagne; lb that from this period, Otho may be 
juftly ftyled Emperor of the Romans-- 
Having jndiciouily regulated the affairs of the ftate, 
(lie emperor caul'ed his Ion Otho to be crowned as his 
alibciate in the empire. He then made a tour through 
6 F) thc j 
