6 
 
 3 
 4 
 
 
 I 
 
 
 I 

 
 THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES 
 
 BRIDGPAVATER LIBRARY 


 
 THE 
 
 HISTORY 
 
 O F 
 
 FRANCE, 
 
 From the Time the 
 
 French Monarchy was Eftablifh'd in Gaul, 
 
 TO THE 
 
 Death of LEWIS the Fourteenth. 
 
 Written Originally in F R tf c H by Father 
 
 DAN IE L) of the Society of JESUS, and 
 
 now Tranflated into ENGLISH. 
 
 ID F I V E VOLUME S, 
 VOL. I. 
 
 LO N D O y< 
 
 Printed forG.SrRAHAN, at the Golden Ball over againft 
 the Royal-Exchange^ W. MEARS at the Lamb, and 
 D.BROWNE at the Black Swan without Temple-Bar, 
 and J. WOODMAN and D. LyoN in Ruffel- Street 
 
 IvLDCC.JvXVi.
 
 , H
 
 T O THE 
 
 KING. 
 
 SIR, 
 
 AVING had the honour to 
 dedicate my hiflory of France 
 to your auguftpredeceflbr, it 
 was a (iifficient warrant for me 
 to addrefi this new work to him, which is 
 A z but
 
 DEDICATION. 
 
 but an abridgment of the former, and 
 what the publick have demanded of me 
 for their ufe and benefit. But provi- 
 dence, for the good of his people, hav- 
 ing lengthened the days of this great 
 Prince to an age, to which none of our 
 Kings ever attain'd before him, wou'd 
 not permit this kingdom to enjoy any 
 longer the pofleffion of fuch a happi- 
 nefs, but took him from us after a reign 
 of feventy three years, which was it- 
 felf too fbon, if our prayers or wifhes 
 cou'd have taken place , and by this means 
 I have been deprived of the fatisfadioa 
 of tendering him this new fruit of my 
 labour, and offering him this farther tef- 
 timony of my veneration for him, and 
 my gratitude for the princely favours 
 with which he has condefcended to ho- 
 nour me. 
 
 As you. Sir, polfefs the throne and 
 
 place
 
 DEDICATION. 
 
 place of this incomparable King, who 
 excelled in all kinds of merit, and al- 
 ready carry a perfedrefemblanceof him 
 in thofe royal endowments which are 
 every day more vifible and con/picuous 
 in you, I prefume to beg your permit- 
 {ion for fupplying the want of his name, 
 by placing yours at the head of this 
 work, and to intreat your acceptance 
 of this new homage which was defign'd 
 for h.'m. I believe I may venture to 
 depend upon YOUR MAJ E s T Y 's 
 gracious allowance in this particular; 
 from the favourable hearing YOUR 
 MAJESTY gave me when 1 took the 
 liberty two years fince to offer you the 
 hiftory of the French Militia^ as well as 
 from the dignity of the fubjecl: matter 
 of this performance, which I know 
 will be agreeable to you, as it exhibits 
 the virtues YOUR MAJ E s T Y already 
 pofTefles in a very finiflied and perfect 
 A 3 manner.
 
 DEDICATION. 
 
 manner. At leaft I fliall have the {a- 
 tisfadion of teflifying to the world , 
 that I am with the mod profound re^ 
 and the utmoft fubmiflion. 
 
 YOUR MAJESTY'S 
 Mojt humble, mofl obedient, 
 mofl loyal fubj eft and few ant, 
 
 - 
 
 Gabriel Daniel, 
 
 Of the Society of Jefus. 
 THE
 
 THE 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 \BRIDGMENTS of tiftori- 
 cal futyefts have met 'with 
 approbation in all times and 
 among all nations^ wherever 
 learning has flourijhed. From the little 
 that is remaining of the Greeks and La- 
 tins in this kind, it abundantly af fears 
 that they mujl have heen as much in fa- 
 jhion among them, as they have heen for 
 an age (aft among us y efpecially with re- 
 gard to the hi/lory of France. 
 
 the
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 The advantage of finding all our mat- 
 ters ready order d and diffofed to our 
 hands, makes us eafily yield to the temp- 
 tation of becoming authors in this refpecJ, 
 where all our trouble feems to lie within 
 the Jhort comfafs of abbreviating and mak- 
 ing a choice of the mojl important facts. 
 
 The Jlothfulnefs of readers, who are 
 frightned at the Jight of a large volume, 
 how eager foever they may be not t oaf fear 
 altcgether ignorant in the hijtory of their 
 country, has in a great meafure contributed 
 to this cuftom. Eefides abbreviators have 
 very much promoted the de/ign of giving chil- 
 dren feme /mattering of hiftory, and have 
 carried their zeal and afflication to fucha 
 length in this particular, as to reduce it 
 into the form of a catechifm, by way of 
 quejlion and anjwer, that they might have 
 the benefit of learning by heart, as foon 
 as they were able to fpeak, what by all 
 
 other
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 other methods of mfiruHion woud he per- 
 feffly forgotten, 'when they came to riper 
 years, and 'were able to make fome ufe of 
 it. sifter all I don t fee any thingworthy 
 of blame in itj it is hut loft time 'which 
 coud not he hetter employed. 
 
 This impatience of readers, 'who con- 
 tent themfelves 'with a fuperfcial know- 
 ledge of matters they woud he ajhamd 
 to he wholly ignorant of, prevailed upon 
 Mezeray to- abridge his own work. He 
 is the firjl Author of our general Hijlory, 
 that I know of, who has taken the pains 
 to abridge himfelf. I have been perfuad- 
 
 o J J L J 
 
 ed to do the fame upon the preparing a 
 new edition of my hijlory of France. 
 
 But tho I have followed MezerayV 
 example, I have not confirid myfelf to his 
 method, hut have abridged my hijlory af- 
 ter a very different manner, as I now 
 offer it to the pubUck. I have
 
 PREFACE: 
 
 I have not contented my f elf with a lore 
 and often incoherent mention of faffs , 
 which cannot he long read without diffi- 
 culty and trouble. I considered that a 
 hijlory abridged is itfelf an hiftory, and 
 hy consequence ought to contain all that 
 is ejjential to fuch a work, and as much 
 of the agreeable as it will admit of. Such, 
 for example, is that of Juftin, the beft 
 model we have among the ancients, in 
 his epitome of the univerfal hijlory of Tro 
 gus Pompeii^ which is loft. 
 
 Iprofofe therefore to give here an abridg- 
 ment, but fuch a one, wherein the faffs 
 are connected together, and the prepara- 
 tory incidents relating to them are obferv- 
 ed, wherein the chief characters are de- 
 fcribed, the different interejis laid open, 
 the mofl important negotiations fufficient- 
 ly touch d upon, the Jignal events propor- 
 tionably particular ixd, and the faring and 
 
 principle
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 principle of action discovered and laid be- 
 fore the reader, fo as to give him an idea 
 of the government of this monarchy, of 
 the manners of the nation, and of the dif- 
 ferent alterations they have undergone from 
 time to time j the knowledge of which is 
 the principal ufe and advantage ofhiftory. 
 In a word, this work is itfelf ahiftory,and 
 not a copious Index* of a large hiftory, like 
 the abridgments which I havefeen, of the 
 firft and fecond race of our Kings, for I 
 muft confefs I have not taken the pains to 
 read thofe of the third race. 
 
 The three volumes in folio of t 
 edition, and thofe in quarto of the two fol- 
 lowing, are reduced to feven volumes in 
 twelves in this abridgment, to which are 
 added tine annals of Lewis xiu.andxiv. 
 'which make two more volumes in twelves. 
 It is proper to inform the reader with 
 regard to thefe annals, that being pul- 
 
 lified
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 Ttjhei with the author Jay dangerously 
 illy and not in a condition to revife them, 
 fame confiderahle faults efcaped the frefi, 
 effecially in the beginning of the reign of 
 the two Kings y 'which) as well as fame 
 others, are corrected in this edition. 
 
 
 THE
 
 (I ) 
 
 An Hiftorical 
 
 PREFACE 
 
 T O TH E 
 
 Hiftoryof FRANCE. 
 
 IH AV E never been fond of paradoxes in hiftory ; 
 but I think new thoughts, which fometimes oo 
 cur to us in the courfe of our reflections upon 
 antient authors, may be propofed, when we rind 
 them well fupported. Thofe which I have laid 
 down in this Hiftorical Preface appear to me to be 
 fuch, and to deferve fome attention. I (hall divide it 
 into three parts ; in the rirft of which I (hall treat of 
 the foundation of the French monarchy in Gaul, that 
 being a preliminary eilential to my hiftory : for as I 
 maintain, contrary to the opinion of all our hiftorians, 
 that it was Clovis that founded the French empire on 
 this fide the Rhine, and laid the eftablifhment of the 
 nation, and that all his predeceffbrs had been conti- 
 nually driven from Gaul by the Romans, I can't dif- 
 penfe with my felf from giving an account of the 
 teafons which have determin'd me to go out of the 
 ordinary road in this point) and to commence the hi- 
 ftory of France at Clovis. 
 
 In the lecond partlfhall confider another fact, which 
 preceded the foundation of the monarchy in Gaul, fup- 
 pofing that fact to be true, and which all our hiitorians 
 have look'd upon as fuch; I mean t!,e depofition of 
 King Childeric, father of Clovh, and the election of 
 Count G/'/M, General of the Roman army, to the throne 
 by tteFrankr: but I hope to .nuke it appear, that this 
 epifode, which we have inserted in our hiftory, is a 
 nicer fable. 
 Vo L. I. B
 
 An htftoricalTreface to 
 
 Laftly, in the third part I (hall propofe an important 
 queftion, viz. Whether the French empire, as foon as 
 it was cftablifh'd in Gaul, was an Hereditary Conftitu- 
 tion, and not Ele&ive ? I (hall (hew that it was He- 
 reditary, and not Elective under the firft race; that it 
 was alter'd m this refpe& under the fecond, but be- 
 came Hereditary again under the third ; and by con- 
 fequence the right of fucceflion, which the defcen- 
 dants ot Hugh Capet have for almoft theie eight centu- 
 ries enjoy'd, is as antient as the eftablifhment of the 
 monarchy in GauL , 
 
 ARTICLE I. 
 
 Of the founder of the French monarchy in 
 Gaul. 
 
 TO fpeak immediately to the point; I call him the 
 . founder of the French monarchy in Gaul, who (b 
 eftablifti'd himfelf there, as not to be driven thence by 
 the Romans, but has kept poflfeflion of his conquefts till 
 this time, and left 'em as an inheritance to his pofteri- 
 ty. A few of our hiftorians have afcrib'd the glory of 
 this work to Phara-mond. None of thofe who wrote 
 fomeages after Gregory of Tour s andFredegarius, make 
 any fcruple to give his fucceifor Clodlon the honour of 
 it. All the fncceeding hiftorians Ipealc ofMerovee and 
 Childeric as of two Princes already eftablifli'd in Gaul, 
 who only enlarged the limits of the kingdom of 
 France, and our moderns have blindly followed them. 
 I believe I am able to (hew, that none of thefe Kings 
 before Clovis remain'd in pofTeffion of any part of that 
 which is at prefent call'd the kingdom of France, and 
 that Clovis was not only the firft Chriftian King of the 
 French, but alfo the firft King of the French in Gaul. 
 This is what I hope to make appear at leaft very pro- 
 bable, by the ftri&eft rules of cnticifm, to thofe who 
 (hall read without prejudice what I have Ciid upon this 
 fubje6t. 
 
 1 prove my propofition, firft, from the (Hence of 
 
 contemporary authors, or fuch as are very near fo, 
 
 who treat of the eftablifliment of this new conftirution 
 
 in Gaul before Clovis: fecondly,from diverfe teftimo- 
 
 3 nies
 
 the Hiftory 0/ FRANCE. 
 
 hies of the fame authors, who manifeftly fuppofc the 
 contrary of that which is now become infenfibly the 
 univerfal opinion, and which I take upon me to op- 
 pofe : and laftly, from the character of thofe writers 
 who in the following ages have publifti'd a fa& of this 
 importance, which no body ever mention'd before 
 them. 
 
 Neither Proffer, nor Bifhop Uac ius, nordpollinaris) 
 nor Procopius, nor Gregory of Tours, nor Fredegarius, 
 norMarius of Laufane, nor any other of the antients 
 fay any thing of a new government founded m^Gaul 
 by Pharamond, Clodion, Merovee, or Childeric. A ne- 
 gative argument of this nature, confifting of fo large 
 an induction, is of great force in a matter of hilto- 
 ry, when there is nothing to oppofe to it but the au- 
 thority of fome writers, who wrote three or four hun- 
 dred years after the time of the faft in difpute, and 
 which we need only read, to be perfuaded that the 
 authors of it fpoke without any judgment or regard to 
 truth ; but this laft circumilance ihall be proved in its 
 proper place : the reft of the propofition will remain 
 firm, till fomething is produc'd to difprove it, which 
 Jam pretty confident will never be done. But the re- 
 flections which I have made upon the nature of the 
 fat in queftion, ought, I conceive, to weigh very much 
 with all impartial judges. 
 
 For what is it we are here difputing about ? A king- 
 dom that reach'd from the Rhine at leaft to the river 
 Somme, ( fome make it extend as far as the Seine, and 
 others to the Loire) a frate govern'd fucceffively for a- 
 bove fixty years by four Princes, who were all He- PharamonJ, 
 roes, had numerous and formidable armies, befieged 
 and took confiderable towns, gain'd battles, and were 
 the terror of the Romans, from whofe hands they re- 
 fcued this great country. But fince the hiftory of the 
 empire, which relates fo many other lefs confiderable 
 facts in an hundred places, takes no notice of any fuch 
 divifion of the empire, as this ; fince thofe authors of 
 different nations, who have written the hiftory or chro- 
 nicles of thefe fixty years, do no where fpeak of the 
 rife and eftablifhment of this new kingdom in the 
 midft of the Imperial territories, the (lory is far from 
 being probable. 
 
 B ?, A?
 
 An hiftorical ^Preface to 
 
 As foon as the Vijigoths were fettled on this fide the 
 Loire i and the Burgundians in the cities of Roan and 
 Scion, all the contemporary writers, as well Romans as 
 Gauls, do upon a thoufand occafions make mention 
 of the kingdom of the Vifigoths, and of the kingdom of 
 Burgundy in Gaul ; even that of the Suevi is not omitted 
 upon a Spanijb coin ; but there is not one word of 
 that of the French on this fide the Rhine to be met 
 with till the time of Clovis : their irruptions into Gaul 
 are frequently obferv'd, but there is nothing faid of 
 their eftabliflimcnt before the reign of this Prince. Is 
 it pofiible now for us to make this reflexion, without 
 being convinced that this ftate, of which they are en- 
 tirely filent, was not then in being, and that if it had 
 been governed by Kings of that character, by which 
 they defcribe Clodian, Merovee, and Childeric, there 
 would moft certainly have occurr'd frequent mention 
 of it during the fbace of more, than fifty years that it 
 continued under their jurifdich'on ? 
 
 As foon as Clovis enter'd into Gaul, we find him 
 making alliances by marriage, and entring into treaties 
 of confederacy, as well with \heBurgundians as the 
 Goths. Thefe treaties are mentioned in the hiftories of 
 thofe nations, by the writers of the empire, and by 
 ihofe of Gaul:, but there is not the leaft account of 
 any fuch thing being done by Pharamond, Clodion, 
 Merovce y or Childeric. How is this to be accounted 
 for? 
 
 The famous Sidonius dpollinaris, in a great number 
 of letters and poems, which we have of his compofi- 
 tion, .touches upon the molt confiderable events of his 
 time. He fpeaks of the affairs and wars of the Goths 
 and Burgundians, from that time fettled in Gatfl, of 
 their Kings and their battles, and takes notice of the 
 excurfions the French made from time to time in paf- 
 fing the Rhine, and the reprifals of the Romans upon 
 them on the other fide this river ; but does not fay one 
 word of this pretended kingdom, fo large already and 
 flourifhing, if we may believe our hiftorians of the fol- 
 k)wing ages. This brave Merovee, who befieged and 
 took Paris, and gain'd fo many other conquefts, who 
 was the love and admiration of his people, is the only 
 perfon to whofe memory Afollinaris has not thought 
 proper to confecratc one verfe, nor fay one word of 
 
 him.
 
 the Hi/lory of FRANCE; 
 
 him. No Roman or Gaulijh Captain has fignalized 
 himfelf either in the overthrow of him, or at leaft in 
 making a ftand againrt him, nor given this poet, who 
 wrote upon all forts of fubje&s, and to all perfons 
 of diftm&ion in his time, any occafion to make the 
 leaft allufion to the victories or defeats of this Prince, 
 nor to this new irate, fituated in one of the beautiful- 
 left parts of Gaul. But let us proceed gradually, and 
 from this negative argument I have been deducing, let 
 us pafs on to another of greater weight and impor- 
 tance. 
 
 Proffer, in his chronicle, defcribes the country where An 
 Pharamond, Clodion, and Merovee reign'd ; and he de- & 
 fcribes it in fuch a manner as to leave no ground 
 fcruple to any one, who is not dilpofed to cavil in a 
 matter of that concern we are now difcourfing of. In 
 the twenty ikth year of Honor ius, fays he, Pkaramond 
 reigns in France ; Pharamundus regnat in Francia. The 
 fifth year of Theodofius the younger, Clodicn reigns in 
 France ; Clodius regnat in Francia. The twenty fifth 
 year of the fame Emperor, Merovee reigns in France ; 
 Meroveus regnat in Francia. There being but fewZ,<z- 
 tin authors that wrote after the French were known to 
 the Rvfoans, we are well appris'd that the name of 
 Francia was not then given to the country which now 
 bears that name, but to that which the Franks inhabited 
 along the borders of the Rhine on the other fide that 
 river: there is no need of arguments to prove it; we 
 may fee it with our eyes in the Tahiti* Peutingeriana, 
 as they are call'd, printed at Ausbottrgh in the beginning 
 of the laft century, by the learned *h\t.Velfer\ they are 
 geographical maps, in which the roads from one city 
 or colony to another are defcrib'd from our ocean to 
 the Indies. They were made, as Ibme fay, in the time 
 of Ammianus Marceliinus, that is, under the empire of 
 Conftantius or Vale ns ; and, according to others, in the 
 time of Theodojius the younger. In thefe maps we fee 
 the word Francia upon the mouth of the Rhine along 
 the banks of the other fide of the river. Now I asis 
 whether, fuppofing Pharamond, Clodion, or Merovee 
 had eftablilVd themfelves a kingdom in Gaul, the capi- 
 tal of which was Carabray or Amiens ; whether Proffer, 
 I fay, would not have fpoken of it in a different man- 
 ner t whether he would not rather have faid, they 
 B
 
 6 An hiftorical ^Preface t& 
 
 reign'd in that part of Gaul, where their fucceflbrs have 
 reign'd ever fince? And which, according to the hifto- 
 ries of the antient Monks, they made choice of for the 
 feat of their empire, defpifing the palifadoed villages of 
 France, in comparifon of the wall'd and fortify 'd 
 towns of which they were feiz'd in Gaul 7 . I don't 
 know whether I flatter my felf, but this appears to me 
 q. very ftrong proof. 
 
 But let us examine what antient authors have writ- 
 ten in particular of thefe firft Kings of France, and a- 
 bove all of CJodion, Merovee, and Childeric ; for as 
 for Pharamond, there are very few, as I faid, who 
 afcribe to him the honour of founding the empire in 
 Gaul. And firft I fhall propofe, by way of objection, 
 what is ufually urged in favour of Clodion, leaving 
 every man to judge, whether my anfwers are not a 
 new and farther proof of my opinion. 
 
 frftivt Ar- It may be objected then, that King Clodion, accord- 
 l*mmt s. j n g to Q re rory of 'Tours , who calls him Clogion, made 
 * c- 51. hjjjjjeif mafter o f Cambray and the circumjacent coun- 
 try as far as the river Somme ; Clogio autem, mijjis ex- 
 ploratoribus ad urbem Cameracum, perluftrata omnia 
 ipfe fecutus, Romanes proterit, civitafew apprehfHdit^ 
 in qua paucum tempus refidens ufqtte Suminara fluvium 
 occupavit. And, to (Ircngthen this objection, I add, 
 that diverfe contemporary authors, as well as Gregory of 
 'Tours, make mention of this expedition, and, among 
 others, ApoUinaris Bifhop of Auvergne, in his panegy- 
 rick upon the Emperor MajuraKus, to whom he fpeaks 
 in this manner : 
 
 Pugnaftis par'tter, Francus qua Clo'io patentee 
 Attrebatum campos pervaferat 
 
 * In chroni- Profpcr *, CaJJiodorus t, and Bifhop Idacius J, agree 
 
 ?*; . with Gregory of Tours in this particular : but they all 
 T In chroni- ., \_ /^ /> rr 1 i -JL f 
 
 co. add what Gregory ot Tours has omitted, that Aetius 
 
 t in chro- General of the Roman army, under whom Majoranus 
 nico> - then ferv'd, defeated Clodion, and rccover'd from him 
 
 all that he had taken from the Roman empire on this 
 fide the Rhine. ParsGallidrum, fays Profper, propin- 
 cjua Rhenv, quam Franc t pojfidendam occ up aver ant, Aetij 
 Comitis armis recepta, Cajfiod'jrus&ys the fame in his 
 chronicle, 
 
 Aetitts
 
 the Hiftory ^FRANCE. 7 
 
 Aetiiis gain'd this victory when Felix and Taurut 
 were Confuls, that is, in the year of our Lord 428, 
 and the firft of the reign of Clodion. So that this 
 Prince began his reign at this conqueft, but hardly en- 
 joy'd it many months. Bifhop Idadus fays moreover, in chronko. 
 that Aetius having defeated the French, granted them 
 peace ; Superatis per Aetium in certamine Francis, & 
 in pace fufceptis. 
 
 Now whether ApolKnaris^ Idadus, and Proffer fpeak 
 of the fame, or of feveral different expeditions, is a 
 matter of no great importance ; becaufe which fide fo- 
 ever we take in this particular, Clodion is always re- 
 prefented as defeated and conquer'd, and defiring peace. 
 
 Upon what pretence then do they contend, that Clo- 
 dion eftablifh'd himfelF a kingdom in Gaul*. All our 
 French hiftorians have depended folely upon Gregory of 
 T'ours's laying, that the King made himfelf mailer of 
 Cambray and the circumjacent country. He does not 
 fay that he continued there ; and contemporary authors 
 expreflly affirm, that, he was driven from thence. In 
 the mean time, upon the authority of thefe words a- 
 lone, A don, above four hundred years after Profper, 
 and near three hundred after Gregory of 'fours, makes 
 Cambray the capital of the kingdom of Clodion. The 
 Monk Rorigon, whofe fabulous and chimerical hifto- 
 ry, as well as the ftile in which it is written, Ipeaks 
 him to be a very trifling and frivolous author, has 
 thought proper to make him hold his court at Amiens. 
 But Marianus Scotus, Monk of the Abbey of Fulde in 
 Germany, fpeaking of Clodion above fix centuries after 
 his death, is yet much more liberal towards him; for 
 he makes one part of that which we now call Hol- 
 land fubject to his empire, and all thofe beautiful and * 
 fruitful provinces which extend themfelves from thence 
 unto the river Loire, the banks of which he fixes for 
 the borders of his kingdom*. The greateft part of 
 our modern hiftorians, being impatient of feeing a 
 French monarch reign on this fide the Rhine, have 
 given into thefe accounts, fome more, Ibme lefs, and 
 have made no fcruple to acknowledge Clodion for the 
 
 * Thus the printed copies of Marian*!. But Valejitu, in his additions 
 to the third tome of the hiftory of France, fays, Ifaac VcJJlut had in his 
 pofleffion an antient manufcripc of this author, which does not at all men- 
 tion che victories of Clediun, 
 
 B 4 founder
 
 s r An hiftorical Treface to 
 
 founder of the French monarchy in Gaul, upon what 
 grounds we now fee. Let us go on to Merovee. 
 
 I have already faid, that Merovee never reign'd on 
 this fide theRhive. No author has any where fpoken 
 of his entrance into Gal, to fix himfelf there ; and all 
 that our French hiftorians have laid of him in this re- 
 fpet goes upon their falfe fcheme of the eftabltfhment 
 of Clodiou. 
 
 If Merovee had reign'd on this fide the Rhine, and 
 his realm had been border'd by \.\\c Loire, theSV/W, or 
 the Som-me, would not Gregory of fours have been bet- 
 ter acquainted with his fubjecl, than he feems to have 
 been ? for he fays nothing more of him, than that 
 fome affirm he was of the family of Clodion ; de hnjus 
 fiirpe quidam Meroveum regera fttijje adferunt. Moft 
 of them pretend, that he Beaded the French in Aetius's 
 army, in that famous and bloody battle which this Ro- 
 man General, then in alliance with the Goths and the 
 other barbarians, gain'd over Attila. It is not to be 
 queftion'd but there was fome French King at that bat* 
 * L. i! c . 7. tie, Gregory of Tours fays fo exprelfly. * Prifcus, fur- 
 Hiftor. By- nam'd the Rhetor, reckons, that one of the reafons 
 which determin'd Attila to turn his arms to the Welt, 
 was the death of the Fre nch King, whofe two fons dif- 
 puted with each other the poflefiion of their father's 
 kingdom ; that the eldeft call'd in the help of Attila, 
 and the youngcft put himfelf under the protection of the 
 Romans ; that he himfelf had feen him at Rome, from 
 whence the Emperor had fent for this young Prince, 
 loadcn with prefents and honours, and that Aetius him- 
 felf had adopted him. This relation, naming neither 
 the one nor the other of thefe two Princes, Ihould 
 keep us from deciding, as almoft all our hiftorians 
 have done, that which they could not be inform'd of 
 elfewhere, whether it was Merovee that was in Aetius's 
 army, or his brother who dilputed the kingdom with 
 him,or whether Mero-vee might not be a third rival,who 
 ravifh'd the crown from the two fous of Clodion. For 
 jnoft of the antients fay, that Merovee was not the foil 
 of Clodion; and it appears very probable that he was 
 the founder of this new line, which we call the Kings 
 of the firll race, and that for this very reafon it was 
 jjam'd the Merovingian race. 
 
 Be
 
 theHiflory <?/FRANCE. 
 
 Be th<rt as it will ( for in what manner foever this 
 point be decided, my fubjecl is wholly independent of 
 it) Sidonius Apullinaris does not make the French who 
 were prefent at the battle of/Jetixs and Attila to come 
 from the other fide of the Loire, or the Seine, or the 
 Somme, nor from Cambray, nor from iheBelgickGaul, 
 but from the other fide of the RJrine. It was not then 
 in the forelt of Ardennes that the French cut down trees 
 to make them boats to pafs theEfcaut, the Mexfe, or 
 the Somme ; it was in the foreft of Hircynia that they 
 did this, and on the other fide of the Rhine that they 
 built thcmfelves veflels to pafs this river. 
 
 Bruttcrus uhofa quern vel \ Nicer ablxit unda, 
 Prorumpit Franats : c ec idit cito fecla bipenni 
 
 rr ? < _3 n 7 ; 
 
 riercynta in lintres, & Khenurn texuit aino, 
 
 I ask what this means ? or whether thefe words of 
 dpollinaris luppofe the French were fettled in Gaul ? 
 
 The fame author, in the fame panegyrick on the 
 Emperor Avitus, fpeaks of the irruptions which the 
 French and Germans made under the empire of Maxi- 
 musj and after the death vtAetiits into Germania pri- 
 ma, that is to fay, towards Mayence^ Spires, IVorms^ 
 Strasburgh ; and into Belgica jecunda, that is to lay, 
 towards Arras, Cambray, and Tournay : and by this 
 very thing he gives us clearly to under/land, that the 
 French were not then matters either of the one or of 
 the other, and that they pafs'd the Rhine to make their 
 excurfions into the frontiers oftheAo^^w empire. See 
 how he expreffes himfelf : 
 
 Franc us Gerrnanum primum^ Belgamq' t fecundum 
 Sternebat ; Rhenumque, ferox Aiemanne, bibebtu 
 Ruraanis ripis 
 
 Afterwards he defcribes how Avitus, having, the com- 
 mand of the Imperial army, drove them back to the 
 other fide of the Rhine as far as the river Elbe^ and 
 obliged them to fend embaffadors to file for peace. 
 
 Legas, qui veniam p of cant, Alemanne, fur or is 
 Saxonis incurfus ceffat, Chattumq; paluftri 
 Alligat Albis aqua 
 
 By thif word Cbattum he means the French, of whom 
 the Cafti were a part, 
 
 z According
 
 io An hiftoncal Treface to 
 
 According to this author, who furnifhes us with a 
 great deal of light in this matter, the Vahal, which is 
 a branch of theA/&/'#*, and feparates the ifle of theB0- 
 tttv't, now call'd the ifle of Betau, from the country 
 of the Belgx, was then the frontier of the empire and 
 of the Sicambri, that is, of the Franks, who were there 
 feared. This is what he exprefTes in a poetical requeft, 
 which he prefented to the Emperor Majoranus : 
 
 Sic ripce duplicis tumor e fra&o 
 Detonfus Vabalim bibat Sicamber. 
 
 ineannine And in another poem written to one of his friends, 
 ad confcn- w herc among other things he commends his skill in 
 languages, and the efteem which the barbarians had of 
 him ; fo that, fays he, by reafon of the great regard 
 they pay to your virtue, you may enter their country 
 without fear or danger. In this place he acquaints us 
 where and upon what rivers the Franks were then, 
 feared: 
 
 ^* Tuner urn & Vahallm, Vijurgix, Alb'tm 
 vlhli-, the Francorum CS 5 fenitiffimas paludes 
 
 the Intrares, lenerantibus Sicarnbris, 
 
 Solis r/ioribus inter arnna tutus. 
 
 I omit the other paffages of Sidonius AvoUinaris, who 
 was contemporary with Cbilderic and Clovis, where this 
 author, the moft unexceptionable evidence that can be 
 produced in this matter, fuppofes the French always on 
 the other fide the Rhine at the time in which he wrote; 
 and his teftimony in this particular is fb ftrong, that 
 ValeGns,M. /&/ de Valuis^ in his learned critick upon our an- 
 L8. tient hiftory, lays, he can't but wonder that this author 
 
 fhould always place the French in antient France be- 
 tween the Rhine and the Elbe and no where elle, as if 
 in his time they had not been fettled in Gaul: Non 
 foffum non mirari^ fays he, quodFrancoSy quos nunc Si- 
 cambros, nunc Cattos appellat, in Francia veteri inter 
 Rbenum &Albim t ant urn, nee ufquam alibi ponat Sido- 
 nius, quaji Franci tctate ejus nondum in Gallia fedem. 
 cepiffent. Thus Adrian deValois. And here I obferve, 
 firft, that it appears by this very pafTage that I have &'- 
 donitts ApolltHaris on my fide, a man of the greateft 
 learning and capacity of his time, the belt acquainted' 
 with the fituation of affairs in Gaul and Germany as 
 
 all
 
 the tiiflory ^FRANCE. n 
 
 all his works declare, who fpeaks in a great many 
 places of the Franks, and efpecially in the panegyricks 
 he made upon the three Emperors , one of whole 
 daughters he had married ; in a word, an ocular wit- 
 nefs of all that he deliver'd concerning this nation, 
 and with whom no writer can enter into competition 
 upon the fubjecl before us. 
 
 Secondly, that Adrian de Valois ought to conclude 
 with me from thefe pafTages of Apollinaris, that the 
 Franks at that time were not yet fix'd in Gaul, which 
 he had certainly done if he had not labour'd under the 
 common erroneous prejudice, that Clodion was already 
 lettled upon the river Sornme with t\\z Franks; a preju- 
 dice which he would have eafily overcome T if he had 
 taken, as he ought, Sidonius Apollinaris for his guide, 
 whofe authority fhould weigh more than that of any 
 other writer, upon the account both of his character, 
 and as he was a contemporary author. 
 
 All this regards the time ofMerovee ; I have nothing 
 now to do, but to (peak of Childeric. 
 
 If the account that is given us of Childeric, fbn 
 ofMerovee and father of Clovis, be true, he was one of 
 the moft furprizing inftances that ever was heard of. 
 While he was yet an infant, he was carried away by the 
 Huns, and refcued from their hands by a brave Frank 
 ra.m'dF'iomaJe. He had hardly afcended the throne af- 
 ter the death of his father, when he was depofed by thofe 
 whom his extraordinary qualities of mind and body had 
 before moft ftridly attach'd to him, The wonderful 
 beauty of his perfon, join'd with an over-foft and eafy 
 difpofition, made him equally amorous and agreeable ; 
 and the heads of the nation being fcnfible of the injury 
 they receiv'd from the influence his beauty and addrelles 
 had over their wives, conlpir'd againft him, and obli- 
 ged him to give way to their fury. Upon this he be- 
 took himfelf to Bafin King of Turingta, where in a Greg. TUT. 
 (hort time he became the favourite of Queen Bafine. l. a. 
 The Franks placed Count Giles, Governor of the Gauls 
 and General of the Imperial army, upon the throne in 
 his room. This extravagant choice was the effedt of 
 Viomade''* policy and cunning, who continued firm 
 and conftant to Childeric ; tho', to prevent fufpicion, 
 he highly blamed his excefles. He forefaw what after- 
 wards happen'd, that the Franks would not long en- 
 dure
 
 1 2 An hiftorical ^Preface to 
 
 dure a Roman mafter ; and he knew fo well how to 
 make his advantage of the credit he had gain'd with 
 this new King, that he engaged him imperceptibly to 
 render himfelf infupportable to the Franks, by the taxes 
 he laid upon them, and the ill treatment he gave them, 
 in fuch fort that they began to wifh for their old 
 Prince, and defire a restoration. 
 
 Viomade having thus brought matters to bear, fent 
 CkUdcric the half of a piece of gold which they had 
 broken between them, as a fignal for the eiil'd Prince 
 to appear and fhew himfelf to his fubje&s. As foon as 
 they knew he was upon the frontiers, they fiock'd to~ 
 gether to meet him, and in a moment he found him- 
 lelf at the head of a numerous army, which he led 
 againft Count Giles, who was then upon his march to 
 difperfe the firft beginnings of this fedition. Childeric 
 charg'd him fo fealonably, and with fuch vigour, that 
 he totally defeated him, and by this tingle victory re- 
 cover'd the pofleflion of his kingdom, which he had 
 been depriv'd of for eight years before. 
 
 The Queen of Turitge no fooner receiv'd the news 
 of the happy fuccefs of his affairs, but, like another 
 Hellen, fhe quitted her husband to follow the fortune 
 of her lover, and came to France in purfuit of him. 
 Childeric, who having more important concerns upon 
 his hands, had forgot his old engagements, was great- 
 ly furprii'd at her arrival, and asked her what brought 
 her thither ? She made him no other anfwer, but that 
 if Ihe had known a greater hero, or more gallant 
 jnan than himfelf fhe would have travell'd round the 
 world in fearch of him. Upon this his former paffion 
 foon reviv'd, and he refblv'd to marry her, as he did, 
 and that in all appearance without fo much as con- 
 lulting the King of Turinge, of whofe refentment 
 there is not one word to be found in hiftory ; and it 
 was t of this marriage the great Clouts was born. In 
 the mean time Chilaeric, to keep the Franks in con- 
 ftant exercife, that he might avenge himfelf of Count 
 Giles, and take from him all hopes of reafliiming the 
 throne he had fo long potfefs'd, penetrated a great 
 way into Gaul, with a large body of troops, and pro* 
 ceeded as far as the river Loire, ravaging as he went. 
 He defeated the other barbarous nations about Orleans, 
 from whence he immediately proceeded to attack An-
 
 the Htftory ^FRANCE. 1 3 
 
 w, which he took and pillaged. In fine, having 
 joyn'd himfelf to Odoacre, who commanded an army 
 of Saxons, they made war upon the Alemanni, who 
 had feiz'd on one part of Italy, and render'd themfelves 
 mafters of their country. After all thefe expeditions 
 Childeric dy'd in the twenty fourth year of his reign, 
 about the year 481. Ann. 481. 
 
 This is in effect the account which the firft of Greg.Tur. 
 our hiltorians gives us of this Prince. He was bury'd i-a. 
 near Tc#r,2y in a loot of grouncl now inclofed with- 
 in the town, where his tomb was found in the year 
 1 6^3. Let us examine now, whether Gregory ofTours's 
 account, will afford us any proof that Childeric reign'd 
 on this fide the Rhine. Having feen him advance as 
 far as Orleans and Angers, we fhould naturally con- 
 clude that his kingdom was on this fide the Rhine, ac- 
 cording to the prefent method of making war. But 
 this is not the way that we ought to judge of the ex- 
 peditions of the Franks, or of the other barbarous na- 
 tions at that time : To fay nothing of the Huns, the 
 Plains, the Vandals, the Geppidx, and the reft, whole 
 innumerable armies over-ran great part of Europe. It 
 was no extraordinary thing for the people of Germany 
 to make excnrfions two or three hundred leagues 
 from their country ; and the Roman hiftory informs 
 us more than once, that the Franks forcing the pafTages 
 of the Rhine, fpread themfelves fometimes as far as to 
 the extremities of Gaul. We have feen them in the 
 reign of Gallienus carry defolation as far as Spain ; and 
 fuch was the expedition of Childeric, when he march- 
 ed to Angers. 
 
 This Odoacer, King or Duke of the Saxons, who, 
 according to Gregory of fours, was at Orleans and An- 
 gers at the fame time with Childeric, is he not another 
 proof of what I faid ? was his kingdom on this fide 
 the Rhine ? did he not come from Germany ? did he 
 keep what he had taken? In a word, that which 
 proves this to be only an excurfion of the barbarians, 
 is that Childeric neither kept Orleans nor Angers, nor 
 any place between the Seine and the Loire, or between 
 the Seine and the Somme ; for thofe very writers, who 
 fuppofe Childeric to be fettled in Gaul, affirm, that the 
 firft conqueft of his fon Clovis was of the country be- 
 tween the Sorame and the Seine. In diebus illis, fays 
 
 Hincmaf
 
 14 An hiftorical "Preface to 
 
 lnvicaS.Re- Hincmar, dilatavit rex Clodovicus regnum futtm ufqut 
 zm ^^ > Seouanam. 
 
 But that which is to be more efpecially obferved 
 here, is, that after the facking of Angers, Childeric and 
 Odoacer repafs'd the Rhine, and enter'd into a mutual 
 confederacy againft the Alemanni, who had taken up 
 their quarters in Italy, and reduced them under their 
 Llb.i. c.zj.fubjeftion. Odoacrius, fays Gregory of Tours, CUM 
 Childerico foedtts iniit, Alemannos, qui Italian* pervafe- 
 rant, fubjugarunt. For it is evident that this was not 
 tranfacled on the hither fide of the Rhine. Childeric 
 dy'd fbon after. His ita gejlis, mortuo Childerico, &c. 
 The kingdom of Childeric in Gaul, therefore, is no 
 better proved than that of his predecefTors. It can 
 neither be fupported by the authority of any contempo- 
 rary hiftorian, nor even by that of Gregory of Tours, 
 whofe text, if rightly examin'd, has a quite contrary 
 afpeft. It feems then paft doubt, that before Clovis 
 there was no King of the Franks fettled in Gaul, which 
 is all I contend for. 
 
 otter ptfthe I (hall in the next place confirm all thefe reflections 
 
 jfgtanentt. ^y j^e "teitimonies of fome antient hiftorians, who 
 
 clearly enough defcribe the epoch of the reign of the 
 
 Franks mGaul\ and this lhall be the laft proof of my 
 
 propofition. 
 
 Cap. 12: The nrft is Procopius of C.ffarea, who lived in the 
 
 time of Jtiftinian, a few years after Clovis : He was 
 Secretary to the great Belifariits, and attended him in 
 his military expeditions, the hiftory of which he has 
 left behind him for the information of pofterity. That 
 which I (hall cite from him is taken from the firit 
 book of the war o the Goths. 
 
 " The Rhine, fays he, empties itfelf iuto the Ocean ; 
 " and in the parts adjoining there are a great number of 
 u marines, where the Germans formerly inhabited, who 
 " were a barbarous nation, and at that time not very 
 " considerable, & initio farum fpetfata. They are the 
 " fimc that are now called the Franks, qui Franci 
 4t vane -vocitantur. 
 
 (This is exactly agreeable to Sidonius^ account in 
 the pafTage I have already cited : 
 
 Sic rip<e duplicis t u wore f ratio 
 De tonfus Vahalim bib (it Sicantber, 
 
 Francoruwi
 
 the Hiftory <?/FRANCE. 15 
 
 Francorum & penitijjimas paludes 
 Intrares, venerantibus Sicambris.') 
 
 44 TheArborichi, continues Procopius, who With the 
 " other nations of Gaul, as well as Spain, were part 
 " of the Roman empire, border'd upon the country of 
 " thefe barbarians : His finitimis Arboricbi accolte 
 " erant? 1 
 
 (Here we learn where thefe Arborici were feated, 
 who poflefled the country fituated between the Meufe 
 and the Efcaut, and that which lyes between the Meufe 
 and the Vabal.) 
 
 " Next to thefe Germans eaftward lie the Tburln- 
 ** gians, another barbarous people, whom Augufljts 
 " Ccefar fuffer'd to fettle here. Not far from thence 
 ** towards the South is the country of the Burgundi- 
 " ans, ~Burgundiones. 
 
 (Before they enter'd into Gaul.} 
 
 44 Then come the Sttevi and the Alemanni, each of 
 *' them a couragioiK, well-peopled, and free nation, 
 44 who continued long in thofe parts. In procefs of 
 * 4 time the Vifigoths having forced the frontiers of the 
 44 Roman empire, invaded Spain, and that part of Gaul 
 14 which lies on the other fide the Rhone, and made 
 " themfelves matters of them. We are to obferve, 
 41 that \heArborichi fought at that time for the Romans. 
 " And ti\Q Germans, that is, the Franks, having a great 
 ** inclination to their country, becaule it lay very con- 
 " veniently in their neighbourhood, and the inhabitants 
 * had forfaken the manners and cuftoms of their an- 
 " ceftors, made frequent irruptions upon them, and 
 * 4 attack'd them with all their force. But thcArborichi 
 * 4 being a brave people, and well affeded to the Ro- 
 44 mans, defended themfelves vigoroufly, Ib that the 
 * 4 Germans were never able to fubdue them : Cvrnque 
 * 4 his vim inferre Germani non pojfent. 
 ' (See how clearly the excurfions of the Franks under 
 our firft Kings are defcribed, together with the fruit- 
 lefi attempts they fo often made to get the country 
 into their pofTeflion.) 
 
 44 The Germans then being unable to reduce thefe 
 41 generous neighbours by force of arms, intreated 
 44 them to look upon them as friends, and to permit 
 44 both "nations to make a mutual alliance, by inter- 
 
 44 marrying
 
 16 An hiftorical ^Preface to 
 
 u - marrying with each other. Thefe offers the Arlo* 
 " richi readily agreed to : Quas non inviti con diti ones 
 ** " Arborichi most accepere. * 
 
 (Tiie reafon which Procopius^ffigm for the union 
 of thefc two people, evidently points out the time when 
 that union was made.) 
 
 " The Arborichi, fays he, readily accepted thefe con* 
 " ditions, becaufe the one and the other were both 
 " Chriftians ; c rant enim utrique Chrtfliani. 
 
 Now the Franks, as every body knows, were not 
 Chriftians till the reign of Clovis, fo that this union 
 could not be made before his time. Till then the//r- 
 borici continued faithful to the Romans, and oppofed 
 the Franks upon every attempt to ilfue out of the 
 marches, which they inhabited on the other fide the 
 Rhine ; and when they had forced this barrier, and 
 made fome irruptions into the country, they obliged 
 them immediately to repafs the Rhine. It 'was not 
 then till CYc^/Vs tine, that me Franks uniting both their 
 religion and interefts with the Arborici^ took from 
 . the Romans what remain'd of G.i..l, as we fhall pre* 
 fently fee Procopius expreffly teftifying. 
 
 There is only one f ingle difficulty to be firft re<> 
 moved, which is this; tillC7o*'. : r and the Franks paffed 
 the Rhine, and defeated thtRonan army near Soiffons^ 
 they were not yet Chriftians. This I own to be true ; 
 but then I anfwer, that if Proc of IKS fhould be milliikeii 
 in one circumltance of his hiltory, which he only men- 
 tions occafionally and by the by, this miftake ought 
 not to be drawn into confequence againrt the relt ; 
 and it is neverthelefs true, that according to him 
 the franks had been continually driven from Gaul as 
 often as they had attempted to make themfelvcs ma- 
 tters of it, till C/owV's time. But we may underftand 
 Procopius without afcribing this error to him. Clo-vis. 
 did not enter into Gaul by the country of the Arborici, 
 but probably by Cologne, where, the hiftory informs 
 us, Sjgebert, a Prince of the blood of Clouts, reignM 
 in his time ; and marching between the Rhine and the 
 Meitfe, he crofs'd the foreft of A rdennes, to attack 
 Syagrius the Roman General at Soijffoits. Having van- 
 quifh'd him, and made himfelf milter of the country, 
 he and the greateft part of his people turn'd Chriftians. 
 Thus pofteJ as he was upon the Efcaut, he inclos'd 
 
 'the-
 
 the Htftory ^FRANCE. 17 
 
 the Arborici between himfelf and the other Franks who 
 were feared on the farther fide thcfahal, cut them off 
 from the Romans, and made it very difficult for them 
 to carry on any commerce with each other. This 
 then was the time when they firft began to enter into 
 leagues and treaties with one anpther; and foon after 
 follow'd the union of the two nations, which rendered 
 them a very powerful people. Eo fado in unam co&- 
 liti gentem potentijfimi evaferttnt. 
 
 In fuch fort, continues Protopius, that the Roman 
 Soldiers, who were in garrifon upon the borders of 
 Gaul, (that is to fay> towards the Sea, the Rhine, and 
 the Loire} being unable to return to Rome, and not 
 caring to fly to the Arians, who were their enemies 
 (that is to fay, into//<z/y, which Odoacre the Arian King 
 of the Heruli had feiYcl ; ) they furrender'd themfelves 
 and the country, together with their colours, to the 
 ArborifiwaA the Franks. Se iffi cu:n fignis cff rtgionem, 
 quam ante fervabant, Arboricis & Ger/nanis permife- 
 runt. 
 
 This is the firft fettlement of the French monarchy 
 in Gaul, apparently defcribed under the reign of Clovis. 
 
 What follows deferves to be particularly taken no- 
 tice of. " As long as the Roman empire fubfifted, the 
 " Emperors were matters of Gaul as far as to the 
 " Rhine (Ib Grotius reads the text in the Greek manu* 
 " fcripts he made ufe of for his tranilation ;) but as 
 *' foon as float re had taken Rome, he gave up part 
 " of Gaul to the Vifigotbs, &c." Now Odoacre was 
 mafter of Italy only in the time of Childeric, five or 
 fix years before the reign of Clo-vis. The Romans tlv n 
 were in poffeffion of Gaul, as far as to the Rhine, in 
 the time of Childeric ; and confequently the Franks 
 were not in polleffion of what they had taken under 
 Clodien on this fide that river. 
 
 The fecond teftimony is from Gregory of Fours, and 
 jt appears to me a very coavincing one; it is taken 
 from the firft chapter of the fifth book of his hiftory, 
 where fpeaking of the warmth and violence of the civil 
 feuds between Sigibcrt and Childeric, both of them grand- 
 ions of Clovis, he thus befpeaks them : 
 
 " Would to God your Majefties would follow the 
 
 " examples of your anceftors in making war ! and that 
 
 " by maintaining a mutual peace, you would render 
 
 G ** your
 
 i** 'An hiftoricalTreface to 
 
 " your felves formidable to your neighbours. Re- 
 " member Clovis, who began the conqueft of the king- 
 " dom you now poffefs, {Caput vittoriarum veftra- 
 " rum~\ how many Kings he defeated, how many na- 
 " tions and countries he fubdued, without being able 
 " to command either gold, or filver, or the leaft fhare 
 " of thofe treafures you enjoy. [Et cum hoc faceret, 
 " neque aurum, neque argentum, Jlcut nunc in thefau- 
 " ris veftris, habebat.'] You have magazines of corn, 
 " wine, and oyl, of gold and filver in abundance, gV." 
 Upon this place of Gregory of Tours we may make 
 the following remarks. 
 
 Sigibert was King of Auftrafia, and had the city of 
 Metz, for the capital of his kingdom. He was in pop- 
 feflion of the countries water'd by the Rhine, the Mo- 
 felle, and the Meufe, Childeric was King of the Soif- 
 fons, and had for his fhare that which is now call'd Pi- 
 cardy, a part of thcLtOVj-Coutttries, and of Champagne. 
 Now if the greateit part of thefe countries had been 
 in pofleflion ofClodioft, Merovee, im&Childeric, as is 
 fuppofed, how is it that Clo-vis began the conqueil of 
 them, Caput viSoriarum veftrarum ? But if he receiv'd 
 all, or near all this from his anceftors, how comes it 
 to pals, that he had neither gold, nor filver, nor ma- 
 gazines ? To have neither gold, nor filver, nor ma- 
 gazines of corn and wine, fuits very well with the cha- 
 racter of a barbarous Prince, who pafs'd the Rhine to 
 fettle himfelf in Gaul, but is by no means agreeable to 
 the condition of a King already fettled in this fruitful 
 country, which had been in the pofTefiion of his an- 
 ceftors for fifty years before? 
 
 . To conclude. The third teftimony, with which I 
 Roverius fti&\ finifh my proofs, is that of Jonas difciple of Co- 
 h.ft. monaft. iumban, in the life of St. John^ founder of the abbey 
 s.joan. Reo- o f $[ OM tier St. Jean. He compos'd this life in the time 
 n ' s ' of Clotairelll. out of the memoirs of an anonymous 
 author, who himfelf liv'd yet nearer the time ofCfavis. 
 He writes then, that this faint was in being in the 
 time of the Emperors Valentinian and Maraan, and 
 that he lived till the reign of Juftinian ; and fpeaking 
 of what happen'd between theft two epochs, he has 
 thefe words, Quo ttiam tempore Frond cum Clodoveo 
 rege, poftpojita repitblica, militari raami tcrminos Ro- 
 irrumpentes Galliam . itrvaferunt ; In that 
 
 time--
 
 theHiftory 0f FRANC fil 
 
 time the Franks, defpifing the Roman commonwealth, 
 broke through the limits of the empire, pitch 'd in Gaul, 
 and invaded it under the conduct of KingC/ow. 
 
 Now thefe words muft certainly fuppofe, that C/ovis 
 was not yet in Gaul:, and we learn from other authori- 
 ties, that in the time of the Emperors above-nam'd, and 
 even at all times, the ordinary epithets of the Rhine ^ 
 with regard to the People of Germany, were Limes 
 Gallicus, 'fer minus Romanornm, Rheni Limes, &Ci 
 
 In the fame hiftory of the monaftery of St. John 
 there is another very remarkable particular, which ei> 
 tirely confirms what Procopius relates concerning the 
 uniting of the Arborici to the empire of C/ovis, as foon 
 as that Prince became a Chrim'an, and of the capitula- 
 tion and furrendry of the Roman garrifons, made at 
 that time to him. 
 
 Clovis, in a donation of fome lands to this monafte- 
 ry, delivers himfelf in thefe terms : The holy man John 
 committed this monaftery to our protection [primo 
 noflro fufceptce Chriftianitatis ann, atque fubjUg&ionis 
 Gallorura] the nrft year of our converiion to Chriftia- 
 nity, which was the very year in which the Gauls were 
 fubdued. 
 
 I lay, there is a wonderful agreement between this 
 teftimony and that of Procopius ; for thefe laft words 
 cannot be underftood of the inroads of Clovis into 
 Gaul, becaufe they preceded his bnptifin fcveral years ; 
 nor of the conquefts which he gain'd over the Vifi- 
 gotbs or Eurgundians, becaufe they did not happen till 
 a long time after his baptifm; but trTey may be very 
 well interpreted of the furrender of thofe places, which 
 the Roman garrifons deliver'd up into his hands, as 
 Procopius relates the matter, and of the lubmiffion of 
 the Arborici, who yielded up themfelves to him, as 
 foon as he was made a Chriftian. Cloi>is look'd upon 
 Gaul as fubdued, when the Romans and the Arborici 
 had laid down their arms : Primo noflro fetfcept* Chri- 
 flianitatis anno, atque fubjugationts Gallorum 
 
 As for this donation of Clovis^ there is no reafon to 
 fufpe& it of forgery. Indeed father Rovere the Jefuit, 
 who wrote the hiftory of Montier St. Jean, had rais'4 
 a fcruple againft it, and obferv'd, that this monaftery 
 being in the diocefe of Landgres, and that city belong- 
 ing then to the kingdom of Burgundy, Clovis could 
 C 2 not
 
 to r An hiftorical 'Preface to 
 
 not make a grant of fuch lands to it as he had no 
 right to himfelf. 
 
 This is a difficulty from which our author does not 
 very well difengage himfelf ; but it was for want of 
 confidering that the monaftery of St. "John, tho' it be- 
 longed to the diocefe of Landgres, was fituate at a 
 great diftance from that city, and lay much nearer 
 Auxerre, which belongM to the kingdom of Clovis^ 
 as we learn from the firft council of Orleans, at which 
 'Theodo/ius Bifhop of Auxerre aflifted in the time of 
 King Gondebaud, when this Prince reaflum'd the pot- 
 ieffion of all his kingdom of Burgundy. 
 
 Mr. Perard, in his collection of pieces for the hifto- 
 ry of Burgundy, allures us, that the original of this 
 grant is in the exchequer at Dijon. 
 
 I have nothing farther to add here, but to clear up 
 two or three objections, which I lhall do without much 
 trouble. 
 
 tjeOiau The firft is taken from the difcovery that was made 
 o f tne tom b o f Cbilderic, in the year 165-3, at Tour- 
 #<iv, wherein were contain'd a great number of curi* 
 ous monuments, moft of which are now preferved in 
 the King's library. 
 
 There, among other things, we fee a large collec- 
 tion of golden bees, a golden pen, and fome pocket- 
 books, a globe of cryftal, and the figure of an ox-head 
 an gold ; ibme gold and lilver medals of the Emperors, 
 who lived before and during the reign of this Prince ; 
 fome golden rings, upon one of which is a feal ftamp'd 
 Yvith his impreiiion ; his countenance is graceful, and 
 without a beard ; his hair, according to the cuilom of the 
 Kings of the Franks of that time, is long and plaited, 
 leparated before, and thrown behind upon his back ; 
 round the figure is the name of Childeric : Some bones 
 alib, which were found pretty entire, denote a tall and 
 lofty perfonage of about lix foot high. Now it is pof- 
 fible that the iize and comelineis of this King's perfon, 
 together with his great courage and intrepidity, may 
 have given occ'afion to the fabulous and romantick in- 
 cidents above-mention'd, with which his life is embel- 
 Jilh'd. 
 
 It may be objected then, that this tomb of Childeric 
 being found at Tournay, is a proof that the franks were 
 then in pofleffion of that country. 
 
 But
 
 the Hiftory of FRANCE: 21 
 
 But this is a weak objection ; for it proves only that 
 Childeric came into Gaul, which I don't deny, and 
 that he dy'd in one of thofe expeditions which he and 
 his predecefTors had made from time to time on this 
 fide the Rhine : He was furpris'd with death in Beigick 
 Gaul, where his foldiers interr'd him in a great road 
 that led to Tourvay ; juft as Alaric the Great, withdraw- 
 ing after he had lacked the city of Rome, was buried 
 by his army in the fame place where they encamp'd. 
 This was a common method with the barbarians. 
 
 When I fay thvtChilderic was interr'd in the great 
 road that led to Tournay, I don't fpeak without war- 
 rant. Marcbantius, the learned Mr. Chtfflet in his L.i.Flan- 
 difcourfe upon the difcovery of this tomb, and Vende- dri *' 
 lin, a perfon very well vers'd alfo in the antiquities of 
 I\IQ Low-Countries, allure us of this circumttance. 
 
 But farther; I don't believe that Childeric died upon 
 his return from the excurfion he had made to the other 
 fide the Loire ; for we have feen that he repafs'd the 
 Rhine afterwards, and being in league with the King 
 of the Saxons, they made war together upon the Ale- 
 wanni. It appears to me therefore mod certain, that 
 he return'd into Gaul, upon fome new enterprise, when 
 he died near Tournay. 
 
 The fecond objection feems much ftronger at nrft 
 fight ; it is this, that from the time of Clovts's attack- 
 ing Syagrius the commander of the Roman army, there 
 were fome petty Kings in Gaul of his family, and in 
 particular one Ranacaire King of Cambray, who, ac- 
 cording to Gregory of Tours, came with Clovis to L.%. c. 17. 
 mark out the field where the two armies join'd battle. 
 
 Some of our hiftorians have argued zealoufly upon 
 this bottom, and have believed that Ranacaire was a 
 fon or grandfon of Clodion, who in fpight of the force 
 and ufurpation of Merovee, had kept poffeffion of this 
 country, where he reign'd over a party of the Franks. 
 If this be the cafe, it is plain that Clodion was nrft in 
 Gaul, and that Clovis was not the founder of the mo- 
 narchy, as I contend he was. 
 
 But thofe who reafon in this manner, reafon only 
 
 upon the common prejudice which I'm oppofmg ; and 
 
 upon fuppofition that it was the belief and declaration 
 
 ef Gregory of Tours, that the Kings of the Franks be- 
 
 C 3 fore
 
 23 An htftorical 'Preface to 
 
 fore Clouts were fettled in Gaul, of which he fays not 
 one word ; for, as I have already obfcrv'd, he men-: 
 tions only their excurfions, without adding, that they 
 continued in Gaul, or made their retreat thither. 
 
 But Gregory of Tours does fay, that Clovis approach- 
 ed Soi/oMs with his kinfman Ranacaire, who was alfo 
 himfelf a King, [qui & iffe regnum tenebat ;] not that 
 he was then King of Cambray, as he was afterwards : 
 The hiftorian fays nothing of this, but that he was fo 
 on the other fide the Rhine. 
 
 The Franks were made up of feveral people ; under 
 thjs name are comprehended the Brtt fieri, the Catti, 
 Deorigine theCamavi, the Anjivarians, and feveral others, whofe 
 cantons, as Vignier with great probability obferves, were 
 each of them govern'd by their Chiefs or Kings, but in 
 fome dependence on one fupreme, who bore the name 
 of King of the whole nation. 
 
 AAwro/rpoet, fpeaking of his country in the time of 
 Charlemagne, fays, that thefe people of Germany had 
 as many Kings or Chiefs, as cantons. 
 
 Se d variis divifa modis plebs omnis habebat 
 Quot pagos, tot pene duces. 
 
 ILumenius, in his panegyrick upon Conftantine, Ipeaks 
 of the Kings of France in the plural number; Reges 
 ipfos Francite non dubitajli ultimis punire cruciatibus ; 
 as do alfo Nazarius, Amianus, Marcellinus, Claudian, 
 Sulpitiusj &c. Thofe whom Claudian (lyles Reges^ 
 tib. i.^de v j Xf Marcomife and Sunnon, Sulpitius calls Francorum 
 coiji^" '" Subregulos, that is to fay, fubordinate Kings. But I 
 am very much of opinion, that all thefe Kings of the 
 Franks, Marcomife, Sunnon, Ricomer, Theodemer, and 
 the reft that are fpokcn of in thefe antient writers, 
 were not all of the fame family, nor commanded in 
 the fame part of the nation. 
 
 But to return to thofe whp are mention'd by Gre- 
 gory of Tours in the time of Clovis. Thefe petty Prin- 
 ces follow'd this King into Gaul, on condition of raif- 
 ing themfelves fome little principalities, more confide- 
 rable than thofe they had on the other fide the Rhine. 
 Ranacaire made himfelf King of Cambray ; and, if we 
 may believe Hincmar in the life of St. Remy, he feenis 
 to intimate, that ft was not till after the baptifm of 
 CJovts, that this Prince, continuing always attach'd to the 
 
 errors
 
 the Hiftory of F R A N c E.^ 
 
 errors of paganifin, fix'd his ftandard in thefe quarters, 
 with a part of the army of the Franks, who refufed to 
 be converted. Multi demesne de Francorum exercitu, 
 necdu'/n ad fide m converji cum Regis parente Raganario^ . 
 ultra Summam fluvium aliquamdiu degerunt, donec,&c. 
 
 We find befides one Sigihert, furnam'd le Boiteux, 
 King of Cologne, another nam'd Renomer King of the 
 country of Maine, another caH'd Cararic bearing the 
 fame character, tho' Gregory of Tours does not inform 
 us what quarter of Gaul he had his refidence in, as he 
 does of the others. Cararic was at the battle of Soif- 
 fons, as well as Ranacaire. 
 
 This Prince was King of Cambray, as Renomer was 
 King of Maine, I mean after they Bad pafs'd the Rhine 
 with Clo-vis ; for how could Renumer, who reign'd in 
 Maine, have been able to maintain himfelf in the mid- 
 dle of all the provinces belonging to the Romans, if he 
 'had feated himfelf there before Clovis had carried his 
 conquefts into thofe parts ? This fingle reflection 
 (hews the truth of my aflertion, that thefe petty Kings 
 were not Kings in Gaul till after the conquefts of 
 Clovis. 
 
 I am under no difficulty then with regard to this 
 particular; but the common opinion is upon that ac- 
 count not a little embarrafs'd ; for, if we examine the 
 matter with any picety, we fhall iee it has been the 
 caufe of a thouiand vain conjectures, which have only 
 fcrv'd to embroil our hiftories, and fill them with dif- 
 ficulties. 
 
 The third objection is founded upon a paragraph of 
 Gregory of Tours, lib. 2. c . 9. where having related all 
 he could find concerning the Kings of the franks, who 
 preceded Clovis \ and having cited the hiftories of Sul- 
 fitius, Frigeridus, and Orojius, he concludes with a, 
 piece of tradition, according to which the French came 
 from Pannonia. Tradunt mult:, eofdem de Pannonia 
 
 fer fe creavijft. Many (fays he) relate, that the Franks 
 came from Pannonia, and at firft refted upon the banks 
 of ^ the Rhine ; but afterwards, having pafs'd this river, 
 they bent their courfe to Turingia, and there made 
 themfelves long-hair'-d Kings in feveral cantons or ci- 
 fies, C 4 This
 
 'An hiftorical ^Preface to 
 
 This paflage is fomewhat intricate, becaufe the way 
 from Pannonia to Turirgia is not over the Rhine, that 
 country lying between Pannonia and \hzRh-ne. Was 
 Gregory of Tours then fo ignorant in geography, fay 
 ' they, as to fall into a miftake of this nature ? we can, 
 hardly imagine that he was. 
 
 The matter being thus intricate and perplex'd, a ma- 
 nufeript is difcovtr'd, which, inftead of foringiam^ 
 reads Tungriaru, and by this dilcovcry they hope to 
 clear up all difficulties. It is affirm'd then, that, accord- 
 ing to Gregory of 'Tours, the Franks march'd firfl from 
 Pannonia along the banks of the Rhine ; that after- 
 wards they pafs'd the Rhine, and proceeded to efyablifti 
 their kingdom in Tongria, that is to fay, in the coun- 
 try ofTc/Mgres in Liege; and that it was from thence 
 that Clodion march'd as far as drtois, and extended his 
 conouefts to the Som/ne, &c. 
 
 This is the fyftem of V'tngnier, Vendelin, father Jour- 
 dw, and fcveral others, the very t rev erfe of mine, ac- 
 cording to which I maintain, that the Kings of the 
 Franks always continued on the other fide the Rhine 
 till Clo-vis. 
 
 A difcovery of this nature is a treafure for a Iearne4 
 man to found a new and fpecious fcheme upon ; but he 
 ought to examine the folidity of it, before he takes 
 upon him to maintain it, and there is nothing of that 
 Kind to be found here. 
 
 For firft, it is a meer tradition, which Gregory of 
 fours relates with abatement and great uncertainty ; 
 I'radtint multi, &c. He docs not deliver it as his own 
 opinion ; and it is pluiuly no other than the opir 
 nion of the authors he cites, according to whom, in 
 the pulfages he produces from them, the Franks were 
 always on the other fide the Rbinc, from whence they 
 made their irruptions into Gaul, and to whom the Ro- 
 inzn Generis went from time to time to carry the 
 war, by pafling the Rhine, and that under the empire 
 of HoHorius. in the time of Pharamond. 
 
 Notwithstanding therefore it fhould be true, that the 
 Franks did come from Panmnia to the country of 
 Tongrcs an age or two before, yet if we afterwards 
 find them always on the other lide the Rhine; if ac- 
 cprding to all thefe* contemporary authors they went 
 to the other fide of the river to attack and puniili their
 
 the Hiftory of F R A N c E. 
 
 Dukes or Kings, if in the fame authors there is not 
 the leafl footftep of the kingdom of the Franks in the 
 country of Tmgres ; what foundation can thefe two 
 lines of Gregory of Tours afford for the fyftem of a 
 kingdom of the Franks eltablifli'd on this fide the 
 Rhine ? 
 
 Secondly, all that I have produced ftomApoIliftaris t 
 Procopius, and Gregory of "fours entirely overthrows 
 this conceit. 
 
 Thirdly, Tongria is a word no where to be met 
 with in the ancient hiftorians. We find that of Tongri 
 indeed, but Tongria is to be feen in no other place of 
 Gregory of Tours, nor in any of the authors that went 
 before, or came after him ; but inftead of it we every 
 where read Toringia. 
 
 But to forego all thefe arguments, and feveral o- 
 thcrs which might be produced, together with the 
 ftrong reafons urged by Mr. de Galois in confutation 
 of this fyftem, tho' it is much of a piece with the reft, 
 that Clodion and his fuccefTors reign'd on this fide the 
 Rhine, let us come to matter of fat, and examine the 
 authority of the manufcript itfelf. 
 
 Will this manufcript over-balance the reading of all 
 the other manufcripts, which expreffly atteft the con- 
 trary ? Have thofe, who cry up this difcovery, confi- 
 der'd, that for above a thoufand years together, from 
 the time of Gregory of Tours's writing, it has always 
 been read Toringiar/i in this place, and never ' 
 
 Fredegarius, who wrote fpon after Gregory of Tours t 
 keeps clofe to the words of this hiftorian, whom he 
 epitomis'd, and fays, that Chdion fettled in termino To~ 
 rmgorurn. The author of the book intitul'd Gefta Re- 
 gum Francorum, delivers himfelf in the fame language, 
 and adds in exprefs terms, that Clodion pafs'd the Rhine 
 to go to the country of Artois. The Monk Roricon^ 
 Hincmar in the life of S. Remigius, and all the other 
 copiers of Gregory of Tours, fpeak the fame words, 
 Jt is plain then that the manufcripts of this author of 
 a thoufand, eight hundred, and fix hundred years old 
 have had the fame reading that now appears in our 
 printed books. 
 
 The manufcript therefore of Morel, which reads 
 Tongriam, has been made to fpeak in this manner 
 
 by
 
 id 'An hijlorical ^Preface to 
 
 by the correction of fome perfon of fuperficial learn- 
 ing, who found himfelf at a lofs to underltand the 
 place in Gregory of Tours. 
 
 But it will be urged, is it pofllble to believe that 
 Gregory of Tours did not know that the way from 
 Pannonia to Turinge was not over the Rhine ? Mr. 
 de Valois, to get rid of this difficulty, has made ano- 
 ther correction in the paflage, and fays, that Gregory 
 of Tours ought to be read Dehinc tranfalto Mano, and 
 not Rheno, having pafs'd the Main. This indeed is 
 Ibmewhat more feafible than the other ; but, after all, 
 it is no better than conjecture, and a plain contradi- 
 Hon befides to all the manufcripts. For my part, my 
 thoughts of this matter are as follow. 
 
 I fay, that Gregory of Tours has here reported a tra- 
 dition without examining it, or knowing whether it 
 was true or falfe; and that this tradition has fome 
 foundation, even in that part of it which is falle. 
 
 Vignter, in his difcourie on the original of the an- 
 tient Franks mentions an infcription found in the ruins 
 of old Beuda in Pannonia, which lays, that a legion of 
 the Sicambri built a city in that phce, which was call'd 
 Sicambria after their name. 
 
 L.4. Annal. \V"e learn indeed from Cornelius Tacitus, that there 
 were in thofe parts fome of the Sicambri in the fervice 
 of the Emperor Tiberius ; and Dion the hiltorian informs 
 us, that there were alfo in the fame country fome 
 of the Batavi in the fervice of the Emperor Adrian. 
 And in the antient geographers we meet with a peo- 
 ple not far from thence, call'd Bread. Now the Si- 
 ceonbri and the Batavi wefe comprehended under the 
 name of Franks, as were the Br -utter i, the Camavi, 
 and the reft that inhabited along the banks of the low- 
 tr Rhine and of t\\eVahal. The word Brenci has a 
 great affinity with Fraud. 
 
 This may have poffibly given rife to the tradition 
 that makes the Franks to come from Pannonia, how 
 falfe Ibever it be in that point. The multitude of barba- 
 rous nations which over-ran the empire in the fifth age 
 of the church, the difference and multiplicity of their 
 names, and the obfcurity of their original, were then 
 the occafion of all thefe conjectures concerning the 
 places where they were antiently feated. 
 
 2. For
 
 For the other point, that the Pranks pafs'd the Rhine 
 in their way to Turinge, here lies the difficulty. This 
 however is that part of the tradition which is true, and 
 is a facl: that happen'd three hundred years before Gre^ 
 gory of Tours wrote his hiftory. 
 
 Eumenius, in his panegyrick upon Conftantius and 
 Zozirnus, about the end of the firft book of his hifto- 
 ry, tells us, that the Emperor Probus having conquered 
 the Franks, agreed to the propofal they made him, of 
 giving them fome lands to inherit ; that he allow'd 
 them to fit down upon the banks of the Euxine lea, 
 whither they were tranfported, but that foon after their 
 arrival they revolted, and feiz'd a great number of 
 (hips which they found near the fea-fhore, imbark'd 
 themfelves, and ravaged all the coaft of Thracia, 
 Greec e, Africa, and Sicily, took and fack'd Syracufe, and 
 afterwards returned to their own country. 
 
 In their way thither they crofs'd over Gaul, refted 
 upon the banks of the Rhine, which is what Gregory 
 of Tours means by Lit for a Rheni amni incubuifle, and 
 afterwards bent their courfe tQ Turinge, which was 
 the frontier of the country of the Franks on that fide. 
 Dehinc tranfafto Rheno Turingtam tranfmeafle. Thus 
 J think we ought to underftand the tradition mention- 
 ed by Gregory of Tours, if it be indeed worth the trou- 
 ble of an explanation. A word of thofe who wrote 
 after him, and have placed the Franks in Gaul before 
 Clo'vis. 
 
 Thefe are the veryperfons who difcover the original offaa*a> 
 of our nation in the city of Troy, and gravely tell us, ^'yf the 
 that after the taking of that city by the Greeks, one IJJTrte** 
 part of the inhabitants march'd into Italy under the Franks 
 conduct of JLneas, and another to the number of Gaul .* r /* 
 twelve thoufand went to fix themfelves towards the V1S " 
 Palus Mieotides, where they built a city call'd Sicam- 
 Iria; that the Franks continued there till the reign of 
 Valentinian, and that it was in the time of this Em~ 
 peror that they arrived at the Rhine ; and then follows 
 the hiitory of the eilablifhment of Clodion in Gaul. 
 
 The firft part of this hiliory is a meer fable, and full 
 of abfurdities. The time of the departure of thz Franks 
 from Sicambria, and their arrival at the Rhine in the 
 time of Valentinian is a glaring falfhopd ; the Roman
 
 An hiftorical ^Preface to 
 
 hiftory mentioning the Franks as inhabitants ofGeria~ 
 ny from the time of the Emperor Gallienus. Can we 
 after this give any credit to that which follows con- 
 cerning the eftablifhment of the fame Franks in Gaul 
 under Clodion, whom the Roman hiftory exprefily affirms 
 to have been driven thence by Aetius^ General of the 
 Roman army ? 
 
 In a word, all thefe writers have commented upon 
 Gregory of Tours, who fpeaks of Clodton's entring 
 Gauly but paffes over in filence the defeat of this 
 Prince by Aetius, which we learn from the hiftory of 
 the empire, and has thereby left room to believe he was 
 fettled there. To this falfhood thefe writers, feveral 
 ages after Gregory of Tours, have added an infinite 
 number of others which are univerfally allowed to be 
 fhch, and which ought to render their tem'mony of no 
 authority in the point before us. 
 
 As to my new hypothecs, there are fome that ima- 
 gine I have cut off four of our Kings from the firft 
 race, viz, Pharamond, Clodion, Merovee, w&Childe- 
 ric ; and look upon this retrenchment as a kind of 
 treafon. Thus they pafs fentence without the leaft 
 Cognizance of the matter before them. I have not cut 
 oft from the firft race the four Kings they fpeak of. It 
 is true, I have made them reign in France on the other 
 fide the Rhine ; but they are not the lefs Kings of 
 France^ or of the firft race, for reigning here, or in 
 Gaul If thofe who make Pkaramond to reign over 
 the Franks on the other fide theA6/W, as moftof our 
 hiftorians do, are not thought to cut him off from the 
 iirft race, why will they accule me of doing fb, only 
 becaufe I make him, as they do, to reign on the other 
 fide this river, as well as his immediate fuccefTors ? 
 
 Thus you have my opinion, as I think, very folidly 
 confirm'd, according to which Clows was the firft of 
 the Kings of the franks who fix'd the nation in Gaul y 
 whither all his predeceffors had only made excurfions, 
 without being able to eftabliih themfelves there, being 
 always repulild by the Romans. And this is the realbn 
 why in undertaking to write the hiftory of France after 
 the eftablifhment of the monarchy in Gaul, I begin with 
 Clovis. 
 
 Thofe who are offended that I don't begin my hi- 
 ftory wishPbaratnoad* as the writers of the Fre neb hi- 
 
 ftory
 
 the Htftory of FRANCE. 
 
 ftory before me have done, may fatisfy themfelves in 
 this particular from the firlt and following articles of 
 my hilrorical preface, where they will find all that is 
 considerable, and not fabulous, in the reigns of Phara- 
 wend, Clodiox, Merovee, zMChilderic ; for I have there 
 louch'd upon all the moft important and certain facts 
 of the reigns of thefe four Princes, and have omitted 
 nothing but fable and fiction, which ferve only to 
 corrupt an hiftory. 
 
 ARTICLE II. 
 
 Of the def option of King Childeric, father 
 0/*Clovis, and of the election of Count 
 Gilles, General of the Roman army, U 
 the throne of the Franks in his room. 
 
 * *"T~ 1 HE Franks, fays Gregory of Tours, having de- L. *..>. 
 " JL. thron'd Childeric by reafon of his exceffive de- 
 " bauches, chofe by common confent Count Gilles for 
 " their King ; this was he who commanded the Roman 
 " army in Gaul. 
 
 Againft this fact I have hardly any thing to oppofc 
 but conjecture and negative arguments, which how- 
 ever may poflibly have the fame effect upon the mind 
 of the readers, when they fhall have examin'd them, 
 as they had upon me. I fhall dilpatch them in two words. 
 
 We hardly meet with any thing more extraordinary, 
 than this election of a General of the Roman army by 
 the/r*#f, confidering that they were Pagans, jealous 
 of their liberty, and of the glory of their nation, as 
 different from the Romans in their manners, govern- 
 ment, and cufloms, as in their religion ; their declar'd 
 enemies, and who had a long time been endeavouring 
 to wreft from them a part of Gaul. Such an election 
 confider'd in itfelf looks almoft as extravagant as the 
 conduct of the Turks fome years fince would have 
 done, if after having depofed Mahomet IV. they had 
 plac'd Prtnce Charles de Lorain, who then command- 
 ed the troops of the Emperor in Hwgary, upon the 
 throne of the eaftera empire, 
 
 The
 
 s 
 
 r An hi ft one al ^Preface to 
 
 The more fingular this incident was, the more it 
 deferv'd a place in the Imperial hiftory ; and yet there 
 is not one word faid of it there. It happen'd at a time 
 when the Romans were perpetually jealous of their Ge- 
 nerals, and above all of thofe in Gaul : Every ftep they 
 
 PrifcusRhe- took was then fulpe&ed; A etius, predeceifor of Count 
 
 tor, idacius Gilles, had been ftabb'd upon fufpiczon of his holding 
 
 * intelligence with the Vandals ; and others before him 
 
 had met with the fame fate upon the like account. 
 Count Gilles was a Gaul by nation, belov'd by the 
 people, and an experienc'd foldier. What greater caule 
 of miftruft could this General have given, than to unite 
 in his own perfon to the command of the armies in 
 Gate/, which, he is fuppofed to have always retain'd, 
 the regal authority over a warlike people, who had 
 been long formidable to the empire, and, being com- 
 manded and difciplin'd by fuch an eminent leader, 
 would have become invincible. The tyrant Mavnen- 
 tius, who with the affiftance of the Saxons and Franks 
 made an attempt to invade the empire in the time of 
 the Emperor Conjlantius, was an example they could 
 not have fo foon forgotten. 
 
 This was a very nice affair for the Count to ma- 
 nage, iuppofing he was difpofed to continue in his 
 duty. He was under the tyranny of Rtcimer the Pa- 
 trician, who made and pull'd down the Emperors one 
 after another, according as they pleafed or offended 
 him. And furely if Count Gilles had been tempted to 
 afcend the throne of the empire, he had by this means 
 the bed opportunity in the world to caufe himfelf to 
 be proclaim'd Emperor. Is it poffible then, that an 
 event fo furprifing, and at the fame time fo publick, 
 that would naturally have cauted fo much diiquiet, 
 raifed fb many fufpicions, given room for fo many in- 
 trigues, and kept the w r hole court in fufpence, fhould 
 have efcaped all the hiftorians of the empire, who 
 wrote in that time ? 
 
 The reign of this General was a reign of eight years, 
 another remarkable circumftance, during all which 
 time he had the command of the Imperial army. But 
 at the end of thefe eight years the Franks revolted from 
 him and forfook him, and we find him reduc'd to the 
 fole quality of General of the Roman army in Gaul. It 
 is very extraordinary, that thefe great- revolutions, and 
 
 furprifing
 
 the Hiflory <?/F R AN c E. 
 
 furprifing turns of affairs fhould be forgotten by all the 
 hiftorians that lived at or near that time. 
 
 My fecond obfervation upon this fact is, that Count 
 Gilles was by no means an obfcure man, nor un- 
 known to the hiftorians. He is mention'd by feveral, 
 but they never Ipeak of him but as Count or General 
 of the Roman army in Gaul, and there is not one of 
 them who makes the leaft allufion to his title of King. 
 
 In the life of St. Martin, written in verfe ty Pauls- 
 nus (not St. Paulinus of Nola, as fome have believ'd, 
 but another of the fame name and age) we find Count 
 Gilles fuftaining with great refolution the fiege of 
 Aries againft Tbeodoric King of the Vifigoths, and forcing 
 him to break up after a vigorous fally and a great de- 
 feat. The honour of this aHon is alcribed neither to 
 the Franks, nor a King of the Franks. 
 
 But it will be faid, perhaps, he was not yet King, 
 this action happening but one year after Childeric came 
 to the crown ; however, without this it is impoffible 
 to account for the eight years reign which Gregory of L - 2 : c - IZ * 
 Tours afcribes to him, and even with it ; for Childeric cSSe 
 began his reign in 45*8, and Count Gilles died in 463 ; Prifcu* Rfae- 
 but he muft have been King at leaft when he attended : ~ 
 the Emperor Major anus into Spain in order to the Afri- 
 can expedition, which was prevented by the burning of 
 the fhips. In the mean time Sidonitts Apollinaris^ tho 1 
 he gives us a large catalogue of the different nations 
 Majoranm then had in his army, neither names the 
 Franks, nor the King of the Franks; we find there nei- 
 ther the name of brand, nor thofe of Bru&cri, nor 
 any others which this writer and the hiftorians of that 
 time do ufually give the French. 
 
 i . Baftarna, Suevns, 
 
 Pannonius, Neurus, Chunus, Geta,Dacus,Alanus, 
 Bellonothits, Rugus, Burgundio, f- 7 efus, Alites, 
 Bifalta, OJirogothus, Procruftes, Sarmata, Mofcbus, 
 Poft aquilas venere tuas 
 
 If Count Gilles had been then King, would not he 
 have had an entire army of Franks under his command ? 
 and would he have quitted the kingdom without taking 
 with him the principal officers and the beft troops, at 
 a time when he could not but be fenfible of the in- 
 conftancy of the nation ?
 
 $i 'An hi/tor teal ^Preface to 
 
 prifcus Rhe- Prifcus the Rhetor, whom I have already cited upon 
 ** another occafion, where he informs us of fome im- 
 
 portant particulars relating to the children of Clodion, 
 which no body befides himfelf has taken notice of, 
 mentions alfo a very coniiderable circumftance with 
 regard to Count Gille's, whom we are fpeaking of; he 
 calls him in Greek N<y<&-, inftead of Az^Ji-, and fays, 
 that this Count being incens'd againft the Romans in 
 Italy, that is, againft Ricimer, who had deftroy'd the 
 Emperor Majoranus, gave them a great deal ot trou* 
 ble ; becaufe, fays he, this General was at the head of 
 a great army that had follow'd Majoranus into Spain, 
 and whofe death he had revenged, if the Goths had not 
 made a diver (ion in Gaul, and obliged him to go and 
 defend the frontier of the empire againft them, where he 
 wrought wonders. In all this we find no mention of 
 any but a Romaq General, and not the leaft appearance 
 of a King of the Franks, when neverthelefs this was a 
 very proper place for relating fuch a circumftance in. 
 in chronico. But if Count Gilles was ever King of the^Yvftrjb, he 
 jAn.4^2- was Q^ according to Idacius, when he gain'd a great 
 vi&ory over the Goths in the Province of Armorica, 
 \vhere Frederic, brother of Theodoric, King of the Vi- 
 figoths was kill'd. Idacius, who upon this occafion 
 giVes him the title of Count and General of both the 
 Roman Militia, and informs us withal, that he was a 
 very wealthy man, pafles over in filence his royal cha- 
 raster. He mentions alfo this General in two other 
 places ; and fpeaking of his death, he defcribes him as 
 one whofe conduct and courage alone was a luffici- 
 ent barrier to prevent the inroads of the Goths into the 
 lands of the empire. Quo defiflente mox Gothi regio- 
 nes ixvadunt, quas Romano nommi tuebatur. 
 
 But what is remarkable, and more than a negative 
 argument, this Count, according to Bilhop Idacius, who 
 wrote the hiftory of his own time, died in the thir- 
 teertth year of the Emperor Severus ; that is to fay, five 
 An. 4*3- years after Childeric came to the crown of the Franks 
 by the death of his father Merovee. Where then are 
 thole ei^ht years to be found, which Gregory of Tours 
 afcribes to the reign of Count Gtlles ? I don't know 
 whether I am miftakcn, but this collection of proofs 
 which I have here put together, feems, morally fpeak- 
 ing, to amount to a demonitration againft this hiftori- 
 
 cal
 
 the Hiftory 0f FRANCE. 
 
 cal paradox of a Roman General elected King by the 
 Franks of that time. 
 
 For my own part I am perfuaded, that this apocry- 
 phal hiftory has been received without contradiction by 
 our writers of the hiftory of France, only becaufe it 
 ferv'd to enliven a little the melancholy barrennefs of 
 thefe firft reigns, which they have taken a fancy, with- 
 out any manner of reafon or foundation, to place on 
 this fide the Rhine. 
 
 My opinion then is, that this pafTage of Gregory of 
 Tours is only an extract or abridgment of fome ro- 
 mance extant in his time, which he took for a true 
 hiftory of the reign of Childeric, who govern'd on 
 the other fide the Rhine near fifty years before he 
 wrote his hiftory. 
 
 For if we obferve, it is altogether romantick. Chil- 
 deric, while an infant, made a captive, and afterwards 
 refcued by Viomade ; the character that is given him of 
 a Prince equally brave and amorous ; his retiring to 
 the King of Turingia after he had been depofed by his 
 fubje&s ; his amours with the Queen of Turingia ; this 
 Queen, who after his reftoration quitted her husband 
 and kingdom to go in fearch of her lover ; the piece 
 of gold that was broken in two, of which Childeric 
 kept one part, and the other was fent him by his faith- 
 ful Viomade, to remind him that it was time to return 
 to his kingdom ; not to fpeak of his pretended vifions 
 on his wedding-night, which thofe who make him 
 reign on this fide the Rhine have added to the fhort 
 account of Gregory of Tours. Without doubt all this 
 has the air of a romance ; and I believe that moft peo- 
 ple will agree with me in my fentiments upon this 
 matter. 
 
 The hiftory of \hzFranks at that time might, with- 
 out any fear of a difcovery, be embellifhed with thefe 
 kinds of epifodes when they were yet in France, that 
 is to fay, on the other fide the Rhine, and had very 
 little communication with the Gauls, there being no 
 certain accounts to be met with relating to them, till 
 after Clovis was fettled in Gaul : From that time it 
 was eafy to know what pafs'd among them, from the 
 affairs of \heBurgundians and Vifigotbs, from the ne- 
 gotiations of their Kings, their marriages and their in- 
 terefts in the wars of Gaul It is not till then, that 
 
 VOL. I D our
 
 $4 "An hiftorical 'Preface to 
 
 our hiftory begins to be difentangled, and to open a 
 fcene worthy of thofe who defire to be inftrude4 
 in it. 
 
 Thus the two facts I have been eftablifhing in thefe 
 two articles ferve to prove each other. The profound 
 ignorance of the Gauls in relation to the affairs of the 
 Franks till Clovis's time, is an argument that they were 
 not fettled there before ; and for this very reafon, 
 becaule they were not yet fettled there, the facts rela- 
 ting to them ought not to be receiv'd as true, having 
 fo frnall a fhare of probability as that I have been now 
 oppofing. This particular was upon other accounts 
 of fuch importance, as to have required at all times a 
 place in hiftory ; and yet there is no mention of it any 
 where till above an hundred and fifty years after the 
 time in which it is pretended to have happen'd. Laft- 
 ly, the chronology is not in all refpects agreeable to 
 the accounts of contemporary authors. 
 
 I conclude with defiring the reader to join with me 
 in this obfervation, that in difcourfing of fuch facts as 
 thefe, we are not fo much to form a judgment upon 
 the ft rength of each fingle proof taken by itfelf, as up- 
 on all together. In matters of this nature, the argu- 
 ments confider'd feparately have for the molt part but 
 a bare probability ; but when they are taken together 
 in one view, and fupported by each other, they pro- 
 duce a different effect in the mind, and form a moral 
 demonftration, fufficient to convince all thofe who 
 honeftly and impartially enquire after truth, and readily 
 pmbrace it when found. 
 
 ARTICLE III. 
 
 fFherein that queftion is difcufsd, Whether 
 the kingdom ^ France, after the monar- 
 chy was eftablift'd in Gaul, was Heredi- 
 tary or Eleftive. 
 
 DU HAIL LAN, who of all our general hiftorians 
 has made the moft remarks upon the facts he 
 has related, explains himfelf alfo upon this fubject : 
 * l After the death of Clodion the long-hair'd Merovee
 
 theHtftory 0f FRANCE. 35 
 
 " was chofen King by the Franks, who referv'd to 
 w themfclves the power of ele&ing, baniOiing, and de- 
 u poring their Kings. And tho' the fuccefTion fbme- 
 " times defcended from father to fon, and from bro- 
 " ther to brother, this was not owing to hereditary 
 " right, but to the election and confent of the people, 
 " who, when they had been well ufed by a Prince, 
 "elected and received his fon or brother for their 
 " King, in retr-rn for the good he had done them." 
 
 And elfewhere : " By thefe and other examples of *P- 12 4- 
 " the fame kind, which the hiftory of France is full 
 " of, it appears that the Kings of the Franks were for- 
 " merly elective, and not hereditary; nay, and after 
 " they became hereditary, and had thrown off the e- 
 " lection of the people, there ftill remain'd a form of 
 " election, which is obierv'd in their confecration and 
 " coronation at Rheims, wherein the Peers of France, 
 " in the name of the Church, Nobility, and People, 
 " elect the King there prefent. But this is only a fha- 
 " dow of the ancient method of electing." Thus this 
 hiftorian. 
 
 Others on the contrary pretend, that the empire of 
 t\\e Franks was hereditary, as it is now, from the time 
 that the Kings fons by the law of the nation fucceeded 
 their fathers ; that in default of male iilue the brothers 
 fucceeded, and in default of them the next relations. 
 I look upon this fecond opinion as the true one, and 
 that of Haillan as falfe, at leaft with regard to the firft 
 race, for there feems to have been an alteration in this 
 particular under the fecond. 
 
 The firft proof of my propofition fhall be taken Proof I. 
 from the manner in which our antient hiftorian ex^ 
 prefles himfelf upon the partition of the empire of the 
 Franks among the fo'ns of Clovis after his death. C/o- Lib. 3. c. i. 
 vis being dead, fays Gregory of "fours, his four fons ?f^ n ,f|" d ^. 
 Thierri, Glodomir, Chjldebert,- and Clotaire, divided v*o, quatuor 
 the kingdom between them. Here is not one word of filii 
 election ; on the contrary, it is expreffly laid, that they 
 were the fons who divided their father's kingdom be- m ni, 
 twccn them. Nothing furely fuits better with an he- ^ehcrtusnrq; 
 reditary fucceflion than this divifion, or lefs with the ^Jun^jm 
 notion of election. For if an election had intervened, abcipiunt, & 
 it would in all likelihood have fallen upon a fingle jnterfta-qui 
 perfon , this being the ordinary method in elective * 
 P 2 dates.
 
 3 6 An hiftorical 'Preface to 
 
 (tares. But let us fuppofe, that the Franks look'd upon 
 the diilblution of the monarchy, and feveral other in- 
 conveniences which thence enfued, as nothing, and 
 refolved to make a divifion of it, it was neceflary at 
 leaft that the Lords fhould have firft canton'd out the 
 ftate into four kingdoms, and then that each kingdom 
 . . ' > : fhould have chofen its King. But there is not the leaft 
 footftep of this to be found in hUlory, either upon the 
 occafion before us, or any other of the like nature. 
 On the contrary, the hiftorian fays expreflly, that they 
 were the forisofC/owVthemfelves, who made this par- 
 tition between them. 
 
 Proof ii. A fecond proof I draw from the manner in which 
 the fame empire of the Franks was parted between the 
 fons of Clotaire I. This Prince had united the whole 
 monarchy of the Franks in his own perfon, and left 
 behind him four fons. Chilperic, the youngeft, feiz'd 
 the city of Paris, defigning by that means to fecure to 
 himfelf that part of the kingdom which was call'd the 
 kingdom of Paris ; but his three brothers join'd toge- 
 ther, lays Gregory of Tours, and drove him from Pa~ 
 ris, making an equal divifion of it among themfelves ; 
 [inter fe divi/ionem legitimam faciunt.~\ The kingdom 
 of Paris fell to Caribert's fhare ; deditque fors Cari- 
 lerto regnum Childeberti, fedemque habere Part/its', 
 that of Orleans to Gontran, who had formerly had 
 Clodomiris part ; to Chilperic that of SoiJJ'ons, which 
 had belong'd to his father Clotaire, and to Sigebert the 
 kingdom of Theodoric, which had the city of Metz for 
 its capital. Befides this way of divifion, which, as I 
 faid, is by no means agreeable to a popular election ; 
 befides that this divifion was made by the Princes them- 
 felves, it is expreffly declared that they'caft lots; than 
 which, what can be lefs fuitable to an election ? 
 
 Proof in. The third proof. Gontran King of Burgundy being 
 left alone after the death of his three brothers, feiYd ' 
 on one part of Chilperic's kingdom, and on fome part 
 of that of Sigebert, which he pretended belonged to 
 him in virtue of a treaty he had made with thele two 
 Princes his brethren. This Prince had no male ifliie, 
 but two nephews, Childebert, King of Auflrafia and 
 fon of Sigeberf, and Clotaire II. fon of Chilperic. He 
 made a treaty with Childebert, by which he conftitu- 
 ted him heir to all his ftatcs, juft as he was thinking
 
 theHiftory of FRANCE. 37 
 
 of leaving them to Chtaire; and in confeqnence ot 
 this, Childebert took poflcffion of the kingdom of 
 Burgundy after his death. Is this like the conduct of 
 a Prince in pofTeflion of an elective kingdom? Would 
 the people have fubmitted without opposition to a trea- 
 ty fo manireftly in violation of their own right ? Nor 
 can it be faid that this was an ufurpation of Gontran 
 he was a good and holy Prince, neither very valiant 
 nor ambitious, and even weak in his government and 
 adminiftration. 
 
 The fourth proof is, that the fons of the. Kings of Proof rv. 
 the firft race were called Kings, without being made 
 partners with their father in the throne. This is to be 
 feen in feveral places of our hiftory ; nay, they bore 
 the title of King from their very birth, as we learn 
 from the thirty ninth Formula of the firft book of Mer- 
 culphus, the title of which runs thus, Ut fro nathitatc 
 Regis ingenui relaxentur. In this Formula the King 
 orders a certain number of flaves belonging to the 
 King's houftiold to be fet free, for obtaining of God a 
 long life to the new-born Prince. Nothing can fhew 
 more clearly than this, that the birth of the King's fons 
 gave them a right to the kingdom. 
 
 A fifth proof is taken from the words of Agatklas Proof v. 
 the hiftorian, who, fpeaking of the death of Theobald 
 King of Auftrafian France, fays, that he left no male 
 iflue behind him. He tells us, that after the death of Lib. a. 
 Theobald, the law of the country called Childebert and 
 Clotaire (his two great uncles) to the crown, as being 
 his neareft relations. It was then the law and proxi- 
 mity of blood, and not election, that regulated the 
 fucceffion of the empire of the Franks at that time. 
 
 But there is a precedent which appears to me de- 
 monftrative in the affair before us ; it is this. During 
 the Ipace of above three hundred years the crown con- 
 tinued in the fame family, as well on the other fide 
 the Rhine as on thfs. For from the time of Phara~ 
 mond, who began his reign about the year 420, to 75-1 
 or yp, whtnChildencU.1. was depoled, and Pepin the 
 firft of the fecond race took the title of King, about 
 331 years, if, according to dn Haitian's opinion the 
 kingdom was merely elective, and all the other illu- 
 ftrious families among the Franks had a right to pre- 
 tend to it, it is evident they would not have left him 
 D 3 ia
 
 3 s 'An hiflorical ^Preface to 
 
 in poffeffion of fuch an honour and advantage for fb 
 long a period ; not to mention the danger of a pre- 
 fcription, \vhich was contrary to the particular inte- 
 refts of all thefe families. 
 
 It is for this reafon that in Poland, where the king- 
 dom is elective, we have feen in our own time different 
 families afcend the throne one after another ; and the 
 fune thing has been oblerv'd in other European Mates 
 daring the time that they continued to be elective. On 
 the contrary, there is no inftance of a different family 
 . ioc r u Pn the throne of the Franks under the firft race; and, 
 which is more remarkable, there is not the leaft men- 
 tion in any hiftorian, of any attempt of a different fa- 
 il lily to get the crown into their hands. In the reign 
 of Tbeudoric I. King of Auflrafia foil of Cloiis^ there 
 was indeed onzMwderic, an enterpriling fellow, who 
 took upon himfelf the ftyle of King, but it was under 
 Greg^Tur^ p retence o f fc, e j n g one of the royal family. So again 
 ie. C J 11 the time of C lavish grand fons, one Gondeband came 
 from Constantinople, and caus'd himlelf to be proclaim- 
 ed King at Brive-la-Gaillarde, but it was under pre- 
 tence of being the fon of Clotaire I. This example 
 fhews, that birth-right alone gives a title to fucceed to 
 the deceafed King. For if election was neceffory to 
 convey a right to the crown, Gondsbaud, tho' he had 
 been certainly the fon of Clotaire, would not have had 
 .- - _ an apparent right thereby ; becaufe when Clotaire was 
 dead, no regard would have been had to him in the 
 election of his fuccefibrs. 
 
 Grimoald alone, who was Mayor of the palace -of 
 Auftrafia, ventured to give his fon the title of King of 
 /luftrajia; but immediately a general infurre&ion was 
 railed againft them both, and the father was taken and 
 imprifbn'd at Paris, where he died, the fon banifh'd 
 or kill'd, and the kingdom reftored to the royal fa- 
 mily. 
 
 Proof vi. j r - the kingdom O f p ra>tce had been ele&ive, who 
 fhouid have hindcr'd the Mayors of the palace from 
 procuring themfdves to be chofen? They had the 
 whole power in their hands under feveral Kings, were 
 mailers of the army, the rreafury, and all places of 
 trull and advantage, absolutely difpofcd of all, and 
 wanted only the name of King and the crown. Why 
 did hot they get thcmlclves cho&n a: the death of 
 i fome
 
 the ffiftory ^FRANCE.' 
 
 fome one of their Kings, inftead of placing the bro- 
 thers or children 'of thefe Princes, as yet too young 
 and incapable of governing, upon the throne in their 
 room, as they did ? 
 
 Would not this reafon, drawn from their incapaci- 
 ty by reafon of their nonage, have fufficed to exclude 
 them from an elective throne, efpecially confidering 
 how many enemies, or unruly tributaries, were placed 
 upon the borders of France ? 
 
 In the courfe of the hiftory, we fee the defcen- 
 dants of Pepin the firft down to Pepin the third, 
 who was at laft King, ufing endeavours to afcend the 
 throne, and that during the fpace of above an hundred 
 years. To what purpofe all this precaution, artifice, 
 and affected modefty ? Nothing was eafier than for 
 perfons fo befet with friends and dependants, to have 
 
 got themfelves chofen Kings, if the kingdom had been 
 elective- 
 
 Pepin, the father of Charles Martel, invaded the 
 kingdom of Av.ftrajia, and made himfelf Duke of it 
 independent of the King of France ; but he never durft 
 take upon him the title of King. Charles Martel his 
 fon, becoming abfolute matter of this duchy, not on- 
 ly obferv'd the fame conduct, but was obliged alfo, 
 
 in compliance with the inclinations of the Auftrafian 
 Franks, to fet up a King again of the Merovingian race, 
 called Clotaire, and that too after an inter-regnum of 
 feven and thirty years in this part of the French em- 
 pire. Can any thing ftronger be produced, to prove 
 that thefe Princes had by birth an incontestable right to 
 the crown? 
 
 The fame Charles Martcl, after the death of this C/<?- 
 taire, acknowledged Theodoric of Chelles, not only as 
 King of Neuftria and Burgundy, but alfo as King of 
 Auftrafia. Theodoric being dead, he did not think fit 
 to give France even the fhadow of a King, as he had 
 hitherto done; but then he forbore to take upon him- 
 felf the title of King, and to date the publick acts 
 from the years of his government according to the 
 methods of the Kings of France. Some charters of 
 that time are now in being, and, among the reft, one 
 of this very Charles Martel dated in thefe terms, 72* 
 fifth year after the death of King Theodoric ; and it is 
 by thefe kind of charters that this general inter-regnum 
 P4 in
 
 40 An hiftoncd ^Preface to 
 
 in the whole French empire is proved, which Sirmond 
 andPetavius firft difcover'd in our hiltory. 
 
 Pepin, Son of Charles Martel, placed Chtlderic III. 
 upon the throne, and afterwards depofed him to make 
 room for himfelf. Why did not he get himfelf chofen 
 without more ado, if the kingdom had been eleSive ? 
 
 Proof vu. Q n the contrary, the Franks had long fmce made a 
 voluntary fubmiflion of themfelves to the regnant fa- 
 
 L->. c.j. mily. Gregory of fours fpeaks clearly enough to this 
 puipofc, tho' upon the fingle authority of a bare tra- 
 dition, ki the following terms : " Many (ay, that the 
 " Franks, after they were fettled upon the confines 
 " of Turingia, made them long-hair'd Kings out of 
 " the firft and moft noble family among them, of 
 " which family wasC/ow'j." And fo true is this, that 
 all the petty Kings of France, who pailed the Rhine 
 with him, were all his relations, nor is there one 
 named who was not. Ranacaire King of Caxibray, 
 Reinomer King of Maine, Sigebert King of Cologne, 
 and Cararic, were all of Ciovtfs family, none but 
 thofe of this family being allowed the name of King 
 after the nation had lubmitted to it. What Gregory of 
 Tours relates as a mere tradition receiv'd among the 
 Franks, St. Gregory the Great expreffl yaffirms. "The 
 " Kings of the Franks and Perfians, fays he, owe their 
 
 Homil. 10. " titles to their birth ; In Perfantm Franc or ttmc[\ terra 
 
 in Evang. Rg ^ ef fx ^ enere frojeunt. This holy Pope lived in 
 the time of CIo vis's grandlbns. 
 
 In a word, what du Haillan advances to make his 
 fcheme appear probable, can by no means be fupport- 
 ed, ?'/*. that the continuance of this fucceflion was 
 owing to the affe&ion of the people, who acknow- 
 ledged in the perfbn of the fons the benefits they had 
 received from their father. ForChtairell. who at the 
 age of four or five months was own'd as King by the 
 trench of the kingdom of Neujlria, was fon of Cbil- 
 peric I. and of Fredcgonde, both of them fo extremely 
 hated by their fubjecls, that for the contrary reafon to 
 that of dtt Haillan, he (hould have been entirely exclu- 
 ded from the fucceflion to the kingdom, which ne- 
 verthelefs was conferr'd upon him. All thefe obfer- 
 vations feem to me to be invincible proofs of my opi- 
 nion, and to render the other unfupportable. 
 
 Herein
 
 the Hiftory of F R A N c E 41 
 
 Herein chiefly lies the fault of the hiftorian's reafon- 
 jng whom I oppofe, that he proves the right of the 
 people to elect their Kin^s from fuch inftances as are 
 by no means proper for his purpofe. 
 
 His firft inftance is the imaginary depofition of Childe- 
 rtc father of Clovis, and the eledion of Count Giles t 
 General of the Roman army in his place. His iecond 
 iuftance*is the offer which the French of the kingdom of 
 Soiffons made to fubmit themfelves to Sigebert King oif 
 Auftrafia, at the time when he kept his" brother Chil- 
 feric I. clofely befieged at Tow-nay, without any ap- 
 pearance of his being able to efcape. He adds the de* 
 pofition of CbUdertc III. and the raifing of Pepin the 
 firft of the fecond race to the crown ; and laftly, the 
 election of Hugh Capet, the firft of the third race, in 
 the place of Charles Duke of Lower Lorraine. Thefe 
 and fuch like facls, moft of which are manifeftly in- 
 ftances of force and violence, do by no means prove 
 of themfelves the right of the people to depofe or 
 el eel their Kings. How often have the people, by the 
 direction and encouragement of the great men, or of 
 the enemies of a government, exercis'd thefe violences 
 againft the moft lawful and undoubtedly hereditary 
 Kings ? 
 
 Would it not be exceeding bad reasoning, to con- 
 clude from the two famous examples -we have feen in 
 England during our own time, and from feveral o- 
 thers mention'd in the hiftory of that ifland, that the 
 kingdom of England was not an hereditary, but an 
 elective ftate? And yet the arguments produced by 
 this hiftorian, to prove that France was an elective king- 
 dom under the firft race, are juft of the fame kind. 
 
 I know well, that our antient hiltorians do fome- 
 times make ufe of the word election ; For example, 
 the continuator of Fredegarius, (peaking of Ctovis III. 
 fon of Theodoric, fays, that the Franks chofe him King, 
 young as he was ; Ckdovaum filium ejus parvulunt 
 clegerunt in regnum. But this way of fpeaking does 
 not denote fuch an election as is made formally by 
 votes in an elective kingdom. It fignifies at moft the 
 unanimous confent of the Lords in thole publick af- 
 femblies, where, according to the oiftom of the na- 
 tion, the Kings were proclaim'd ; but fuch a confent 
 as neither was or could be ever refus*d, being founded 
 
 upon
 
 4$ An hiflorical ^Preface to 
 
 upon the law, nsdgathias fays, and upon the right of 
 Loc. cit. birth, as St. Gregory : It was a kind of renewal of the 
 choice the nation had formerly made of the royal houfe 
 to govern them; and it was made by a new oath of 
 allegiance. 
 
 1 prove what I have been faying in this refpe& by 
 an ancient ceremonial of the confecration of our Kings, 
 made, according to da Tillet, by order of Levjis the 
 younger, father of Philippus Auguftus, and conftantly 
 ufed from that time to this. In one of the prayers 
 pronounced by the Archbifhop, who confecrates the 
 & King, are thefe words : \ Multiply the gifts of thy blef- 
 tranflathfn* * fi n &? u P on f ^ s *ty f ervanti > whom vje with humble de- 
 votion have together chofcn to the kingdom. And yet 
 the Archbifhop in the courfe of the ceremony addref- 
 fing himfelf to the King, adds, Be thou firm, and keep 
 long the ftate thou haft hitherto held, derived to thee 
 from thy father by hereditary right, delegated by the 
 authority of almighty God^ &c. This (hews, that the 
 term election fignines nothing more upon thefe occa- 
 fions than the acceptance of the people, and is by no 
 means oppofed to the rights and idea that we have of 
 an hereditary crown. It feems certain then, that the 
 kingdom of France was not elective in- thefe firft times, 
 but perfectly hereditary, and is in its prefent ftate ex- 
 actly conformable to its firft inftitution. 
 
 I can't fay the fame of the fecond race, where al- 
 moft every thing we meet with has the marks of an 
 elective kingdom. Firft, it is certain that Pepin, the 
 head of this line, was made King by election, and that 
 by this means the right of the King's fons to the crown 
 of their father was aboliih'd, that is, the crown ceafed 
 to be hereditary ; and it is a queftion to be confider'd, 
 whether it became fo again afterwards. 
 
 Secondly, a kingdom becomes hereditary two ways. 
 Firft, when the people folemnly engage to fubmit 
 themfelves to the government not only of a Prince 
 himfelf. but to that of his family after him. Thus, 
 according to Gregory of 'Tours, the Franks, after their 
 Settlement on the borders of Turingia, fe t over them- 
 Cehes long-hair 1 d Kings of the firft and rnofl noble fa- 
 mily among them, of which family 'was Clovis. Thus 
 alfo in our own time, ann. 1660, the ftates of Den- 
 mark fecured that crown to the posterity of Frederic III. 
 
 But
 
 43 
 
 'But we meet with no fuch engagement of the French 
 with regard to the fecond race. Pepin was chofen 
 King ; but it does not appear that the French were un- 
 der any obligation to preferve the crown in his family ; 
 nay, if we do but reflect a littie upon what happen'd 
 afterwards we lhall fee the contrary. 
 
 Pope Stephen being arrived in France to demand fuc- 
 cours againft the Lombards, confecrated Pepin, though 
 St. Boniface Bilhop of Mayence had already perform'd 
 that office ; and afterwards he gave the royal unction 
 to Charles and Cnrkman, Pepix's fons. When the 
 ceremony was over, Stephen harangued the company, 
 and giving the benediction to the French Lords, he ex- 
 horted and conjured them by St. Peter, whofe autho- 
 rity God had committed to him, to maintain the fami- 
 ly of Pepin in poireffion of the crown, under pain of 
 interdict and excommunication, forafmuch as Pepin 
 and his fons had been railed to the throne by the di- 
 vine mercy, and by the interceffion of the holyapoftles, -' 
 as their election had been confirm'd, arid themfelves don. 
 confecrated by the vicar of Jefus Chrift. There is not 
 the leaft mention here of any promife made, or oath 
 taken by the French Lords, to continue the crown in 
 the family of Pepin ; and if there had been any fuch 
 thing done, the Pope would not have fail'd to have 
 laid it before them. He made ufe of nothing but ex- 
 hortation and menaces of Ipiritual punifhments, ground- 
 ed upon the aflurance he gave them, that fuch was the 
 will of God, and of the apoftles St. Peter and St. Paul. 
 
 Secondly, after the death of Pepin, fays Eginard, j n vhACa? 
 the fucceffion-of the kingdom fell to Charles and Car- roIiMagn.. 
 luman by the will of God, Divino nutu, which had 
 been declared by the Pope. The French in a general 
 affembly chofe them both for their Kings, upon con- 
 dition that the kingdom fhould be divided into two e- 
 qual parts ; that Charles fliould have that part which 
 his father Pepin had govern'd before he was made 
 King, and Carlo-man that which had been adminiftred 
 by his uncle Carloman before his retirement from the 
 world. The conditions were accepted on both fides, 
 adds Eginart. 
 
 The fucceflion to the crown defcended to thefe two 
 Princes by the divine order; but St. Gregory, fpeaking 
 9f the Kings of the firft race, faySj it came to them 
 
 by
 
 44 An htflorical "Preface to 
 
 by birthright ; Reges ex genere prodeunt. It was the 
 four Ions of Clovis according to Gregory of T'onrs, who 
 divided the kingdom between them ; here we have the 
 French Lords prescribing the divifion; under the firft 
 race, the four fons of Clotaire agreed among them- 
 felves to divide fliares, and drew lots for each of 
 them ; here each perfon's portion is appointed to him, 
 and they are not acknowledged for Kings, but upon 
 condition of contenting themfelves with what was af- 
 fign'd them. 
 
 Thirdly, Pepin, Charlemagne, sad Lewis the Godly, 
 take their children into partnerfhip with them, or di- 
 vide their kingdom to them in their life-time, with the 
 confent of the aifenibly or diets of the ftate ; and for 
 thefe diftributions they required the approbation of the 
 Popes, for whom they had infpired a great veneration 
 into their fubjecls. So many precautions did they take 
 to fecure the crown to their families, which they 
 would not have done, if it had defcended to their chil- 
 dren in full right. 
 
 Fourthly, Carloman brother of Charlemagne being 
 dead, this latter was immediately chofcn King by the 
 fubje&s of Carloman, notwithstanding he left children 
 behind him, who retired into Italy to the court of the 
 King of t\\e Lombards. 
 
 Fifthly, in Charlemagne's charter, by which he divi- 
 ded his kingdom between his three fons, and endea- 
 vour'd to provide againft all inconveniences that might 
 tend to break the peace between them, ordering, that 
 in cafe one of the three fhould die, the two others 
 fliould part his kingdom between them, we have thefe 
 remarkable words, That if one of the three has fuch a 
 fox AS THE PEOPLE SHALL BE WILLING TO ELECT, 
 THAT HE MAY SUCCEED TO HIS FATHER'S THRONE, 
 iue will that his two uncles give their confent to the 
 election, and permit him to reign in that part of the Jlate 
 which belong' el to his father. 
 
 Sixthly, after the death and a very fhort reign of 
 Lewis the Stammering, grandfon of Lewis the Godly, 
 Duke Bofon, brother of the Emprefs Richilda, wife of 
 Charles the Bald, got himfelf chofen King of Aries and 
 Provence in a council ; and this kingdom was of great 
 extent. His example was foon after follow'd tyRodolphus 
 Duke of Burgundia T'ransjurana^ who took upon him- 
 3 felf
 
 the Hiftory of FRANCE, 45 
 
 felf the title of King there. From all thefe fa6b it ap- 
 pears, that the French empire was no longer look'd 
 upon as hereditary under the fecond race. 
 
 The other means by which a kingdom becomes he- 
 reditary, is a very long pofTcflion, and a long fiiccef- 
 fion of Princes of the fame blood, raifed to the throne 
 one after another, which fhews the unanimous con- 
 fent of the people to the perpetuating the crown in the 
 fame branch. But this is not to be found in the Car- 
 lovittgian race. For after five generations, that is to 
 fay, after Carloman foil of Lewis the Stammering, the 
 crown was transferr'd by election to the Emperor 
 Charles the Grofs, who was of the German branch of 
 Charlemagne, and foon after to Eudes, then to Robert, 
 and lalt of all to Rodolphus, none of whom were of 
 the male race of Pepin. 
 
 Charles the Simple himfelf acknowledged Odo King Mabiiion ia 
 of one part of France by accommodation ; and not diplomat. 
 only upon this occafion, but after his death alfo. For P- j61 - 
 he gives him the title of King Odo [Rex] in a char- 
 ter, by which he orders, that an anniverfary founded 
 by thefaid King fhould be obferved in St. Cornelius's 
 church \nCompiegne. 
 
 The truth is, that after the death of thefe three Kings, 
 Odo, Robert, and Rodolphus, the crown defcended to 
 Louis furnamed Tranfmarine, fon of Charles the Sim- 
 ple, and to him fucceeded his fon Lotharius, and his 
 grandfon Lewis V. But two generations are not fuffi- 
 cient to confirm the title of a long pofieffion, which I 
 mention'd before ; the houfe QtAuftria have at prefent 
 a better prefcription to the empire, which neverthelefs 
 fs not as yet look'd upon to be hereditary. 
 
 By thefe obfervations we may refolve the queftion, 
 whether the election of Pepin, the depofition of Chil- 
 deric, and the exclufion of the fons of this Prince, 
 were lawfully made. It would not have been fife to 
 difcufs this matter in the reign of the Kings of the le- 
 cond race ; but we may do it now without any dan- 
 ger, it being not the intereft of our prefent Kings to 
 maintain the validity of this election ; an election 
 founded upon a maxim equally falie in itielf, and per- 
 nicious in its confequences to fovereign power; for 
 it fuppofes a right in the people to withdraw their obe- 
 dience from their lawful hereditary Prince, and to 
 
 transfer
 
 46 An hiftorical ^Preface to 
 
 transfer it to another of their own choofing. If then 
 the kingdom of France was hereditary, as I have evi- 
 dently fhewn it was under the firft race, we ought not 
 to fcruple affirming, that Pepin had no right to it, but 
 unjuftlyufurp'd the pofleflion of it from him to whom 
 it was truly and lawfully due by birth. 
 
 The like queftion will occur in Hugh Capet's cafe, 
 with regard to the defcendants of Charlemagne ; but it 
 will be 110 difficult matter to give a fatisfa&ory anfwer 
 to it. I fay then, firft, that tho' it fhould appear that 
 Hugues Capet ufurped the kingdom againft the rightful 
 fucccfTor of the laft King of the Carlovingian race : Yet 
 pofleffion for eight ages is fuch a prefcription as can- 
 not be gainfaid, and the unanimous confent of the 
 people will perfectly fupply all the original defects of 
 this pofleffion, efpecially confidering there is no de- 
 fcendant of Pep in the firft of the fecond race in being 
 to claim againft him. There is no Prince in Europe^ 
 nor indeed in the whole world, that can produce a 
 better title. 
 
 In the fecond place I obferve, that there is a wide 
 difference between Pepin and Hugh Capet in this parti- 
 cular : For Pepin got pofTeffion of a throne that was 
 hereditary, at leaft after its foundation in Gaul; but 
 Hugh Capet was advanced to the crown by the votes 
 of the Lords after it was become ele&rve, and was 
 no more look'd upon as hereditary, tho' fome Lords, 
 efpecially in Aquitain, maintain'd the contrary. Al- 
 lowing this, Hugh Capet had fo much the better pre- 
 tence to it, becaufe his grandfather Robert^ and Odo his 
 great uncle had fat upon the throne. 
 
 When therefore Hugh Capet got himfelf chofen 
 King, the method of election had been introduced in 
 France ; but he had the beft right to it then in being, 
 as he was grandfon and grandnephcw of a King, 
 From whence it follows, that it would be unjuft to 
 treat Hugh Capet as an ufurper, as fome have done, 
 for want of confidering thofe remarkable particulars 
 above-memion'd. There was a great difference be- 
 tween the ftatc and condition of affairs when he a- 
 Icended the throne, and when Pep'ra got the pofTefiion 
 of it. 
 
 It is very probable that Hugh Capet having confirm- 
 ed the Dukes, Counts, and the reft of the nobility in 
 
 their
 
 the Htftory 0/*F RANGE. 
 
 their ufurpations, not only for their own lives, but fo? 
 their pofterity, obtain'd alfo of them to have the right 
 of fucceeding to the crown eftablifli'd in his family ; 
 but as he always miftrufted their conftancy, he took 
 his fon Robert into partnerfhip with him. This Prince 
 did the fame alfo with his fon Henry ; and the cuftom 
 of afTociating continued to the time of Philippus Au~ 
 guftus, who concluding the right of inheritance to be 
 fufficiently fettled by regular defcent of many Kings 
 his predeceflbrs, who from father to fon fiicceeded 
 Hugh Capet, and whofc reigns were for the mod part 
 very long, gave himfelf no concern to aflbciate his fon 
 Lewis V III. And experience fhews he made a true 
 judgment; for this right has been obferv'd in France 
 for near eight hundred years, with greater exactitude 
 than during the firft race, under which it was inftitu 
 ted. 
 
 47 
 
 A N
 
 ( 49 ) 
 
 J ' ' " ' ' I " "! 
 
 A N 
 
 ABRIDGMENT 
 
 OF T H E 
 
 Hiftory of Fn A N c .' 
 
 The Firft Race. C L O V I S. 
 
 FROM the time of the Emperors Valerianus An. 486. 
 and Galiienus the Franks were fettled in Ger- \^y^J 
 many between the Elbe, the Rhine, and the 
 Neere. We learn from a medal of Conftan- 
 tine the Great, that there was on the other fide the 
 Rhine a canton which bore the name of France. Un- 
 der the empire of Theodofius the younger, the country 
 to which they gave this name extended itfelf along the 
 Rhine towards Germany, at leal! from Cologne to near 
 the other fide of Nimeguen. We fee a fucceffion of Tabula: Pea- 
 Kings begin there in the time of Honorius, the nrft of tingerian*. 
 which is Pharamond, to whom fucceeded Clodiov, Me- Profper in 
 rovee, and Childeric. chronico. 
 
 Thele Princes from time to time made irruptions See the 
 intoGW//, but none of them fix'd his refidence there; 3 
 and being content with plunder, or beaten back by the 
 Romans, as it happened to Clodion in the plains oiAr- 
 tois, they returned to their own habitations on the other 
 fide the Rhine, till Clovis pafling this river at the head 
 of a numerous army, laid the foundation oftheFrawv& 
 monarchy in the great and fruitful provinces of Gaul, 
 and erefted a kingdom there, the pofleflion of which 
 he tranfmitted down to his pofteritv. 
 
 Vo L. I. E It
 
 50 The Hiftory O/FRANC E.' 
 
 An. 486. It was in the fifth year of his reign, and the twen- 
 \*S**T**J tieth of his age, that he enter'd upon the execution of 
 Gregor. TU- tfajs great defign. His conquefts alter 'd the face of af- 
 cap *7* ' ^ rs in Gaul, ma< k tne Princes that reign'd there very 
 attentive to obferve his fteps, fill'd Italy with trouble 
 and folicitude, put the Emperors of Conftantinople up- 
 on taking new mealures and produced feveral leagues 
 agajnft him. For this reafbn it is proper to give a 
 Ihott defcription here of the ftate of Europe, at leaft in 
 the principal parts of it, at that time. 
 
 IT* fate rf Gaul was then divided between the Romans, the Vt~ 
 Europe at Jigotbs, and the Burgundians. The Roman territories 
 I/'cSis'l exten ded themfelves along the Rhine, and comprehend- 
 Caui. ' "* e d almoft all the provinces between this river, the 
 Ocean, and the Loire. The Burgundiaxs were poflef- 
 fed of the parts between thew#?, and \.\\z Rhofne, and 
 of feyeraj towns on both fides theie rivers ; they were 
 mafters of Lyons, Vienne, <an&Gencva\ they fpread as 
 far as that which is now call'd DtM&bay, the province 
 between Durance and ih&Rhofne, and Savoy. The^7- 
 figoths poflefs'd the reft of the country from the river 
 Loire to the Alps and Pyrenees. Syagrius had in a 
 manner the abfolute government of what remain'd to 
 the empire in Gaul; for the barbarians being mafters 
 of Italy, this General had no dcpendance but upon the 
 Emperor of Conftantinople, who could have but little 
 communication with him either by land or the Medi- 
 terranean, all the fliorcs of which in Gaul were poflef- 
 fed by t^yi/lgoths. 
 
 The young King Alaric had iuft fucceeded his father 
 Evaric in the kingdom of the Vifigotbs ; and the Kings 
 of the Burgundians, Gondeband and Gondegejile, having 
 put to death their other brothers, were in peaceable 
 pofTetilon of all the conquefts of this nation. Odoacer 
 King of the Heruli had taken Italy from the Emperor, 
 but Iheodoric the great King of die Oftrogotbs drove 
 him from thence hhnfelf a few years after. 
 
 Zenon held the feat of the empire at Conftantinople, 
 and had Anaftafiits for his fucceffor, wjho hating the 
 Franks lefs than he hated T'heodoric, and the other peo- 
 ple that had difmemberM the empire, fought the friend-. 
 ihip of Clovis. In a word, this Prince, then reigning in 
 Prance on the other fide the &&/'?, had but one neigh- 
 bour who is known to have given him aiiy uncafinefs, 
 
 as'
 
 C L O V I S. 5 1 
 
 as long as he was engaged on this fide, which was the An. 486. 
 King ofT'uringia, whofe territories border'd upon France 
 between the North and theEaft. 
 
 Such was the fituation of affairs in Europe, and in 
 particular of thofe in Gaul, when the young King of 
 the Franks appeared upon the banks of the Rhine with 
 a formidable army. It is very probable, he pafled this 
 river to Cologne, which a Prince of his family had for- 
 merly befieged and taken, and from thence he fet for- 
 ward for the foreft of Ardennes. 
 
 He went directly to Soiffons, the ordinary refidence 
 f Syagrius Governor of Gaul, and general of the Ro- 
 man armies, who upon advice of the march of the 
 Franks, had drawn up his forces ; there they join'd bat- 
 tie, and the Romans were entirely defeated. Syavrius 
 fled to the Vifigoths, and went to T'uuloufe to throw *>-<* / 
 himfelf into the arms of Alaric their King. Gaul> 
 
 After this defeat Soiffons open'd its gates to the con- 
 queror, as did alfo feveral other unfenced towns. Clo- 
 vis fent fome officers of his army to Alaric to demand 
 Syagrius, with orders, in cafe of a refufal, to declare 
 war againft him. This haughty conduct gave the firft 
 rife to Alarifs jealoufy, and the hatred which he al- 
 ways after bore to Clovis ; and here were laid the firft 
 feeds of the differences, which afterwards broke out 
 with fuch an eclat between thefe two young Princes, 
 and were fb fatal to Alaric. This Prince chofe rather 
 to facrifice the Roman General, than to expofe his 
 country to the dangers of a war ; he deliver'd him up 
 therefore to Clovis's meflengers, who, after he had kept 
 him fbme time in prifbn, beheaded him privately; and, The deatt> 
 by the death of this captain, deftroy'd for ever after the S y a s riu5 
 authority of the Romans in Gaul. This happen'd about 
 5-37 years after Julius Cafar had made a conqueft of 
 it by a fix years war. 
 
 The death ofty*r/8/determin'd moft of the towns, 
 which were not yet reduced, to acknowledge Clovis 
 for their mafter. All the country as far as the Seine 
 was fubdued firft, and at laft the river Loire, which 
 had for feveral years been one of the borders of the 
 Roman empire, was wrefted from it by this conquelt 
 of Clovis. 
 
 This Prince, who had as much policy as valour, 
 
 and had a mind to free his new fubjefts, who were 
 
 E z mott
 
 Clov'is'i mo- 
 derate con- 
 duel after hit 
 
 Gre^. Tur. 
 1.2. c. 27. 
 
 About the 
 year 491. 
 Greg. Tur. 
 1.2.6.27. 
 
 Gefta Re?. 
 Francorum. 
 
 The Hiftoty of FRANC E. 
 
 mod of them Chrifdans, from the fear which tfic no^> 
 don of a barbarian and pagan mafter, by whom they 
 faw themfelves enflaved, might have poiTefs'd therri 
 with, did all that lay in his power after the victory 
 was over, to moderate the licenfe of the foldiers. 
 Tho' he con!4 not prevent their ravaging in the coun- 
 try, nor their pillaging the churches that were moft 
 expofed, yet he prefaced the larger towns by incamp- 
 ing or marching under their walls without entring 
 them. It was upon this account that he fhew'd a par- 
 ticular regard to the city of Rheims, treated St. Rerni- 
 gius the Bifhop of it with a great deal <of humanity, 
 and reliored him a valuable veiFel that had been taken 
 out of the church. 
 
 Clovis having driven the Romans from that part of 
 Gaul which he had conquer'd, took care to maintain 
 peace with his neighbours for three or four years, in 
 order to fccure the eftablilhment of his new empire. 
 But while he apply'd himlelf wholly in regulating and 
 ordering the atfairs of his kingdom, the treachery of 
 one of his neighbours obliged him to take up arms a- 
 gain, and engaged him in a new war. 
 
 It was in the tenth year of his reign, and the fifth 
 of his coming into &**KJ that he received the news of 
 an unexpected invafion, which Bazin King of Turin- 
 gia had made upon the territories of the Franks on the 
 other fide the Rhine. This Prince taking advantage 
 of the abfence of Clovis, and the belt troops of the 
 nation which had follow'd him, not only made ha- 
 vock, buralib excrcis'd unheard of cruelties upon- ie- 
 verul of thole who fell into his hands. 
 
 But it was not long that he enjoy 'd the fruits of 
 this barbarous victory. For Clovis repafled the Rhine, 
 invaded and laid wafte Tmrittgia^ and made an entire 
 conqueft of it. This is all we know m general of 
 this expedition'. But whether Clovis came to a com- 
 pofition afterwards, and reftored Turingia, contenting 
 himfelf with impoling a tribute upon it ; or whether it 
 was retaken in the wars he waged or furtain'd in Gaul, 
 it is certain that the Ions of this King of'Turing'to. were 
 yet in poflcffion of it in the time of GtwifS fucccf- 
 fors, and had levcral quarrels with them, as we fhall fee 
 in the couric of this hillor}'.
 
 CLOVI S. 53 
 
 Clovis being become more formidable than ever by An. 491. 
 this new victory., returns to Gaul, where he .thinks of V^OT^ 
 contracting an alliance with fome family of the Prin- 
 ces that rcign'd there, by a marriage worthy himfelf. 
 There was an intimate league and friendship between Greg. Tur. 
 him 3.ndGo%debaudKing or Burgundy, and their com- 1 * -cap. 18. 
 mon intereft requir'd it fhould be Ib ; for both the one 
 and the other had for the frontier of their kingdoms 
 that of Alaric King of the ^ifigoth^ a much more 
 powerful Prince than themfelves. The embafladors 
 which Cltrvis had frequently reiiding at the court of 
 Burgundy, had feveral times commended the beauty 
 and virtue of Clotilda, and rais'd .in his mind an incli- 
 nation for her. This young Princefs was G on de baud's 
 niece, and had lived with him for fome years. Clo-vis ciovis'/ . 
 fent to demand her of him \p$Aurclian a Gaulijh Lord, "",f 
 whom he had made great ufe of after his victory to '" e & c " a " "' 
 gain the hearts of the people; he was in effeft his 
 prime minifter, and was made by him Governor or. 
 Melun, a town at that time of great importance, as 
 being the frpiitier of the kingdom of Burgundy. 
 
 Gondebaud was difturbed at , the propolal ; becaufe 
 Clotilda was his brother Cbilperic^ daughter, whom he 
 had deflroy!d, . and ufurped his kingdom. This made 
 him afraid, that being married to Ciuvis fhc would pcr-r 
 fuade him to revenge her father's death, and demand 
 that part of his kingdom which was due to her by fuc* 
 ccflion. He excuied himfelf therefore at firft upon 
 pretence that Clotilda being a Chriftian, and Clovis a 
 Pagan, it would be difficult to perfuadc her to the 
 marriage, and he was refolvcd not to force her incli- 
 nations. But Aurelia/t forefecing this difficulty, had 
 found means to get a light of the Princefs, and had al- 
 ready obtained her confent : Therefore he anfwer'd 
 Gqndebaud, that the obltacle he fpake of was no ob- 
 jeftion, for he was well allured of the Princefs, 's in-: 
 clination to the marriage. 
 
 Gondebaud, in great furprir.e, prfer'd at other excu- Cc n a Re? . 
 fes, but in vain ; for the cmbaflador told him plainly, Francomm. 
 that he mull refolve to break with his mailer., if he 
 was dctermin'd to ftand by this rcfufal, and that he 
 had orders to depart immediately, and take the Prin- 
 cels with him. 
 
 ' E' The
 
 54- The Hiftory of F R A N c E. 
 
 An. 491. The reafon of his preffing thus to be gone, was be- 
 VXY"^ caufe Clotilda had inform'd him, that a Lord named 
 dredius, fent embafiador from Conftantinople, was juft 
 upon his arrival, Who had a great influence upon the 
 King, and being a declared enemy of the houfe of 
 Cbiiperic, would infallibly put a ftop to this marriage, 
 if fh.e was not gone before he came thither. 
 
 Gondebaud was more moved at the apprehenfions of 
 a prefent war, than at other more remote dangers, 
 which his wilclom might be able to prevent, and there- 
 fore confented in the end to the marriage and departure 
 of Clotilda : fo the embaflador went off with her, hav- 
 ing firft receiv'd a large fum of money for her portion. 
 
 They had yet a great way to the frontiers of Clovis's 
 kingdom, when Clotilda receiv'd advice of Arediufs 
 arrival. She told Aurelian, that if he would have her 
 get fafe to the country of the Franks, they muft quit 
 the bajlerne, or chariot wherein flie travel I'd, which 
 being drawn only by oxen, made but a flow riddance. 
 Upon this they refolv'd to fet her on horfe-back, and 
 leave a guard with the bafterne ; and then they put on 
 With great expedition, till they reach'd the frontiers of 
 the kingdom. 
 
 How neceflary this precaution was, appears by the 
 fequel. Ared'm prevail'd upon Gondebaud to alter his 
 jrrind, by reafons which immediately fway'd him. A 
 detachment of horfe is fent after the Princefs, which 
 Overtook the bafterne, and carried it back with them, 
 together with the greateft part of the money and other 
 things of value that were in it. This is all the advan- 
 tage that Gondebaud made of his inconftancy, which 
 fome time after he paid very dear for. 
 
 The danger the Princefs had underwent, added great- 
 ly to Clovis's joy, and the joy of the Franks to fee her 
 happily arrived. Nor was the opinion which this 
 Prince had conceiv'd of her from the relation of o- 
 thers at all lefTen'd by her prefence, She made her 
 entry into Soffins with all the magnificence and marks 
 of honour which the cuftoms of that time afforded * 
 eiwis'j and foon after the marriage was folemmVd. 
 
 The Gauls who had lately been fubjc6kd to the go- 
 vernment of Clovts had particular reafons for (ati- 
 faction upon this joyful occafion. They faw a Chri- 
 ftian Queen placed upon the throne of their country, 
 
 wh|ch
 
 C L O V I S. 55 
 
 which very much abated their fear of being difturbed An. 492. 
 in time upon account of their religion. They obferv- \^y\* 
 
 ed in her all the qualities neceilary to win upon the 
 affections, and gain the heart and confidence of the 
 King, and perhaps to wean him from the iuperih'tions 
 of idolatry. And in cafe fhe fhould fucceed in fo pi- 
 ous a delign, they promised themfelves an advantage 
 which all the other nations conquer'd by the barbari- 
 ans wanted. All thefe barbarians, I mean the Vifigotks 
 smdBurgundiaxS) were Chriftians ; but then they were 
 infected with the Arian herefy ; whereas, fhould Clews 
 be converted by Clotildas means, he would moft cer- 
 tainly be a Catholick : for this Princefs had the good 
 fortune to be a Catholick, tho' fhe was brought up in 
 the very midft ofArianifm. 
 
 Nor were they deceiv'd in their expectations. The 
 fir ft thing Clotilda thought of was the converfiort of 
 the King her husband ; and to effect this defign, fhe 
 took the advantage of his paffion while it was yet 
 warm. According to Gregory of Tows, fhe was fuffi- Greg. Tar. 
 ciently qualified both by capacity and her knowledge ! - * tt * 9 ' 
 in the Pagan theology, to make her Prince fenfible of 
 the vanity and extravagance of it, and at the fame time 
 to convince him of the excellency of the Chriftian re- 
 ligion. But the time was not yet come, which provi- 
 dence had appointed for making Clovis the firft Moft 
 Chriftian King. It was neceflary that a converfion of 
 fuch confequence as this fhould be attended with Ibme 
 eclaf, and with fuch circumftances as might convince 
 (he people it was an act of heaven, and the handy- 
 work of the Moft High. However, he readily gave 
 car to her difcourfes, which inlenfibly wrought in him 
 an indifference for the worfhip of idols, and by little 
 and little leflen'd his averfion to the true religion. 
 
 Thus matters ftood, when the Princefs loon after 
 brought a fon into the world, whofe birth greatly ad- 
 vanced Clovis's affection towards her. He iuffer'd her 
 to baptize and educate him in the Chriftian religion, 
 and at the font he was named lugomcr ; but, to prove Gr eg. Tur. 
 the conftancy of the Queen, God permitted him to die 
 foon after. 
 
 The death of this Prince had an ill effect upon the 
 
 King's mind, who could not forbear reproaching her 
 
 with it j but fhe afTwaged him, and being deliver 'd of 
 
 4 another
 
 56 The Hiflory of FRANC E; 
 
 An. 494. another fon the year following, prevail'd with him to 
 
 \^*Y*\S let him be baptiz'd ; and he was named Clodomir. At 
 
 laft the grace of God produced a change in the King's 
 
 heart, which happen'd upon the occafion and in the 
 
 manner I am now going to relate. 
 
 An. 49^. The Alemanni, a People fituated between .the Meitr, 
 the Rhine, and the Danube, feconded by a great body 
 of the Siteui, pafs'd the Rhine fome leagues from Co- 
 logne with a defign to drive the Franks from the coun- 
 tries they had conquer'd, and to fix themlelves there 
 in the room of them. Clovis to put a flop to this at- 
 tempt, march'd with an army to Sigebert, King of Co- 
 logne, and join'd him. They came up with the Ah- 
 vnanni at Tolbiac, now Zulpick, in the duchy ofjuliers. 
 There they engaged each other ; the oniet was very 
 terrible, by reafon both of the valour of the two na- 
 tions, and the number of the combatants. Sigebert, 
 who fuftain'd the firft charge of the enemy, receiv'd 
 a wound in his knee, which made him quit the field, 
 and fo aftoniihM his troops, that they began to give 
 way. The diforder and terror fpread itfelt to Clovis's 
 army, who were obliged to fnfbin the whole fury of 
 \hzAlemanni by themlelves. And now every thing ap- 
 pear'd defperate ; but this was the juncture in which 
 God had determin'd to magnify his own power and 
 mercy in favour of this Prince, and to hear the pray- 
 ers of the holy Queen. 
 
 is, when he was juft upon the laft pufh, made 
 
 Greg. Tur. 
 
 |. a. c. 30. *' power I have an hundred times experienc'd to be 
 " above all the powers of .the earth, and of thofe 
 " Gods I have hitherto fcrv'd, vouchfafe me one mark 
 " of it in the extremity I am reduced to. If thou wilt 
 u grant me this favour, I will be baptized as foon as 
 " pofTible, and adore none but thee for the future." 
 He had hardly utter'd thefe words in the hearing of a 
 great number of his officers and foldicrs, but he found 
 himfelf animated with a new courage, and perceived a 
 proportionable warmth Tdr.dled in the heart of thofe 
 that were about him by the God he had been invoking. 
 Upon this he rally'd his army, march'd immediately 
 to a body of tire enemy that was going to inclofe him,
 
 CLOVIS. 57 
 
 and by that means to compleat a viclory, which was An. 495-. 
 hardly difputed with them any where elfe. He charged 
 them, broke thro' their battalions, and routed them, and 
 then fell upon the other regiments with the fame fuc- 
 cefs. This fudden change furpris'd the enemy, and EpM-Theoi 
 made the Franks take heart again, who rallying, made um a p.c*f- ' 
 a ftand againft the^fcz4v/. Upon this the fight was fiod. i.j. e p. 
 renew'd, and the victory changed fides in a moment. *' 
 That which confirmed it to the Franks was the death ciovis'* -J- 
 of ti^Akman King, who was kill'd in one of thefe fay at Tab. 
 laft attacks, after which they fcarce made any farther bia ~ 
 reiiftance. 
 
 This victory was as advantageous to Clovis as he 
 could wifh ; for now he pafled the Rhine, and foon 
 after the Mein, entred the country of the Ahmanni, 
 routed all the broken remains of their army wherever 
 he found them got together, made the country tribur- 
 tary, and impoied his yoke upon a nation which the 
 Rotoans were never able to overcome. It is highly 
 probable, that in this fame expedition he fubdued the 
 Bajoarij or Bavarians. At leaft we find foon after, pf. Le. 
 that the- defcendants of Clovis gave Dukes to Bavaria, Bav^r. 
 and that Theodoric King of Auflrafia, his fon, reform'd 
 the ancient laws of this country, a vilible mark of the 
 Ibvereign power he exercis'd there. 
 
 Clovis having no more enemies to ftruggle with, re- vita s. v- 
 rurned to his kingdom; and as he paffed through Toul, ^ fti> . 
 finding St. Vedafl in a monaftery, where he lived in 
 great reputation for his fanciity, he took him along with 
 him, and became his catechumen in the way. 
 
 Queen Clotilda went from SoiJJ'ons as far as Rhe'r/ns 
 to meet him ; and as fhc waited for his arrival, Ihe 
 confulted with St. Remirius, the Bifhop of that fee, 
 what meafures fhe fhould take for the prefent inftru- 
 <5lion and baptifin of this Prince. 
 
 The Bifhop had no need to be very prcffing in his clmi 
 exhortations to the King, to be forward in executing a vtr * 
 promifc he had fo folemnly made to God. The great- 
 eft part of the army appear'd to have the fame dilpoli- 
 tion. In a word, the baptifmal ceremony was per- H!il 
 form'd in St. Martin's church upon Chriltmas-day with Avi: 
 great magnificence, and according to the ufual cuftom 
 of the church. Three thoufand of rhe moft conlide- 
 rable perfons qf the court and army v/ere baptized the 
 
 fame
 
 5 S The Hiftory of FRANC E.^ 
 
 An, 49?. fame day. This blefTmg extended itfelf in a fliort time 
 V/-YV^ to all the royal family, and almoft to the whole na- 
 tion. 
 
 The news of this great event foon fpread over all 
 Europe. Yoyzdnaftafetis, juft then railed to the apo- 
 ftolick chair, congratulated Clovis upon this occafion 
 in a letter, in which he tells him, that he had firm 
 hopes of meeting in his perfon with a fure prop of the 
 catholick religion. 
 
 Indeed he was the only fovereign Prince he could 
 at that time rely upon with any certainty. For the Em- 
 peror Anaftafiits, and the Kings of the barbarous na- 
 tions, were either idolaters or hereticks. Clovis alone 
 was a Chriftian and a Catholick, and upon that ac- 
 count worthy from thence-forward to bear the title of 
 Moft Chriftian, by which he and his fucceflbrs have 
 always been diftinguifh'd. 
 
 In the mean time, the holy employments to which 
 this Prince after his baptifm confecrated the reft of the 
 winter, did not make him neglect the other important 
 affairs of his kingdom, efpecially thofe which related 
 to the apprehenfions he was under on the ride of the 
 Loire from Alaric King of the Goths, a fecret enemy to 
 his perfon, as well as to the nation. As they then 
 flood aftedted to each other, a very fmall matter would 
 have fufficed to make a rupture between them ; which 
 had certainly been effected, had not Theodoric King of 
 the Oftrcgotb* interpofed his authority, and fulpendcd 
 the force of their animofities for fome time. This 
 Prinpe's wifdom, age, and reputation gave him a great 
 fway with thefe young Kings, infomuch that in his 
 letters to them he took upon himfelf the ftyle of Fa- 
 ther, and gave them the name of Sons. 
 
 He was indeed a very great Prince ; and, excepting 
 hercfy, and one or two actions more which tarnifti'd 
 a little the glory of his long reign, we may juftly fay, 
 that he was the pattern of Princes in his time ; and in 
 particular, that moft of the politeffe that was at that 
 time feen in the courts of the Gaulijb Kings, was de- 
 rived from his, and from the correfpondence thefe 
 Princes held with him, who all had him in admira- 
 tion. 
 
 He moderated then the palTion of two Kings, who 
 \V':re upon the point to make war upon each other for 
 
 fume
 
 C L OVI S. j 
 
 fome very trifling caufes ; and he effe&ed ft, by repre- An. 495-. 
 fenting todJarienow dangerous a thing it was For him o^vs 
 to bring upon his country fo formidable an enemy as 
 Clovis; and he gave Clo-vis to understand, that if he Epift.The 
 did not fubmit to an accommodation, all the Kings of J5' d 
 Gaul, and fome of thofe of Germany, would form an Franc. apL'd 
 alliance againfl him ; and for his own part, though he Caffind.i.i. 
 had a great friendfhip for him, yet he could not dif- <*** 
 penfe with himfelf from making one with them. The 
 articles of agreement are not mention'd in hiftory ; but 
 however, a peace was {truck up at laft, and a good 
 intelligence, at leaft in appearance, fettled between 
 them. 
 
 Clovis laid a great ftrefs upon Ybeo&rtPi authority ; 
 but there might be another reafon to determine his 
 conduct in this matter, drawn from the neceffity he 
 was under to keep every thing quiet at that time, that 
 he might bring about an affair he was then upon, of 
 great importance to his kingdom. This Prince, when 
 he entred Gaul, left that part of Gattia, Belgica, which 
 now contains Brabant, the country of Liege to the fide 
 of the Rhine called the Vahal, and a part of 'Flanders 
 to the right. The kingdom of the Franks on that fide 
 did not reach beyond Tonrnay. He had had his eye a 
 long tiir^e upon all that country, which hindred him 
 from uniting the lands of the Franks on the other fide 
 the Vahal to his other conquefts. The moft confide- 
 rable of the feveral people of this country, who had 
 each of them a particular name, were the Arbor ici. 
 They were Chriftians, as were alfo the greateft part of Procophit 
 the reft of the Gauls, and very much attached to their ' *-<kbe 
 religion. For this reafon, rather than any other, they 
 had always kept their faith with the Ramans. They 
 had driven the Franks back, and forced them to repals 
 the Vahal, as often as they had endeavour'd to enter 
 Gaul this way. 
 
 But as foon as Cloiiis was baptized, as he knew the 
 difference of religion was that which had given them 
 the greateft averfion to the Franks, and had kept them 
 from having any correfpondence with them, he fent them 
 word that this obftacle was removed, and reprefented to 
 them that it was ftrange, that they who were themfelves 
 originally Franks, fhould have fuch an obflinate aver- 
 fion to that name and nation ; that he had no thoughts 
 
 of
 
 The Hiftory of $ 
 
 An. 49f. of makin war upon them, but only defired there might 
 
 tween them ; and that, lor 
 
 be a good under/landing between 
 the better preferving of this, the people might be al 
 low'd to intermarry with each other, and a free cor- 
 clove's pro- refpondence be eftablilhed between them. The affair 
 t?4**GmL fucceeded, and in a Ihort time the communication be- 
 tween both nations became very great ; and thefe Ar- 
 ticular alliances, according to Cww's intentions, in- 
 fenfibly produced a propoial for a general and publick 
 one. This propofal took effect, and both they and 
 their neighbours acknowledged Gfaus for their King ; 
 and the two nations being thus united under one head, 
 Procop. loc. fays the author of the hiltory of the Gothick war, be- 
 ?K> came a very potent ftate, and formidable to all others. 
 
 But the matter did not flop here ; for the Romans, 
 tho' inclofed on all fides, had all along kept fome ihtions 
 towards the extremities of Gaul, that is, towards the 
 lea, upon the banks of the Rhine and fome other ri- 
 vers ; they had maintain'd garrifons there, and theft 
 were always a refuge for the Roman empire in cafe of 
 any fuccefsfu-1 revolution. But thefe foldiers feeing 
 the Arbor id fo folemnly united with the Franks, and 
 Binding there was no way for them to keep their (land, 
 demanded a capitulation, the conditions ot which were 
 thefe, that they ftiould fuffer both them and the inha- 
 bitants to live according to their own lav-.'S and cuf- 
 toms, to drefs after their own fafhion, and, in cafe of 
 a war, to carry their own colours. Thefe conditions 
 \vcre accepted,' and they furrendred both their fortrellcs 
 and colours into the hands of the Arborici and Fr&nks ; 
 and thus the whole Rhint, from its mouth to beyond 
 . StrasooMtv, and all the country between this river, the 
 il-a, thtLoirc,Bretagxc,and the kingdom ofBurguHity, 
 was entirely brought under the dominion of the cranh. 
 This union was a ftrokc of the iaii importance for 
 the eftabliftiment of C/owVs empire. I3y this means he 
 had neither Romans, nor allies of the Romans to mif- 
 rrufi behind him ; and he found himfelf in a condition 
 riot to be under any great apprehenfion for the future 
 4 of his neighbours cntring into a league, as one of the 
 r.-0-.-op.l.i. chief of them, who was upon the point of uniting with 
 cv- be:ioGu- Alaric agaiuft him, experienced afterwards. This was 
 G'j-fidcbaudYJm^ of burgundy, who, while' he concern- 
 ed himfelf in accommodating the affairs of another, 
 
 lutlo
 
 CLOVIS. 6i 
 
 little thought what terrible work was cutting out for An. 495*. 
 him at home. \^y^J 
 
 This Prince had deftroy'd his two brothers Gondo- 
 tnar and Chilperic the father of Queen Clotilda, in the 
 wars he had with them for their fhares of King Gun- 
 divic their father's kingdom, and had given a finall 
 part to the fourth brother named Gondegefile, who 
 made choice of Geneva, for the capital of his kingdom. 
 
 But Gondegefile was very much difcontenteo, and 
 his diipleafure carried him afterwards fb far, that he 
 follicited Clovis underhand to make war upon Gonds- 
 baud, offering to become his tributary, rf he 'Would af- 
 lift him in getting pofTefiion of all the kingdom of 
 'Burgundy. 
 
 Clovis had too much reafon to be diflatisfied on 
 the part of Gondebaud, and too much policy to re- 
 ject this offer; and therefore he allured Gondegefile, 
 that he would fecond him with all his power. Gon- 
 debaud faw plainly, that davit's preparations were de- 
 fign'd againlt him; and having no miftruft of his bro- 
 ther, dclircd him to join forces with him. Gondegefile Greg.'-Tur. 
 gave him his word that he would; and as foon as J --' ca P-s s - 
 Clovis came into the field, the two brothers joia'd to- 
 gether, each at the head of his refpective army, near 
 Dijon, and march' d in battalia to meet the Franks. 
 
 The charge was given on the banks of the Oafche, a Marius in 
 fmall river that runs into ti\eSaone. The victory was ^' anc * 
 not long in fufpenfc ; for Gondegefile, as foon as they 
 came to an engagement, inftead of fupporthig Gonde- 
 baud's forces, which Clovis had charged with great fu- 
 ry, fell himfclf upon the flank at the fame time, and 
 began to make a terrible flaughter of the Burgundians. 
 Gondebaud^s army was immediately put to the rout,, clovis'* *;- 
 and almoft all cut in pieces ; but he .himfelf efcapcd to S f "Jg.^! 
 Avignon, v,"hcrc he fhut himfelf up with fuch of his goody. 
 troops as he could get together. Clovis purfued the 
 victory, and leaving Gondegefile to make himfelf ma- We fig.* of 
 fter of fevcral towns that open'd their gates to him, " "^ 
 
 march'd onward to lay liege to Avignon. 
 
 Gondebaud made a vigorous defence for fome time; 
 but forefceing that his provifion would foon fail him, 
 he found means to bring Cljv'n, who was wearied out 
 with the length of the ftege, to an agreement. By the 
 treaty Gondzbaud fubmitted to a perpetual tribute, and 
 
 contented
 
 62, The Htftory of FRANCE. 
 
 An. 5-00. confented that Govdegefde fhould continue in pofleflion 
 of feveral places that he had taken after the defeat of 
 Oufcbe, and particularly of the town of Vienne. As 
 for Clovis, it does not appear that he reap'd any jDther 
 advantage by this victory than that of having entirely 
 weaken'd Gondebaud, and made two Kings of the Bur- 
 gundians tributary to him. When he departed from 
 Gondegefile, he left him five thoufand Franks, who 
 with this Prince's own ftanding forces were more than 
 fufficient to have maintain'd him in pofieffion of his 
 conquefts. But his own little precaution, andGo#^- 
 baud's activity, who, notwithstanding all his oaths, 
 waited only for the departure of the King of the Franks 
 to recover his misfortune, foon changed the face of 
 affairs. Hefurpm'd/^V**^ by an aqueduct; andG0- 
 degejllc, who had fled to a church, was killed at the 
 foot of -.m altar, with one of his Arian Bifhops that had 
 follow'd him thither. This was the third time that the 
 cruel Gondcbaud in the fame town embrued his hands 
 in the blood of his brethren. 
 
 During the flaughter committed in the town, the 
 Frasks rally'd themfelves and feii'd a tower, where 
 they came to a parley. They obtain'd the grant of 
 their lives, and remain'd prifoners of war. Gondebaud 
 fent them to Touloufe, either as a prefent or as a mark 
 pf his victory, to Alaric ; after which he procur'd him- 
 lelf to be acknowledged fole King of Burgundy, and 
 declared to Clovis, that he would no longer pay him 
 tribute. 
 
 Gondebaud might have well expected the refentment 
 of Clovis ; but he depended upon fuccour from dlaric, 
 and by his means from Theodoric King of the Oftro- 
 gotbs. But he was miftaken however. Clovis, who 
 was at lead as good a politician as himfelf, broke all 
 his fchemes, ana brought 'Theodoric into his meafures. 
 
 If he had had no other motives to offer this Prince 
 but the cruelty of Gondebaud, and the treachery and 
 indignity of all his conduct, he had foilM of fuccefs. 
 But he reprefented to him, that their common intcreils 
 were jointly concern 'd with the juftice of the caulc; 
 that their ftates were equally frontiers of the kingdom 
 of Burgundy ; that the parts of this kingdom which 
 border'd upon the Alps lay no lefs conveniently for 
 the King of Italy , than thofe upon the Rhone and the 
 
 Saone
 
 C L O V I S. 63 
 
 Same for the Franks; and that by revenging in a juft An. 5-00. 
 
 war the death of fo many Princes unjuftly maflacred, 
 
 both the one and other would reap as much profit as 
 
 glory. 
 Theodoric fuffer'd himfelf to be tempted by this bait, 
 
 and concluded an offenfive league with Clovis againft 
 
 the King of Burgundy. But he proceeded vrlthjiuefle a ;,<j< GOH- 
 
 and artifice in the execution ; ahc} it appeared by the "JdswL 
 manner of his behaviour in it, that he rather wifh'd tp 
 feeCfovis beaten, than Gondebaud deprived of his king- 
 dom. He made very flow preparations for this expe- 
 dition, and Clovis had advanced a great way into the 
 kingdom of Burgundy before Theodorifs army came 
 near it. 
 
 Gondebaud thought it proper to prevent their joining, ciovit** vi- 
 and immediately orfer'd battle to Clovis, which he ac- Bor J , 
 cepted. The fight was obftinate and bloody ; but at 
 laft the King of Burgundy was defeated, and Clovis 
 made himfelf mafter of feveral towns. 
 
 The Oftrogoths hearing this news, advanced with 
 great expedition. One of the conditions of the treaty 
 was, that whatever conquefts fhould be made even be- 
 fore the two armies join'd, Ihould be divided between 
 them, only the laft comer fhould pay the other a cer- 
 tain furn of money. This the Oftrogotbs offer'd to do, 
 which Clovis, who faw into The odor iSs treacherous de- 
 figns, would pofllbly have been in the right to have 
 refilled ; but he chole rather to keep his word ; and 
 his generoiity upon this occafion was at leaft as wor- 
 thy the notice of the antient hiftorian that informs us P>>P ! 
 of thefe particulars, as the fubtil prudence of Tbeodo- t d h e ico e1 ^ ?" 
 r/V, which he fo much extols. But be that as it will, 
 the conduct which Clovis obferv'd afterwards proves 
 the truth of what the lame hiftorian adds, that having 
 thus defeated the Burgundian King, he gave himfelf no 
 great uneafinefs about fbeodoric ; but, difregairiing 
 both his threats and craft, put the defign in execution 
 which he had been thinking of for a long time, of 
 making war upon Alaric King of the Vifigoths. This 
 was one of the moil glorious of all his expeditions, 
 which enabled him to extend the bounds of his domi- 
 nion farther than ever, a#d made the greateft alteration 
 in Gaul.
 
 64 The Hiflory of F R A N c E.^ 
 
 An.^oo. Alar ic afcended the throne of the Vifigoths about the 
 fame time that Clwh did that of the Franks. They 
 were both much of an age ; but the reft of their lives 
 wAia-M til1 * hat tjme been very different from each other, 
 ric Kj>% cf Alaric found a fair country in Gaul ready conquer'd 
 d*Vifigotiw. an( j f u bd u ed to his hands ; but Clovi's made his way to 
 his kingdom by his fword. The one enjoy'd a con- 
 ftant peace, but the other was always in war. Clovis 
 had the reputation of an excellent foldier, fuccefsful 
 and vi&otious in all his undertakings ; Alaric that of a 
 wife and moderate Prince, who, while the neighbour- 
 ing ftates were continually harrafled with civil or fo- 
 reign wars, preferved his own in quiet and tranquilli- 
 ty : both beloved by their people ; both cunning, po- 
 litick, and contriving Princes ; and this was the reafon 
 why they came to a rupture no fooner. Alaric did 
 not want courage, but he had few opportunities of 
 fhcwing it, none that could be properly called fo, but 
 that which the valour of his enemy furniih'd him with, 
 of dying glorioufly, which he refufed not to do. 
 
 In the mean time matters did not break out all of a 
 fudden. This great war was preceded by fome ap- 
 pearances of a lailing peace. There patted between 
 them feveral embafiies, and the two Kings themfelves 
 Greg. Tur. came to an interview in an ifle of the Loire nearyfoz- 
 i.a c. 35. fojfa w here they feem'd to be perfectly reconciled. 
 Fredegarius, But as it was afterwards difcovered, that Alaric was 
 c.zj. treating upon an offenlivc league with Tbeodoric, and 
 making under-hand preparations for war to furprize 
 Clovis, while he amulcd him outwardly with the ap- 
 pearance of a fincerc reconciliation, this Prince not 
 only flood upon his guard, but got the ftart of him 
 alib with his ufual promptitude. He entrcd Poitfou at 
 the head of his army, and doled in with him at the 
 plain, of VoTt'illf. 
 
 Greg. "Tur. There they join'd battle, and at the firft onfet the 
 La.c,37. f^ifigoths gave way in fomc places; but there happened 
 an accident, which for fome moments put off the de- 
 feat. 
 
 The two Kings, who marched along the ranks to 
 encourage their foldiers, found themfelves at the head 
 of two oppofite armies, and acknowledged each other. 
 They did not dally a moment, but advanced, thefe 
 two alone, and cucountred each other in the midft of 
 the neld of battle. Both
 
 C L O V I S. 65 
 
 Both fides flood ftill, waiting the event of a fingular An. 5-00. 
 combat, which was in all appearance to decide the 
 fate of the two nations. They made fevcral pufhes at 
 each other, and many blows were given on both fides, 
 which they warded off with their Ihields ; but at laft 
 Clovis, whether thro' a fapcriority of ftrength, artifice, 
 or fuccefs, difinounted Alaric, and gave him at the 
 fame inftant a ftroke, of which he died upon the Ipot. 
 
 After this there was no great trouble required to fi- 
 nifh the overthrow of an army that had already begun 
 to turn their backs. 
 
 This famous battle was fought in the year of our 
 Lord 5*07, the twenty third of the reign of Alaric, and 
 the twenty fifth of that of Clovis. We may look up- 
 on it as the laft of the Vifigatbs government in Gaxlj 
 who after this defeat were able to preferve only a fmall 
 part of that which they had poflefs'd there : For Clo- 
 vh, whofe victories were never unprofitable to him, 
 having lolt fcarce any thing, and deftroy'd a great 
 number of his enemies, detach'd a large body of his 
 army under the command of Theodoric [or Thierry'] 
 his eldeft fon, to carry the war into all the country of 
 ti&Vtfigatbt, which lay between \hzDordogne, theGa- 
 ronne, and the Rhone. 
 
 This is the firft time we meet with this young hero 
 in hiftory, who treading in his father's fteps, fignaliz'd ;y 8 "bit 
 himfelf in the conqueft of the countries of-./ftf*, Ron- eUejifon 
 trgue, and Auvergne, and in general of all the places Greg.Tur. 
 poflefs'd by the Vtfigoths on that fide, to the frontiers Ioc- Clt ' 
 of the kingdom of Burgundy. He laid fiege alfo to Procop. 1. r. 
 CarcajTonne ; but Theodoric King of Italy coming in **. beUo Go ~ 
 perfon to fuccour that town with a frefh and nume- 
 rous army, Thierry was obliged to raife the fiege. 
 
 Chvis for his part went on conquering, and brought 
 under his obedience, without hardly ftriking one ftroke, 
 Touraine^ Poittou, Limoufa, Perigord, Xaititonge, An- 
 goumuis, txc&ptiwgAngouleme, which he did not think 
 proper to attack, becaule there was a large garrifon of 
 the (Sijigoths there. He finifh'd the campaign with the 
 taking of Bourdeaux, where he pafs'd the winter, and 
 made new preparations for aprofperous entrance upon 
 another. 
 
 The Ipring being come, he took the field, and began 
 with the fiege otTouhufe^ which was the capital of the 
 
 VOL. I. F kingdom
 
 66 The Hiflory 
 
 An. 5-08. kingdom of the Vifigotks', this he took, and feix'd np- 
 on the treafures amafs'd together there by Alaric. He 
 took Angouleme alfo; and from thence, having fent 
 his army into Provence, he came to 'Tours to perform 
 his devotions in the church of St. Martin. 
 
 There was another reafon befides, which obliged him 
 to repair to this town ; namely, to receive the embaf- 
 fadors of Anaftajius Emperor of the Eaft, who came 
 to do him an honour, that fhew'd the great reputation 
 he had gain'd in the moft diftant countries, and the 
 idea they had of his perfon. 
 
 "^ he E m P eror f ent n ' m ky thefe embafTadors the 
 cloves V marks and ornaments of the Patrician .and Confular 
 made cnf*i dignity ; a title of great honour and efteem among the 
 w/AiwiST Princes of that time, and which Theodoric King of Italy 
 us', ^d takes had himfelf recdv'd many years before. The ceremo- 
 th f t!t/ e of ;iy was perform'd with great magnificence, and Clovit 
 Auguflus. was ve ft c( j w j t h t he ornaments ot his new dignity, hav- 
 ing the crown upon his head. From that time he took 
 the title of Auguflus, as fome of his fucceflbrs did af- 
 terwards, as we learn from the golden medals or 
 coins of Cbildebert and Theodeberr, the firft Kings of 
 their name in France. 
 
 An. jo8. Thefe honours paid Clovis by Anaflafius were not 
 the only motive of this embafTy ; the principal was to 
 engage this Prince to continue vigoroufly the war a- 
 gainit the Goths, and to make Theodoric fome work, 
 to oblige him to leave the empire in peace, wherein he 
 had lately committed fome hoftilities. The embafla- 
 dors found him well difpofed to comply with the Em- 
 peror's intentions ; fo he difinifc'd them, and parting 
 from Tours came to Paris, where this fame year he 
 fixed the capital of his kingdom. 
 
 In the mean time the army of the Franks invaded 
 Provence, and laid fiege to Aries, but were obliged to 
 raife the liege, having been firft beaten by a numerous 
 army, which Theodoric King of Italy fent to reinforce 
 the town. 
 
 The confcqucnce of this vidory of the Goths was 
 not only the railing the liege, but alfo the lofs of al- 
 moft all that the Franks had taken ixfProvcxce and Sep- 
 tirniune or Languedoc. 
 
 It is very likely th&Gondeband, King of theBargutt- 
 the advantage of this war between the two 
 
 Kings,
 
 C L O V I S. 67 
 
 Kings, to recover the pofTeffion of thofe places they An. foS 
 had taken from him, either by treaty or by force. For 
 it is certain that this Prince was ever after in poflefTion 
 of all or moft of the kingdom of Burgundy, and that 
 this ftate was not united to that of the Franks by any 
 lafting eftablifhment till the reign of Clovis's fbns. 
 However, peace was at laft concluded between the 
 Franks and theOftrogotbs. C louts, by Tbeodonc's con- 
 fent, remain'd in poffeflion of all he had taken and Thec<tor 
 held to that time; and Theodoric, who had it much 
 more at heart to aggrandize his own kingdom, than 
 to relieve his countrymen the Vijigoths, found a pre- 
 tence foon after to make himfelf matter of Provexce 
 and Languedoc. 
 
 Clovis moreover carried his conqueih into the weA cioyisv /As- 
 tern part of Gaul, as far as Britannia Armorica. There f'^" m !nt * 
 is a great deal of reafon to believe that this happen'd r 
 immediately upon the defeat of Alaric, or foon after 
 he had made peace with Theodoric, who did not trou- 
 ble himfelf to oppofe him in this enterprise, bccaufe it 
 was undertaken in a country very remote from his 
 kingdom. There is no mention of this among the reft L.i.deGior. 
 ofClovis's expeditions in our hiftories, unlefs it be in Marr y r - c - 6 - 
 one place of Gregory of 'Tours, which bears ibme re- 
 iemblance to it : However, the fa& is certain, as we 
 learn from other evidences ; and indeed it is luppofed 
 in the whole courfe of the hiftory, which Ipeaks of 
 him as matter of Rennes, Nantts, and Vannes. 
 
 It is certain alfo, that from this time the Princes of Greg. Tur. 
 'Britain laid afide the title of King, and had only that L 4~ Hi2 - Fr - 
 of Count. The impoiing this condition upon the c ' 4 ' 
 "Bretons by Clovis, of not giving their Princes any 
 longer the name of King, was a confequence of the 
 refolution he had taken to deprive all thofe who had 
 lubmitted to his empire of the royal ftyle, and to ap- 
 propriate that privilege to himfelf. He abolifh'd it a- 
 mong the dlemanni, from the time that they became 
 his fubjetts, and they had none but Dukes afterwards. 
 He made the fame attempt alfo upon fbme Princes- re- 
 lated to him, who had erected thernfelves petty king- 
 doms within the limits of his jurifdidion, and at laft 
 effected it, but by fuch means as tended to the great 
 prejudice and abatement of his honour- 
 
 F 2 There
 
 Greg. Tur 
 L2.c.4a. 
 
 Afla ainfli 
 
 <5S 
 
 An. 5*11. There is but little difference between the ambition 
 that makes a hero and a conqueror, and that which 
 makes an unjuft ufurper. This is the idea the moft 
 antient of our hiftorians has given us of Clevis in this 
 part of his hiftory. He wrote in the reign and place 
 where one of the grandfons of this Prince govern'd, 
 and we have lefs reafon to flatter him at this time of 
 day than he had then. All that can be faid in his vin- 
 dication is, that thefe petty Kings carried on intrigues 
 againft him ; but tho* the racl may poflibly be defended 
 upon this confideration, yet the manner in which he 
 deftroy'd them cannot be excufed from an extremity 
 of violence and cruelty. Some of them he killed with 
 his own hand, and caufed the reft to be murder'd up- 
 on diverfe pretences. 
 
 j t was in alj probability to efface thefe frightful ideas, 
 and make fatisfaclion to the juftice of God, that this 
 Prince employ'd both his thoughts and revenue about 
 this time upon many good and pious defigns, and fiich 
 as tended to the advancement of religion ; that he began 
 to erect, or finifh'd fome churches, and among others 
 that of St. Hilary ofPoi&iers, and to found monafteries ; 
 and efpecially that he aflembled a council of the greateft 
 t p ar t of the Bifhops of his realm, for eftablifhing many 
 - important points of ecclefiaftical difcipline, and for 
 ' the regulation of the manners of his fubje&s. For 
 t hj s purpofe he made choice of the town of Orleans, 
 . ^ b c j n g nioft commodioufly (ituated amidit the other 
 churches. This council was held anno fii, in the 
 month of Jaly, whereat were prefent thirty two Pre- 
 lates, among whom were ieveral that were afterwards 
 fainted by the church. This is the firft council that 
 was held in Gaul, and under, the dominion of the 
 Franks, after Clwis had conquer'd the countries on the 
 other lide the Loire. 
 
 The Bifhops thus affembled, obtain'd of Clovis every 
 thing they could wi(h for the advantage of their churches ; 
 and he took fuch meafures for the encouragement and 
 promoting of religion, that it began to tlourifh more 
 than ever in his kingdom. But the providence, or ra- 
 ther juflice of God, cut him off in his prime fome 
 mouths after the council of Orleans, in November^ 
 an. 5-11, the forty .fifth year of his age and the thirtieth 
 of his reign. He died at Pans, and was buried in the 
 
 church 
 
 sirmundu
 
 THIERRY, CLOD. CHILD. CLOT. 69 
 
 church of St. Peter and St. Paul, now calFd St.Gfttf- An. 5*11- 
 vievtj which himfelf had built. v^-V^-* 
 
 He was a Prince who fignalized himfelf by his va- 
 lour and his conquefts, more than any of his time ; a 
 great commander, happy in the execution of his pro- 
 jects, and regular in his manners; at leaft, he is no 
 where reproach'd in hiftory for any irregularity after 
 his converlion to Chriftianity. He applied himlelf to 
 the concerns of government, as well with regard to 
 civil, as religious affairs; prudent and politicK, and 
 fuch a one as knew well how to make his advantage 
 of the proper junctures to improve his power ; but of 
 an ambition that knew no bounds, and exceeded all 
 rule. The defire of making himfelf fole and abfolute 
 monarch of all Gaul was his governing paffion ; if he 
 had been able to moderate this, his reputation would 
 have flood clearer, and the end of his life been more 
 innocent; nor fhould we have blamed in C/ovis the 
 Chriftian fuch cruelties as were oppofite to the fort 
 and humane difpofition for which he was admired 
 when a Heathen. 
 
 THIERRY, CLODOMIR, CHILDEBERT, 
 CLOTAIRE. 
 
 CLOVIS left four fons behind him, ttierry 
 Clvdomir, Childebert, andCIotaire, who divided 
 his kingdom between them. Thus this vaft ftate the font f 
 produced four, three of which took the name of their ciov ' ls - 
 capital. Childebert was King of Paris, Clodomir of 
 Orleans, and Clotaire of SoiJ/ons. Thierry, the eldeft, 
 had the beft fhare; he was King ofAuftriaorAuJlraJia, 
 that is to fay, of oriental France between the Rhine 
 and the Meufe, the capital of which was Metz. We 
 lhali fee, in the courfe of the hiftory, what countries 
 each of thefe kingdoms contain'i But befides Afiftra- 
 fia, Thierry had alfb the territories which the Franks 
 poffefs'd in Germany, and moreover a great part of A- 
 quitain, that is to lay, Rouergue, Auvergne, Qtiercy, 
 Albigeois, and all the country that leparates the empire 
 of tqe franks from Proience and Languedvc, which the 
 F 3 Goths
 
 76 The Hiftory ^FRANCE. 
 
 An. 511. Goths pofTefs'd at that time under the authority of The- 
 \*sy~\J odor tc King of Italy. 
 
 It was in the reign of thefe Princes, that that part of 
 Gaul, where the Franks were fettled, began to bear the 
 name of France. The fear of a formidable enemy, 
 which the nation had at that time in the perfon of 
 Theodoric, kept thefe four Princes at unity with each 
 other for fome years. For befides Italy, where he 
 reign'd, he govern'd alfo the kingdom of the JSiJigoths, 
 and commanded abfolutely there in the name of young 
 dmalric his daughter's fon, and heir of the deceafed 
 King Alaric. 
 
 This re-union of all the Gothick nations had rendred 
 
 him a very powerful Prince ; and he made the Franks 
 
 fenfible of it (bon after C/o^/Vs death ; for he laid hold 
 
 of this opportunity to feize upon Ibme towns belong- 
 
 Greg. Tur. ing to them, arid particularly upon Rodez. The war 
 
 ] L 5 .c. a i. djd not ] a ft ] OJ1 g ? an( j a peace was concluded upon 
 
 condition that Theodoric fhould keep pofTeflion of the 
 
 towns he had taken. 
 
 France had for feven or eight years pafl enjoy 'd the 
 fweets of peace, when a new and unfuipected enemy 
 arofe to trouble it. An army of Danijh pyrates ap- 
 peared on a fudden upon the German ocean, and made 
 a defcent upon the lands of the King of Attftrajia, en- 
 tred at the mouth of the Meufe, and ravaged the coun- 
 try of the Attuarij between this river and the Rhine. 
 Gefla Rg. This is now a part of the duchy of Geldres. Thierry 
 Frvmcor. c. . nt j^ f on 7^^^^ then about eighteen, with a 
 Abouc the ^ eet ^^ a ^ au< ^ f rce a*gainft them. This young 
 yearjao. Prince , who afterwards became formidable to the 
 Greg. Tur. moft puiflant enemies of France, began to fhew him- 
 ^; v ^ 3 ' ,f c if U p 0n t hi s occafion. He defeated the Danes both 
 Theodebm, by land and fea, kill'd their King who was call'd Co- 
 fn *f Thi- cbiliac* feiz'd upon all their booty, and took many pri- 
 erry - foners. 
 
 ^ tie ?' n o ^ Auftrafia, his flither, was then making 
 preparations for a more confiderable war. He had 
 Thierry'* entred into a league with Hermanfroy King of Turin- 
 Z?"n7 i '!f Z 1 ") againft S^f r/f brother of this Prince, upon con- 
 Tunrlgia. dition of (hariiig ill the conqueft of his part of that 
 kingdom. 
 
 He )Q\rf & Hermaxfroy with his army, gave battle to 
 tlie ciitm y: ancl B*M*r*c was defeated and kill'd in the 
 
 fight.
 
 THIER. CL(fo. CHILD. CLOTAIRE. 71 
 
 fight. Upon this all was furrendred to Hermanfroy, An. 5-22. 
 who deilred the King of Auftrafia to permit him to OofX-' 
 defer the execution of the treaty, for fear of exaipera- He '' Je - c ' lv - 
 ting the Turingians\ and he dillembled fb well, that mantrojT" 
 he perfuaded him to withdraw his army from Turin- 
 gia, promifing upon oath to reftore him in a fhort time 
 his fliarc of the new-conquer'd country. 
 
 But when Hermanfroy faw himfelf in peaceable pof- v.r acer & 
 feflion of all Turingia, he defpifed his ally, who, ac- ag'iibeiio, 
 cording to the character given him by an ancient ETinge" 
 hiftorian, was no lefs cunning and politick than he nio. ~" 
 was a brave and skilful foldier. He diilembled his re- "' 
 lentment as long as Theodoric uncle to Almaberge 
 Queen of Tunngia lived ; but it broke out in a moll 
 terrible manner after the death of this Prince, as I fhalf 
 Ihew hereafter. 
 
 In the mean time Clodomir King of Orleans, Chil- 
 debertKing of Paris, zndCIotaire King of Soiffons en- 
 vied their brother the King of Auftrafia, and Theode- 
 bert their young nephew, thele opportunities of figna- 
 liiing themlelves; but one offer'd itfe If in their favour, 
 which they did not neglett. 
 
 Gondebaud King of Burgundy had been dead five or 
 fix years, and Sigifmond his eldeft fon fucceeded him 
 in his kingdom. He had married the daughter of The- 
 odoric, whofe alliance gave him new hopes of fecurity 
 againfl the attempts of the Franks ; but the death of the 
 Queen his fpoufe, and the diforder which that brought 
 upon his family, deprived him of this fupport. He 
 married a fecond wife, whofe name is not recorded 
 in hiflory. By the firfl venter he had a fon named Si- Greg. Tur. 
 geric, whom his mother -in-law found means to render 1 ' 3- c<J - 
 Ib odious and fufpe&ed to the King his father, repre- 
 lenting him as an unnatural fon, who envied him both 
 his crown and his life, that he ftrangled him, having 
 fir/I made him drunk at a banquet. But the young 
 Prince's innocence was foon clear'd, and Sigifmond 
 underwent a ievere penance of feveral months conti- 
 nuance. But the French Kings forefeeing that Theat- 
 ric, beiides the unworthy death of his grandfon, would 
 not be very forward to protect Sigifmond, laid hold of 
 this opportunity to fall upon him. 
 
 Clodomir, Cbildebert, and Ctotaire pour'd in upon Greg. Tur. 
 this kingdom with a numerous army, defeated Stgif- 1. s-^r- 6 - 
 
 r/iond
 
 72 The Hiftory of F R A N c V. 
 
 An. ^23. mond and Godemar his brother in battle, and made 
 \ ta xv > y themfelves matters of one part of the dominion. Si- 
 P i d fmui?di Si ~ g'f mo *d falling into the hands of Clodomir, was carri- 
 MaHu" A- d prilbner to Orleans with the Queen his wife and his 
 ventkenfis two fons. Childebert and Clotaire having in all pro- 
 aodomi? 3 ' ^ability na ^ f me difference with Clodomir, abandon'd 
 King fl/Orie- the defign of carrying on the Burgundian war any far- 
 msattatkt ther. Godemar took the advantage from hence to get 
 S inf etr- an arm y on f ot a 8 ai ' n > an d recovered in a few days 
 gundy, M< all that the Ftencb had taken. 
 
 *#b A/. However, this did not difhearten Clodomir, who re- 
 folved to continue the war. But before he took the 
 field, fearing left Sigifmond v. ith his wife and children 
 Ihould make their efcape in his abfencc, 'he put them 
 to death by a .punifhmcnt not unufual in France at that 
 time, which was by throwing them into a well. He 
 Greg. Tur. had engaged his brother the King of Aaftrafia to join 
 M e. <s. w j t h hj m j tmt this Prince hearing of the cruel death 
 tf Sigifmond, whole daughter he had lately efpoufed 
 in a lecond marriage, kept his word indeed with C/o- 
 domir, but protefted at the fame time that he would 
 cap. 36. revenge the death of his father-in-law. 
 Htfams th The two armies join'd at Vefcronce, not far from 
 ofve- t h e Rhone an <i the town of Vienne. Godemar loft the 
 thcre a ^ but made his efcape. Clodomir, in the 
 'i- heat of the purfuit, was carried by his horfe into the 
 
 i* m ^^ ^ l ^ e enem y as tne y were fly jn for fccunty, 
 
 "x midfi"'/ and being difcover'd by his long hair, was kill'd upon 
 hit wfoy. the fpot; Godemar having taken off his head, ftuck it 
 upon the point of a lance, and having rallied fbme 
 battalions, retook the field, hoping the death of 
 their King would make the French lay down their 
 arms. But the event was quite otherwife. For being 
 animated with a dcfire to revenge the death of their 
 victorious King, their courage was changed to fury, 
 Gcfl.Rfg. and falling upon the Burgundians, they cut them to 
 Francor. pieces, over-ran all the country, and put every thing 
 to fire and fword, and left not this miferable country 
 till they had entirely laid it wafte. 
 
 Thus Gregory of 'fours relates the death of Clodomir ; 
 but Fredegariits adds another circumftance, and pre- 
 tends that he was betray'd by the King of AuftrafiJs 
 auxiliaries, who abandon'd him in the purfuit of the 
 enemy. This agrees well enough with the words 
 
 which 

 
 THIERRY, CLOT. CHILD. CLOT. 73 
 
 which Thierry let fall at the beginning of this war, An. 5-24. 
 that he would revenge the death of his father-in- 
 
 . 
 
 But be that as it will, this brave Prince perifh'd in 
 the very midft of his victory, in the flower of his age, 
 when he could not be above thirty years old, leaving Agatfaias. 
 behind him three fons that were minors, to whole dil- 
 advantage the other Kings leiz'd each of them fuch 
 parts or the kingdom of Orleans, as lay conveniently 
 for them. 
 
 While they were bufy in dividing the fuccefilon, 
 Godemar made yet another attempt to recover his de- 
 feat, and reconquer'd the realm of Burgundy, that is, 
 the greatert part of what the French had taken ; for 
 there was another breach made there at the fame time 
 which it was not in his power to repair. Theodoric, 
 who was not willing the French ftiould make them- 
 felves mafters of all the kingdom of Burgundy, had ep. 10.' 
 pofTefs'd himfelf of the Burgundian towns between the 
 Durance and the Rhone, which he kept. 
 
 By the obfervations that may be made upon the hl- 
 ftory of thefe times, we- lee that wars are not always 
 finifhed by formal and written treaties of peace. Of- 
 tentimes the two parties, tired out with the fatigues of 
 the war, repofe themfelves. as it were by concert, and 
 continue as they were. Thus ended this battle between 
 the Franks and Bttrgundians. 
 
 Gaul was quiet enough for two years, at the end of ^ Jiatk / 
 which happen'd the death of Theodoric the Great, King eo J 
 of Italy and the Oftrogoths, which could not but have Sns in 
 fome influence upon the affairs of Gaul, Spain, and 
 Italy. 
 
 A Prince of this character and power never dies af- 
 ter a long reign, but the face of the world is changed, 
 at leaft unlefs he has a fucceffor capable of preferving 
 matters in the fame condition he finds them, and of 
 ftifling immediately all the feeds of revolution, which 
 was not the cafe here, Theodoric had no male ifliie, 
 but only two grandfons by his daughters Amalafunte 
 and Theuducufe ; the firft being married to Euthartc, of 
 the illuftrious family of the Amales, to which Theodoric 
 himfelf was related, had by him Athalaric ; and Theu- 
 ducufe being married to Alaric King of the Vtjlgoths, 
 who was kill'd at the battle of VoUiHe, had by him 
 
 Amalaric,
 
 74 TheHiftory 
 
 An. 530. Amalaric, of whom I have already fpoken upon occa- 
 
 VXY"^ fion of the death of his father. 
 
 Theodoric had always defigned the kingdom of Italy, 
 or the empire of the Oftrogoths for Athalaric, and the 
 kingdom of the Vifigoths he had kept for the other. 
 The fucceffion was divided in a very amicable man- 
 ner. Athalaric had befides Italy all the countries that 
 depended upon it on that fide next the empire of the 
 Eaft, and he referved to himfelf Provence in Gaul. 
 Amalaric, befides what belonged to him on the other 
 fide the Pyrenees, had on this fide Septimaine or Lan- 
 guedoc, and fix'd the feat of his empire at Narbonne. 
 Amalaric was already of age to govern ; and as for 
 Athalaric, tho' he was not above nine or ten years 
 old, the Oftrogoths made no difficulty to acknowledge 
 him for their King, and confented that Amalafunte 
 
 Cap. 39. fliould have the regency during his minority. She was 
 a Princefs of the greateft ability and the moft unhappy 
 fortune imaginable. The two greateft enemies fhe had 
 to fear from abroad, were Juftinian in the Eaft, who 
 fucceeded his uncle the Emperor Juflin foon after The- 
 odoric's death ; and Thierry King of Auftrafia in the 
 Weft; but they had both of them reafons for not 
 meddling with the Gauls as yet. Juftinian defign'd to 
 exterminate the Vandals in Africa, before he undertook 
 the conqueft of Italy, and Thierry was bent upon the 
 deftru&ion of Hermanfroy King of Tunngia, from 
 whom he had always had caufe to expecl a diverfion 
 on this fide, in favour of the Goths, to whom this 
 Prince had been ever greatly attach'd. 
 
 Thierry King of Auftrafia had always a pretence of 
 war ready at hand with regard to Hermanfroy King of 
 Turingia, upon account of his infidelity in refufing 
 him his fhare of the eonqueft of Balderic's dominions 
 after the Turingian war. He only wailed a proper op- 
 portunity to make good his pretenfions ; and luch an 
 
 An. .531. one ofter'd itfelf about ann, 531. Balderic had now 
 been dead four or five years, and the mifunderftanding 
 in Italy bQtwzQXiAmalafunte and the moft powerful Oflro- 
 goth Lords being then very great, fhe did not care to em- 
 barrafs herfclf with theFrencb'm favour of Hermanfroy. 
 Thierry engaged his brother Clotaire King of Soijffons 
 
 Greg.Tur. in the quarrel ; and the two Kings with Theodebert, 
 
 l.j. c. 7. Thierry's fon, entred Turingia at the head of a great 
 
 army,
 
 THIERRY, CLOD. CHILD. CLOT; 75 
 
 army, and ofter'd battle to Hermanfroy, who accepted An. 5*31. 
 and loft it. His defeat was followed with the entire ~ 
 
 lofs of his kingdom, and fometime after with that of Tke * n vfi 
 his life byT^/Vrry's order. 'ffr^n'S 
 
 While the Kings of Auflrafia and Soijjons fignalized frrffeFradi 
 themfelves at Tttrtitgia. Childebert King of Paris was Kl^s* 
 preparing to do the fame againft the frijigotbs. The 
 caufe for which he denounced war againft them was 
 worthy his anger and indignation. Amalaric King of 
 the Vifigoths had married Clotilda, fifter to thefe three 
 Princes. The difference of their religion foon broke 
 the good understanding which ought to be maintain'd 
 between man and wife. Clotilda was as good a Ca- 
 tholick as Amalaric was an obftinate Arian. He did Greg.Tur. 
 all that lay in his power to pervert her; but finding 1 -3- c * 1 *' 
 gentle methods unfuccefsful, he proceeded to force 
 and violence, and even to blows. 
 
 Childebert undertook to revenge this nfage of his 
 fifter, and march'd into Languedoc at the head of an 
 army, where Amalaric attended him under the works 
 QtNarbonne. They join'd battle, and fought obfti- Procop.l.r. 
 nately on both fides, but tiieFi/igvtbs were conquer'd. ? h e ic b ell ^" 
 The fruit of this victory was the taking and pillaging chiidebert*/ 
 ofNarbunne, and the* death of Amalaric, in what man- aar J r 
 ner foever it happen'd ; for hiftorians, tho' they agree ^T^te 
 in the fact, do hardly relate one circumstance alike, vifigoths. 
 Childebert, after this expedition, return'd to Paris with An. 5*31. 
 the Queen his fifter ; but it was not long that fhe en- The dcM ^ f 
 joy'd the pleafures of liberty, for fhe died by the way. 
 
 Childebert and Clotaire, encouraged by their fuccels fkt Burgtm. 
 in Languedoc and Turingia, renew'd their old defign dian war.. 
 of conquering Burgundy. Godemar King of the Bur- 
 gundians, after fo many defeats, was now become 
 ftronger than ever, having taken the advantage of A- 
 malafunte's quarrels with the Emperor Jujlinian to ob- 
 lige that Princefs, partly by intreaty, and partly by 
 threats, to rcftore him the places which the late King 
 Theodoric had for ibme time before his death detain'd Greg. TUT, 
 from him. But it was the fate of this Prince to be '-S- c.i. 
 
 always beaten bythe/rato&j and in this firft campaign 
 he loft Autun and Vienne. 
 
 The King of Auftrafia, was all this time taken up in 
 xefacmgAuvergne which had revolted from him; and 
 it coft him fome time and trouble to effecl: it. 
 
 Thus
 
 76 
 
 The Hijtory 
 
 ' 
 
 fon to the 
 
 533' Thus ended the year 5-32. The beginning of the 
 following year we fee two of our Kings betray'd by 
 their ambition into one of the cruelleft and moft bar- 
 barous actions that can be imagin'd. Childebert and 
 Clotaire perfuaded their mother Clotilda to bring the 
 three fons of their brother Clodomir to Paris, upon 
 pretence of putting them in pofleflion of their father's 
 kingdom, but in reality to murder them. Clotaire 
 ftabb'd two of them with his own hand. Clodoaldc 
 was convey 'd away out of the reach of his malice, 
 
 ch.idebert but afterwards received the tonfure, and took orders 
 wnen *? e was f a o e f r them. The church and vil- 
 Ia ge of St. Cloud is called after him, tho' the name is 
 
 fms /cio- pretty much difguifed, and there he was interr'd, and. 
 
 Jonun is honoured ; happy in not having been a King, be- 
 caufe that ferved to make him a faint. 
 
 After this mafTacre Thierry and Clotaire join'd toge- 
 ther to recover the towns which the OJlrogoths had 
 taken from them after the death of Clovis. Gunthier 
 eldeft fon of Clotaire, and Theodebert foil of Thierry^ 
 march'd each of them with an army on that fide ; 
 
 iVnf.cap.ar. Theodebert took fome of the towns, and, among 
 ^hers, Rodez,. 
 
 He fummon'd another, called Cabrieres, to furren- 
 der. This fort or caftle belonged to a Lady of quali- 
 ty, named Deuterie. This Lady fent a compliment to 
 him, and told him, that they would make no refinance 
 againft fo invincible a Prince as himfelf, but would 
 deliver up the place into his hands. Deuterie went to 
 meet him, and by her beauty made a conqueft of her 
 conqueror. This Prince kept her with him for fome 
 years after as his wife, tho' ftie had a husband already, 
 who himfelf fome months after married Vijigarde, 
 daughter QtVacon King of the Lombards. The court 
 of France was at that time extremely addicted to thefe 
 irregularities. 
 
 Tbeodebert having made himfelf maiter of all thefe 
 places, fat down before the town of Aries, which re- 
 tufed to fnrrender ; and he not being in a condition to 
 force it, contented himfelf with a ranfom, after which 
 he withdrew \Attvergne, to take up his winter quar- 
 ters there. 
 
 In the mean time Thierry being wholly taken up 
 wirh making great preparations for the conquert of 
 
 Provence,
 
 THIERRY, CLOD. CHILD. CLO?. 77 
 
 Provence, which the bad ftate the affairs of the Oftro- An. 5-33. 
 geths were then in, had made eafy for him, fell tick, V^Y*N-> 
 and died loon after at Metz, in the twenty third year The . death f 
 of his reign, and about the fiftieth of his age. He was STSrJta- 
 a Prince in whom virtue and vice was fo blended to- (tafia. 
 gether, as to give him a title to a great deal of praife ^ lhar *- 
 and proportionable cenfure. He had a mind qualified Her 
 for governing, as he did with authority, a kingdom comr 
 gre^t as his own. He lov'd war, and managed it with ^ hro 
 skill and fuccefs, but without giving himfelf much un- ***" 
 eafmefs about the juftice or iniquity of thofe he entred 
 upon. The lands he gave to the church of Rheims In vira $ 
 and to the holy Abbot Theodoric, are proofs of his pie- AbbS*" 
 ty ; but this is a much eafier work for a great Prince, 
 than to govern his lufts. He always paid a great re- . Gr <s-Tur. 
 fpea to St. Nkcetus Bifhop of Treves, whom he had %***'*' 
 railed to that dignity for the efteem he had of his vir- 
 tue, and as a recompence for the freedom he had 
 fometimes ufed in reproving his irregularities. He *** 
 made a kind of body or collection of laws, which 
 contain'd the laws of the Franks, Almam, and Bava- 
 rians ; for his dominions extended on the other fide the 
 Rhine over all thele people, and even the Saxons them- 
 felves were his tributaries. He alter'd leveral of thcie 
 laws, to accommodate them to certain cuftoms eila- 
 blifh'd among his fubjecls, added others, and retrench- 
 ed fome, efpecially fuch as had any fbotftcps of Pa- Greg. Tun 
 ganifm remaining in them. He was an ambitious, ] 4 ' c> 4 ~ 
 hot, and crafty Prince, deceitful and treacherous to ex- 
 cefs. In a word, he had leveral of thole qualities 
 which form a great Prince, and at the fame time ma- 
 ny of thofe that make an ill man. 
 
 As foon as Theodebert heard that his father was in 
 danger, he came immediately to Met^ and arrived v 
 time enough to put an end by his preience to the in- Ki 
 trigues that were carrying on in favour of the Kings of ftr *"' 
 Paris and Sviffons, to exclude him from the kingdom 
 of Attftrafia, which they defign'd to get pofleilion of 
 themfelves. As foon as Thierry expired, he was de- Gre - fur. 
 clared King, and recover'd a good understanding with V" C * H< 
 the two Kings his uncles, by promifing them his affif- The ^ d<m 
 tance in the Burgundtan war, which he perform'd. *^Angunt^ 
 Godemar King of Burgundy was not able to withftand ""'?' !lr '<ir" f 
 fuch powerful enemies ; being at the fame time at- French" 
 
 tacked fir*.
 
 78 
 
 An. 534 
 
 f Tdebelo 
 
 
 us A- 
 
 Burgundy, 
 
 
 Proccp. de 
 
 beiioGothi- 
 
 r' i league 
 xt? Jtf 
 
 About am. 
 
 The Hiftory ^/FRANCE. 
 
 tacked in fb many different places, he was forced to 
 yield, and after the lofs of a battle was taken and im- 
 P r ^ on '? ' m a ca ft le ? where he ended his days ; at lead, 
 there is no mention of him afterwards in hiftory. 
 Thus the kingdom of Burgundy was united to the 
 em P ire f France near an hundred years after it had 
 been founded in Gaul, and the three Kings divided it 
 between them : This was about the year 534. 
 
 ' ^ hl " s was the f urth P ower f hat funk under the ef- 
 
 > f rts f the French arms, and the deftruclion of which 
 rendred them more formidable than ever, not only to 
 their neighbours, but alfo to the empire itfelf, the ma- 
 fters of which were obliged to be very cautious in their 
 conduct towards them afterwards, and to endeavour 
 always to bring them into, or maintain them in their 
 intereft. From hence came the feveral treaties, which 
 Ibmetimes the Goths, and fometimes the Emperor en- 
 tred into with the French Kings, and efpecially with 
 fheodcbert, who feem'd always to be more difpofed to 
 make his advantage of them, than to execute them. 
 
 Athalaric King of the OJlrogoths being dead, worn 
 out, young as he was, with debauches ; and Tbeodai, 
 who fucceeded him, being foon depofed, and after- 
 wards mafiacred, the Emperor Juftinian prepared to 
 make his advantage of the confufions of that date, in 
 hopes of recovering all Italy. But to fall upon the 
 Oftrogoths with the better fuccefs, it was neceiFary for 
 him to give them fome diverfion in the Weft, while 
 he attack'd them with all his forces in the other extre- 
 mity of Italy. 
 
 . The moft effectual diverfion he could give them, 
 anc * toat which was moft capable of obliging the Oftro- 
 
 gotks to divide their attention and their forces, was to 
 fef the French upon their back. For this purpofe he 
 f ent ernbafTadors to the three French Kings with rich 
 prcfents, and a large fum of money to defray the ex- 
 P ence f the War 7 promifing a great deal more as foon 
 as ne received the news of their being in action. The 
 prefents, the money, and the promiies were accepted, 
 and the league immediately concluded; but thefe Prin- 
 ces were in no great hafte. 
 
 J/itigcz, was feated on the throne of the Oftrogoths 
 a great foldicr, and a man of underftanding. He fcnt 
 embafladors to thcfe Princes, with more money in all 
 
 probability
 
 THIERRY,; CLOD. CHILD. CLOT. 
 
 probability than the Emperor had given them, and of- An. 
 fer'd to make a ceflion to them of Provence and the ^^ 
 other places in pofieffion of the Oflrogotks on this fide 22SS5 
 the Alps, upon condition of their concluding a league O j^ratu 
 with him. The offers were accepted, and they promi-/VA* French 
 fed to fend him fucccurs, not of the French, that they y ttx &*~ 
 might in fbme meafure fave appearances, but of forces 
 levied from among the other tributary nations, who 
 did not march under t\\Q French colours. Immediately 
 after the conclufion of the treaty, the Oftrogoths with- 
 drew their forces from Provence, and the other places 
 they had given up togojoin^/>/^:TheFra*rKings The Utp&m 
 took poffeflion of them ; and from that time the king- ^ F f a ? ce **" 
 dom of France extended itfelf as far as the Alps. ' ?*. * 
 
 Theodebert, in purfuance of the treaty, fent fix thou- 
 fand Eurgundians, who aflifted him in the recovery of 
 Milan, which Belifarius General of the Emperor's for- 
 ces in Italy had taken from him. But the year follow- 
 ing 'Theodebert aclied a part in this country, which nei- 
 ther Belifarius nor Vitigez, did moft aifuredly expeS 
 from him. 
 
 Belifarius had a project of befieging Ravenna, the Procoplut i. 
 capital of the Oftrogoth ftates in Italy; but it was ne- JiJJJ c.**' 
 cefTary for him to take Ofme and Frefoli firft. He 
 formed thefe two fieges at the fame time, and pofled 
 a body of foldiers at Tortona, on this fide the Po, to 
 obferve the enemy, whofe army was incamped about 
 Milan. Vrayas, who commanded the army of the 
 Goths about Milan, pafTed the Po, and incamped not 
 far from the body that Belifarius had ported at Tortona. 
 Both kept themfelves clofely incamp'd, and made no 
 figns of a difpofition to engage. 
 
 Some months had now palled, when the Goths re- ibid/c.af. 
 ceived advice of a great army of French that had en- 
 tred Italy. They were equally furprized and rejoiced 
 at the news ; not doubting but the French, being in- 
 form'd of the extremity to which Vitigez, their. ally 
 was reduc'd, were come to his affiftance to help them 
 to drive theltnperiali/ls out of Italy. But this was no 
 part of Theodeberfs defign : He had left thefe two na- 
 tions to conteft it with themfelves for fome time, 
 without giving himfelf the trouble of executing the 
 treaties he had made with either of them. But under- 
 ftanding they were pretty well weaken'd by their bat- 
 * ties
 
 So The Hijlory of F R A N c E. 
 
 An. 535*. tics and lieges, he hoped to come upon them by fur- 
 V/Y"^ prize, and at leaft to have his fliare of the country they 
 were contending for, if not to give laws to them both. 
 Theodebm With this defign he put himfelf at the head of an 
 ' hundred thoufand men, the greateit part of which were 
 infantry, directed his courfe for Suze, entred the coun- 
 try which is now called Piedmont, and advanced as far 
 as Pavia without committing any wafte, and march- 
 ing as a friend in the country of his allies. The French 
 being arrived at Pavia were receiv'd by the Goths with 
 the greateft demonftrations of friendfhip and acknow- 
 ledgment, as the moft feafonable fuccours in the 
 world ; and the troops of this nation, whic.h guarded 
 the bridge of the Po, fufter'd them to pafs over with- 
 out any refinance. But the French having put the 
 guards in this place to the fword, commanded the 
 pailage', and march'd directly to the Gothick army, 
 encamped not far from thence. Vrayas the comman- 
 der being in the fame perfuafion with the other Goths, 
 fuffer'd them to approach and draw up in the plain; 
 but he was ftrangcly amazed, when he faw them 
 march againft him in battle array, and charge his peo- 
 Uercattthe pj e on a ]j fides. The lurprize was fo great, and the 
 ^Sr fli g ht fo fudden, that the greatcft part of them fled 
 crofs the Roman camp, which, as I laid, was pofted 
 at Tortona to obfervc frayas's army. This made the 
 Romans believe that Belifarius had poured in upon the 
 Gothick camp. They prepared themfelves to join him, 
 and had already fallen upon the fugitives ; but they 
 found themfelves charged with fo much fury by the 
 French, that, abandoning every thing, and throwing 
 down their arms in the field, they fled with all expe- 
 dition to 'Fofcany, where the Generals gave Belifarius 
 an account of what had happen'd. 
 
 The French Ipread themfelves over Liguria and 
 Emilia, and ravaged wherever they came ; and at 
 length having forc'd the town of Genoa, they fack'd 
 and dcftroy'd it. 
 
 Belifarius was very apprehcnfive of having this vi- 
 ctorious army upon his heels, and yet more of its fal- 
 ling upon the beliegers of Frefoli ; but the want of 
 provilions, and the dilfentions that arofe in the French 
 army, deliver'd him from thefe dangers, and obliged 
 Tbcodebert to return to France, leaving only Bucetitr, 
 3 one
 
 CHILD. CLOT. THEODEB.^ 
 
 one of his generals, mafter of fome ports on the other An. 
 fide the Alps, who continually made irruptions into 
 Italy, and lent thence from time to time a great quan- 
 tity of booty into France. 
 
 , In the mean time Ofme and Frefoli, for want of 
 fuccour, furrendred themfelves upon terms to Belifan- 
 tts, who, having drawn together all his forces, went 
 to befiege Ravenna, where Vitigez had fhut himfelf 
 up : but fbme unforefeen and extraordinary misfor- 
 tunes foon reduc'd Vitigez, to the laft extremity. 
 
 The Kings of France being inform'd of the diffi- 
 culties Vitigez. labour'd under, were again in hopes of md the 
 drawing fome advantage from them. They fent a F r r ;"^ n ~ 
 new army to the Alps, and embafladors to this Prince ;/*vitigez. 
 to offer him fuccour. Belijarias had notice of it ; and 
 to put a flop to a negotiation, which he forefaw would 
 be of dangerous confequence to him, he demanded a 
 conference himfelf with Vitigez,, who aflented to his 
 demand, and permitted Theodofius, this general's comp- 
 troller, to enter into the town. The French envoys, and 
 thofe of Belifarius, prefs'd for a diipatch, anJ fome 
 days paft before fftigez came to a refolution; but 
 having fo often experienced the treachery of the 
 French, and elpecially in the late affair of Tortona, he 
 refolved not to truft them, and therefore difmifTed 
 their embafladors, and determined to continue treating 
 with Beltfarius, who kept him long in fufpenfe ; and 
 having fet fire to a large marine of corn, which Vi- 
 tigez had referv'd for the laft neceflity, he forc'd him 
 to furrender himfelf a prifoner into his hands. 
 
 With the liege ended his kingdom. For Belifa- An. 539. 
 riut himfelf carry'd him to Conftantinople. This was Vidgez, te- 
 the fecond royal captive he made a prefent of to the % take * 
 Emperor his mafter, having fome years before done J^f* 
 the fame by Gilimer, King of the Vandals, after the nian. 
 conqueft of 'Africa. Vitigez, paffed the reft of his da^s 
 there in the quality of a Patrician, and with a fortune 
 fufficient to fatisfy the ambition of any man who had 
 not been a King before. 
 
 Beltfarius during the fiege of Ravenna, made him- 
 felf mafter of the Apennine paffes, and prevented the 
 French from re-entring Italy; fb that they left the 
 Greeks and the Ofoogotbs to conteft it v/ith each other 
 for fome time, after Vttigez?* departure, without con- 
 
 VOL. I. G cerning
 
 The Hiflory 0f FRANCE. 
 
 82 
 
 An. f 39. cerning themfelves with their differences : But it was 
 V*-\rx^' more difficult at that time than it is now to calm the 
 unquiet fpirits of a warlike nation, that cou'd only 
 then endure peace, when they had been well fatigued 
 with war. Having nothing to do abroad, they began 
 to make- difturbances at home. Childebert and Clo- 
 taire fell together by the cars for rcafons hiftorians 
 have not been pleafed to take any notice of; and Clo- 
 taire went fo far in the ravage of his brother's coun- 
 
 The war be- 
 tween Chil- 
 debert and 
 Clotaire ter- 
 minated by 
 a bind of 
 
 Greg. Tur. 
 1. 3. c. 18. 
 
 Fraricorum. tr y> that he march'd as far as the mouth of the Seine, 
 over againft the country of the Calefes. 
 
 Childebert affifted by Theodebert furroundcd him in 
 his camp, and when he was preparing for the afTault, 
 there arofe the terribleft ftorm that was ever known. 
 
 What is very furprifing among other extraordinary 
 circumftances , is , that tho' the two camps lay very 
 near each other, the itorm did not reach that of Clo- 
 taire. This made the two Kings believe it was aftroke 
 of the hand of God to punilh them for the malice with 
 which they were exafperated, the one againft his bro- 
 ther, a.^i the other againft his uncle, and fo they itruck 
 U P a peace. Another proof that this peace was the parti- 
 cular gift of heaven, was the length and continuance of 
 it, for it does not appear that thefe two Princes were ever 
 after at variance from this time to the death of their 
 nephew Tbeodebert. 
 
 But as beneficial as this union was to France, fo 
 and ciouire fatal was it to the Vijigoths of La'/iguedoc and Spain, 
 affainft whom Clotaire and Childebert enter'd into a 
 
 ' r j r 
 
 confederacy fome time arter. 
 
 They invaded Spain with a formidable army, took 
 Pampeluna, and overran Hifpania Tarraconenfis. They 
 made almoft an entire ravage of it, and fat down be- 
 fore Sarragoj/a, but without taking it. Some hiftorians 
 lay it was the protection of St. Vincent, patron of this 
 city, that preferred it, by infufing a panick fear into 
 the French army. And others, that Theudis, King of 
 the Vifigoths, falling upon the French, totally defeated 
 them. 
 
 The year following they had their revenge in Lan- 
 guedoc, took the little town of Sette, and having en- 
 clofed the army of the Vijigoths between themfelve; 
 and the fea, made fuch a flaughter of them, that haid- 
 ly one efcaped. They were all killed or taken. The 
 
 French 
 
 740. 
 
 ChiHeberc 
 
 and 
 
 make 
 
 upon the 
 
 vifigoths. 
 
 j- 44 . The 
 French f- 
 ttrly defeat 
 the Goths 
 *t*r Sent.
 
 CHILD. CLOT. THEODEB^ 85 
 
 frencb received hardly other any benefit from this victory An. 5-44. 
 than the glory of a conquefl : being beaten in Spain, and *~^v~^J 
 conquerors in Languedoc, the two Kings came to Peace . 
 terms, and concluded a peace with the Fijigoths. aii( ' 
 
 In the mean time the troubles in Italy continued. 
 The War did not end with fit {get's reign : Belifari- 
 wj's departure put a Hop to the Emperor's prosperity and 
 victories. The avarice and mutual jealoufies of the ge- 
 nerals that remain'd in command there prevented the in- 
 tire dertrution of the Oftrogoths. They however did 
 not reap that benefit from thence which they might have 
 done by reafon of their divifions. They had three 
 Kings one after another in the fpace of eighteen months* 
 The two firft were affalTmated, but they adhered, and 
 With good reafon, to the third. He was the famous Mar -, us ia 
 Totila, the only SuccelTor of Theoderic that refembled chron. 
 him in equity, moderation and prudence, in fuccels, 
 courage^ and ability in military affairs. He recovered Totila re- 
 in a very fhort time from the Romans a great number ^ OTCi the a f~ 
 of towns, and feveral provinces, gain'd battles; andcoths ; ' 
 made himfelf matter of Rome, which he deferted after inly, 
 he had pillaged it. It was at this juncture that Jufli- 
 nian and Totila endeavoured each of them to draw 
 over the French to his intereft, or at leaft to prevent 
 them from joining his enemy. 
 
 It was upon this account that the Emperor, who al- Juflinian re- 
 ways pretended a right to Provence, as having been-^^-^ 
 difrnembred from the empire by ufurpers, made a ccf- ]J n ^ '/ ' ' 
 fion of it in form to the French Kings ; agreed that France. 
 thefe Princes 'fhould prcfide at Aries in the Circcnftan ^?' c l r l' t 
 games, as the Emperors or the Governors of the pro- c . 33 . 
 vince that reprefented them ufed to do ; and that the 
 money of the Kings of France coin'd in gold, and 
 ilamp'd with their image Ihould be current in all the 
 empire : a privilege which had never till then been 
 granted to any Prince, no, not even to the Kings of 
 Perfia. 
 
 Totila for his part, to engage the French to him, ibid. c. 37; 
 lent to demand Theodebert's daughter in marriage : 
 But the emballadors, in opening their orders, gave 
 their mailer the title of King of Italy. Upon which 
 TbeoJebert made anfwcr, that he did not acknowledge 
 him for King of Italy, who could not keep Rome 
 .when he had taken it ; and that as he detfgn'd his 
 G 2 daughter
 
 *4 The Htftory of F R AN c E^ 
 
 An. 5*43 daughter for nothing lefs than a King, he wouM not 
 V"V""*- / confent to give her to him. The embafladors return- 
 ed with this rough anfwer, which fo fenfibly nettled 
 Tottla, that he leiz'd upon Rome a fecond time, re- 
 paired its breaches, reftored the fenate, renew'd the 
 fliews, and re-eftablifh'd it in all the fplendor that the 
 mifery of its inhabitants fo often befieged, taken and 
 pillaged, wou'd allow of. 
 
 But this was not the main caufe of Tbeodeberfs 
 refulal. He intended, according to his former defign, 
 to make his advantage of the troubles of the OJlro- 
 goths, and to compafs this refolution, he took jufter 
 meafures than he had done in his firft expedition into 
 Italy. 
 
 \Akmtvb-. He fent an army thither under the command of ge- 
 *?' neral Bucelin, who, while the Oftrogoths and Romans 
 
 L T^c. ji. were engaged againft each other, feiVd fbme towns 
 Procop. i. 4. of Liguria, and feveral other places as far as the 
 Throdeberc** countI 7 f ftW| which feparated the Roman territo- 
 
 nes qn the fea fhore from Brejfc, Verona, and the o- 
 ther inland pofTeffions of the Goths. Totila, furpriz'd 
 at thefe fudden conquefts, laid hold on this opportu- 
 nity as a motive to perfuade the Emperor to a peace : 
 A itAf.ui be- but not fucceeding, he entred upon a treaty with the 
 FrSTh^Li Frc*cb' ^ was a g ree d that each nation fhould con- 
 Gwhi a- tinue in pofleffion of what they held on the other fide 
 /./? tht t he Alps ; that they ftiould no longer look upon one 
 <ft ' pm>r ' another as enemies ; and that if Totila fhou'd accom- 
 plifti his defign of driving the Romans out of Italy, he 
 fhould furniih the French with what lay convenient 
 for them, to eftabliih a fincere and lafting peace be- 
 tween them. 
 
 This was the point which the French had always 
 aim'd to bring the Goths to. One of the articles of 
 agreement was, that the French fhou'd openly break 
 with the Emperor, and befides the fuccours they fent 
 to the Oftrogoths in Italy Ihould make a great diverfi- 
 on by the Danube. The pretence of this rupture was 
 ' ver Y fpecious, and had made terrible work with the 
 !** Emperor, if Theodebcn had been at leifure to execute 
 the Empenr. j tt Jufti*ia, among the other titles exprefs'd in his 
 edicts, has alfo that of Francique, eiving us thereby 
 to undcrftand, that he was the fubdtter and conque- 
 ror of the French, as well as of the Vandals, and the 
 reft from whom lie funwm'd himfelf. Theo-
 
 CHILD. CLOT. THEODED. 5 
 
 Theodebert demanded latisfalion for this injury, and An. ^47, 
 Undertook to oblige Juftinian to renounce this title by s --"v-v' 
 carrying the war as far as Thrace and Illyrium. As 
 he was mafter of Bavaria, and one part of Pannonia, 
 as he himfelf tells the Bmperor 'Juflinian in a letter Apud An- 
 to him, this defign had nothing of chimera in it; dTe * Du " 
 but to facilitate the execution of it, he endeavoured 
 to provoke the refentment of the Gepides and Lom- 
 bards, who pofTefs'd the lands of the empire on 
 the other fide, by reprefenting to them that the Empe- 
 ror conftantly took the titles of Gepidick w\dLombar~ 
 dick with as much pride, vanity and falfhood, as he 
 did that of Almanick and Francique, and that they 
 were as much concern'd in honour as he was to fuf- 
 fer it no longer. 
 
 Thus matters ftood, when an unforefeen accident 
 took him off in the midft of thele great preparations, 
 being wounded in hunting by a fmall tree that a 
 buffler broke to avoid the dart with which he was go- 
 ing to pierce him. He dy'd an. 5-48. of this wound, The de*tf> of 
 fome fay the fame day, others of the illnefs it brought Theodebert 
 upon him. He was aged between forty five and fifty, "* **"*' 
 and had reigned fourteen years. 
 
 The French or Gaulifn hiftorians, and thofe of the 
 empire, as well ecclefiaftical as prophane, agree in 
 commending him. No body, fays an Imperial hifto- Agath. 1. ii 
 rian, was more brave in the greateft dangers. None 
 of the Princes, whom the Romans and Greeks called 
 Barbarians, did ever fupport the dignity of his crown 
 and rank like him; always fought to, and always 
 fear'd by his neighbours, and elpecially by the Empe- 
 ror, whom he was upon the point of forcing to de- 
 ferve or lofe the title of Franciqite, which his flatterers 
 had given him. Marius, Bilhop ofLaufanne, who lived in chron;. 
 foon after him, calls him the great King of the French. 
 Equal to his grandfather, father, and uncles in valour, 
 without that lavagenefs of difpofition, which put them 
 upon fo many a&s of cruelty. He was benevolent 
 and humane to all the world, to fuch a degree, that 
 he wou'd out of his own pocket redeem the prifoners 
 taken in war by his foldiers, and reftore them their 
 liberty, He gain'd the hearts of his fubjeds, and had Greg.Tur. 
 a very feeling fenfe of their miferies. The pafljon he 3 * c< 34 ' 
 had entertain'd for his miftrefs Deuteria, was a flight 
 G q of
 
 S 6 The Hi/lory of F R A N c E . 
 
 &n. 5-48. of youth, which the regularity of the remaining part 
 
 %^V*^ of his life made amends for. The Emperor Juftini^ 
 
 an more than once complain'd of his unfaithfulnefs 
 
 and difregard of engagements. But that was a vice 
 
 from which few warlike Princes are exempt, and fer 
 
 veral have appear'd lefs to blame, becaufe they cou'd 
 
 Thxkbai<Je better dilTemble it than he. He left no male ifliie at 
 
 s on n /The- his death, but Thcodebalde or Thibaut, whom he had 
 
 ?/f^ by Deutcria, and with whom neither Childebert nor Clo- 
 
 in Aufcafia. taire attempted to difpute the kingdom of Auftrafia, 
 
 s clot'lda'* '^' ie death f T'heodebcrt was foon after follow-! 
 
 death. ed by that of the holy Queen Clotilda. She died 
 
 Greg Tur at Tours, where (he had lived for the moft part near 
 
 2.4. c.i. forty years. She was a Princefs as remarkable for 
 
 piety and 7,eal, as for her patience in thofe fevere try-r 
 
 als by which heaven purified her virtue after the death 
 
 of Clovis. 
 
 Frocop. 1.4. By the news of Theodeberfs death the Emperor 
 c. 4 was not only delivered from the apprehenfions he was 
 under from that Prince's great preparations for war, 
 and the leagues that he was forming againft him, but 
 had alfb hopes of bringing the young King of Auftra- 
 fia over to his fide, and of recovering what the French 
 had taken in Italy. Upon this meflage he fome time 
 after fent Leontius the. Senator into France, who 
 cou'd obtain no other anfwer upon thefe two points, 
 but that they might have \ conference with the Empe- 
 ror in relation to his pretenfions. And in confe- 
 quence of this, foon after Leontius^s departure the 
 King made choice of Lcudard^ a French Lord, with 
 three other Perfons, and fent them embafladors to 
 Conjlantinofk : where they fo managed the matter 
 with the Emperor, that the French continued in pofTef- 
 (ion of their lands in Italy. 
 
 Varfes ;/ But the peace between the Empire and the French 
 /\nii'* BC ~ was; of no long continuance. For the Emperor hav- 
 jtav . * n f nt Narfes into Italy, this General gain'd two, 
 battles over the Goths, in one of which 'Joti/a their 
 King was killed; and Teias, who fucceeded in his 
 place, in the other. Thefe two defeats ruined the af- 
 tairs of the Goths, infomuch that they capitulated with 
 Narfes for the liberty of a fccure pais out of Italy, by 
 promifing not to bear arms for the future againft the 
 ' There was but QuzGotbick Captain, narriT 
 
 cd
 
 CHILD. CLOT. THEODEB. 87 
 
 ed Ingulphus, who refufing to fubfcribe fo difhonou- An. 5-48. 
 rable a treaty invaded Paiia, from whence having in- W"V**V 
 rufed new life into the reft of his countrymen that in- 
 habited along the Po, he lent embafladors into France 
 to demand liiccour againft the Romans. The King Agatb. 1. *. 
 rcfufed to comply with his requeft , but Bucelin and 
 Leutharis his twoMinifters told them privately at their 
 departure, not to be difcoura^'d, alluring them that, 
 notwithftanding the King's word, they themfel ves would 
 quickly follow them at the head of fuch an army as 
 fliould foon change the face of affairs in Italy. And A great *r- 
 indeed Bucelin and Leutharis did in a fhort time after i*j f the 
 pafs the Alps with an army of feventy five thoufand 
 men, and being arrived at the Po, the Goths for the 
 mod part, notwithftanding the oath they had taken to 
 make no more war againft the Emperor, came and 
 joined them. 
 
 The city of Parma received the French, who de- 
 feated thereabouts a confiderable body of the Herzdi, 
 whofe General named Fulcaris was killed in the fight. 
 Bucelin advanced as far as the city of Rimini, near 
 which Narfc's himfelf killed nine hundred men in a 
 rencounter. And this was the laft action of any mo- 
 ment in this campaign of the year 5-5-4. An. 
 
 The return of the fpring was no fooner come about, An. 
 but the French, who had winter'd in all that part of 
 Italy which lies between the Alps and the Apennine 
 mountain, and along the Po as far as to its mouth, 
 took the field, and advanced, ravaging as they wecc, 
 as far as the ftreight that feparates the continent of Italy 
 from Sicily. Leutharis with one part of the army re- 
 turn'd to the Po, to fecure the prodigious quantity of 
 booty he had taken, and to give the forces, that were 
 feme time after to return and join Bucelin, time to 
 reft. 
 
 Leutkaris*s march to the Po was not attended with 
 good fuccefs : For he was attack'd by a flying. fqua- 
 dron of the Imperialifts and loft a great part of his 
 booty, and moft of the prifbners whom he was carry- 
 ing away in great number. 
 
 He had hardly arrived at the quarters in which he* 
 
 had deiign'd to refrefh his army, when the fatigues they 
 
 had endured, and the exceflive heats which then hap- 
 
 pen'd, produced a plague which almoii deftroyed them 
 
 64 to
 
 TheHiftory ^/FRANCE. 
 
 An. ffj'. to a man. Leutharis himfelf was feized with it, and 
 died. 
 
 me French In the mean time Narfes, who had fuffer'd this tor- 
 army - rent to fpread as far as the extremities of Italy, with- 
 
 2' Narfes out be i n a ^ le to P ut an Y ftP to * f > h ac * S ot ni ' s a rmy 
 
 * rfc< battle together again about Rome, and for fome time inter- 
 
 c/cafiiin. cepted Bucelin's provifions , who for that reafon was 
 
 Appendix*' refolved to give him battle. The two armies approach'd 
 
 ad Marcel, each other, and encamped upon the edge of Cajilin, 
 
 Chroa, where they came to an engagement, which was fo fa- 
 
 tal to the French, that of thirty thoufand ftanch men, 
 
 of whom his army was yet compofed, there were but 
 
 five foldiers efcaped ; all the reft being either killed or 
 
 taken. Soon after, Hamming , another French Com- 
 
 mander in the country of Venice, wasalfo cut in pieces 
 
 by Narfes. So many lofTes happening one after ano- 
 
 ther entirely ruined the affairs of the French on the 
 
 other fide the Alps, and obliged them wholly to aban- 
 
 don Italy, whither they did not return for a long 
 
 time. 
 
 The *<*& of During thefe tranfa&ions a great change happened in 
 
 the KM of p rance by the death of Theodebalde King of Auflrafia, 
 
 Gngrllr. who, while his two Generals were carrying on the 
 
 \ 4, c. 9. war abroad, languifhed under a palfy for a long time, 
 
 of which he diedinthe feventh year of his reign, leav- 
 
 ing no other heirs behind him but his two great uncles 
 
 Clotaire and Childebert. 
 
 At the time of e fheol>alde > ^ death Childebert lay dan- 
 geroufly ill. Clotaire taking advantage of this opportu- 
 nity, feized upon the whole fucceffion, and took fuch ef- 
 feclual meafures to fecure it, that Childebert upon his re- 
 covery durft not venture to difpute it with him. His 
 refemment did not hinder him from making a virtue 
 of his neceffity, by declaring an authentick ceffion of 
 all his right to the kingdom of Auflrafia in favour of 
 his brother , upon pretence of his having no children. 
 But his behaviour to him afterwards, his endeavours 
 to mioleft and difturb him upon every occafion, fufli- 
 ciently ftiew upon what principle he a&ed in this af- 
 fair. 
 
 Clotaire had always governed his little kingdom of 
 
 Soi/bns with authority, and kept his fubje&s and chil- 
 
 dren in perfecl fubmiffion. He found by his own ex*- 
 
 pericnce that Princes don't always become more abfo- 
 
 i lute
 
 CHILDEBERT, CLOTAIRE: 89 
 
 lute or more happy by increafing their power. The An. j-^. 
 
 Saxons, who after the reign of Theodoric were tributa- V-*-vs^/ 
 
 ries to the Freneh nation, fhook off the yoak ;' and Greg. Tur. 
 
 having engaged T'uringia in their revolt, ravaged one ^ 4> Cl 10j 
 
 part of trancia Germanica. Clotaire march'd againft 
 
 them in perfon, totally defeated them, and put all 7#- 
 
 ringia to fire and fword. ^ n< '^ 
 
 The Saxons in fpite of their defeat revolted a fecond Tke ' re ^j t 
 time the fame year, and obliged this Prince to abate /'/ saxou 
 fomev/hat of the hard conditions they had fubmitted to fr*Oo- 
 fome months before. He was no fooner returned, cure * 
 than they brought him the news of another revolt , tht revolt / 
 which gave him much more trouble and concern than tf*** 
 the two former, becaufe it was excited by one of his {Tamae! 
 own children. 
 
 This Prince was called Cramne, a name which was 
 never after given to any Prince of the Royal Family, 
 perhaps in abhorrence of the perfidioufnefs of him who 
 flrft had it, for which he was at that time compared 
 to Abfalam. His misbehaviour proceeded fb far, that Greg. Tur. 
 the King his father upon complaint made againft him, 1. 4. c. 9. 
 recalled him from his government of Auvergne. 
 
 As he knew how much his uncle Childebert was Appendix 
 dilafFecied to Clotaire, he had recourfe to his protec- ad chron. 
 tion, which was promiied him ; but Childebert, before Marcel * 
 he declared himfclf openly, treated with the Saxons to 
 perfuade them to a new revolt. Clotaire march'd a- 
 gainft the Saxons, and fent two of his fons, Charibert 
 and Gontran , againft Cramne, who prefently forced 
 him to raife the blockade, which he had formed before 
 Clermont in Auvergne. But he refufed to join battle, 
 and fpread abroad a report that Clotaire was killed in 
 righting againft the Saxons ; and bending his courfe to 
 "Burgundy, he took Chalons upon Saone. At the fame childebm 
 time Childebert entred Champagne and ravaged it. /^i the 
 Cramne went to meet him at Paris, where they en- **"' * /; 
 gaged themfelves by an oath not to make peace with reva/t ' 
 Clotaire. Our hiftorians are fo little exact in this arti- Greg. TW. 
 cle, that they fay nothing of the fuccefs of the war 1- * c> I 7 
 againft the Saxons, nor of what became of the army of 
 Charibert and Gontran, nor of what happen'd in the 
 following campaign, which was that of the year ^57 An. 5/7. & 
 or 5^8. We learn by the chronicle of Marius deLau- j[f 8 : . 
 fame that in the year jtf the French loft fome of The- in 
 
 odeberfs
 
 90 
 
 An. 55-8. 
 
 Fertunat. I. 
 <S. arm. +. 
 
 Cloaire 
 Af.wrf& rf 
 tie French 
 emfirt. 
 
 Greg. Tur. 
 J. 4- c. a 
 
 */ r^ r./ 
 Prince, t?bo 
 
 The Htjlory of FRANCE.^ 
 
 conquefts in JWv, by which we are without 
 doubt to underftand fome places among the Alps, 
 which were retain'd after the defeat at Cajnin. 
 
 In the mean time Childebert died an, 5-5-8. in the 
 forty feventh year of his reign. He was buried in the 
 church of St. Vincent, which himfelf had built. This 
 is now the monaftery of S. Germain des Prez.. France 
 is full of fuch marks of his piety. Four councils 
 held at Orleans, one at Aries and two at Paris in his 
 reign, (hew plainly how much he had at heart the bu- 
 finefs of religion, and well ordering the lives of his 
 iubje6ts. In this hiftory we have proofs of his valour, 
 he was beloved by his fubjecls, and Paris was greatly 
 affii&ed at his death. We can't much reproach him with 
 cruelty, in relation to the lhare he had in the death of 
 the fons of Clodomir, his nephews. Ambition put him 
 upon a refolution to commit this crime, but compaffi- 
 on wou'd not let him go thro' with it, and if Clotaire 
 wou'd have hearkned to him, it had not been done. 
 
 In fine, the war which he carried into the very 
 midft of Spain, the conqueft of Burgundy, and the 
 battle of Narbonne, which he gain'd againft Araalaric, 
 are illuftrious proofs of the courage of this Prince, 
 and add to the praife of his earned endeavours to prc- 
 ferve his kingdom in peace during the long period of 
 his reign. 
 
 Clotaire by this death found himlelf fole matter of 
 all the French empire. 
 
 At the fame time ended the civil war, and Cramne 
 having loft his fupport, was obliged to have recourfe 
 to his father's mercy, who pardoned him. But his un- 
 quiet fpirit engaged him in new intrigues, and gave his 
 father frefh provocation againft him ; but when he was 
 juft upon the point of being feixed, he efcaped with 
 his wife and daughters to the Earl of Bretagne named 
 Conomor or Conobert. Clotaire purfued him thither 
 attended with -his fon Cktlperic, and gave him battle. 
 Hiftory fays that the King at the beginning of the 
 fight addrefled himfelf to God, and cryed out aloud, 
 Lord, be tbou the judge of my caufe, and affift Da- 
 vid againfl Ablalom. God heard him; the Bretons 
 were defeated, and the Earl himfelf deftroyed; and 
 Cramne being fhut up in a country-cottage, which 
 they fet on fire, was burnt with all his family. 
 
 i The
 
 CLOTAIRE. 91 
 
 The King, after this fatal vi&ory,. returned Into An. jy 
 france, by Tours, where he made great prefents to the 
 tomb of St. Martin, and the year following, juft as 
 he began to enjoy the tranquillity which he had fettled 
 thro' out his empire, he was taken ill of a fever, as 
 he was hunting in the foreft of Cuife. They carried ibid. c. . 
 him to Comptegne, which was then no more than a 
 pleafure-houfe, where he dyed in the fifty firft year of About the 
 his reign, a year and one day after the battle of Ere* y ear & 
 tagne. A little before he died, he utter'd thefe words, The death cf 
 which had been much more proper for his meditation clou " ue ' 
 during his life, than to wait for the pronouncing of 
 them at this terrible moment. How great, cried he 
 groaning, muft the power of this K.tng of heaven be^ 
 who dejiroyr, vjhenelier he pleafes, the greateft Kings 
 upon earth ? At his return from the expedition into 
 Bretag-ae, as he was performing his devotions in the 
 church of St. Martin, he fhew'd a very fenfible con- 
 trition for the fins of his pail life, and intreated that 
 Saint to obtain mercy of God for him. And indeed 
 he had great need of it.. For there never fat upon the 
 throne of France a more difiblute Prince than himfelf, 
 or one that was lefs afhamed of his irregularities. He ThitPrimfs 
 was a publick adulterer, and had two or three wives 9^' ! ' 
 at once, to whom he gave equally the title of Queen 
 and Spoufe ; he was crafty, cruel, and bloody, having 
 fcarce any good quality but that of valour, intrepidity, 
 and a' talent for war, which was inherited in common 
 by all the fons of Clovis. He was buried at Soiffons in 
 a church which he had begun to build there in honour 
 of S. Medard. He left four fons, who were all that 
 remained of a great number he had had by all his 
 wives. Their names were Chilperic, Cbaribert, Con* 
 tran, and Sigebert, 
 
 CHARIBERT,
 
 92 
 
 An. 5*62. 
 
 Tbe trnpat 
 *fthe French 
 
 JBpjVf if 
 
 trteen Clo- 
 
 a'ac'sfsns. 
 
 A amfftl- 
 frcfthe 
 fmr PrittCU 
 together. 
 
 Greg. Tar. 
 
 Hiftory 'of FRANCE. 
 
 CHARIBERT, King of Paris, GONTRAN, 
 King of Burgundy, CHILPERIC, King 
 of Soifibns, SIGEBERT, King of Au- 
 ftrafia. 
 
 AFTER the death of Clotaire the French mo- 
 narchy was divided between his four fons, as 
 ft had been formerly between the four fons of 
 Clouts. The kingdom of Paris fell toCbaribert's lot; 
 that of Orleans to Gontran; Chilperic had that of 
 Sotffons ; Sigebert, the youngeft of the four, had the 
 kingdom of duftrafia. 
 
 Thefe four kingdoms had not now the fame limits 
 as at firft, the monarchy having been afterwards en- 
 larg'd with the addition of the whole kingdom of 
 Burgundy and Provence on this fide the Rhine, and of 
 all Turingia on the other fide, not to fpeak of feveral 
 people of Germany, who were tributaries to France in 
 the laft reigns. 
 
 Gontran, together with the kingdom of Orleans, 
 had that of Burgundy ; Orleans alfo ceas'd to be the 
 capital city of his kingdom at that time, and Chalons 
 upon Saone became the royal city. This Prince was 
 no more call'd King of Orleans, but King of Burgun- 
 dy ; and all his fubjecls were comprehended under the 
 name of Burgundians, by way of diftin&ion from the 
 reft of the French. Some cantons alfo were difmem- 
 bred from the other kingdoms by confent and compo- 
 fition. 
 
 If the two youngeft, Chilperic and Sigebert, had been 
 of the lame dilpofition with the two eldeft, France 
 had been quiet and happy under their government. 
 Charibert, King of Paris, was a peaceable Prince, 
 and without ambition, taken up in preferving the re- 
 ppfe and tranquillity of his kingdom, without troubling 
 himielf with the thoughts of enlarging it. He go- 
 vera'd in this manner during his whole reign, which 
 lafted near fix years at leaft. He has had the misfor- 
 tune to have his vices only publifhed by our antient 
 hiftoriab, and efpecially his extreme incontinence, for 
 
 which
 
 CHAR. GONT. CHILP. SIGEB. 9j 
 
 which S. German, Bifhop of Paris, excommunicated An. 5-62. 
 him, after a fecond and third marriage contracted in V^v>/ 
 the life-time of his lawful wife : and this is all we Fonunac. I. 
 ftiould have known of him, if another contemporary ' carm% * 
 Bifhop had not been concern'd for his part to inform 
 us of his virtues. According to him he was a wife, 
 moderate, and equitable Prince, a zealous obferver of 
 juftice and the laws, with which he was perfectly ac- 
 quainted ; liberal and courteous, and of an air and 
 countenance that won the hearts of all that came near 
 him, of a quick and piercing judgment, regarded by 
 his council as an oracle, and elpecially diftinguifhed 
 by his wifdom in the inftruclions. he gave his embafla- 
 dors. He was a lover of learning, and underftood 
 and talk'd Latin as readily as his mother tongue. 
 
 It was a much more extraordinary thing at that 
 time to find a Prince of this character, than one fa- 
 mous in the exploits of war. For military endow- 
 ments met with much lefs oppofition from the favage- 
 nefs, which (till remain'd in fome meafure among the 
 French, than all thefe civil and political virtues. 
 The fecond brother Gontran, King of Burgundy, 
 who was more regular in his manners, was yet 
 much inferior to him in his abilities and conduct in the 
 art of government : but he lov'd peace equally with 
 him, and never made war, but when he was com- 
 pelled to it either by the infults of his neighbours, 
 or the quarrels of his brethren, who often forc'd him 
 into it againft his will, which was always ready and 
 difpos'd to reconcile them both with himfelf and to 
 each other. 
 
 Sigebert and Chilperic on the contrary were of too 
 martial a fpirit to let their Iubje6ls be at reft; but 
 Chilperic, who was almoft always the aggrefibr in the 
 differences between thefe Princes, is the perfon we 
 ought to look upon as the principal caufe of all the 
 misfortunes and civil wars with which France was har- 
 ralfed during their reigns. A woman whom he had raifed 
 to the throne, notwithstanding the meannefs of her birth, 
 having got the command of his inclinations, already too 
 reftlefs, violent and ambitious in themfelves, put him 
 upon all the extravagant enterprifes and attempts ima- 
 ginable. This woman was Fredegonde, as famous in our Gefta Reg. 
 hiiloryas the moft renowned of our Kings. She found Franc, c-'si- 
 
 an
 
 The Hiflory of F R A N d 
 
 and 
 and 
 
 An. 5-62. an " enemy in Brunehaut, Queen of Auftrafia, 
 
 V^-y-s^ wife of Sigebert, as full of cunning and intrigue, 
 
 fome fay as- full of wickednefs as her felf. Two 
 Kings and feveral Princes of the royal family loft their 
 lives by their means, notwithstanding which the trou- 
 bles continued, becaufe thefc two ambitious Queens fur- 
 viv'd their husbands. This is in general what concerns 
 the reigns of the four grandfons of Clovis the Greaf, 
 and which I fliall endeavour to difentangle and extracl: 
 from the Chaos of our ancient hiftories, which conti- 
 nue to be upon all occafions extreamly confus'd. 
 
 The news of Clovis's death being carried to the 
 other fide .of the Rhine, the King of the Avares,. who 
 were a remnant of the Huns, and had fix'd themfelves 
 on the Banks of the Danube, thought this a favourable 
 conjuncture for him to pillage the lands of the French 
 on the other fide the Rhine. This country lay in the 
 divifion of Sigebert, King of Auftrafia, who therefore 
 advanc'd to meet the King of the Avares in Turingia^ 
 the people of which had revolted and joyn'd them- 
 felves to this new enemy of the French nation. 
 There they engaged : and Sigebert marching among 
 the firft ranks with his battle- ax in his hand charged 
 the enemy on all fides. The French, animated by 
 this example, fell on with fuch refolution, that the 
 enemy being routed and overthrown on all fides, 
 loft ground, and were driven upon the banks of the 
 
 'Mo* ann. river Elbe, from whence they fent to demand peace, 
 
 * 6 3- which Sigebert granted them. 
 
 Chilperic did not mifs the opportunity which this 
 German war afforded him to revenge himfelf on Si- 
 gebert. 
 
 The caufe of his refentment was this. Being very 
 defirous to have the kingdom of Pans for his fhare 
 in his father's fucceffion, he had got himfelf pro- 
 claim'd in this city, but Sigebert with his two bro- 
 thers had oblig'd him to quit his hold, to draw lots, 
 and to content himfelf with the kingdom of Soijfons, 
 which fell to him. As foon therefore as he faw Si- 
 gebert taken up on the other fide the Rhine, he laid 
 liege to Rheims, with fome other towns in the neigh- 
 bourhood, and wafted all Champagne. 
 
 Sigebert, whom this news obliged to ftrike up a 
 peace in all hafte with the King of the Avares, rc- 
 
 pair'd 
 
 Greg. Tur. 
 1. 4. c. a/, 
 
 Sigebert'/ 
 viffory over 
 the Avares. 
 
 War betnten 
 this Print 
 and hit bro- 
 ther Chilpe-
 
 CHAR. GONT. CHII>P. SIGEB. 05 
 
 repair'd to the Rhine. His prefence fecur'd his frontiers, An. 5-62. 
 and he in his turn lay'd liege to Soi/ons, where Ch:l- <*~\r**s 
 feric had left his fon Theodebert to command in his 
 abfcencc. The town was taken and Theodebert feiz'd and Abovt ann. 
 lent prifoner to Pontyon, a houfe of pleafure belong- ^4- 
 ing to the King of Auftrafia in Partois. Afterwards 
 Sigebert gave battle to Chilperic, defeated him and re- 
 coverM Rheims and all the other towns that had been 
 taken from him. 
 
 This war was of no long continuance. A peace oin gf dky the 
 was made by the mediation of the two other Kings, who t iT othtr 
 threatned to declare themfelves againft him that refus'd. makepeace 
 Sigebert reftor'd SoiJJ'ons to Chilperic and releas'd his Greg- Tur * ; 
 fon Theodebert upon his promiling never after to bear 1. 4. c. 2.3. 
 arms againft him. 
 
 The peace being concluded, Sigebert thought of a 
 marriage worthy mmfctf notwithstanding the bad ex- 
 ample of his brothers before him, who in this affair 
 had had more regard to their inclination than to 
 their dignity and birth. Athanagilde King of the Fiji- 
 goths reign'd then \\\ Spain. He had two daughters, the 
 youngcft of which nam'd Brunebaut was one of the nuiUe. 
 moft beautiful and accomplifh'd PrincefTes in Europe, reign'd in 
 
 Sigebert fent to demand her in marriage. She was p^tunar I 7 
 granted him, and receiv'd in France with all poffible carm. i. 
 magnificence. But that which compleat'ed the joy of '-** ana. 
 the French upon this occafion was, that this Princefs, who & 
 had been an Arian, fubmitted to be inftrudted at the in- 
 ftances of the King, and foon after embraced the ca- 
 tholick religion. 
 
 Chilperic touch'd with his brother's example, thought Greg. Tur. 
 allb of ridding himfelf of his unworthy amours, and J - 4- c. 28. 
 demanded of the King of Spain his eldeil daughter 
 call'd Galfwinde. He obtain'd her, but not without 
 great difficulty, his debauches were grown fo publick 
 that they hadreach'd the ears even of foreigners. This 
 JPrincefs foilow'd the example of her fifter, in becom- 
 ing a catholick and even a great faint. 
 
 This marriage of Chilperic fuppofes the cuftom of 
 divorces , which was at that time but too common in 
 France, efpccially among the great ones ; he had already 
 put away Audovere. who retir'd into a monaftery in the 
 country of Maine, and refolved alfo to repudiate Fre- 
 degonde that he might efpoufe Galfiuinde ; but for all 
 
 that
 
 9tf The Hiftory 
 
 An. 5*62,. ti&tFredegonde did not leave the court: it was file that 
 \SV~^J found means to deftroy Audovere, and alfo compafs'd 
 Fredegonde t h e deftrudHon of Galfwinde, who was one morning 
 o*ri found de * d in her bed. The publick charg'd her with 
 firtyt Gal- this death, which they no longer doubted when they 
 fwinde, ><md f aw Chiheric take her for his wife a lecond time, and 
 reftore her the title of Queen. 
 
 The Queen of Auflrajia fitter of the deceas'd Queen 
 fent to demand fatisfa&ion, for this murder, of the 
 other French Kings, and ftirr'd up Sigebert her husband 
 to revenge it. Her complaints were found fo juft that 
 they all joyn'd in a league againft Chilperic. But when 
 they had made themfelves matters of the greateft part 
 Greg. Tur. of his kingdom, a peace was haftily ttruck up upon 
 L 4. c. 20. condition that Chilperic, to appeafe the Queen of Au- 
 flrafia, fhou'd refign her fome towns which he had 
 given to Galfwinde by way of appennage at her mar- 
 riage. Thefe were fome towns which he had receiv'd 
 by inheritance from Charibert King of Paris, who died 
 in his capital a little before the arrival of Galfwinde in 
 France. 
 
 Soon after the peace was concluded, Sigebert was 
 
 oblig'd to maintain a new war againft the King of the 
 
 ibid. c. 29. Avares, in which he did not meet with the fame fuc- 
 
 sigebert dt- cefs as in the former ; for he was defeated and taken 
 
 *tkmt"1hi P r if oner > but f on releas'd by a treaty; the conditions 
 
 AVMCS"! tut of which are not mention'd in hiftory : But after that 
 
 ftt *t liberty, time it does not appear that thefe two Princes had 
 
 any quarrel againft each other. 
 
 While the Avares kept the French in play on the 
 
 other fide the Rhine, another enemy which France had 
 
 never yet feen upon its frontiers, attack'd the King of 
 
 An. f68. Burgundy. This war was the firft confequence which 
 
 & 5-69. ' tlie rrenck felt of the fudden revolution in Italy, which 
 
 fome years after oblig'd them to intereft themielves in 
 
 the affairs on the other fide the Alpi, as they had done 
 
 in the time of the Oftrogotbs. 
 
 Narfes having exterminated thefe Barbarians in Italy, 
 and having driven out the French, govern'd it in peace 
 till the death of the Emperor Jujlinian in the year 5-66. 
 Jufttn his fucceffbr had not the fame regard for this 
 fage commander, and the Emprefs Sophia treated him 
 with indignity. It is pretended that being furioufly in- 
 cens'd agaiuft her, by an. outrageous letter fhe wrote to 
 
 him.
 
 GONT CrflLP. SlGEB. 7 $7 
 
 -him, he reveng'd himfelf of her by bringing the Lorn- An. 5-62. 
 tards into Italy. This nation had formerly ferved un- Vo/~<^ 
 ckr him with great advantage againft the Oftrogoths, and 
 we're ieated in Pannoma. Their King was call'd Al- 
 bo-in, a great foldier, whofe firft wife wasCIvdofoiittie 
 daughter of Clot air e I. 
 
 Alhoin made no paufe upon Narfes's propofal, but re Lom- 
 -fem immediately to Germany to invite the Saxons to J^JjjjJ* 
 affift him in his conqueft ; and foon after twenty thousand 2^ f 
 of them took the road for Italy and were follow'd by icaly, 
 feveral others. Stgebert King of Auftrajia, whofe tri- 
 butaries they were, made no oppofition to their depar- 
 ture, becaufe this detachment ferved only to weaken 
 the ftrength of a nation, which he cou'd hardly pre- 
 ferve in their duty ; and as the lands they abandon'4 
 were good, he fent a colony of the Sue-vi to inhabit 
 them, who were another people of his dominion Jfitua- 
 ted about the Danube. 
 
 The. Lombards then fet out from their own country 
 an. 5-68, entred Italy, feiz'd upon Lignria, excepting 
 fome towns of that province upon the fea-fhore, made 
 fhemfelves mafters of Milan, and laftly in three years 
 and a half Alboin conquer'd almoft all Italy, which 
 had no fooner received thefe new mafters, but France 
 was fenfiblc of it. They fent a detachment to ravage - . 
 Savoy, and that which is now called Dauphiny. The pa- ****"*** ... 
 trician Amt haftc-d thither with an army of the King 1 of SjC??" 
 ~Burgundy to pat a flop to thefe incurfions, but was $6. ' 
 defeated and killed in the fight. Mummol, the belt fol- n*y wer , 
 dier at that time in b ranee, was fent to the frontier ca^lff^ 
 with another army, where he came upon the Lombards qxcr^f at 
 by furprixe, and fo bdet them, that very few efcaped. fivft* 1 '*** 
 
 But this was not the laft alarm that was given to &**?* 
 thefe provinces adjoining to the/////. A body of Sax- ibid. c.'z?.. 
 ons, that had followed the Lombards, entred France by * l t - c *'" t T .%~ 
 Ambrunm&Ntce, and penetrated as fcras'/foz,' where '2fut. **" 
 Mummol beat them a iecond time. 
 
 At that time Sigebert bethought of making good his 
 pretenfions to the city of Aries, furprized and took it 
 from the King of Burgundy. This prince fent an army 
 on that fide under the command of Patricias Celfus^ 
 who took Avignon from the King of Auftrafia, defeat- 
 ed his army near /fr/e.r, and recovered this place. But 
 the King of Burgundy following his peaceable inclina- 
 
 V o L. L Ii tions,
 
 9S The Htflory ^ 
 
 An. 572. tions, contented himfelf with this advantage, and f- 
 \^>C\J ftored Avignon to his brother, and peace was conclud- 
 ed between them. 
 
 Chilperic however thought to make his own ufe of 
 thefedivifions between his two brothers, and being ftirred 
 up and excited by b'redegonde, he declared war againft 
 the King and Queen of Auftrajia ; for thefe two prin- 
 cefTes after the death of Queen Galfwinde were irrecon- 
 cileable, and never ceafed to infufe their averfion into 
 their husbands. Chilperic font his fon Clovis at the 
 head of an army into Tottraln and Poitou. And it 
 being very difficult for Sigebert to fuccour thefe pro- 
 vinces detached from the reft of his kingdom, the young 
 Prince took the two capftal cities of 'fours and Poic- 
 tiers, and made himfelf rnafter of almoft the whol 
 country. 
 
 Chilperic, who did not expect to fee the peace fa 
 foon concluded between his two brothers, was greatly 
 furpmed, when he was informed that general MuratnoJ, 
 who had taken the command of the nuftrafian troops 
 with the King of 'Burgundy's confent, was march'd in- 
 to Tourain. This general retook Tours and afterwards 
 Poifiiers ; and Clovis's army being disbanded, he had 
 IbW.e. 4f- a great deal of difficulty to cfcape himfelf. The war 
 An. 57 2< continued with various fuccefs on both fides, and Chil" 
 peric was obliged to fue for peace, which was granted 
 him. 
 
 teaurruuie This peace lafted but one year, when Chilperic be- 
 
 *nd fan of- ftirr'd himfelf in making private preparations for war, 
 
 irrfrcke. an( j j n en g a g} n g the King of Burgundy in his Intcrefts. 
 
 An. 5-72. f he treaty was no fooner concluded between them, but 
 
 Chilperic fuddcnly entrcd Champagne, and put every 
 
 thing to fire andfword as far as Kheiws, while his fon 
 
 I'heodebert was preparing to do the fame in Tourain* 
 
 Sigebert furprized , and extremely offended at this 
 procedure, drew together his forces as expeditioufly as 
 poflible, and fent an army upon the Lire, under the 
 command of two of his generals, Gcdegefile and Gon- 
 tran Bofon. Theodebert went to meet him, but either 
 thro' cowardife or treachery, moil of his troops defert" 
 cd during the march. However he relblved to give 
 battle, notwithstanding the inequality of his forces, but 
 Ibid. c. jri. he 16ft the day and was killed, and was found after 
 the battle was over amidft the bodies of fcveral Lords 
 that had peri/lied with him. ' Thuf
 
 GONT. CHILP. SIGEB; '$$ 
 
 This lofs put Chilperic into a great confternation, An. 572* 
 but he was much more uneafy when he received the \ v x*V s *' 
 news that the King of Burgundy had made peace with 
 Sigebert. Nor durit he venture to take the field any 
 more, fo he retired with his Queen and children to 
 TWttrt. Sigebert,) being matter of the field , feized 
 upon all the towns round Paris, and was received in 
 this capital with great joy by that part of the inhabitants 
 that belong'd to him ; for after the death of Cbaribert 9 
 each of them had his fhare in this city, none of the 
 three being willing to make an intire ceiTion to the two 
 others. 
 
 The Queen of Auftrafia came to meet the King 
 her husband at Paris, and brought her three children 
 with herj viz. the young Prince ChiUebert\ aged 
 five years, and her daughters IngKvde and Clodof- 
 vinde. 
 
 Every thing fell before Sigebert, he fent a detachment ibid, c; ji. 
 of his army to invert Chilperic and k-redegonde in Tour- 
 nay, and advanced as far as Vitri a borough lying be- 
 tween Arras and Douny ; and here moil of the Lords.of 
 the kingdom of Soijjons came and acknowledged him 
 for their King, and took an oath of allegiance to him. 
 
 Chilperic being fhut up in Tournay, found himfelf Sigebert te 
 without remedy, when Fredegonde, who never boggled Sg?^' 1 " 
 at any villany, thought that neceffary, which alone Toumay 
 cou'd deliver her from this extremity, and fent two fi*v* h thi 
 refolute defperado's to Sigebert) who under pretence of p 
 propofing an accommodation, ftabb'd him, and were 
 themfelves destroyed by this Prince's attendants. ; Thus 
 died Sigebert King of Auftrafia in the very height of 
 his prolperity at the age of forty years, after a glorious 
 reign of fourteen years, the moft accomplished Prince 
 of his time. 
 
 This accident changed the face of affairs in a mo- 
 ment. The fiege of Tournay was broke up. Frede- 
 gonde fent immediately to Paris to acquaint thole of -/ of Sige-, 
 her faction of what had happen'd, with orders to feize be . r c 
 upon the Queen of Auftrafiu whatever it coft them.' 
 She met with proper initruments for the bufinefs they 
 were imployed in< Brunebaut and her children were 
 taken into cuftody. This was Chilperic^ fhorteft way 
 to make himfelf mafter of the kingdom of Auftrafia, 
 But Gondebaud one of the generals of the Auftrtfa* 
 H z
 
 i oo The Utflory of F R A N c ." 
 
 An. 5-62. army, having overreach'd or bribed the guards, let the 
 \^T^J young Prince Children down in a fack thro' a win- 
 
 rs yo*ng ow, and carried him fafely to Metz,, where he was 
 rieTtfi^an P^ced upon his father's throne. 
 Auflnfian Queen Brt'.Kehaut met with more gentle ulage than? 
 nobleman, fl^ cou'd cxpe& ; for ChJlperic contented himfelf with 
 f r /. S c "' banifhing her to Rotten, where he allowed her the city 
 
 for her prifon, and her two daughters were fent to- 
 
 'Mecntx, 
 He difpatched immediately one of his generals named 
 
 Rocoletie with a force to invade Tourain ; and Tours 
 
 finding itfelf unable to make any defence, open'd its 
 
 gates to him. 
 
 Merovce/o Chifoeric at the fame time ordered Merovee his 
 O f chiipenc third Ion to march with an army for Poitou. But 
 ^urrits Bru- jj e was greatly furpriz'd, when it was told him that 
 
 nehnur witto- .. T^-- < it i + * 
 
 out his fjtha't this young Prince had quitted the army and repair'd to 
 *m*itdgt. Rotten ; and that Pretextatus Bifhop of that city had 
 married him after his arrival to Bruneh.mt. 
 
 This Princefs became a widow while fhe was yet 
 very young , and had loft nothing of thofe charms 
 which induced the late King to prefer her to her eldeft. 
 fifter. Meroiiee had feen her in prifon at Paris, and 
 was then enamour'd with her. She for her part did 
 not feem infenfible of his paflion, who in the ill ftate 
 of her affairs might have been of fervice to her. From- 
 that time in all likelihood they were engaged, and the 
 bufmcfs was executed in the manner I have been relat- 
 ing. 
 
 CLil ic Chilperic forefaw the confequenccs of this match r 
 
 fmrprtzctthtm and knew what he was. to expeft from fuch a difpofi- 
 
 *t Roan. tion as that of Brunebaut's. He let out directly, arriv'd 
 
 at Rouen fooner than was expecled, and farpriz'd thefe 
 
 two lovers, who had no other, way to fave themfelvcs- 
 
 from the effects of his anger than by flying to the church 
 
 of St. Martin, which was built upon the walls of the 
 
 city. 
 
 The churches dedicated to this faint were an inviola- 
 ble Afylurn in France, And therefore they refufed to 
 quit it, 'till Cbilperic had not only given his oath to 
 do them no harm ; but alfo to confirm the marriage, 
 upon condition he (hould find it to be a lawful one. 
 Which he very readily aflented to, becaufe he knew ic 
 uns ngainfl the canons, which prohibited a nephew 
 
 from
 
 GONT. CHILP. CHILDEB. 101 
 
 from marrying his uncle's widow. After this oath, An. 572. 
 they came out of the church, and prefentcd themfelves \^\^J 
 before the King, who embraced them, andfet them at 
 table wich him. But within a few days he command- 
 ed the Prince to follow him toSotffbns, who wasforc'd 
 to obey. From that time he was watch'd very clofe, 
 and the King had his eye in a manner always upon him. 
 This incident alfo determined Chilperic to finilh a ne- 
 gotiation which he had prolonged to that time : it was 
 a negotiation with the young King of Auflrajla. concern- 
 ing the liberty of his mother, whom he fent back to 
 him, as well to remove her out of Merov-Je's reach, as 
 to prevent the intrigues, which he apprehended he had 
 more reafon to fear from her continuance in his king- An. 576. 
 dom, than from her refiding in Auftrafia. 
 
 Brunebant, at her arrival found a council of leveral Brunehaut -I 
 Lords efhbliih'd for the government of the ftate during f ent back ' 
 her foil's minority, and firmly relblved to allow her ui ra a< 
 no part in the government. She was fain to difTem- 'she itcKdud- 
 ble her refentment. But tho' file cou'd not compafs her edtbegtvtr^ 
 ambition in this particular, (he had at lead credit enough !^f '* thlt 
 to engage the council to fecojjj her revenge and ant- 
 mofity againft Fredegonde , by declaring war againft 
 Cbilperic^ who then began to doubt whether he had 
 a&cd wifely in letting her go. 
 
 The forces in QbampAgne march'd directly to Soifi- w.* between 
 font with an intent to furprize Fredevonde there. This chl }^? t 
 
 ^ i IT i i/* i And Cruide* 
 
 prize wou d have made tirumhaut amends for all her bert K .,g of 
 part misfortunes : But Fredegonde got timely notice of Auftrafia. 
 it, andmarch'd off with Prince Clovis in great difpatch. 
 Mcrwee thought proper to continue there, w 5 firing no- 
 thing more than to be taken by \hz.Auftrafian troops. 
 
 Chilperic immediately took the field, attack 'd the Au- Greg. TUT. 
 flrafians and overcame them, and viclorioufly re - en- ^'f.\%! ;, 
 tred his capital. There he fet a guard upon Merovee, f t a f e dver 
 and tookav/ay his arms, being periuaded that thefe new 
 emotions were owing to no other caufe than the in- 
 trigues and correspondence of this Prince with Brunc- 
 baut. He fent his fon Clovis into Tourain, and gene- 
 ral D idler into Limoufra, who ravaged all the country " 
 fubjccl: to the King of Aziftrafia in thofe Quarters. 
 
 In the mean time this young Prince hud engaged the 
 King of B#rg7/W_yhis uncle in. his intcreft ; and the pa- 
 trician Mi'.m-mo], who commanded their army, ccm- 
 H 3 ing
 
 f oa The Hiftory of F R A N c E. 
 
 ,An. 576*. ing up with General Didier^ there enfued a very bloo- 
 
 O^v^-' dy battle, in which Chilperic's army was entirely de- 
 
 jbid. c. if.j feated. Five an4 twenty thoufand men among the 
 
 conquered, and five thoufand of the conquerors were 
 
 killed upon the place. 
 
 This lofs ftirr'd up Chilperic^ fury againft Prince Me- 
 rovee, whom he made refponfible for all this bad fuccefs, 
 difinherited and imprifon'd him, fhav'd him, and made 
 him take orders in fpight of his difinclination. After 
 this he fent him with a convoy to the Monaftery of 
 Anille, otherwife called S. Calais^ in the country of 
 Maine : but he made his efcape by the way, reach'd 
 jTo^rj^ and fled to the church of S. Martin, where 
 Duke Contran-Bofon had alfo taken fan&uary to Ihun 
 the wrath of Chilperic, who would have deflroyed 
 him upon fuppofition that he had killed his fun Theo- 
 debert at the battle which this Prince loft in Tourain. 
 
 Merovee fome time afterwards left his afylttnt to go 
 |nto the kingdom of Auftrafia, and when he was arriv'd, 
 gave notice of it to Brunehaut. This Princefs allow- 
 ed him to come privately to court, where he difcourf- 
 ed with her and cprijfeed her not to forfake him in 
 his misfortunes. She was very much inclined to do it 
 her felf, but fhe was not miflrefs there ; and the young 
 King's council obliged Merovee to depart the kingdom 
 immediately. 
 
 Merov& it This Prince not knowing where to fecure himfelf^ 
 
 majfacre4. came to the parts about Teronenne ; where being dif- 
 
 covered by Fredegonde^ emiffaries, he was inverted in 
 
 AQ. 577. a houfe in the middle of the field. Chilperic came 
 
 thjther himfelf to fetch him : but upon his arrival, he 
 
 found him dead with a fword thruft through his body; 
 
 and the common report was that he had been killed 
 
 by an aflaflin fent by Fredegonde. 
 
 Chilperic look'd upon it as the Death of an enemy, 
 not as that of a fon. It very much farther'd Fredc- 
 gonde^ defign, who had it in her view to place fome 
 of her children upon the throne of France^ and for that 
 purpofe was under a neceflity of extirpating all the ofF- 
 fpring of Chilperic by Queen Audwerc. There was 
 now none but Chits left, a Prince always tractable 
 and fubmiflive to his father's orders, and whofe ruin 
 confequently fhe muft have time to bring about. 
 
 Vpw
 
 is *- 
 
 GONT. CHILP. CHILDEB. 103 
 
 Upon the difcoyery of a confpiracy againft her and An. 57? 
 Cbilperie and their children, (he laid hold of the op- \^s 
 portunity to fall upon this Prince, however innocent C!ovis 
 of the fa&laid to his charge. Upon this he was feized 
 and conveyed to the caftle of Noify on the other iide 
 the Marne, where he was ftab'd with a dagger. She 
 made the King believe he had killed himfelf, and that " 
 the dagger was found lying by him. The death of this 
 Prince did not happen till about the year 5*81 near three An, 5*81 
 years after that of Merove'e, I muft now give fome 
 account of the other matters of importance, which 
 paired in diverfe parts of France during thefe troubles 
 of the Royal Family, which in this ipace of time law 
 five Princes perifh miferably, either by the fury, or in . 
 punifhment of the fury of Fredegonde : for three fons 
 whom (he had by Cbtlperic, the eldeft of whom was 
 not above thirteen or fourteen years of age, were car- 
 ried off by a contagious diftemper a little before the 
 death of Clovis. 
 
 Varoc Count of Breiagne took the advantage of thefe 
 conjunctures to fhake off the yoak of homage and tri- 
 bute, which he owed to Chilperic. But Chilperic drew 
 up his forces upon this frontier to reduce the Count to 
 his duty. They fuffer'd themfelves to be furprized by Greg. Tor. 
 the Bretom ; but notwithftanding this advantage, Varoc J ' *' c * 16 ' 
 made his fubmiflion. However fome time after he re- 
 new'd his irruptions upon the territories of France. 
 The French did the fame upon his. And great exceffes 
 were committed on both (ides. We have no account 
 in hillory of the time or manner in which thefe new 
 differences were ended. 
 
 During this time feveral treaties were concluded be- 
 tween the Kings of France : Gontran readily uniting 
 himfelf with his nephew the young King of Anftrafia, 
 to moderate the ambitious defigns of Cbilperie'^ and 
 Cbilperie endeavouring to engage the Auftrafians in a 
 war againlt Gontran. There happen'd a difference be- ^ 
 tween the Kings of Burgundy and Auftrafia upon ac- '** 
 
 count of Marseille. This place had bclong'd to Cha- 
 ribert King of Paris ; and in the divilion of the fuccefil- 
 on, it fell to the late King Sigebert and the King of 
 Burgundy , who had each of them a moiety ot it; 
 thefe odd divifions being at that time much in ufe. 
 The young Children in the beginning of his rei^n, 
 H 4 when
 
 f g 
 
 104- The Hiftory 0f FRANCE. 
 
 An. 581. when he flood in perfect awe of Chtlperic, durft not 
 \*/y~*U refufe his uncle the King of Bxrritttdvj that part of 
 Marfeilie which belong'd to him : but thinking htmfelf 
 afterwards in a condition to fear nothing, ho had a 
 mind to recover the tranfa&ion he had made upon 
 this.article, and being fure of fuccours fromCkilperic^ 
 he firft made fome overtures to the Duke of*/Wy, 
 for the recovery of this part of Marfeilie out of his'hands, 
 and then proceeded to force , forpm'd and took it. 
 From that time thefe Princes had no regard for each 
 other, but began to treat one another openly and in all 
 j-cfpcfts as enemies. 
 
 Cilperic, in vertue of his alliance with the King of 
 
 flrajia^ fent an army into Perigord upon the lands 
 of Gvntran^ under the command of general Didier, 
 who having defeated a body of troops that he met in 
 hts way, attack'd and took Periguez and after that 
 c. T i2 r .' ^Z'"' While Duke Berttfle with another army ftop'd 
 that of Burgundy upon the frontier of Ton-rain, with- 
 out their offering to make any attempt. 
 
 The affairs of the King of Burgundy were in a bac^ 
 pofture, and if Ckildebert had acled with as much vi- 
 gour as Chilperic, Gontran had run the risk of lofing 
 his kingdom. But fome difference which arofe be- 
 tween the Auftrafian Lords prevented his being over- 
 born by his enemies ; fo that a peace was at latt con- 
 cluded with Chtlperic, on condition of leaving him in 
 pofleffion of the places he had taken: but the waj 
 c. aa. foon after broke out anew. For whether the King of 
 Burgundy had met with fome frefli reafon for break- 
 ing with Chtldtbert, he furprized that part of Marseille, 
 which had been the caufe of the firft war, and reco- 
 vered the pofleffion of it. 
 
 Ckilperic , ftill in union with the King of Auftra- 
 fia, immediately invaded the Burgundian territories iit 
 Icycral Places with his armies. And a bloody battle was 
 fought near Meluu, where fevcn thoufandmen on both 
 fides were killed upon the fpot,and neither of them wou'd 
 acknowledge themfelves conquered, or cou'd prcten4 
 a complete victory. The cafe was far othcrwifc in 
 another right that happened fome days after, where 
 Gohtran in perfon attack'd Chilperic's camp, and kil- 
 c . 31. led all before him. This bad fuccefs abated fome- 
 what of this Prince's haughtinefs. The King of Burgun-
 
 GCNTRAN, CHILDEBERT. 105 
 
 dy being always difpofed for peace, they entred into a An. 5-84, 
 negotiation the next day, and a truce was concluded. 
 At laft, ann. 5-84. a general peace was agreed upon on 
 condition that Gontran (hould rertore the rCing of AH- 
 ftmfia that part of Marfeillc, which had been the 
 cauie of the quarrel. 
 
 Chiiperic did not long furvive this peace ; for he died 
 this lame year in a very fatal manner. He was gone to nau -death 
 Chelles, a fummer-houfe which he often reforted to, f chiiperic 
 One night, as he return'd from hunting, and was get^ 
 ting off his horfe Supporting himfelf with his hand up- 
 on the fhoulder of one of his courtiers, an afTaffm who 
 had mix'd himfelf with the company, gave him two 
 blows with a dagger, of which he dy'd immediately, 
 without any one's being able to flop the villain, who 
 made his efcape by the favour of the night. 
 
 The flight of the afTaflin is the reafon we can make 
 no difcovery who they were that put him upon this 
 parricide. Some charge it upon the Queen of Auftra- 
 Jia, becaufe fhe look'd upon Chiiperic as the author 
 of her fifter Galfwinde^ death, and of that of the late 
 King Sigebert, her husband; others upon Fredegonde* Gefta Reg.' 
 An ancient author, but one who wrote long after that Francorum - 
 time, imputes this crime to her without the leaft hefita- c ' p * J *' 
 tion, and pretends that having given Chiiperic room 
 to fufpecl her of a love intrigue with a Lord of the 
 court named Landri, they relolved together to get the 
 ilart of this Prince, whofe refentment they had all the 
 reafon in the world to be afraid of. Thefe two 
 Princefies were of Ib blemifli'd a reputation that we 
 can eafily believe all that is faid of them in this matter. 
 
 But be that as it will, all the world agree that it 
 was a judgment of God, whofe patience this Prince 
 had tired out by his irregularities and crimes. The Gre ? . Tur. 
 Bifhop of Tours calls him expreffly the Nero and the ' 6 - <" 46. 
 Herod of his time. It was for his cruelty that he pre- ./"rti? iS*"" 
 tends Cbilperic refembled thefe Princes, and efpeckilly 
 the fecond by reafon of the {laughter he made in his 
 own family by deftroying two of his own children : 
 but this fin was perhaps not fo much owing to him, 
 as to the afcendant he had furtercd Fredegonde to get 
 over him. His proper and peculiar vices were an hr- 
 n?oderate ambition, which pet all France in a corn- 
 bullion, ail unmerciful difpotition towards his people, 
 
 whom
 
 ^06 TheHtflory <?/FRANCE; 
 
 An. 5-84. whom he loaded with taxes, and exhaufted, an ex- 
 \^y\^ treme incontinence, no degree cf piety, unlefs it was 
 when his fear of provoking St. Martin againft him 
 carried him to fuperftitious lengths. His greateft plea- 
 fure was to banter and revile the Bifhops, and to in- 
 veigh againft the extravagancy of their power ; vain 
 and prefumptuous to excefs; he had the modefty to 
 call himfelf the wifeft Prince of his time. He took 
 upon him to judge in matters of religion, and even 
 ibid. i. f. c. in the Arian difpute. He contrived an edicl:, by which 
 ** he ordered that for the future, they fhould never make 
 
 ttfe of the word Trinity of perfons in fpeaking of God, 
 becaufe the word perfons, which is us 7 d in fpeak- 
 ing of men, was unworthy of God ; and this edt& 
 had been publiflied, if theBifhop of Twrrr, zndSahius, 
 Eifhop of Albi, had not remonftrated ftrongly againft 
 it, He valued himfelf much upon his wit and polite- 
 nefs. He cornpofed two cr three volumes, where 
 among other things were fome very bad verfes, as the 
 fame Biftiop of Tours affures us, and which muft in- 
 deed be very bad, if they were worfe than thofe that 
 were much efteemed at that time, as Fortunatus^ and 
 fome others. He added four letters to the Gaulijh 
 alphabet, and ordered all his provinces to infert them 
 in the books, by which they taught their children to 
 read. This order was in all likelihood never ex- 
 ecuted. 
 
 Forcunat. L This is the defcription the Bifhop of Tours has left 
 5>- cairn us o f Chilperic. The encomiums which theBiftiop of 
 * 8- Po;liers\Ms given us of him in fome poems addrefs'd 
 to this Prince, are fo loofe and general, that the idea 
 the poet gives us of him is not fufh'cient to deftroy 
 that of the hiftorian. He was no fooner dead than the 
 xvhole court departed from Chelles, and the corps of 
 this unfortunate Prince continued there forlaken, with- 
 out any one's thinking fo much as to bury it ; Malul- 
 fus, Bifhop of SevliSj was the only perfbn that per- 
 form'd this hft office by him, and convey *d it by water 
 to Paris, where he was interred in the fuburbicary 
 church of St. Vincent, now St. Germans des prez. 
 
 If Cbilfcrlt*s death was Fredegonde's crime, fhe 
 muft have judged it abfolutely necelfary for her own 
 fccuriry upon account of the ftate to which this death 
 reduced her. She was abhorred by his fubjefts for 
 
 hej
 
 GONTRAN, CHILDEBERT: 107 
 
 her cruelties, avarice, and violent proceedings, de- Ah, 5-84. 
 tefted by the King and Queen of Auftrafta, who V^V"^ 
 
 look'd upon her, the one as the murtherer of his fa- 
 ther, the other as the murtherer of her husband and 
 fifter, hated or at leaft feared by the King of Burgun- 
 dy, who in the aflaflmation of two Kings, his bro- 
 thers, had feen the facred character of Royalty vio- 
 lated, which at all times was held in fuch great ve- 
 neration by the French : far from being iecure of the Fre&gonde't 
 good will of the great ones, who had always ferv'd perplexity af- 
 her more out of fear, than atfe&ion, having no other %? 
 refuge or fupport for her tottering fortune and condi- band. 
 rion than a fon of four months old. Such was Fre- 
 degonde's fituation after the death of Chilperic. 
 
 The part flie took was to deliver herfelf up into Greg. Tar. 
 the hands of the King of Burgundy, whofe goodnefs l. 7- c. S 
 file well knew. She never made more life of her 
 wit and addrefs than upon this occafion; and fhe 
 knew fo well how to work upon the mind of this 
 Prince by her tears, and the companion (he infpired 
 into him for her Ion, that he took them both into his 
 Protection, in fpight of all the efforts of the King of Aui 
 ftrajia to render ner odious to him, and to obtain ju- 
 ftice of the crimes fhe had been guilty of. Nor was 
 this all: for Gontran foon after made all the towns ibid. 0.7. 
 belonging to Chilperic's domain to take an oath of 
 allegiance in her name, and the name of the young 
 Prince; nay, and his generals feii'd fome places ia 
 the King of Auftrafia\ poflefiion, to which he had 
 pretenfions. 
 
 Thefe hoftilities kindled a war between this Prince 
 and the King of Burgundy ; but it did net laft long, 
 there being an end put to it by a very fingular event, 
 which re-united the two Kings when they leaft ex^ 
 peeled it. This event fuppofes another, which for 
 ibme time kept all France in fulpence, and which I am, 
 going to relate. 
 
 The rigour of Gkttyerifa government, the little 
 conftancy of that of Gontraf, and the minority of the 
 King of Auftrajia had rais'd a deiign in the heads of 
 fcveral Lords of the three kingdoms to fet them- 
 felves up'another matter, whom they might rather go^ 
 vern themfelves, than be governed by him; and by 
 their intrigues a new King appeared all of a fuddea 
 wFrairtt.
 
 The Hiftory of F R AN c E.^ 
 
 He was nam'd Gondebaud, and call'd himfelf feu 
 of the late King Clotaire I. The matter was not al- 
 together without foundation. After many attempts to 
 get himfelf acknowledged in the life-time of Clot air e^ 
 and after fever al hazards he retir'd into Italy to Narfes 
 who fent him to Conftantinople, where he made him- 
 felf to be refpecled by the Emperor. It was upon 
 him then that the confpirators call their eyes, and 
 fome alfo of the young King of Auftrefats minifters 
 were in the plot. He parted from Conflatttinople with 
 a considerable fum of money, and arriv'd at Marfeille^ 
 where he immediately experienced the treachery of 
 Duke B^fon, who himfelf had been at Conjlanti- 
 nople to fetch him, and who, as footi as he landed, 
 took from him all his treafure. After fuch a piece of 
 treachery, when he knew not what way to take, hap^ 
 pen'd the death of Chilperic, and afterwards the war 
 between the Kings of Anftrajia and Burgundy, which 
 brought him upon the ftage again : For the partiians 
 which he had in the Aujtrajia* Council, having in- 
 formed the young King that Gondebaud had feveral 
 correlpondents in the kingdoms of Gontran and Frede-> 
 gonde, he resolved to give him fome troops. 
 
 Upon this he is fent for to Auvergne, and placed 
 at the head of an army which Mummol one of the 
 confpirators commanded under him. He cntred L:- 
 raou/in, and caufed himfelf to be proclaimed King at 
 Brive-la-Gaiilarde. He feiied feveral towns of the 
 late King Chilperic's dominion , and put hirrfelf in 
 pofleffion of Angouleme, Perigxeux, Cabors, Bour- 
 deaux, Touloufe^\\\& feveral Lords declared openly 
 for him. He had the affurance to fend embafladors to 
 the King of Burgundy, with propofals for an accom- 
 modation, and to require him at Icaft to reiign up all 
 the towns that had belonged to the kingdom of Chil- 
 peric. But Gontran having notice of it, furprifed them 
 at a time when they had no certain confecrated canes 
 in their hands, which were at that time an inviolable 
 pafs. 
 
 He put them to the rack, and by force of torture 
 drew from them, firlr, that the accalion of Duke Bo- 
 fon's voyage to Conftantinople, was to treat with GOM- 
 dehatid; that the Dukes Didier and Mummol and fome 
 others were in the confpiracy ; and in a word, that
 
 GONTRAN, CHILDEBERT. io 9 
 
 'Gondebaud not only thought to feize on the kingdom An. 5%. 
 of the late King Chilperic, but alfo held a correfpon- V^VV* 
 dence with feveral Auftrafian Lords, who wiih'd to 
 have him for their King. 
 
 This laft article of the depofition was the moft im- 
 portant of them all, and the King of Burgundy did 
 not fail to make his advantage of it. He wrote to his 
 nephew the young King of Auftrafia, conjuring him 
 to come to him without delay, for that -he had Ibme- 
 thing of the laft importance to communicate to him ; 
 that he fhou'd have no regard to the differences be- 
 tween them, but truft to his word, and he fhould have 
 all the reafon in the world to be fatisfy'd with him. 
 
 The King of Auftrafia knowing the goodnefs and 
 integrity of his uncle, made no difficulty to go. Gon- 
 tran laid before him all that he had heard, and made 
 him take it from the mouth of the prifoners themfelves. 
 And then taking him aiide, he reprefented to him how 
 much it was his intereft to continue always at unity 
 with him, mentioned all thofe of his council whom 
 he ought to fufpecl ; and particularly put him in mind 
 that in affifting Gondebaud, he gave encouragement to 
 fuch as were traitors to his kingdom, and wou'd fet 
 up this knight-errant in his room. 
 
 Ckildebert was in his fifteenth year, and already ca- 
 pable of difliriguiihing what was truly his intereft, be- 
 ing a Prince of great difcernment and fagacity. He 
 received Gontran's advice with a becoming gratitude, 
 and a reconciliation was concluded between the two 
 Kings in the prefence of all the Burgundian court. 
 
 This union between Gontran and Childebert very 
 much difconcerted Gondebaud''s affairs. The Auftrafian 
 troops, that had been given him, deferted him for the 
 moft part. Upon this he repaired to Comminges, with Greg. Tur. 
 a refolution to defend himfelf there to the laftextremi- ^'^'ffi 
 ty, if they came to befiege him. Immediately he was f /,-"com?" 
 invefted with an army of the King of Burgundy. He minges, *<- 
 defended himfelf with great bravery, and held out a tr %' * nA 
 long time; but was betrayed by Mummol and Bofon " J * ajlmai 
 who capitulated, and killed by the laft with a ftone, ^ -,. 
 which he threw at him, juft as they were going out of 
 the town, to furreuder it up into the hands of the Bur- 
 General. 
 
 
 
 Thus
 
 1 10 The Hiftory of F R A N a E. 
 
 An. jSf. Thus ended the unfortunate Gondebaud, after he had 
 
 VXVNJ perfonated a King for two or three years, and peace 
 
 was again eftablilh'd in France. But Gontran did two 
 
 things but a little before which greatly mortified Frede- 
 
 -gonde, and it is likely he did fo out of pure complai- 
 
 iance to the King of Auftrafia. 
 
 Firft he gave this Queen a council compofed of the 
 principal Lords of the kingdom to govern jointly with 
 her during the minority of her fon. In the fecond 
 place, he obliged her to quit P^w, for fear'flie fhou'd* 
 gain too much credit in this capital of the French em- 
 pire. She retired to Vaudreuil a royal palace four 
 leagues from Roan , very much exafperated that one 
 part of the authority, which fhe pretended to have en- 
 tire in the government of the ftates of her fbn, was 
 taken from her. 
 
 She fuppofed the Queen of Auftrajia had put this 
 defign jnto the head of the King of Burgundy, and 
 refolved to be revenged of her for it. Her revenge 
 commonly airn'd at the death of her enemies, upon 
 which fhe was feldom long in deliberating; So fhe en- 
 gaged one of her domefticks to charge himfelf with 
 the death of the Queen of Aitjirafia: but the confpi- 
 racy was difcovered. 
 
 w tttnem Two foreign wars fucceeded the civil. The one 
 Gentian*"* againft Leui-igilde King of the Goths in Spain, and the 
 md Leuvi- other againft the Lombards in Italy. The occafion of 
 
 Jfft'S the firft was as fo]lov -' s - 
 
 t Sp.ia. Ingonde daughter of Brunehaut^ and fiftcr of the King 
 of Auftrafia, had married Hermenigilde (on of Leuvi- 
 gilde King of the Goths, and had not only wrthflood 
 the good and bad treatment of Queen Gofwinde, who 
 had done all that lay in her power to make her an A- 
 rian, but had alib brought over her husband to the 
 Catholick Religion. This converfion produced 
 fome (trange confeqncnces : For upon this occafion 
 Herr/ienigjfde revolted from his father ; but this crime 
 he expiated by the martyrdom he fuifer'd, choofing ra- 
 ther to dye by the hand of an executioner than to re- 
 nounce his religion. 
 
 He had been fuppoited in his revolt by Juflinian's 
 troops, who ftill polfefsM fome places in Spain. Anct- 
 mirc King of the Suevi in Galicia had alfo taken him 
 under his proteclion, and ha endeavour'd to engage 
 
 tha
 
 GONTRAN, CHIL&EBERT.- in 
 
 the Kings of Burgundy and Auflrafia to declare for An 
 him : But LeHvigilde had fecured Chilperic in his V*x* 
 interefts, which prevented the two Kings from mak- 
 ing war upon him, but Chilperifs death removed this 
 obftacle. 
 
 Their reconciliation together, which I have fpoken 
 of before, and the authority of Brunehaut, who had 
 made her felf mifbrefs of the affairs v&AuftraJia, by pro- 
 curing the council, which governed during Childeberfs 
 minority, to be difiblved, put them in a condition to 
 revenge the death of Hermenigilde, and the ill treat- 
 ment fhewn to Ingonde. 
 
 Gontran lent fo numerous an army into the territo- Greg. Tur. 
 ries of the Vijigothst, that he hoped to have taken Lan- l. 8.c. 30. 
 guedoc from them in this firft campaign ; But thefe An. J^i*' 
 troops were fb ill difciplin'd, and ib little under com- 
 mand ; and the Goths on the other hand had fo well forti- 
 fied their beft towns, that the French, having committed 
 great wafte equally in the countries of their friends and 
 enemies, were obliged to return to France for want of 
 fubfiftence. They were charged on all fides upon their 
 retreat, and loft above five thousand men. In a fhort 
 time after Recarede , Ion of Lctwigilde, entred the 
 ^French territories with an army, ravaged all the coun-^ 
 try about Touloufe, went as far as the Rhone, befieged 
 Ugerne, averyftrong caftle upon this river, in the fame 
 place, where, as fome believe, Beancaire now ftandSj 
 and took it by itorm. 
 
 The French had no better fliccefs by fea than by 
 land : for a fleet, which they had (ent to Spain, being 
 furpriz'd by that of Leu-vlgilde, almoft all the reflels 
 were taken, and thofe who efcaped were put to the 
 edge of the fword : Recarede, after this expedition/ 
 retired to Nifines, and from thence return'd to Sfaift i 
 where in a fhort time he afcended the throne by the 
 death of his father Leu-utgilde, who dy'd this fame year. 
 
 Recarede, being now King, renew'd his fuit to the 
 French for peace, notwithstanding the advantages of 
 the lafl campaign. He had in the following years al- 
 moft continually embafladors at France, either af the 
 court of Burgundy or Auflrafia, and the war went 
 flowly on during the campaign of the year 5-86. An. 5-86. 
 
 The following year was fomething more lively. An. 5-87. 
 General Di<r\ who commanded the King of Bxr- 
 I gundy\
 
 1 1 a The Hiftory of FRANC E. 
 
 An. 588. gundy* s army, defeated the Goths at Carcaffonne, but 
 
 S^-V^' was "killed in purfuing them. 
 
 The French took Carcaffonne ; but afterwards, fuf- 
 fering themfelves to be furprized, were beaten mifera- 
 
 An. 589. bly by the Goths. Five thoufand men of the French 
 army dy'd upon the fpot, and three thoufand were 
 taken prifonei-s. Recarede, who was juft become a, 
 catholick, with the greatelt part of his nation, obliged 
 the King of Burgundy, by this victory, to accept the 
 peace he offered him, and to reftore Corcaffonne. 
 
 While the King of Burgundy was taken up with 
 the war againft \htJSijigoths mLanguedoc, the King of 
 Auftrafia was no lefs with that he had undertaken in 
 Italy. . . 
 
 Befides the firft irruptions^ the Lombards had made 
 in France in the life-time of their King Aiboin, they 
 had made another after his death, which fucceeded no 
 
 Tht French better. The French, as well thofe of Auftrafia. as 
 
 war in inly of Burgttndy, came about with them in their turn. 
 
 Lombsi T he ex P e<iit: i on * tne Auflrafians had a fucgefsful be- 
 ginning, bur a bad conclufion. They took Trent, and 
 fome other places, but, futfering themfelves to be fur- 
 pnYd, they were beaten, and loft their conquefts. 
 
 Frrfe. chr. YJ-, C Burgundians came off with better iiKcefs ; for 
 
 *"*'" having taken Aofte and Sufe, the Lombards demanded 
 
 peace, which they agreed to, but without reftoring 
 thefe two places. 
 
 This peace lafted till the Emperor Mauritius had 
 taken a reiblution to reconquer Italy from the Lom- 
 bards, as Jttflinian had done from the Ojlrugoths. 
 Mauritius, for the execution of his delign, had re- 
 courfe to the French, and engaged the Aujlrafians with 
 a large fum of money to attack the Lombards. The 
 young King Childekert put himfcrf at the head of his 
 army, and pafs'd the /tips. The Lombards thought 
 to lay the ftorm, and fent to him to demand peace, 
 made .ill pofliblefubmiflions, and added thereto fo much 
 money and prcfents, that the young Prince futfercd 
 himielf to be gain'd ; and after he had juft (hewn him- 
 felf in Italy, repafs'd the mountains, having made the 
 Lombards pay much dearer for the peace than he fold 
 his fuccours for to the Emperor. Some time after 
 the Emperor came to a truce with Atharis, King of 
 the Lombards. 
 
 i What
 
 GONTRAN, CHILDEBERT. 115 
 
 What reafon foever the Emperor had to be diflatis- An. 5-88. 
 fy'd with the French 'upon this occafion, he follicited 
 them anew to enter into a league with him, and as 
 foon as the truce was expir'd, heobtain'dof Childebert, 
 that a numerous army fhould pafs from France into 
 Italy. It was compofed partly of French and partly of gjjj^f 
 dlmansifubjc&s of this Prince: but this expedition alfo ibid! c . 18. 
 prov'd abortive by the jealoufies of the refpe&ive generals *? 
 and nations againft each other. But as the French 
 were able to carry the balance, the Lombards, and 
 the Emperor were not difcouraged, but negotiated con- 
 tinually at the court of France ; the Lombards to ob- 
 tain peace of Childebert, and the Emperor to maintain 
 the league he had made with him. 
 
 Childebert feems in all this affair to have made T'he- 
 odebert's conduct towards Juftinian and the Oftrogoths 
 his model ; that is to fay, without troubling himfelf 
 about the engagements he fo often made with either 
 party, he oblerv'd and broke the treaties as the prefent 
 intereft determined him. He made peace with the Poiu Lon- 
 Lombards, and foon after fent a frefh army into Italy, J*S* L3 *" 
 But here he fuffered for his infidelity ; for this army 
 was defeated by Autharis with fo great a flaughter, 
 that, according to our hiftorian, it was one of the Greg. Tur.' 
 bloodied battles* the nation ever loft. It happened in '-9- c 2 >- 
 the year 5-88, the third year of the reign of Childebert. An. f88. 
 
 This defeat of the French ferved only to animate 
 them the more againft the Lombards. But it required 
 (bme time for them to recover fuch a lofs, which is 
 the reafon they did not re-enter Italy the following An. 
 Year. But an. 5*90. Childebert fent a numerous ar- 
 my thither, one part of which, under the command o 
 Duke Codin, penetrated into Trentaln, and took, pil- 
 laged and levelled fome towns there. The other 
 part ravaged the country about Milan. 
 
 Autbaris in the mean time not daring to appear in 
 the field, fhut himfelf up in Pav'ta, and difperfed his 
 troops in the principal towns of his kingdom. His 
 affairs were in a very bad fituation, and himfelf in 
 danger of being overthrown, if a mifunderftanding 
 had not rifen between the French and Imperialiftl-, 
 and if the exceffive heats and the dyfentery had not 
 -taken his part againft bis enemies. k 
 
 VOL. I. I This
 
 The Hiftory 0/ FRANCE. 
 
 This obliged the French generals to withdraw their 
 troops into the kingdom,, leaving garrifons in fome of 
 the towns, which they thought proper to keep, and 
 making a truce for fix months with /f**A*ntf < who had 
 recourfe to the King of Burgundy, and conjured him 
 to obtain a peace for him of the King of Auftrafia^ 
 upon whofe mind he knew he had a great influence. 
 During thefe tranfa&ions Autbaris dy'd, but the negoti- 
 Tbt Lorn- ation continued neverthelefs with Agilulphus, Autkartis 
 liy/i'J'rT'w fucceflbr, who at laft obtain'd peace, by making him- 
 France. felf tributary to France, and fubmitting to the payment 
 Fredeg. in _ o f twelve thoufand fols tT Or a year. Bavaria, which 
 chr. c. 4*- ky Authoris 1 * inftigation had revolted from France, re- 
 turn'd to its duty ; and whether Gariba'.de, Duke of 
 Bavaria, and father-in-law of Autbaris was dead, or 
 had been obliged to abandon his ftates, Childebert cre- 
 ated another Duke called Taffillon. 
 
 Fredegonde laid hold of the opportunity of thefe 
 two wars of Languedoc and Italy, which kept Gon- 
 tran m&Cbildebert employ'd, to (Jeftroy a great num- 
 ber of her enemies, and in particular Pretextaius, Bi- 
 fnop of Roan, who, after the death of Chilperic, had 
 return'd from his banifhment in fpi^ht of her, and 
 been refettled in his fee by Gontran. She found means 
 to have him ftabb'd one Sunday in the choir of his 
 church in fervice time. She made an attempt alfo to 
 kill the King of Auftrafta and Queen Brunehaut, but 
 cou'd not bring. her defign to bear. Some other con- 
 fpiracies were difcovcred and fupprefs'd, both in the 
 kingdoms of Burgundy and Auftrajla. 
 
 Varoc, Count of Brttanny took occafionalfo by thefe 
 
 wars to revolt from France, and Fredegonde was in 
 
 the plot with him to deftroy Duke Beppolen, general 
 
 of the forces, which Gontran had fent againil him, and 
 
 Ihe compafled the affair at the expence of one part of the 
 
 French army, which was betray'd and cut in pieces. 
 
 Tn dtatk ff This was the hit war that happened in the time of 
 
 /</ Gon " the King of Burgundy. France had peace both at 
 
 home and abroad for near four years, at the end of 
 
 An. 593. which this Prince dy'd on March 28, an. 5-9=5. aged 
 
 above iixty years. He had declar'd the King of 
 
 Aujhajia tucceilbr to the greateft part of his king - 
 
 dom.
 
 CLOTAIRE II. CHILDEBERT. 115 
 
 He was a good and peaceable Prince, of a tender An. ^93. 
 conference, liberal to the poor and the church, of an V-'-v-^ 
 auftere life, and a truechriftian. Gregory of Tours at- 
 tributes fome miracles to him alfojin his life-time, and 
 , the church numbers him among the Saints. But as 
 for other matters, he had only a moderate (hare of the 
 Kingly fpifit and authority, ill ferved by thofe he 
 placed at the head pf his armies, whofe licentioufnefs, 
 which he was npt able to curb, caufed a great deal of 
 mifchief from time to time in lome provinces of 
 France, which he fharply refented, becaufe he loyed 
 his fubjecls as he was beloved by thejn. 
 
 C LOTA IRE II. King of Neuftria; 
 
 CHILDEBERT, King of Auftrafia 
 
 and Burgundy. 
 
 THE King of Auftrafia. having for a long time An, 
 been defigned by his uncle Gontran to fucceed 
 him, took pofleffion of his kingdom without 
 any'oppofition. It feems alfo, that the young King 
 Clotaire II. was without any difficulty recogniz'd by 
 the fubje&s of the late King Cbilperic his father; and 
 that Soijfons itfelf, which had been put under the domi- 
 nion of one of the fons of Chilperic, fubmitted, as all 
 the reft did, to their lawful maitcr. 
 
 But notwithstanding this divifion was amicably made, Gefla R 
 the good underftanding between the two kingdoms, Fra 
 or rather the diffimulation between the perlbns that c ' s 
 govern'd them, did not laft long. The mutual hatred 
 of the Queens Fredegonde and Brtinebaut being no 
 longer under the curb and reliraint of the late King of 
 Burgundy 's authority broke out immediately. 
 
 The leaft appearance of juftice, or intereil of ftate 
 loin'd to the maflacre of Stgebcrt the late King of Au- 
 fra/ia, and to the confpiracies contrived by Predegonde 
 igainft the life of Childebert himfelf, and againrt that 
 ?f the Queen his mother, was fufficient to authorize 
 i rupture. And as Princes never want a pretence^ 
 they have af mind to' make war upon their neigh- 
 l 2, bours*
 
 1 16 The Uiflory of FRANCE." 
 
 An. 5-93 hours, it was eafy for Childebert to find one for this 
 \X"V^ purpofe againft Clotaire. This fame year therefore a 
 great army compofed of Burgundian and Auftrafian 
 troops, entred the kingdom of SoiJJons by Champagne, 
 and made great havock there. Fredegonde, who was 
 no ways difconcerted at the greatneis of the danger, 
 afTembled alfo a body of troops , and having taken a 
 review of them near Brenne , put herfelf at the head 
 of them with the young King, who was not then above 
 nine or ten years of age. 
 
 Encamping fome leagues from the Auftrafians, fhe 
 march'd all night, and at break of day ftorm'd and forced 
 their camp. 
 
 FreJeg. in A thoufand men on one fide and the other were 
 chron.c. 14. killed upon the place, but the greateft lofs fell upon 
 1 4 c 4? C> ttie duftrafians and Burgundians. This battle was 
 Fredegowfc fought at Trottcy, a borough fituate upon the little river 
 gMMafreat of Delete. Such a defeat, join'd with the two diversions 
 **??!* Fredegonde had made, obliged Childebert to let her 
 
 the Aultri- i. t . i i /* * 
 
 fiaos. alone, and give her time to make her ions government 
 
 firm and fecure to him. 
 
 An. f04. ^ ne continued her corrcfpondencc with Varoc Count 
 of Brita'any, who was always ready to break with the 
 French. He entred Childcberfs territories, where a 
 bloody battle was fought between the Bretons and the 
 French, and much blood fpilt on both tides. 
 
 The fecond diverfion was made by the Varnes on 
 
 Proc. 1. 4.. the other extremity of Childebert\ kingdom. Thefe 
 
 ^ke'.lo ^ If antes were a peoplp that inhabited on the other fide 
 
 of the Rhine at the mouth of an arm of this river 
 
 An. fOf. which .lofes itfelf in the fands of Holland. Childebert 
 
 : fent an army againft them, which not only fubdued 
 
 them, but exterminated them in fuch fort, that from 
 
 that time we meet with their name no more in our 
 
 Art 596. hiftorians. But Childebert did not long furvive this 
 
 Tie death / victory, dying the following year, in the twenty fixth 
 
 Childebert y car o f his age and the twenty firft of his reign. He- 
 
 to'Jh? AU ~ was a P ri ' nce ' tnat promiled much. He left two fons, 
 
 one named 'Theodeberi about ten or eleven years of 
 
 age, who was crown'dKing of Auftrafia. the fecond of 
 
 that narne. The youngeft called 'Thierry had for his 
 
 lhare the kingdom of Bur^undy, and flx'd the capital 
 
 of his kingdom at ftrftwfcragam. 
 
 The,
 
 cha ' 
 
 
 C L O T A I R E II. 117 
 
 The guardianfhip of the two Princes, and the regen- An. $-96. 
 cy of their kingdoms was committed to their grand- V-^A^/ 
 mother Brunehaut, who chofe to refide in the kingdom Brunehaut 
 of Auflrafia, and made Syagrius, bifhop of Autun and j&SJJ'X 
 Mayor of the palace, tutor to the young King of Bur- B^ndy 
 gundy, Thus the whole French Empire was at that 
 time governed by two women, but fuch as equalled 
 the greateft Kings in ability and courage. 
 
 Fredegonde did not fail to make ufe of this conjunc- 
 ture ; for as foon as fhe heard of the death of Childe- Paul. D'.ac. 
 bert, fiie drew together her forces, and march'd with l - + c - " 
 her Ion Clotaire to take poffeffion of Paris, and feve- 
 ral other towns upon the banks of the Seine. Bru* 
 nehaut for her part fent an army to relieve them, which 
 Was totally routed by that of Fredegonde, at a place 
 called Latofao, which is at prefent not known. But 
 at length Fredegonde died when fhe was at the height The death o 
 of her prolperity : the moft ambitious, revengeful and 
 cruel Princ,efs of her fex, and worthy the hatred of all 
 mankind : but the belt qualified to gain the favour, 
 eiteem and refpedl of thofe whofe countenance and 
 fupport (he flood in need of. She reigned thirty years 
 in the name of her husband and fon, after fhe had de- 
 ftroyed one King, two Queens, two fons of a King, 
 and an infinite number of perfons of confideration, whole 
 deaths fhe thought necefHwry for aggrandizing or fccur- 
 ing hcrfelf. Two battles gained 'in pcrfon, her fon 
 rais'd to the throne and eftablifh'd In it, together with 
 her great and Ipeedy conquefts, had almoft effaced the 
 remembrance of her crimes, and prevented any other 
 thoughts but thofe of her glory, worthy at the lame time 
 of the curfe and admiration of pofterity. She was 
 interred at S. Vincent near King Chilferic her huf- 
 band. 
 
 The news of her death was very agreeable to Bruxe- 
 kaut, and gave her hopes of leiiure and tranquillity 
 for the eftablifhmcnt of her authority. Her firfl care 
 was to put an end to all the wars and remove all pre- 
 tences of renewing them. . 
 
 The nation of the Avares hearing of the death of 
 Childebert, had made incurfions into Francia Germa^- 
 nlca. 'Brunehaut made up the matter with them, and 
 for a ium of money they departed. She confirmed 
 fhe peace made fome years before with Agihilpktts King 
 I 3 of
 
 ^ tne Lwnbar <!>.,' who in this interval had embraced 
 tne caiholick religion. She engaged S. Gregory the 
 Greg. Magn. great, who was then Pope, to take upon him the me- 
 l 12. ecift. diation between her fon Thierry King of Burgundy 
 8, 9- 57' all( j the Emperor, upon account of Ibme differences 
 Fredeg. in. which might produce a war : but notwithstanding her 
 cbron. c. ? application and ability, fhe was not able to maintain 
 the tranquillity fhe had procured in the kingdom of/tf#- 
 ftrafia, for above two or three years. The uneafinefs 
 of the great men, many of whom were impatient of fee- 
 ing themfelves governed by a woman, who ruled them 
 with great feverity, proceeded even to the lengths of a 
 revolt. They made themfelves mafters of the perfon, 
 and afterwards of the mind of the young King T'heo- 
 Way tetwtm debert. They perfuaded him to confent to the banifh- 
 ciotaireii.^ ment o f hj s mother , who fearing fomething worfe 
 bwc#*r C " m ig nt follow, was obliged to make her efcape private- 
 o/Auftrafia, ly to the King of Burgundy. King Thierry her fon 
 a "h' T of Bur- recei ' ve d her til<:rc in a manner proper to comfort her 
 gSy: '" under her -affliction ; in the mean time the war broke 
 out again with more fury than ever between the French 
 Princes. 
 
 Ibid c.ao. Thcodebert arid T'bierry had a mind to recover the 
 towns Clotaire had taken from them the year before 
 Gefh Reg. his victory, and Brxnekaut engaged Recarede King of 
 Francor. c. the Goths in Spam to fend them fuccours. 
 37' , Clotnire without any concern went to meet them as 
 
 xnu'sanSi ^ ar as the ^ ! ' n g^ om f Burgundy, and engaged them at 
 Berthnarij Senoaois upon the little river of Ottaine. The battle 
 TEp. Camor. was fought near the village of Dormtile. It was very 
 kfiSno^" ^ lo dy on both fides, but the two Kings got the vic- 
 Call. tory ; C lota-re^ being intirely defeated, w ith much diffi- 
 
 culty got to Melttn, from whence he fled to Arelaune 
 now the foreft of Bretonne near the mouth of the 
 Sciae. 
 
 The two Kings purfuing their victories, retook moft 
 of the towns fituate upon this river. Chartres alfo 
 was taken and pillaged. At length the King of Soif- 
 foas was forced to fae for peace , which he ob- 
 tain'd upon very hard conditions, viz- that he fhou'd 
 y icl< * up to t<nc ^' n ^ B fer g ufl fy all the towns he 
 pofTeffed between the Seine, the Loire, the Ocean and 
 the frontiers of Britanny; and to the King of Auftrafia 
 part of the country between the Seine, the ${/-, and the. 
 
 fea.
 
 CLOT. II. THEOD. II. THIER. 119 
 
 fea. Thus ended in France the fixth century, and the An. 600. 
 hundred and fourteenth year after the eftablifhment of ^^r^^ 
 the French monarchy in Gaul. 
 
 Thefe victories encouraged the two young Princes, 
 who left Clotaire in tranquillity after they had put it 
 out of his power to hurt them, to think of enlarging 
 the bounds of the French Empire after the example of 
 their anceftors. 
 
 The Gafcons who yet inhabited on the other fide the 
 Pyrenees, made irruptions from time to time on this 
 fide into the territories of France. The two Kings An. 602. 
 went to punifh them, defeated and made them trioutu- 
 ries, and fet over them a Duke named Gentalts. 
 
 If there had always remain'd a good understanding 
 between thefe two Princes, they had been formidable 
 to their neighbours : but the ambition of Brunekaut, 
 her defire to revenge the affront fhe had received in be- ^ 
 ing driven from the kingdom of Auftrafia, her eager- 
 nefs for the whole authority in that of Burgundy, and 
 another paflion yet more unworthy of her, raifed a 
 divifion between her two grandfons ; which in a fhort 
 time drew down a total ruin upon all this branch of 
 the royal family. 
 
 Bertoalde Mayor of the palace in Burgundy, wou'd 
 not fuffer her to take as much authority upon her as 
 {he pleafed in the government. Upon this fhe found IbivL 
 means to dilpoflefs htm, and place another Lord in his 
 room named Prutade, with whom fhe was in love. 
 She always hindred the young King of Burgundy from 
 marrying, left a Queen fhou'd get too much the afcen- 
 dant over him, and be able to withdraw him from the 
 dependence in which fhe kept him. To carry on this 
 deiign fhe was obliged to fupport him in the debauches 
 he had plunged himfelf into , by fumifhing him with 
 proper objects to indulge his paflion, in fuch fort that 
 this Prince at the age of eighteen had already three bafe 
 fons ; but fhe did not fet the two Kings together by the 
 ears 'till fome time after, upon the occafion I am going 
 to mention. 
 
 Clotaire King of Soijjbns having recovered his firft 
 fright, bethought himfelf of reconquering a part of his 
 kingdom, whicii he had loft by a forc'd treaty of peace, 
 and enured the country between the >SWf and the Loire 
 with an army, when he was lenft expected,. He took 
 
 1 4 feme"""''
 
 1 20 The Hiftory ^/"FRANCE. 
 
 An. 601. fome towns, and Duke Ltwdri^ who commanded his 
 
 \~rv^ army, laid fiege to Orleans. 
 
 The King of Burgundy came to its relief, at whole 
 approach// andri rais'd the "fiege, and withdrew toEtampes 
 where he join'd the other forces. Thierry followe4 
 him thither attended with Bertoalde, who notwithltand- 
 ilig his difgrace ftill commanded the army, The two 
 armies came in fight of each other on Chriftmas day, 
 There was but a little river, and a lane between them, 
 which Bertoalde patted with the van -guard. Upon 
 this he was immediately charged by Landrl, but fu- 
 ftain'd the Ihock a long time to give the reft of the 
 army time to pafs, and draw up in Battalia. 
 
 Having given this mark of his fidelity to his King, 
 by whom he had been indeed ill ufetf, and being una- 
 , ble to perfuade himfelf to furvive the affront of having 
 the dignity of Mayor of the palace taken from him, 
 and given to his enemy, he threw himfelf into the 
 hott^eft part of the fray, and periflicd there. The vic- 
 tory, which he had begun by fuuaming fo courageoully 
 the firft effort of all the enemy's army, was gain'd by 
 \heBurgundianS) who overbore Duke L,adri with their 
 number. The King of Burgundy without delay took 
 the road for Paris, and was received there with fub- 
 miffion by the inhabitants, who by means of the civil 
 wars had from time to time changed their matters. 
 
 While the King of Burgundy was attacking Duke 
 L andri at Etampes, Thcodebert King of Aujlrafia. ad- 
 vanced alfo with an army againft Clotaire, who was 
 at the head of another body ztCompiegne. They were 
 juft upon the point of giving battle, when the news of 
 An. (56 j*. Laxdrts defeat arrived. This new fuccefs of the King 
 of Burgundy in all appearance gave the King of Au- 
 (Irajia^ jealoufy, who began to fear him. Inftead thcre- 
 "fore of charging the army of the enemy already dif- 
 mayed, he hearkned to the propofals which Clotaire 
 offer'd him, and made peace with him. And in like 
 manner an accommodation was fome time after ftruck 
 up" with the King of Burgundy. 
 
 Trotade kept poffcflion of the dignity of Mayor of 
 the Burgundian palace, no longer than while he a6ted 
 in concert with Brunchaut to bring the two brothers 
 to a rupture. They fparcd no artifice nor calumny, 
 and brought the matter about fo as to perfuade the; 
 
 King
 
 CLOT, II. THEQD. II. THJER. 15 
 
 King that Theodebert was not his brother, but a fuppo- An. 
 fititious fonimpofcd upon the late KingChilde&erf. \^ 
 
 Thierry readily believed this grofs impofture, which 
 authoriz'd him to dethrone his brother, and take pof- 
 feflion of his kingdom. Therefore he declared war 
 againft Theodebert, at a time when this Prince was 
 taken up with punifhing the revolt of a part qf the Sax- Pan 
 ens, who 'refuted to fubmit till moft of them were ! 3 *** 
 killed and deftroycd. 
 
 War being declared the Kings took the field, but 
 the event proved contrary to tytntebatit's expectation. 
 Moft of the TZtirgUH&a* Lords that went to this war, 
 did it againft their inclinations. And when they were 
 all met together with their arms in their hands, they 
 difclofed their concern, and declared aloud in the army, 
 that it was ftrange the refttefs difpofition of Protade 
 Mayor of the palace, and the ambition of a woman 
 fhou'd raile thefe difturbances in the royal family ; and that 
 before they cut each other's throats in this manner, it was 
 necefTary for them to fee if no way cou'd be found 
 out to accommodate the bufinefs. They fent to the 
 King to lay before him the unhappy confequenc.es of 
 this divifion, and at the fame time a troop of foldiers 
 inverted the tent of Protade, where he for his part was 
 playing at chefs with the King's chief phyfician. They Ad 
 forced the tent, and tore this miferable man in pieces, cum 
 who injoyed the honour, to which he had waded thro' atro< 
 fo much wickednefs, but a few months. r 
 
 Thierry faw plainly by this execution, that he was 
 not very fecure himfelf, and therefore confented to a 
 negotiation. The danger he was in greatly facilitated An. 6o<-. 
 the accommodation, and the two armies return'd home 
 without fighting. 
 
 Protade\ place was filled by a Lord named Claude, An. 606. 
 a prudent and an able ftatefman, who pcrfuaded Thierry 
 in fpight of Brunehaut to demand Ermanberge daugh- 
 ter of Viteric King of Spain in marriage : which he 
 did and obtain'd her. But when the Princefs was ar- 
 rived in France , Brunehaut feconded by Theudelane 
 the King's lifter, fet him fo much againft her, that he 
 pat oft' the marriage for a whole year. At the end An. 607. 
 of the year he fent her back to Spain ; and which is 
 yet more bale, did not reftcre her portion, 
 
 'This
 
 *TheHiflory of FRANCE.' 
 
 This conduct had like to have ruined the King of 
 Burgundy ; for the King of Spain being provoked at 
 Fredeg. in fuch an affront, made a league with Clotaire King of 
 chron. c. 30, SoiJJons, with Theodebert King of Auftrafia, and Agi- 
 lulphus King of the Lombards to attack the King of 
 Burgundy. The armies of theie three Princes began 
 their march : but this terrible ftorm, which fhou'd have 
 fwallowed up the King of Burgundy, dilperfed with- 
 out doing any mifchief, either thro' Brunehaui's dex- 
 terity, or by fome other incident not mention'd in h?- 
 tory, and the King of Spain was not revenged. But 
 God himfelf foon after took vengeance of all this 
 wretched branch of the royal family, by whom am- 
 bition, debauchery, and injuftice, were fopublickly au- 
 thomed. , 
 
 This fatal defolation began by a new divifion which 
 arofe between the two brothers, Theodebert King of 
 Auftrafia and Thierry King of Burgundy. In the year 
 An. 610,610. Theodebert entred /ilfatia with an army, pre- 
 tending that it was unjuftly difmembred from the king- 
 dom of Atiftrajla, and added to that of Burgundy by 
 the late King. Upon this the King of Burgundy im- 
 mediately took the field to defend this, and lome other 
 countries to which alfo Theodebzrt wou'd have made 
 jona$ in via good his prctcnfions. Both of them endeavour'd to 
 s. coium- perfuade C/ota/reKing of Soiflons to be hisfecond, but 
 banig he thought proper to remain neuter. 
 
 But not with Handing the animofity of the two Kings 
 they came to a treaty, and chofe the town of Seltz. 
 upon the Rhine for the place of the interview. But 
 Theodebert, contrary to the promife he had made his 
 brother, befet him there, and obliged him to agree to 
 An, 611. his own terms^ The King of Burgundy took no no- 
 tice of the injury for the ipace of two years. But he 
 negotiated privately with Clotaire, and promifed if he 
 wou'd always continue in a neutrality, not to make 
 peace with Theodebert without obliging him to reltore 
 the duchy of Dentelenus, between the Oife and the 
 Seine to the kingdom of So"tJJons. Upon this condi- 
 tion Clotaire gave him his word to remain neuter. 
 An 612. I' 1 tne month of May 612. Thierry entred the tcr- 
 Fred'eg. in ' ritories of Auftrafea, and advanced as far as Tout. Iti 
 cfaioo. .38. the country adjoining, where Theodebert came to en- 
 gage him, was fought a bloody battle, in which the
 
 CLOT*. II. THEOD. II. 
 
 Attftrafians were defeated with a very great flaughter; An. 612. 
 and Tbeodebert being Obliged to fly, repaired to TWirte s^v**** 
 his capital, and from thence to Cologne, where he foon 
 railed a new army of his fubjecls on the other fide the 
 'Rhine, repafTed this river, and came to meet the King 
 of Burgundy as far as Tolbiac. This Prince accepted 
 the battle, arid gain'd the viftory once more, and hav- 
 ing detach'd Berthaire his chamberlain after Tkeodebert, 
 this general overtook, feized, and brought him to Co- 
 logne, which Thierry had made himfelf matter of. 
 
 There this Prince order'd all the marks of the royal 
 dignity to be taken from his brother, and his cruelty pro- 
 ceeded to fuch a length that he maflacred the youngPrince 
 Merove'e, who was taken with the King his father. 
 Brunebaut alfo, to fatiate her revenge for the affront 
 Theodebert had oiFer'd her in procuring her to be dri- 
 ven out of the kingdom of Auftrafia, had him fhaved, 
 and faon after order'd him to be run thro* with a dag- 
 ger. By this death the kingdom of AuftrafU was uni- The death of 
 ted to that of Burgundy in the perfon of Thierry. Theodebert 
 
 The great power to which he faw himfelf raifed, gjjjj* 
 made him forget his promife to reinftate Clotaire in 
 the poffeffion of the country between the Seine and 
 the Oife. But this Prince without waiting for his con- 
 lent, took pofleffion of it after the battle of Tolbiac. 
 Thierry fent embafiadors to him ito require him to 
 withdraw his forces, and upon his refufal to declare 
 war againft him. Clotaire kept his hold, refolving 
 any thing rather than to renounce a right fo well ac- 
 quired as that was. 
 
 The ipring was no fooner come than Thierry took 
 the field, with a delign to invade the kingdom of Soif- An. 613. 
 fons : but in puffing thro' Metz, he was leiVd with a The death of 
 dyfentery of which hediedinalhorttime, in the twenty I^ rr f. A ^. 
 fixth year of his age, and the feventcenth of his reign ; JSL 
 a reign as fatal to France as that of his brother. By 
 the death of the King of Burgundy Cbtaire, upon the 
 point of being ruined , faw himfelf delivered from 
 danger by the retreat or an army which came to charge 
 him : but he did not fail to make his advantage of fo 
 favourable a juncture. 
 
 The hatred which the Auftrajian Lords had cortcciv- Fredeg. in 
 ed againft Brunebaut , made fevcral of them declare c ' 4? * 
 for C/otaire, and he gained a large party alfo in Bur- 
 
 gundy.
 
 The Hiflory 
 
 Brunebaut, who had proclaimed Sigelert^ the 
 eldcrt of the four fons Thierry had left behind him, 
 King, fent an army againft King C lot air e, which came 
 up with him near Chalons , upon Marne ; but the 
 generals, who were in correfpondence with him, in- 
 ftead of fighting disbanded the army. 
 
 After this rout, Rrunehaut fled to the other fide of 
 mount 'Jura Childebert one of Thierry's four fons 
 efcaped alfb, without being ever feen afterwards. 
 
 The three others were taken and carried to Clotaire^ 
 who flew the eldeft and one of the others named Cor- 
 bus. The fourth, who was called Merovee, moved 
 his companion, becaufe he had formerly ftood godfa- 
 ther to him : So he fpared him, and this young Prince 
 lived a long time in the condition of a private man. 
 **rind As for Brunekaut, after they had made fearch for her 
 Mncfed. to to feveral places , Die was found in the town of Or be 
 ciotairc II. between the lake of Geneva and mount Jura, and car- 
 ried to Clotaire at a place then called Kionava upon 
 the Nwigenne a fmall river that ruils into the Saone . 
 
 There (he was presented to this Prince the fon of 
 . Fredegonde, heir to his mother's mind, and by confe- 
 quence the moft exafperated enemy Brunehaut cou'd 
 have upon earth. She had been guilty of a fufllcient 
 number of crimes to deierve to be facrificed to the 
 hatred of the publick. Put fpme were imputed to her 
 which fhe never committed, to prevent the bemoaning 
 her under the moft cruel punifhments, with which it 
 Herlnfamcut was rcfolved to put an end to her life. Clotaire hav- 
 r* ritf/ in 5 re P roacncc ^ ner among other things with the death 
 of ten Kings, including in the number not only fuchi 
 as had born the fceptre, but alfo the fons of Kings, to 
 whom this title was fometimes given, delivered her to 
 the executioners, who for three days together tortured 
 Appendix ad h cr w j t h a ii f orts o f puniOiments." After which they 
 
 chronic. Ma- , 
 
 camp, where the foldicrs infultcd hcr with a thoufand 
 outrages and affronts. At length they^ tyed her by the 
 hair, by one foot and an arm to the tail of awildhorfe^ 
 who dragging her all round the camp, tore her hi 
 pieces, and put an end to her infamy and her punifh- 
 mcnt. Her body was thrown into the fire bj> the 
 people, and burnt to attics. Thus perifhed the mi- 
 ierable Bruitshauti who in fome refpeds was a very 
 
 great
 
 CLOTAIRE!!. 125 
 
 great Queen, and in many others an extreme bad wo- Art, 613. 
 man. . 
 
 It was about the end of the year 61 3, that the family 
 and branch of Sigebert the firft King of Auftrajla and 
 grandfon of Cloins was thus exterminated. And by this 
 
 age: For he was not above four months old at the 
 death of his father. 
 
 Ciotaire II. was the third univerfal monarch of the ciotaire ii. 
 French empire after the eftablifliment of the monarchy (y F nu!cc. 
 in Gaul , and the fecond of this name who had the 
 good fortune to be fo ; who by a deftiny attending up- 
 on his name, having had SoiJJons the leaft corifiderable 
 of the French kingdoms for his fliare, united all the 
 others to it, as his grandfather Ciotaire I. had done be- 
 fore him. 
 
 He made it his whole bufinefs to endeavour the re^ 
 eftablifhment of order and tranquillity in his vaft Em- 
 pire, which he liiccefsfully effected. The punifliment F rC(le ' io 
 of Aletk<cHs the patrician, Duke of Tranjurane Bur- AmLG -^ > 
 gundy, whom he beheaded for a confpiracy againft 
 him, was almoft the only instance of feverity dur- 
 ing the firft years of his monarchy, which he com- 
 plied with on purpofe to keep the Grandees in their 
 duty. 
 
 Being firmly refolv'd to keep peace with his neigh- Fredeg. in - 
 bours, he consented that Adaloalde King of the Lombards cnroa ' c- ^' 
 fhou'd redeem by a moderate fum once paid the tribute 
 of twelve thoufand/o/j- d'Or, which that nation had paid 
 France from the time of Gontran for thepurchafe of a An. 617. 
 peace. 
 
 Ciotaire continuing always in the lame dilpofition to 
 maintain peace throughout the Empire of France, had 
 a mind to difcharge himfelf of the government of a 
 coniidcrable part of his (rates, viz. of the kingdom of Ibili> c - *l- 
 Auftrafia. and all his poifeffions in Germany, which he All. 6z2. 
 gave his eldeft fon with the title of King. This is the 
 firft example we have in France of a communication 
 of this auguft title. 
 
 This Prince was named Dagobert, a mere youth, Kt "***" f -' :s 
 fon of the firft of Ciotaire^ three wives. He gave 
 him two peribns of great wifdom and piety for his 
 
 mini-
 
 The Hiftory 
 
 An. 625". minij."krs, Arnolds Bifliop of Met*,, ivAPepin Mayor 
 
 J^XY"^ f the Auftrajian palace. Four years after he married 
 him to Gomatrudc, fifter of Queen Sichilde then 
 reigning. 
 
 Ibid. e. 54. This long tranquillity of Clot air c^s government was 
 a little interrupted by the revolt of the Gafcons and 
 
 An. 616. Saxons. The firft were eafily fupprcfled, but he was 
 forced to make war upon the Saxons. 
 
 The revolt of Thejr DvkeBertoaJde engaged feveral barbarous na- 
 
 tht Saxons, tions in his intereft, and fent Clataire word that he 
 wou'd no longer pay tribute. Dagobert drew his army 
 together, and march'd firft, expeding his father's arri- 
 val to join him. The Saxon Duke attack'd him, and 
 the French were hard bcfet. Darken had his helmet 
 cleft with a cutlafh, and was obliged to leave the camp. 
 
 Armigenun. He difpatch'd his Efquire to C tat air e to haften his 
 march ; but at the lame time to let him know that he 
 had done his duty in the fight, he fent him the pieces 
 of his helmet ?nd the hair which he had loft by the 
 blow of the cutlafh. 
 
 Clotaire decamped the fame night he received this 
 
 news, and march'd with all expedition to join Dago- 
 
 bert, and found the two armies poftcd on the river 
 
 . Vtfer. He palTed the river with his cavalry in fight of 
 
 the enemy, and having difcovered the Duke of the 
 
 The Atfeai of Saxons, he rode up to him, charged, defeated r and 
 
 the Saxons, killed him, and having beheaded him, ftuck his head 
 upon the point of a lance. His forces animated by 
 the example of his bravery, fell furioully upon the 
 Saxons, and cut them in pieces. 
 
 An. 626. This was the laft exploit of this Prince who died 
 it 'death f mc months after in the forty fifth year of his life and 
 r. reign. His valour, of which this laft a&ionis a great 
 proof, and the refolution with which he fuftain'd the 
 attacks of the Kings of Burgundy and Auftrafia, who 
 Were much fuperior to him in force, was fo much the 
 more to be prized, as he knew how to moderate it 
 for the repole and quiet of his fubje&s. His cruelty 
 to Brunehaut and her family is the only blot in this 
 Prince's life, which yet he effaced by the lenity of his 
 government, by a fingular piety, by. his charity to the 
 poor, by his liberality to the church, by the particular 
 veneration he had for the fervants of God, and by his 
 conftantperfcverance in goodnefs and virtue during the 
 
 thirteea
 
 DA GO BERT. 127 
 
 thirteen or fourteen years that he reigned alone in An. 6i6. 
 France: Queen Fredegonde his mother having taken 
 care to commit him to the government and direction 
 of good tutors. It was he, who in a numerous affem- 
 bly of Bifhops and Lords had the laws of the Aleman- 
 ni put in writing, and digefted into a code. To con- 
 clude, in fome ancient monuments he is fometimes 
 called Clotaire the Great, and fometimes Clotaire the 
 Debonnaire. There are two things laid to his charge : 
 Firft that he was too fond of game, and fecondly, that 
 he was too complaifant to the Ladies, and too fufcep- 
 tible of the impreflions that were by their means made 
 upon him. He was buried in the church of S.Vincent, 
 now S. Germain desPrez, by his father Chilferic and 
 his mother Fredegonde, whom he had the happinefs and 
 -the glory not to be like. 
 
 DAGOBERT. 
 
 DAgobert, upon the news of the King his father's An. 6i. 
 death, fb order'd matters by his friends in Neu- 
 Jlria and Burgundy, and by means of a nu- 
 merous army, which he fet on foot in a fhort time, 
 that thefe two kingdoms acknowledged him for King 
 in exclufion of Caribert or Artbert his brother. How- 
 ever by the advice of the moft moderate of his 
 council, he left him a confiderable part of Aquitaine Fredeg. IQ 
 or the country on the other fide the Loire, that is to chron. c. y<J 
 fay, T'kouloufe, Agenois, Quercy, Xaintonge, Perigord, 
 that which we now call Gafcogne, all the towns of the 
 Pyrenees, and all this frontier of Spain as far as the 
 ancient Gafcogne, which was on the other fide. This 
 young Prince, after the example of the ancient Kings 
 of the Fifigoths, made Thouloufe the capital of his go- 
 vernment, which he enlarged three years after by uib- 
 duing the Gafcons , who had ftiook off the yoke of 
 France. 
 
 Dagobert, who was now in peaceable poffeffion of Dagobertv 
 his great kingdom, made a circuit round the principal h *?fy *'V 
 provinces of it, and diftributed juftice with fo much ""''' 
 integrity, uprightnefs, and exactitude, that they were 
 
 every
 
 128 The Hift&ry 0/* FRANCE. 
 
 An. 618. eVery Where full of his praifes, and openly declared he 
 
 ^^-v-*^ was the greateft King that ever governed France; 
 
 ibid. c. aj. He came to Paris and fix'd his capital there, after 
 the example of his predcceflbrs ; and being at Runjilli 
 a iummcr-houfe in the adjacent parts, he there divorced 
 Gomatrude whom he had married at Clichi fome years 
 before. He did this by the advice of his council, be- 
 caufe flic was barren, and at the fame time took to wife 
 one of her maids of honour, called Nantilde. 
 
 His irrtg*u- From this divorce, which was contrary to the laws 
 of the church, tho' it was thought beneficial to the 
 flate, he foon parted to debauchery : and this was one 
 confequcncc of the retirement of Arnoldus the holy 
 Bifhop of Metz, who obtain'd his permiffion to quit 
 the minillry and withdraw himfclf to folitude and re- 
 
 Bd. c. 60. cefs. Immediately he fell in love with a young An- 
 Jlrafian named Ranetrude, and had by her a fon cal- 
 led Sigebert. And his irregularities continually increaf- 
 ed upon him afterwards, that he furpafled the lewdeft 
 of his anccftprs. He had at the fame time three wives, 
 who all bore the name of Queen, and miftreflcs eve- 
 ry where without number. And to fatisfy their in- 
 fotiable demands, he was forced to lay heavy taxes up- 
 on his people, by which he attracted the hatred of his 
 fubjecls, who adored him before. 
 
 An. 630. In the mean time his brother Caribert King of Aqui- 
 
 Crfiberf* tain died, and his death was within a few days fol- 
 lowed by that of Chilperic his only fon. Dagobert 
 took poileflion of his kingdom and of Gafconia Ultra- 
 montana conquer'd by Caribert, by which means the 
 whole French monarchy was a fourth time reunited 
 under the dominion of one lingle King. 
 
 The neighbourhood of fo puiffant a Prince as Dago- 
 bcrt caufed a revolution in Spain, or at lead contri- 
 . buted very much toll. Sttintila King of the Vifigoths 
 rciVncd there in glory. He had fubdued the Gajcoas^ 
 and entirely expelled the Greeks, who had maintain'd 
 themfclves 'till that time in Ibme places there by the 
 i.j. help of fomc alfiltjince from Africa. A GotbickLord 
 named Sifinandc revolted from him, pretending that 
 this Prince had violated the laws of the nation, by af- 
 fociating his fon as yet an infant without having firft 
 demanded the confcnt of the Lords and Bifhops. He 
 levied troops, and engaged Dtfgobcrt to fupport him. 
 3 This
 
 name 
 n 
 
 DA GO BERT, 129 
 
 This Prince fent an army into Spain, which marched An. 630. 
 as far as Saragoffa, and order'd another to follow ir, 
 made up of Burgundian forces. Sifenande had^con- 
 quer'd Suintila, who was deferted by his army and 
 forced to fly, without remedy. Sifenande mounted 
 the throne and maintain'd himfelf in it. And every 
 thing being brought under his power^ he dilmifled the 
 French with rich prefents, 
 
 While Dagobcrt was employ'd in taking pofieffion 
 of his brother's kingdom, and in the war with Spain, 
 another broke out in a different extremity of his ftates 
 in Germany. TheSclavonian Vinides having taken up 
 arms againft the Avares, Who had fubjugated them, a 
 French merchant, named Samon, did them fo much 
 fervice, and performed fuch extraordinary exploits^ 
 that they defired him to head them, and made him 
 their King. He accepted their offer, made war fuc- 
 Cefsfully, governed and defended them againft their 
 enemies for thirty five years that he lived after his co- 
 ronation. It was this merchant, now become a King, Fredeg. in 
 that had the affurance to maintain a war againft the chron< c - * 8 * 
 King of France. The caufe of this war was the ill 
 treatment that the French merchants had recciv'd in 
 the country of the Sclavonians, fome of whom were 
 killed and their goods pillaged. 
 
 Dagobert demanded fatisfaclion for it. Samon was He defeat 
 very much inclined to give it, but being afraid of pro- the French, 
 yoking the Vinides by delivering up thole who were to ^m^makt 
 blame in the affair, and being offended at the haughty peace mth 
 language of the envoy of France, he drove him out him> 
 of his prefence. Upon this they attack'd him with 
 a numerous army, and after three aflaults, which 
 he fuftain'd three days continually in his camp, the 
 French army being weakened with the great lofTes they 
 met with, withdrew in diforder, leaving their tents 
 and baggage behind them. The Duke of the Urbians, 
 a part of the Scla-vonian nation, who had fonnely fub- 
 mitted to the French, took this opportunity of revolt- 
 ing. The Vinides made irruptions as far as Turingia, 
 and Samon ravaged it with an army. The King ftir'd 
 up the Saxons againft them by difcharging them of 
 the yearly tribute they paid him: but they were beaten An. 631. 
 by the Vinides, who being worfted however fome & fa z . 
 time after, a peace was concluded. 
 
 VOL. I. K This
 
 1 30 The Hiftory of F R AN c E. 
 
 An. 632. This war, in which the French nation loft a 
 V.x-yx^ deal of its reputation, gave Dagohert much uneafinefs^ 
 sigebert, f.-n which determin'd him to follow his father's example 
 /JKf"' in marking his foil Sigebert, King of Auftrafia, to the 
 of Au- intent that the Auftrajians, who always wifh'd to have 
 a King of their own, might have more regard to the 
 defence of their frontiers, and that the orders, which 
 he was to give for that purpofe, might more affect 
 them. 
 
 This aflbciation of Sigebert, who' was not then 
 
 A"' 7*' ^ U * te tnree y ears old, was made ztMetz in an allembly 
 " n * 6 33- of Lords and Bifhops. Dagobert gave him for his mi- 
 nifters Cunibert, Bifhop of Cologne, and Adalgife, 
 whom he made Duke of the Auftrafian palace, a cha- 
 racter which feems to be diftinguifn'd here from that 
 of Mayor of the palace ; for Pepin, whom Dagobert 
 retain'd with him, had that, and this alfo afterwards. 
 
 What the Auftrafians had always wifh'd, to have 
 their own particular King, the Neufirians and B#r- 
 gundtans wifh'd alfo. Wherefore Dagobert having 
 Ibid.'c. 76. afterwards another fon by Queen Nanttlda, who was 
 named Clovis, the Bifhops and Lords of theft two 
 kingdoms dcfired the King not only to give the new 
 born Prince the character of King of Neuftria and 
 Burgundy, but alfo to agree with the Auftrajians, that 
 their King fhould content himfelf with the kingdom 
 ciovijj Da- of Auftrajia. and that Chvis fhould be declar'd fuc- 
 gobert*j/<- cellbr to the other kingdoms, to the intent, that at 
 /^rfjr/* " ^ e King's death the people might not be expofed to 
 cf Neuftria the mifcries of civil war, as had often hapned already 
 and Burgun- fince the eftablifhment of the monarchy. This de- 
 ^' s mand appearing very juft and beneficial for the repofe 
 34- oftheftate, was allowed, and matters adjufted ac- 
 cording to this propofal, notwithftanding the oppofiti- 
 on of the Auftrafians, who wou'd hardly confent tq 
 it. 
 
 Jbid. c. 78. Dagobert once more defeated the Gafcons, who de- 
 fcending from the Pyrenees entred Novempopulania 
 An. 63 f. C tne prcfent Gafcogxc} and ravaged it. But the trench 
 drove them back to their mountains, fell upon them 
 there, and made a great llaughter of them; upon which 
 their commanders were forc'd to come to Paris and 
 implore the King's clemency, who pardon'd them 
 becaufe at their arrival they took fuactuary in the 
 
 church
 
 DA GO BERT. . 
 
 church of St. Denys, for whom this Prince had a An. 635*. 
 great veneration. v**'V F>1 "^ 
 
 The Bretons alfo had invaded the frontiers of 
 France : and the King was upon the point of fend- 
 ing the army that "had been to chaftife the Gafcons, in- 
 to Britany; but before he declared war againft them Audoenusiq 
 he thought proper to fend S. Eligius, afterwards Bi- vita s - Elk " 
 thop of Noyw, who was then at courf, to Judicacl^ g "* 
 Count of BritaMy. He fucceeded in his negotiation 
 with this Prince, who had himfelf a great deal of pi- 
 ety, and perfuaded him to come to the court of 
 France. The King receiv'd him there with great 
 goodnefs, and the differences were accommodated to 
 the mutual fatisfaclion of both parties. 
 
 Dagobert did not long enjoy the peace he had pro- 
 cured to his whole kingdom. He was feized of. a 
 dyfentery, of which he died January 19, 638. at An. 638. 
 JLfinay, a houfe of pleafure upon the river Seine near 
 Paris. He was interr'd in the abby of St. Denys, which 
 he had inrich'd with a great many lands, and adorn'd 
 with magnificent prefents, Ibme of which are yet to 
 be feen in the treafury of this abby. 
 
 He was not at moft above thirty five or thirty fix GeftaDajN 
 years of age. He employ'd himfelf or others, after Rts ' Ct 4f< 
 the example of his predeceiTbrs, in correcting the 
 laws of the fcveral nations brought under the govern- 
 ment of the French empire. The great charities which 
 he disburfed, even in the midft of his debaucheries, 
 appear to me a much more folid ground for believing 
 that God had mercy on him, than the viiions which the 
 anonymous monk of St. Denys fpeaks of, who nei- 
 ther lived nor wrote till long after his time. 
 
 K i CLOVIS
 
 An. 
 
 Audoenum. 
 
 CLOVIS II. J?T/0 <?f Neuftria and Bur- 
 gundy ; SIGEBERT II. King of 
 
 Auftrafia. 
 
 TTR ^ NC E, like all other ftates, has had its vi- 
 X ciffitudes, its periods of rifing and its falls. In the 
 two preceding reigns it was at an higher pitch of 
 grandeur and power than ever, quiet at home, fear'd 
 abroad, and abounding with every thing that could 
 vita s. Eli- make a nation happy. Nothing was ever more fplen- 
 ^ than ^ e courts f Clotaire and Dagobert. Our 
 hiftorians talk of nothing but the magnificence, not 
 to fay the luxury of the court Lords, of fpatious 
 churches, and monafteries built in great numbers by 
 the Kings and private men : all which fuppofes both 
 the Prince's treafure, and the whole kingdom to be at 
 that time very opulent and wealthy : but the pomp 
 and Iplendor of this flourifhing monarchy began iil- 
 fenfibly to decay by the weaknefs of the fucceeding 
 Princes, who fufter'd their minifters to have too great 
 a fhare in the royal authority. From this time we fee 
 civil wars fpring up anew, and the frontiers revolt : 
 whole provinces difmember'd from the empire ; and 
 all this tending in time to the degradation and ruin of 
 Clovis's pofterity. 
 They were the Mayors of the palace, whofe pow- 
 
 er came at la ^ to *" uch a h^S! 11 as to juftle out the 
 authority of the Kings ; and it was in the reigns of 
 Clovis II. and Sigtbert II. whofe hiftory I am now 
 entring upon, that thofe who poflefTed this dignity be- 
 gan infenfibly to invade the government of the ftate, 
 and in u manner to make themfelves abfolute mailers 
 'of it. 
 
 Dagobert , at his death , committed the govern- 
 ment O f t he kingdoms of Neuftria and Burgundy 
 to one of his minilters named &ga, and Queen Nan- 
 ttlda jointly together, during the minority of his fon 
 CloviSy who was not then above fix or leven years 
 old. jEga> if he was not then Mayor of the palace, 
 was fo loon after. 
 
 The fag;*- 
 
 the f dace. 
 
 
 in 
 
 r. c. 79, 
 
 Duke
 
 CLOVIS II. SIGEB. II. tn 
 
 Duke Pfpin was Mayor of the palace of Auftrafia. An. 638. 
 Dagobert had always kept him with him in Neuftria. V.xv" 1 ^ 
 But as foon as the Prince was dead, he repair'd to 
 Sigebert, who was then about eleven years of age, 
 took upon him the execution of his charge, and go- 
 verned Auftrafia with Gunibert, Archbifhop of Cologne, 
 with whom he had always held a great intimacy and 
 friendfliip. 
 
 Pepin died within two years after his arrival at An- ibid. c. 8^. 
 Jlrafia. This is he who is commonly called Pepitt An. 640. 
 the old, to diftinguifh him from his grandfon called 
 Pepitt the young, father o Charles Martel, and 
 grandfather of a third Pepin, who was the founder 
 of the fecond line of our Kings. Pepin the old left 
 a fon behind him named Grimoald, inheritor of many 
 of his great qualities, but not of his vertue. He car- 
 ried the dignity of Mayor of the palace from Otba Fredeg. in 
 his competitor, whofe father had been the King's tu- chron. c. 8^ 
 tor, but the affair was not determined but by the 88> 
 death of Otho, who was killed by Leuthaire Duke 
 of the Alemanni, Grimoald's great friend. Thus the 
 young King had not even authority to choofe him a 
 minifter, or rather a mafter. 
 
 Duke Radulfus maintain'd himielf in fpight of this 
 Prince, in his government of Turingia, which he 
 had well defended againft the Sclavavian Vinides, who 
 would have taken it from him. Much blood was 
 fpilt upon this occafion in two battles. .The King 
 betray'd by fome of the Lords, and ill fcrv'd by thofe 
 who continued faithful to him, was conllrain'd to ca- 
 pitulate with his fubjecl, and leave him in pofTeffion 
 of this government, exacting only a new oath of al- 
 legiance from him. 
 
 This was the only memorable expedition in Sigf^ 
 bert's reign, more taken up with works of piety and 
 religion than with military actions and affairs of ftate. 
 They reckon up twelve monafteries founded by his 
 order, and at his expence, in the kingdom of Au-* 
 ftrafia. 
 
 The reign of his brother Clovis II. was equally in- 
 glorious. After the death of Mga> mafter of the pa- 
 lace, who died in the third year of his regency, r-< 
 cbjnoald was, in like manner, Mayor of the palace of 
 Neuftria only, The Burgundians, who had agreed to 
 K 3 have
 
 134 
 
 An. 640! 
 
 Fredeg. in 
 chron. c. 8 
 
 'JBxaa tie 
 ytan 65-4, 
 655> 656. 
 
 Apud Du- 
 chefr.e 
 T. X. 
 
 Vira Sigeb. 
 pud 
 Henfcb. 
 GrimoalJ, 
 Mayor cf 
 the pal-ice, 
 fees Sigebert 
 
 The Hiftory #/* F R A N c E." 
 
 have no Mayors at all in the reign of dotaire II. elect- 
 ed one for the kingdom of Burgundy, and Nantilda, 
 the Queen-mother, procured the choice for Flarade, 
 who was very much attach'd to her, and to whom 
 fhe had married her niece named Rancberge. She ma- 
 naged the matter fo, that he had always a good un- 
 derftanding wich the Mayor of trie palace of Neu- 
 ftria. 
 
 The two Kings died at very near the fame time, as 
 far as we can guefs in the confufion of our chrono- 
 logy, which is darker than ever under theie reigns : 
 but Sigebert died firft. The writers who fpeak of 
 Clovis, and are for the moft part monks, are fome of 
 them too extravagant in their praifes, and others in 
 their reproaches of him. According to' thefe he 
 was a Prince abandon'd to all forts of debauchery, 
 and a man of no fpirit. According to others, he was 
 a wife and well-difpofed Prince, a man of courage, 
 equity and piety. It is hard to fay which were in the 
 right. He left three ions behind him, Clotaire III. 
 of that name, Childeric and Thierry. 
 
 As for Sigebert, . King of Auftrafia, he was, as I 
 have already obferved, and according to all our- hifto- 
 rians, a very good and godly Prince, but as bad a po- 
 litician , if we judge rather by the fa&s theinfelves 
 which the monk Sigebert relates, than by the empty 
 praiies he gives him by way of gratitude for the great 
 benefactions he heaped upon his order. It was in the 
 reign of Sigebert, that the Mayors of the palace began 
 to ihew how far they would carry their pretentious, 
 and that their ambition had no lefs an object than the 
 throne, itfelf. 
 
 Sigebert fuffer'd himfelf to be fo far deceived by 
 Grimoald\ artifices, who poflefs'd this port in his 
 kingdom, that he promifed to adopt his Ion, in caie 
 he had no children. He cou'd have done no more, 
 if he had feen himfelf without pofterity at the age 
 of fourfcore : but he had a foil whom he named 
 Dagobert, after his grandfather. The greateft fault. 
 he committed was upon his death-bed, when he 
 declared the Mayor his foil's guardian. This was 
 to deliver him up to the difcretion of an ambitious 
 wretch, who did actually yield to the temptation of 
 iraniporting the crown into his ow^i family. 
 
 He
 
 CLOTAIRE III. CHILDERIC. 135 
 
 He had not cruelty enough to attempt the life of An. 65*6. 
 
 gobert''*, had the bafenefs and treachery to ferve as an '"' S CQC- 
 inftrument to the tyrant's ambition-. He himfelf car- vl^'sanai 
 ried the Prince into Scotland, and left him there abau- wiifridi. - 
 don'd to his bad fortune. Afterwards Grimoald mak- 
 ing ufe of the pretended adoption of his fon by the 
 late King Sigebert, crown'd him King of Auftrafia. 
 This ufurper took the name of Cktldebert, which in 
 all likelihood he never ailum'd till he was raifed to 
 the throne. 
 
 But it was not long that he held it. A powerful 
 party was made againft him, not only in favour of the 
 exil'd Prince whom they believed to have been dead ; 
 but of other Princes of the Royal Family, I mean of 
 the fons of Clovis II. The matter was fo well ma- The father 
 
 naged that Grimoald cou'd not ftand againft it , his 
 fon was dethron'd, and himfelf taken and carried to their 
 Paris, where he died in prifon. Childeric the fccond 
 fon of Clovis was placed upon the throne of Auftra- 
 fia. Clot air e the eldeft hzdNeuftria and Burgundy for 
 his fhare ; Thierry the third fon had not at that time any 
 part in the fuccemon. 
 
 CLOTAIRE III. King of Neuftria and 
 Burgundy ; CHILDERIC,' King of 
 Auftrafia. 
 
 C LOTA I RE III. reign'd four years according 
 to fome writers, and feven according to others. 
 There are fome alfo who lengthen out his reign 
 to ten years, and others to fifteen or lixteen. It fur- Paul. Lang! 
 nifhes us with nothing memorable, excepting one fin- J - 4- c. 55. 
 gle event mention'd in the hiftory of the Lombards, 
 from whom France took fome part of their country. 
 Gr/'/*z0<zWDuke of Beneventum having ufurped the king- 
 dom of the Lombards, Pert bar it the lawful heir after An- 663 
 K 4 many
 
 1 3 $ The Hiflory ^FRANCE." 
 
 An. 663. many adventures took fan&uary in France, where they 
 
 ^-s~v^J had companion on his misfortunes, and foon after or- 
 
 lbid.i.j.c.y. dej-'d an ar m y t o be rais'd, and to march over the 
 
 .Alps againft the Lombards. But the French fuffer'd 
 
 themfelves to be furprized by the Duke of Beneven- 
 
 tum ; and being intirely defeated, Pcrtharit was for- 
 
 faken by France , and obliged to fly for fhelter into 
 
 England. But at length , after nine or ten years dif- 
 
 grace, Grimoald being dead, the Lombards reftoredhim 
 
 to the throne of his father. 
 
 eiuem Batil- Queen Batilda mother of Clotaire III. governed the 
 Regttt kingdom with Ebroin Mayor of the palace for a great 
 "f the ***' part of the reign of this Prince ; but retiring afterwards 
 SfSrf to the monaftery of C belles^ where (he lived and died 
 Burgundy. Hke a faint, the whole authority fell into the hands of 
 
 vita sana'i Batilda's wifHom, moderation, and refolution was, 
 
 Lcqdeg.c. a. during the time that flie governed, a curb upon the 
 
 jti^rV v i lent difpofition of Ebroin. He was one of thofe 
 
 tkt ifabct, cunning, ambitions, and infolent men who gain authori- 
 
 tfs tyranny, ty as we u by hardinefs as fubtilty, who pufh their power 
 
 to the utmoft, and manage it without any fear or re- 
 
 gard. As foon as he faw himfelf entirely mafter of 
 
 affairs, he acted the tyrant. There was no coming at 
 
 him but by bribery. He equally expofed juftice and 
 
 injuftice for a price. The people were burden'd, the 
 
 Nobility ill ufed, and the leaft faults co'ft perfons of 
 
 the higheft characler and quality their lives. 
 
 The diati, cf In the mean time Clotaire died, and left no male 
 
 ciotaire in. f/f ae behind him. The crown regularly devolved up- 
 
 %'* ' on Cbilderie King of daftrafa the eldeft of the two 
 
 brothers of the deceafed King, or upon Thierry the 
 
 youngeft, who had no part in the fuccefiion of his fa- 
 
 ther Clows. The people of Neuftria and Burgundy 
 
 being defirous to -have a King to themfelves, as well 
 
 as the Auftrafians, had moil inclination for Thierry. 
 
 Ebroin alfo defigned to proclaim him King, which he 
 
 did, but without calling the Nobility together, contra- 
 
 ry to the uftial method in thofe cafes, 
 
 This conduct was more than the Grandees of the 
 realm cou'd bear, and produced a general revolt in 
 Nettftria and Burgundy. Ebroin had no other way to 
 avoid the fury of the people than by taking refuge in a 
 church, where they refuftd to grant him his life but 
 
 upon
 
 CHILD ERIC. 137 
 
 upon condition of his taking the habit and tonfure of An. 663. 
 a monk in the abby of Luxe Ail. V^V>^ 
 
 Their averfion to the Minifter recoil'd upon the 
 Prince, whom he would have placed upon the throne 
 of Burgundy and Neuftria. So Thierry was feized, 
 and ftiaved, and had the permiffion of his brother Chil- 
 deric, to whom the two crowns were yielded up, to 
 retire to the abby of S. Denys. ThusC&V&rrc added 
 to the kingdom of Auftrafia, which he poflefs'd alrea- 
 dy, thofe of Neuftria and Burgundy. 
 
 ' Before the affembly of the great Lords broke up, childeric 
 they prefented a petition to the King, in which among Kig >f the 
 other things they requefted him not to put the whole thr " realmt * 
 authority and government of the ftate into the hands of 
 one man. But this article did not extend to the fup- 
 preflion of the office of Mayor of the palace, but on- 
 ly to the moderating his power ; for Duke Wulfoalde 
 was chofen Mayor in the kingdom of Auftrajia : and 
 this was the beft' opportunity the Prince could have had 
 to deliver himfelf from fiavery, if he had been capable 
 of making ufe of it. 
 
 They had good hopes of his government when ibid. c. *: 
 they faw that he made choice of Legcr, Bifhop of Au- 
 tu~a for his chief minifter, and, according to Ibme, for 
 the Mayor of his palace of Neuftria and Burgundy. 
 For that Prelate was a perfon of quality, and related 
 to the royal family, and univerfally efteem'd for his 
 capacity, virtue and merit : But this fair profpecl: was 
 of no long continuance. 
 
 "The Prince admitted certain pragmatical, pafllonate Hite'Mdf 
 perfons, who had hardly any religion, into an intima- 
 cy and familiarity with him, who foon made him 
 withdraw all the confidence and truft he had rcpofed 
 in his fage minifter. Wnlfudde, Mayor of the palace of 
 Auftrafia, join'd in the plot againlt the Bifhop, who 
 ran the risk of his life, and was thought to be favour- 
 ably dealt with, in being (hut up in the monaftery of 
 Luxe iiil. There he found Ebroin in the habit of a 
 monk, who immediately defired his friendfhip. But 
 the violent death of the King, which happened fhort- 
 Jy after, foon fet thefe minifters at liberty, and revived 
 the ambition of Ebroin. 
 
 Childeric, depriv'd of the advice and afllftance of 
 , had no other guide but his paffion. He 
 
 was
 
 lie it 
 
 * Jti< *' 
 
 1 38 The Hijlory 
 
 An. 663. was naturally very hafty, and being one day angry 
 " with a certain Lord named Bodillon, he us'd him as 
 a flave, ordering him to be ty'd to a poft and receive 
 a thoufand blows. 
 
 This gentleman, exafperated at fuch treatment, con- 
 fpired againft him with fome of his friends, and a few 
 days after laid an ambufh in a foreft, where Childeric, 
 with Queen Bihichilda, who was then big with child, 
 was killed. They had two fons, the one named Da- 
 gobert, then very young, who was alfo maflacred 
 upon this occafion, or at leaft did not live long after. 
 The other efcaped and (hut himfelf up in a monaftery 
 for feveral years, but in time came out to afcend the 
 throne of his anceftors. 
 
 Childeric was twenty four years of age when he 
 died. He was a Prince of no conduct or courage, 
 neither capable of governing himfelf, or of fuffering 
 thofe to govern, whofe prudence might have fupply'd 
 his defects. 
 
 About the end of his reign there appeared all of a 
 fudden, and when it was leaft expected in France, a 
 
 Prince of the r y al family, I mean the young Dago- 
 bert, fon of Sigehert, King of Auftrafia. whom we 
 have already feen banilried beyond fea bjGrimoaU the 
 treacherous Mayor of his palace. This young Prince 
 having wander'd a long time* at laft met with an 
 Engltfaman^ who was a perfon of quality, named 
 Wilfrid, to whom he opened himfelf upon the parti- 
 culars of his bad fortune. The Englifhman, moved 
 with companion, took him home with him, carried 
 him into England, and fome time after procured him 
 a fecure paflage into Auftrafia. 
 
 Cbilderic, who had a great regard for Dagobert's 
 mother Innichilde, confented that he ihould reign, at 
 leaft in Alfatia, and the parts about the Rhine. 
 
 This Prince, who had difappear'd in France for fe- 
 veral years, has done the fame alfo for a long time in 
 A<3 Sana, our hiltory, by the negligence of our modern hillori- 
 n-ib'us'Daea- ans > w ^ wcre f r ^c moft part but little converfant 
 berth. ' in antiquity. We are obliged for this particular to the 
 valeQus tre- learned Henfchenius, who in the life of S. Wilfrid 
 nas ^mangled this important point of our Hi- 
 . ftory. 
 
 Dagobert, 
 feit/sig 
 
 f/Auftrafia.
 
 THIERRY. 1 139 
 
 Ckllderifs death was followed by an Interregnum An. 663. 
 of fome months at lead, during which thofe \v r ho had V-/OO*-' 
 been imprifon'd or banifh'd in the preceding reign, 
 fill'd France with murders and robberies. The parti- 
 ians of the Bifhop of Autun and thofe of Ebroin, went 
 to pay their refpefts to them in the place of their re- 
 tirement, and put them at their head. Ebroin forget- 
 ting the friendfhip he had fworn to the prelate, becaufe 
 he found him in a condition of rivalling him, refblve^d 
 to have him aflaflinated, but was di/Tliaded from his 
 purpofe by Genefim Bifhop of Lyons. He coniinued to 
 diffemble, and made his entrance into Autnn with Bifhop 
 Leger; where they were received with all the marks of 
 joy, which a people is capable of fhe wing upon thefe oc- 
 cafions. It was principally upon the Bifhop' s account that 
 they made thefe rejoicings. But their averfionto the late 
 government, which had blotted out all remembrance of 
 Ebroitis violent proceedings, or the inconfiancy of the 
 people, made them glad to fee even him return from exile. 
 
 TH i E R R Y King of Bur 
 
 DUring thefe traniach'ons, Thierry, whofc hair had 
 time to grow during his retirement atS.Z)e#y.r, 
 refum'd the tftle of King, nnd had already a 
 great court at Nogent, which is now called S. Cloud: 
 The Bifhop of Autun repaired to him with his friends, 
 and Ebroin made as if he wou'd have taken the fame 
 meafures : but fearing left the Bifhop fhou'd get the up- 
 per hand of him with the new King, he alter'd his 
 defign. 
 
 He repair'd to Artftrafia, where he had many friends, 
 and produced a young child to whom he gave the 
 name of Clo-vis declaring him to be the foil ofC/otair? 
 III. and had intereft enough to get him proclaimed 
 King of France. Didier Bifhop of Chalons upon Sam? 
 and Bobun Bifhop of Valence, who were both of them 
 Bargnndians, and had been dcpofed for their crimes, 
 countenanced and fupported the vain pretences of this 
 faction, Ib that in a fhort time Ebroin with his new 
 King found himfelf at the head of an army and in $ 
 2 con-.
 
 140 The Htftory off RAVI c E.^ 
 
 An. 663- condition to enter the kingdom of Neuftria to oblige 
 \^T*J the re ft f c ^ e F renc h to recognize the King he had 
 fet up. 
 
 He advanced as far as Paris with a defign to fur- 
 prize Thierry, ravaged all the country thereabouts, en- 
 rich'd his army with the fpoils of churches and the fub- 
 ftance of all thofe that refufed to declare for him, Bi- 
 fhop Legcr was return'd fome days before to Autun : 
 where he was befieged by the forces of the Bifhop of 
 Chalom conducted by himfelf ia perfon. The holy 
 prelate to prevent the devaluation of the town, deliver- 
 ed himfelf up into the hands of his enemies againft the 
 will and difluafion of his people. The Bifhop of Cha- 
 lons had the cruelty to put out his eyes, and committed 
 him to the cuftody of Vaymer one of the heads of his 
 party. 
 
 .. ^_ Ebroin, being now grown formidable to Thierry^ 
 eftttffh'd ! obliged him to come to terms with him, and forced 
 hit ^ffice of him to make him Mayor of his palace: after which 
 Ma^r of the ^ Q d e f er ted his phantom of a King, whom he had pro- 
 duced only for the fake of compafling this dignity. 
 Some time after he made fearch for all thofe who had 
 had any hand in the afTaflmation of Chilperic, and un- 
 der this pretence put to death a great number of Lords 
 whom he fufpeted might oppofe him. He ufed the 
 fame artifice fbme years after againft the holy Bifhop 
 of Antun, whom he kept imprifon'd for a confidera- 
 ble time in the monaftery of Fef champ, and at lail be- 
 headed. 
 
 ^ 1>s highly probable that Dagobert, who, as I have 
 already obferved, reigned in one part of Auftrafia, 
 too }j t h e advantage of thefe broils to put himfelf in 
 pofleffion of fbme other remainders of this kingdom 
 which belonged to him by birth-right. 
 
 Bm after he had reigned feven or eight years, a war 
 breaking out between him and Thierry, he was afTafli- 
 nated as he was hunting in the foreft of Vaivre, by a 
 fadious gang belonging to the party that Ebroin had 
 always kept up in this kingdom, and which ,was a 
 remnant of Mayor Grimoald's faftion, by whom this 
 Prince had been formerly banifh'd into Scotland. Some 
 ancient monuments fpeak of a foil of Dagobert\ 
 named Sigebert, who is fuppofed to have been killed 
 with him. And thus the throne of Aujirafia was left 
 vacant. The
 
 THIERRY. '141 
 
 The Dukes Pepin and Martia,v/ho were coufin-ger- An. 663. 
 mans and of Mayor GrimtaUfs family, were declared v.^x'W/ 
 Dukes or governors of the Kingdom o/JuftraJia: and Fredeg. in 
 the people being afraid of falling under Ebroin's tyran- chron - c - 97* 
 ny refuted to acknowledge Thierry for King of Au- 
 jlrajla. 
 
 It was a dangerous blow to the rights of the Royal Auflrafia be- 
 Family, to difmember fo confiderable a part as this is ^ef/^tke 
 from the kingdom, and occafion'd a war between the <r ow , has 
 two governments, in which the Dukes or governors p epi&i<?gro 
 of duftrafia were defeated, and Martin perifhed by the * OT '" D " k 
 treachery of Ebroin. By his death Pepin became fole 
 Duke of Auftrajia, and afterwards employed all thofe 
 great qualities nature had given him, to ruin the Royal 
 Authority. This is he who is called in hiftory Pepi-a 
 le gros, by reafon of his fhort and thick ftature. He 
 is alfb called Pepin d'Heriftal from the name of a pa- 
 lace that belong'd to him, which name is ftill retain'd 
 by the borough wherein this palace was feated upon 
 the banks of the Meufe, a league above Liege. He 
 made ufe of feveral happy conjunctures, that were either 
 Itarted by him or offer'd themfelves, to raife himfelf 
 to the head of affairs not only in Auftrafia, but alfo 
 in all the French Empire. 
 
 Ebroin the Mayor of the palace having lorded it About the 
 over France for more than twenty five years, met at y 6 " 68 3- 
 laft with the ordinary fate of men of his character and 
 fuch as abufe their authority. He was affaflinated by Continuar. 
 a Lord named Her-manfroy, who was perfecuted by him 
 but got the better of him. After his death Thierry had 
 feveral Mayors of the palace fucceffively in a few 
 years, one of whom named Gijlemar made war upon 
 Duke Pepin, who by the manner in which he defend- 
 ed himfelf, fecured his government in Auftrafia ; and 
 foon after refolved himfelf to go upon the offenfive 
 fide and to attack his enemies. Ebroin's perfecution 
 had forced feveral Lords to fly for fhelter to Auftra- 
 Jia, and fome others were juft arrived to throw them- 
 felves into Pepitis protection, by reafon of the ill treat- 
 ment they had received from the new Mayor named 
 Bertraire for oppofing his election. Pepin hearkened 
 to the inftances of all his exiles, who were continu- 
 ally foliciting him to make war upon Thie rry ; but be- 
 fore he took up arms, he reprefented to him the injuf- 
 
 tice
 
 14^ The Hiftory ^FRANCE. 
 
 An. 663. tice of opprefilng thefe Lords , and intreat^d him to 
 
 V^V\-> reftore them what had been taken from tKem. This 
 
 Annai.Me- Prince, inftigatcd by Eertraire , gave a haughty and 
 
 .renfcsad an. threatning anfwer, which took away all hopes of an 
 
 accommodation. 
 
 Upon this Pcpin drew his army together, entred 
 Neuftria, and advanced as far as the river Somme, in- 
 camping at Teflri, a village between S. Qtientin and 
 Peronne, upon the little river of Daumignon. 
 
 Thierry was already ported on the other fide this river 
 with an army much exceeding that of Pepin in num- 
 ber, with afullrefolution to fall upon him, if he ven- 
 tured to pafs over it. But the Duke made up in Itra- 
 tagem what he wanted in forces, decamped all night, 
 and palled the river at high water in a place which he 
 had difcovered to be fordable. Thierry's fpies coming 
 early the next morning to the Auftrafi&n .camp, found 
 the coaft clear, only fome waggons, and paltry baggage 
 half burnt. So they return'd fpeedily to make their 
 report, and brought word that the AuftrafiaMs had fled 
 away with fuch precipitation, that they had left their 
 baggage behind them, and fet fire to them. 
 
 Thterry immediately founded to Horfe, and made 
 his army pafs the river with all fpeed, to purfue the 
 enemy, fuppofing he fhou'd now be able to cut him 
 off from all pofiibility of efcaping. 
 
 Ibid, ad an. But hardly was one half of the army got over, when 
 690. Pepin appeared upon the hills on the other fide. Thi- 
 
 ThSry?*" err y. immediately draws back his forces: but Pepix 
 army. taking advantage of the confufion they were in, charg'd 
 
 them on ail fides and cut them in pieces. A great 
 number of Neuftrian and Burruncttan Lords were 
 killed upon the fpot, and the reft disbanded and fled. 
 Bertraire the Mayor of the Palace was killed by fome 
 of his own foldiers. Pcpin purfued them clofely, and 
 difllpating all that drew together again, march'd up to 
 P*r, which open'd their gates. The citizens deliver- 
 ed the King and all his treafures into his hands, and 
 when he was mafter of the King's perfon, he was of 
 courfe mafter of his kingdom . 
 
 Annal. Me- The author, from whom we learn thefe particulars, 
 tenfes. very much commends Pepin for leaving Thierry the 
 Heitmet ' name o f King. But befides this he left him nothing 
 tMt ""/Kinf fave a good table, and an unaclive flothful life, which 
 
 were
 
 THIERRY. 143 
 
 Were in all appearance as agreeable to his inclinations, An. 663. 
 as they were beneath his birth and jrank. ' In every \*s~f\J 
 thing elfe Pepin deferves the praifeof his moderation. 
 For he pardoned his prifoners and all thofe, who had 
 fled to S. Quentin and Peronne for fecurity, and re- 
 ftored them to the pofTefiion of their eftates, only re- 
 quiring them to fwear that they wou'd never for the 
 future act in oppofition to his intereft. 
 
 When he faw every thing quiet, he entred upon the Pepin's mfe 
 buflnefs of government , coniider'd the ftate of the & 6vernme>it - 
 kingdom with much application, and reftored fb per- 
 fect an order and tranquillity , that he attracted both 
 the hearts and admiration of the people. But he knew 
 well that fomething more remarkable and extraordina- 
 ry wasrequir'd to prefervethis eileem, and employ the 
 unquiet fpirits of the nation. 
 
 After the reigns of Clovis IV. and his brother Sige- 
 lert, feveral tributary nations had fhaken off the yoke 
 of v /r ance. Such as the Saxons, the Suevi, the Frifons, 
 t\iQ/llemanni, theBavariaxs, theBretoxs, and above all 
 the Gajcons, who had made themfelves mailers of a 
 part of Aquitaitt. 
 
 Pepin, when he was only Duke of Auftrafia, had 
 already fubdued the Saxons, the Bavarians, and the 
 Sue-vi : but he had not yet been able to compsfs the 
 reft of this frontier. However he fet about repairing 
 all thefe breaches in the French Empire, as foon as he 
 was in a fit condition for fuch an undertaking. 
 
 He left a man with Thierry , of whofe fidelity he Gefa Reg. 
 was well allured, named Nortbert, to whom he com- Francorum 
 mittcd the whole authority, and carried almoft all the cap> 4 
 money, which he found in the treafury, with him into 
 Aujlra/ia. His firft expedition was againft Radbode Annal. Me- 
 Duke of the brifons, in which he defeated him, obliged teni ~ esadaa - 
 him to ask quarter, to fubmit again to a tribute, and 6 *~' 
 to give hoftages for the fecurity of his promife. This 
 is all that was done in this campaign. After which he 
 caufed a council to be called for regulating the affairs 
 of the church, in which many good orders were efta- 
 blillied for the fupport of the poor, and the protection 
 of pupils, widows and orphans. About this time Thi- ibid, ad a. 
 erry died. His death had no influence upon affairs, 
 nor was of any greater confequence than that of a pri- 
 vateman. Pepin proclaimed his eldeft fon Clovis King 
 
 in
 
 1 44 The Hiftory 
 
 An. 5-81. in his room. But this Prince dying at the expira- 
 don of five years, was fucceeded by Childebert the 
 youngeft. 
 
 CLOVIS III. and after him CHILDEBERT II. 
 and after him DAGOBERT II. Kings of 
 Neuftria and Burgundy. 
 
 P E P i N, 'Duke of Auftrafia. 
 
 Annal. Me- "IT N the reigns of Clovis III. and Childebert II. Pe- 
 tenfes. I fin continued to chaftife the nations that had for- 
 
 JL merly revolted, or were yet from time to time 
 revolting from France. He fubdued a fecond time 
 the Duke of Frlfe, and defeated him at Doroftat, now 
 fepin tnai- Battembourg in Geldria. He beat, and thrice fubdu- 
 ei fMu- ed the Alemanni. There was hardly a year palled 
 //MM riL***" tnat was not remarkable for fome victory gain'd by 
 were tributa- him; and becaufe he made no expedition in an. 713. 
 rjr t France, hiftory thereby diftinguiihes that year from the reft, as 
 the Roman hiftory diftinguifh'd the year in which the 
 temple of Janus was flint up, for a fign of univerfal 
 peace. But after the death of Clovis III. he thought 
 more than ever of eftablifhing his own family. 
 Keghettfjt He had then two fons, the eldeft named Dragon, 
 Judy,/ Bur- an d t he other Grimoald. He made the eldeft Duke of 
 gindy to ta Eurgund ^ and the y OU ngcft Mayor of Childebert II.'s 
 palace. But he had the misfortune to fee them both 
 die before him. The eldeft died firft. Grimoald fuc- 
 ceeded him in his principality of Burgundy, to ufe the 
 language of the author of the annals of Metz, who 
 intimates plainly enough that this duchy, with regard 
 to Peptn's two fons, was not a bare government, like 
 the other duchies of that time. 
 
 The dtati, of Cbildfbert died alfo, after he had reigned fixteen or 
 Childebert H. feventecn years, and was buried at Choijl upon the ri- 
 jSrJl ver Aifne, z\\ADagobert II. his foil afcend^d the throne 
 an, 711. to make the fame figure upon it with his predeceflbrs. 
 
 So
 
 IL I45T 
 
 So that the hiftdry of thofe times, down to the end of An. 713. 
 the firft race, is not fo much a hiftory of the Kings vXYN^ 
 o?f ranee, as of the Mayors of the palace ; and all that 
 We find related of thelc Princes may be reduced to 
 two pointSj their elevation to the throne .of the king- 
 dom, and their death. 
 
 The authority Pepin had acquired over the wiiole 
 kingdom, and the bold Ufurpations they law him make 
 upon the royal family, gave great diftafte to feveral- 
 perfous of the firft rank in the kingdom. He fell ill 
 of a diftemper at Jopil, a country houfe near Liege 
 over againft Heriftal, which endangered his life. For 
 his recovery being defpaired of, a confpiracy was 
 formed againft his fon Grimoald, Duke of Burgundy, 
 to the intent that the death of the fon, happening at 
 the fame time with that of the father, the usurpation 
 might be at an end, and the government return into 
 its old channel. Grimotdd was killed at Liege in St. 
 Lambert's church. But Pepin recovering put the confpi- 
 rators to death, and made Theodald, hisgrandfon, who 
 was but an infant, Mayor o'tDagobert's palace; which. 
 was another extraordinary attempt to give an in- 
 fank, by way of inheritance an office, which till then 
 was conferred only by the election of the Lords, and ' 
 to Which Was long imce annexed the government of 
 the ftate during the minority of the orphan Kings. 
 
 But to conclude, his Life was not long enough to Apnal.Me-; 
 give the finishing ftroke-to all his great projects. He tenfo ad 
 relapfed fome months after, and died at Jupil on the vv'arnefred 
 feventh of December, an. 71,4. after he had reigned de Epif. e 
 twenty feven years and feven months ; a man of an M enfis 
 extravagant ambition, but fuch as was equally happy f c ' ldom ' ' 
 and ftinted, which went as far as it cou'd go, and p'epi'n 1 ; ^ti 
 yet never arrived at its ends; of an ehtcrprifing and *<< <*'- 
 daring genius, but always upon a fure bottom. He ter '- 
 was icrviceable to the French empire, in which he efta- 
 bliflied order, juftice and tranquillity, but at the ex- 
 pence of the Prince whofe rights he entirely deftroy'd; 
 He had always his fword in hand, and his mind 
 taken up with military deiigns, but yet he found time 
 to attend the moft minute concerns of the ftate, and 
 to promote the intereft of religion, which he took 
 care to have preachM tu the Frifons, and to fome o- 
 
 VOL, I. L ther
 
 146 The Hiftory ^FRANCE. 
 
 An. 714. t^er people upon the frontiers, who were converted 
 \^~^~*J by his means. 
 
 The odd fate The French had at firft fo great a regard for his 
 efthtfo- memory, that they continued Theodald in the office 
 XrS*. 4 ' ot Mayor of the palace, under the direction ofPlec- 
 trttde his grandmother; and perhaps there never was 
 a^more extraordinary fcene than this in France, a 
 King kept at a houfe of pleafure under the guardian- 
 fhip of an infant, and a woman that was neither his 
 mother nor Queen, nor had the title of Regent of the 
 Annai. Me- kingdom. This woman, who wou'd fuffer no body 
 tenf ad to divide the power and eftate of the late Duke her 
 *" 7I4> husband with her grandfon 'fheodald, caufed Charles, 
 who was afterwards named Charles Martel, to be 
 taken up and imprilbned. He was Pepin's fon by 
 another wife, or, as Ibme fay, by a miureis named 
 Alpiade. Thus Theodald was, without any competi- 
 tor, not only Mayor of the palace of Burgundy and 
 Neaftna, but alfo Duke of Auftrajia. But this .was 
 of no long continuance ; for there broke out a re- 
 bellion in Neuftria ; and Ple&rude, to maintain her 
 ground there, was obliged to fend for an army from 
 Auftrajia, which the Neufiriaxs engaged and defeated 
 in the foreft ofCttifc. T'hcodald efcaped in the defeat, 
 but died foon after. 
 
 ibid, ad an. The Neiiftrians chofe Rainfroy Mayor of the pa- 
 7,' (5 v, cal lace, who carried the war into Auftrajia, ravaged all 
 3^tS- M " the. country as far as the Mcufe, and perfuaded the 
 manisMzr- Duke of Fnfe to make another rifing. The Saxons 
 t nr fetS f'tke ^ ^ e ^ ame z* ^ ls inftanccs, and carried their incur- 
 cwermieHt* lions as far as the country of the Hattuarians, which 
 
 gwti 
 
 was a part of the prefent duchy of Geldre. 
 rles 
 
 H>id. During thefc troubles, Charles found means to ef- 
 
 Charks/y- cape out of prilbn, and was received by tbQ'Auftra- 
 *ftith?~ f m with almoft. as much joy, lays our ancient hi- 
 he.idft'.it tiorian, as if he had been Pepm him (elf returned from 
 Auftrafians. t h e dead to defend them agamft their enemies. 
 
 And indeed Charles did very much referable him in 
 the bc-fl of his actions. He was acknowledged Duke 
 of siufirnfta, an. 716, twelve years after Pepix's 
 ccath.' 
 
 ibid, ad an. Churls found the arfairs of this duchy in a very 
 7^. bad couuiiion; but the death of King Dagobert, which 
 
 happcn'd
 
 CrilLPER 1C II. 147 
 
 iappen'd about that time, after he had reigned five An. 716,' 
 years, gave him time to recover himfelf, by putting a UOP^ 
 flop to the efforts of Mayor Ratnfroy, who was in a 
 capacity to dpprefs him. It was necefTary to make a 
 new King of Neuftria and Burgundy ; and they chiiperk li. 
 fetch'd him from a monaftery, where he was found in %i n & f 
 the habit of a clergyman. His name was Daniel, fon " 
 
 of Childeric II. He had fled from the fury of the af- 
 faflihs of his father, as I have already obferved in my 
 Account of the unhappy death of this unfortunate Prince. 
 He was preferred before Dagobert's fon Thierry, who 
 was yet in the cradle, arid upon that account, or at 
 leaft under that pretence excluded, from the fucceflion 
 of his father hi favour of the branch of Childeric. 
 
 CHILPERIC II. King of Neuftria and 
 Burgundy , 
 
 CHARLES *Duke of Auftrafia. 
 
 TH E French Lords made Daniel take the Anna!. Me- 
 name of Chilperic at his attending the tferone,' tenfes ad 
 and obliged Ralnfroy, the Mayor of the pa- an. 716. 
 lace, to put him at their head in their armies. It is 
 a miftake in our hiftoriahs to reckon this Prince a'- 
 mong the lift of thofe Kings, who were commonly 
 called Jlatbful Kings, for he always behaved himfelf 
 like a brave and adive Prince, till his misfortune and 
 the violence of his enemy depriv'd him of the liberty 
 of acting. 
 
 Rainfroy m the mean time kept the Duke of Frife Eginart.L 
 conftantly in his inter dt/ Frife had then extended it 4c;i9. 
 felf 'as far as the mouth of the Efcavt along the fea. 
 This Duke attack'd Charles there, and advanced by Gefta Reg. 
 the Rhine, almolt as far as Cologne, while Chilperic Frjrc - c - * 
 was preparing to enter Auftrafia by the foreft ot Ar- 
 denies. There was fought a tough battle between 
 Charles and the Frifons, Some fay that Charles was 
 defeated,- others y that much blood was ipilt on both
 
 r4* . The Hiftory of F R A N c E" 
 
 An. 716. fides, and that the night put an end to the battle, and 
 \*s*f\J left the viftory uncertain. 
 
 Chilperic and the Duke of Frife being join'd, pro- 
 ceeded to ravage the country as far as Cologne. Plec- 
 trude was miftrefs of this town, where till now fhehad 
 flood her ground againft both parties : but fearing a 
 fiege, fhe capitulated with Chilperic for the payment of 
 a large fum of money ; and this Prince not being able 
 to fubfift any longer in this country which he* had 
 ruined, withdrew to Neuftria, and return'd by the 
 fbreft of Ardennes. 
 
 Charles, after the battle I have been fpeaking of, 
 made no farther attempts, excepting with fome IrnaH 
 flying fquadrons, to harrafs the enemy in his retreat. 
 He fixed himfelfat/ftM*/, a palace near the abby of 
 Stavelo, whither Chilpertc came to encamp at the foot 
 of a mountain. This Prince, who was not aware 
 of Charles's being fo near him, lay very quiet there, 
 and the garde du camp was very negligently ob- 
 ferved. 
 
 Charles made his advantage of this ; and having or- 
 dered on a fudden the charge to be founded on all 
 fides, fell haftily upon feveral parts of the camp. 
 The enemy were fo furpriz'd and difmay'd that they 
 took an handful of men for an intirc army, and fled 
 on all fides without flopping, till they had got out of 
 the foreft of Ardennes ; and Charles's foldiers enriched 
 themfelves with the fpoils of the camp. 
 
 This victory got him a great deal of reputation, 
 and recovered the courage of the Attftraflans, who 
 flock'd together in great numbers to increafe his ar- 
 my, fo that he found 'himlelf in a condition to carry 
 the war into Chilperic's kingdom at the beginning of 
 the following campaign. 
 
 He advanced as far as Cambray, where Chilperic 
 
 came to meet him. They encamped very near each 
 
 other at a place called Vincy, which is probably the 
 
 village now named Ivcky, tnree leagues from Cam- 
 
 bray, between Arras and this town. Charles fent an 
 
 herald to Chilperic to propofe an accommodation: 
 
 but his propofals were rejected with contempt. 
 
 Annai. Me- They join'd battle on a Sunday in Lent being the 
 
 rnfe ad nineteenth of Msrcb. The fight was very obftinate 
 
 in< 7 ' 7 ' and bloody ; but Charles got the victory, who after a 
 
 2 great
 
 CHILPERIC II. 149 
 
 great flaughter of the enemy march'd up to Paris, ra- An. 7 7. 
 vaging as he went : From whence returning by the 
 ' 
 
 fame way, he march'd direftly to Cologne to befiege 
 Pledrude. 'The danger flie found her felf expofed to, Charles Mar- 
 determined her to treat with Charles, But during the K\ gains the 
 negotiation, he feized the town by means of a iedition *' aiainfP' 
 that arofe there, and made himfelf mafter of all the chiiperic. 
 treafurcs that the late Duke Pepin had amafled toge- He taket 
 thcr. Colognc - 
 
 Charles being in all likelihood acquainted with the j* 
 inclination of the Aujlrafian Lords , and to procure 
 time for fecuring his authority,' of his own accord pro- 
 pofed to them the making a King of Auftrafia, and fet 
 a Prince of the Merovingian family upon the throne, 
 whofe father is not mention'd in the antient hiftorians^ 
 nor how nearly he was related to the laft Kings of 
 Auftrajia. His name was Clotaire. This new efta- 
 blifhment was made after an interregnum of thirty fe- 
 ven years, reckoning from the death of Dagobert, whom 
 we have feen reign in Auftrajia fome time after his 
 return from Scotland or Ireland, 
 
 The victories of Charles had removed the Duke of 
 Frife from Chilperic's intcrcfts. This Prince had thoughts 
 of railing up another enemy againft him, who till then 
 had been one of the moft dangerous that the monarchy 
 of France cou'd have to do with. 
 
 The Gafcons were then headed by a Duke named 
 "Eludes, whom fome will have to be a Frenchman and 
 others a Spaniard. His name fcems to fpeak him a 
 Frenchman. Of what nation foever he came, he was 
 a man of great ability, that cou'd fo far turn the civil 
 wars of trance to his advantage as to make himfelf 
 not only abfolute and independent Duke of the Gafcona, 
 but alfo Duke of Aquitain, that is, of the greateft part 
 of the country, on the other lide the Loire. He was 
 at firft pofTeffed of the towns' fituate between the fca, 
 the Garonne, and the Pyrenees. This country was 
 before called Novempopu'lonia , and it fecms to have 7^8. 
 been not till about this time that the Gafions gave it 
 their name. Eudes puftied his conquefts as far asB<?^- 
 ry, and made himfelf mafter of Bourges. He pofifefTed 
 Poitou , Xaintonge , Limoufin , Atbigeois , Au-vergne ;. 
 and excepting Tours, he left the French very little on 
 the -other fide the Loire. 
 
 L 3 It
 
 An. 718. It was with this ufurper of the patrimony of the 
 \ to XV"X> Kings of France, that Chilperic made a league againft 
 Charles, by giving him up the countries he had taken. 
 As foon as Eudes had join'd Chilperic they march'd 
 together towards Auflrafia. "Charles &vcd them a great 
 part of the way ; and they were furpriz'd to hear that 
 he had pitch'd his camp between Rheims and SoijJ'ons. 
 v.n s. Ri- This news difmay'd their army; and Charles was hard- 
 ly come in fight with his forces, when they disbanded 
 without a ftroke. He did not fail to manage this op- 
 portunity of their fright to his own advantage, and pur- 
 fued them as far as the Seine. Chilperic not thinking 
 himfelf fecure at Paris, departed thence with as much 
 of his treafures as he couM carry with him, and fled 
 to Eudes on the other fide the Loire. 
 
 KeMgtitke Charles paflol the -Seine without any oppofition and 
 Date of advanced as far as Orleans. From thence he fent a 
 
 mcflenger to Duke Eudes to let him know that if he 
 to did not deliver up the King into his hands, he wou'dgo 
 *&" to Aqttitain and Gafcogae in learch of him, and put every 
 
 eft R 7 /^' ^ n 8 to ^ re an( * f won !- Thefe menaces had their ef- 
 y. f e & after fome delays* and negotiations. Eudes fur- 
 rendred Chilperic into the hands of Charles with all 
 the riches this Prince had brought from Paris, and 
 at this price purchased the peace which was granted 
 him. 
 
 By this means 'Charles found himfelf in very near 
 the ftate and power of Duke Pepin his father, at his 
 tyo ne ft an d m ft advanced condition, faixfroy the 
 Mayor of the palace had not wanted a conlidcrable 
 party of adherents for thefe four or five years : but 
 Lh.irles having at length bcliegcd him in Angers obliged 
 him to capitulate, and to content himfelf with the coun- 
 ty of Anjm , which he left him for the reft of his 
 IT;. 
 
 As thcfe things were tranfading, CLtaire^ the titu- 
 lar King of Auftrafia died, and Chilperic alfq dyin^ 
 ib me time after atNoyon, Charles placed in ti;cir room 
 a Prince of the royal family called Thierry of Chellcs, 
 becaule he had been brought up at that place. A re- 
 cord of the abby of S. Btrtin makes him Ion of Da- 
 gjbcrt II. He was yet in the "cradle when his father 
 died, and confcquently cou'd not be above feven or 
 eight years old at Chiljperic's death, who reigned but 
 five of, fix years. THIERRY 
 
 e * ih '
 
 THIERRY II. 151 
 
 An. 719. 
 
 THIERRY II. King. 
 CHARLES tDuke of Auftrafia. 
 
 CHarlfs, being now mafter of all France, applied 
 himfelf chiefly to two things, herein following 
 the conduct of Duke Pepin his father. The firft 
 was, to reduce the German nations that had fhaken 
 off the yoke of France. And iecondly, to fend mif- 
 fionaries to inftruct the fame people, and the other na- 
 tions that had been fubdued by this Empire, and had not 
 yet embraced the chriitian religion. 
 
 He attack'd the Saxons, impofed the tribute upon **', 
 them anew, and reconquer'd all the country as far as '" 
 the^efcr. Some years after he chaftix'd the/llemanni, 715-. " 
 and carried his arms as far as the other fide the Da- 
 nube. The following years he made feveral expedite Charles p*r- 
 ons into the fame quarters, and always with the f^e-J^VwrK;* 
 fuccefs. /MfrPepin. 
 
 As for his religious behaviour, he protected and 
 affiited Bilhop Boniface whom Pope Gregory II. fent 
 to preach the Golpel in Germany. He did the fame 
 with regard to Villebrod, who undertook the Inuructi- 
 on of the Frtfons by order of S. Hubert Bifhop ofMa- 
 flric , who compals'd the converlion of the Pagans, 
 of which -there was a great number in Ardennes, Bra- 
 bant, and the country now called Campine. He en- 
 tirely aboliihed the worfhip of idols there, and all the 
 other pagan faperttitions. 
 
 Thus Duke Charles at the fame time extended the 
 bounds of the ftate and propagated Chriftianity, when 
 about an. 731. Eudes Duke of Aquitain bethought A nnalMe- 
 himfelf of breaking the peace he had made withfrxace tenfes - a<Ia1x 
 twelve or thirteen years before. 
 
 This gave Charles a new opportunity of diftjn* 
 guilhing himfelf. He defeated Eudes in two battles 
 on the other fide the Loire , and conttrain'd him to. 
 have recourfe to his clemency. But during thefe af- 
 fected appearances of fubmilTion, he contrived a co- 
 fpiracy againlt France whereby to revenge hfmfelf, 
 L 4 which
 
 15* The Hiftory 0/F RANGED 
 
 An. 731. which had like to have deftroyed it, and to have in> 
 V^V-v 1 volved himfelf alfo in the ruin of this kingdom. 
 
 He treated with the Saracens, who were come from 
 Africa, and had made themfelves matters of the great- 
 eft part of Spain ; having firit driven the Vifigotbs out 
 .of it.. Languedoc and the other Gaulijh towns at that 
 time dependent upon Spain, received the conquerors. 
 According to qne of the moft ancient and mod judi-> 
 Rodericuj cioMsSpaniJb hiltorians, this revolution happen'd in the 
 *** year 714. that is, in the fame year thatPf/>/# CkarleSz 
 
 rather died : but the Saracens in all probability did not 
 enter Gaul till the yeaj after. 
 
 Eudes Duke of Acfuitain, whpfe (late bordcr'd up- 
 on Spain, 'kept as good meafures as he couM with 
 thefe dangerous neighbours : but at length they attacked 
 him, and after feveral little skinniflies, the Emir Zama 
 fat down before 'Toulutife. Ettdes came to its fuc- 
 cour, and defeated the Emir with a great (laughter. 
 He killed the Emir himfelf alfo, and the fiege was 
 rais'd. The Saracens after this defeat, by the Calif's or- 
 der, chofe Abdzrame for their commander, a foldier of 
 great reputation, who concluded a peace. He was go- 
 vernor general of all the Saracen Spain. 
 
 Ettdes, to maintain this peace, gave his daughter in 
 marriage to the Saracen governor of Cerdagne named 
 Mugnos ; and relying upon this fupport, he broke with 
 France. It was after this rupture that he had the misfor- 
 tune, as I faid, to get himfelf twice fuccefiively beaten by 
 Charles on the other iide the Loire, and that he called 
 in the affiftance of the Saracens, who only wanted 
 fuch an opportunity to invade France, as they had done 
 *ft*' \ Spain. But thefe meafures were broken by Mttgnos\ 
 H.ft. Aruk death, who rebelling againll Abderame, periihed in the 
 revolt, and his wife the daughter of Ettdes was-fent to 
 Damas to the Califs feraglio. 
 
 Abderame afterwards invaded Ettdes to punifh him 
 for thp correspondence he had held with Mugnos, paf- 
 ied the Garonne and the Dordogne, and found Eudes 
 encamped upon the fide of this river. They join'd bat- 
 tle, and the victory did not long remain in lulpcncc. 
 Ettdes's army being very much inferior to that of the 
 Saracens in number, was cut in pieces. Hardly any 
 but himfelf efcaped, and he, notwithltonding the hatred 
 he bore to Charles^ came and threw himielf into his 
 
 Charles.,
 
 THIERRY II.' 153 
 
 Charles, who had learnt by the ruin of Spain, -and An. 731, 
 the dcfolation of Aquitain , what danger the trench \^~f\j 
 Empire was in, had already made preparations for put- 
 ting a flop to this torrent , which had made its way 
 thro' all opposition. He had drawn together an army 
 compofed both of the forces on this lide the Rhine, 
 and alfo of thofe of Germany, and had march'd to the 
 Loire to defend the pafTa^e of that river. The Duke 
 otAqzitain with the remainder of his forces, of which 
 he made a flying fquadron, was to act in concert with 
 him againil the Saracens, 
 
 Abderame, \vho had rallied all his forces, taking the 
 advantage of this confternation of the people, conti- 
 nued his march thro' Xaintonge and Perigord, where 
 every thing fell before him. He took Poitiers , pil- Eginard In 
 laged and burnt feveral little towns, and made himfelf vita gai 
 mailer of moft of thofe upon the Rhone and the magnu 
 Saoxe. He marched up to Setts, which he btfieged but 
 cou'd not take it : from thence he bent his courfe to 
 "fours with an intention to conquer it. It was between 
 this town and Poitiers that Charles came up with 
 him, and that famous battle was fought, in which, if 
 we may believe Paul the deacon, three hundred and Paufos Lon- 
 feventy five thoufand Saracens perifhed, Etides contri- gob-u-d. i. 6. 
 buted very much to the victory, by attacking the camp c> ** 
 Of the infidels during the battle. The French loft 15-00 ^ n> y 2z , 
 men, and enrich'd themfelves with the booty they took charies 
 from their enemies. It is faid that the furname of Mar- <* s TMt 
 tel was upon this occafion given to Charles, becaufe 
 he had like a hammer IquafiYd the Saracens. 
 
 It is eafy to imagine how much this victory aug- 
 mented Charles^ glory and reputation, and at the lame 
 time his authority in the ftate, which owed the Cifety 
 and prefervation of its being to him, and had more 
 need of him than ever to fecure it from fuch formida- 
 ble enemies. 
 
 This great victory did not prevent the rifing of fbme 
 commotions foon after in Ibme provinces, \vhich 
 Charles Martel fuppreffed with his ufual promptitude 
 and fuccefs. He went to chaftifefome foditious fpirits 
 in Burgundy; and being recalled from thence into 
 frijlaadby a new revolt, he ported thither, defeated the 
 rebels , many of whom he put to the fvvord , and 
 Obliged the Frifins to give him hoftages. 
 
 EtHJtl
 
 154 The Hiftory 
 
 An. 734. Eudes dying the year after, Charles did not let flip 
 
 \XV"^ this opportunity of recovering what had been taken 
 from the French Empire on that fide. He pafled the 
 Loire with an army, took Bourdeaux and Slave, and 
 in general all that 'country which was then called the 
 duchy of Aqttitain, the extent of which it is hard to 
 afcertain. 
 
 ILudes left a fon named Hunauld behind him, to 
 whom Charles was readily difpofed to grant the great- 
 eft part of his father's kingdom, but upon condition 
 that he fhou'd hold it in vaflalage , and take an oath 
 of fidelity not only to him, but alfo to Pepin and Car- 
 lomax his two fons after him : for Charles at that time 
 thought himfelf at liberty to do every thing he plealed, 
 and began to purfue the vieAvs of his father and ancestors, 
 to make the kingdom Hide inienfibly into his family. 
 He did more than this, for Thierry II. of whom 
 
 jtn inttrrrg- ^ere was no mention made in the oath of fidelity, dy- 
 ig a ^ tcr tn J s expedition into Aquitain, when he had 
 bore the name of King for 17 years, Charles took no 
 care to fill the vacant throne, not even with the fhadow 
 of a King, but continued to govern all the kingdom 
 as formerly with the title of Duke of the French, <ig- 
 nalizing himfelf always as Pepin had done by fome 
 memorable expeditions. 
 
 This year was famous for a new viclory gain'd over 
 ^ e &&***'* vrhomPopou their Duke had cauled to-re- 
 
 735! vo ^ again. Charles went by fea to attack them into 
 
 the very heart of the country. The battle was fought 
 upon the banks of the river Burdion, where the Duke 
 of Frife was killed, and bis army intitely defeated. 
 From that time it had no more Dukes of the nation : 
 but French Dukes who governed it, and whom Charles 
 continued in their government, or recalled as he 
 thought proper. 
 
 Charles after this victory came with his ufual expedi- 
 tion into the kingdom of Bttrgund\, where the Sara- 
 cens correfponding with fome male-contents, who were 
 headed by a Lord cf the country named Afaroittf, had 
 made them (elves matters of Lyons. 
 
 He retook this town, and marching on, made hitr- 
 felf matter of Aries and Marfeille, and di/Tipated the 
 fadion, who recovering themfelves , kept him em- 
 ployed for three years , but at laft he put the finishing 
 hand to their ruin. As
 
 THIERRY II. 155 
 
 As this prefumption of the rebels had been infufed An. 736. 
 into them by the Saracens, or caufed by an expe&atioii ^-^\^^ 
 of fupport from them, Charles thought proper to carry 
 the war into the country of the infidels, and laid fiege 
 to Narbonne. 
 
 Atkime, who commanded a numerous garrifbn there, Conrinuat. 
 made a vigorous defence, and gave time for fuccours ^redeg. c 
 to arrive by fea. Charles went to meet them, and fell ^ -.- 
 upon them immediately after the defcent. And having cut 
 the Saracen army in pieces, returned to the fiege. Atkime, 
 notwithftanding the defeat of his fuccours, held out 
 obftinately, and fo Charles left a part of his forces to 
 continue the fiege, and went with the reft to take JV/mr, 
 Be/jcrs, Agde, and other places in the country. But the 
 ancient hiftorians have left us in fufbence about the 
 fuccefs of the fiege of Narbonne. However it feems 
 certain, that if fome places of Languedoc continued in 
 the hands of the Saracens, it was only fuch as adjoined 
 to the Pyrenees. 
 
 The Saxons laid hold of Charleses abfence to revolt ; Anna!. Me- 
 but he was foon with them, routed them, and im- tenfes ad aa - 
 pofe4 upon them the tribute, which Dagobert I. had 73 
 difcbarged, and obliged them to mid hoftages. 
 
 All thefc feveral wars ended an. 740. and Charles An. 740. 
 enjoy'd at that time the fruit of ib many victories. & 741. 
 But the following year there came an embaify to 
 him from Pope Gregory III. which open'd a new and 
 ample career for him to fignalize his valour. 
 
 This Pontifis the firft Pope that directly and above 
 board conccrn'd himfclf with the interefls of Princes, 
 and the Emperors of Conftantinople were the occafioii 
 of it. 
 
 The Emperor Leo Jfaurius being not only become 
 an heretick, but an hereliarch, the author of the herefy 
 of the Iconoclafts or Image-breakers, publifhed an cdir, 
 by which he commanded the images to be taken out of 
 the churches, and to be broken to pieces as idols. This 
 edict ftartled the chrifHan world, cauled great difordcrs 
 at Conftantinop.le and rifmgs in Italy. The news of it 
 arriving m France , they threw down and broke the 
 images of the Emperor, which were lit up in fome 
 places, to revenge upon his figure the injuries he had 
 done to thofe of the taints. The army of Italy revolt- 
 ed ; and Luttbprand King of the Lombards took oc- 
 
 cafion
 
 i 5 6 The Hijlory 
 
 An. 741. cafion frm this combuftion to feize Ravenxa, and had 
 ^^yvv' thoughts of making himielf mafter of Rome alfo. 
 Charles The Pope abandoned by the Emperor, and attacked 
 jefired by the by th e King of the Lombards, had no other refuge to 
 ffftto pro- ft t but that Q f M art e l -whom he folicited to come 
 
 *<# A;TM 4- ' , . 
 
 .*,,p the to his affiltance. 
 
 Bombards. Charles had entred into a very ftrict alliance with 
 Lxitbpravd, and had received a very large fuccourfrom 
 him for the liege of Narbomte, and he was apprehcn- 
 five, if he Ihou'd declare agaiiill him, he would under- 
 take the defenfe of theriiale-contents of the province: 
 fo he gave the' Pope's envoys good words, but en~ 
 ter'd into no engagement with them. 
 
 The Pope upon this refufal, wrote him another more 
 
 Sub wgulo. preffing letter, infcribed To my Lord and mojl excel- 
 
 epift. Greg, lent fun Charles, viceroy. We learn by this letter that 
 
 m.adcaro- thePope was making all the efforts he cou'd, to draw 
 
 Charles Martel over to his fide, at the fame time that 
 
 the King of the Lombards was ufing all poflible in- 
 
 ftances to perfuade him to continue neuter. 
 
 a 74I t Charles Martel's fecond anfwer was not more fa- 
 
 continuaT. ' vourable than the firft ; however the Pope was not 
 
 i^redeg. c. difcouraged. He perceived that he was not to be 
 
 1.1 o. work'd upon without fome other motives bcfides the 
 
 Annai. Me- protection of the holy fee. So he determined an. 741. 
 
 tenfes ad an. to fend him an embalfy in form. ( A thing, fay two 
 
 74*'. of our ancient hiftorians, never heard of before in France.). 
 
 The embaffodors in the name of the Pope and the Roman 
 
 Lords made him an offer the beft calculated to gratify his 
 
 ambition. It was this, that provided he wou'd allure them 
 
 of his protection and of immediate and effectual fuc- 
 
 cour, they wou'd proclaim him conful of Rome y and 
 
 openly renounce the authority of the Emperor of Con- 
 
 ftantinople, who was a notorious heretick and a pcr- 
 
 fecutor of the catholicks. 
 
 Charles hearkned to thefe propofals with pleasure* 
 difinifs'd the embafladors with magnificent prefents and 
 great expectations , and promifed to fend agents to 
 Rome with all fpecd to negotiate this treaty. Accord- 
 ingly he fent them foon after ; but this great project 
 was m'fled by the death of the three perfons conccrn'd 
 in it, viz. the Pope, the Emperor, and Charles Mart el y, 
 who died all three the fame 'year.
 
 THI E.&RY II. X57 
 
 Charles died of a violent fever the twenty fecond An. 741. 
 f O&ober, in about the fiftieth year of his age, at his 
 pkafure-houfe of * Quierfi upon Oife, from whence his 
 body was carried to S. Denys. 
 
 If we take a view of this hero's life, we fhall find 
 few that are comparable to him ; imprifbn'd immedi- 
 ately after his father's death ; defeated in the firft bat- 
 tle he fought after the recovery of his liberty, he drug- 
 led with his bad fortune, and afterwards got fo much, 
 the better of it,, that he was never conquer'd r but on 
 the contrary his victories exceeded the years of his go- 
 vernment, which yet was a very long one. All this 
 was owing to his conduct, activity and fore-fight, to 
 his intrepidity and skill in military affairs, in which he- 
 excelled. 
 
 He inured the French not only to the abfolute power 
 he had acquir'd over them, but alfo to the want. of a 
 King, and even of that phantom of a King, which till 
 then had ferved at leaft to keep up the notion of their 
 having fubmittedto no other power but that of Clo-vis's 
 defcendants ; and he accomplilh'd all this without any 
 murders, affarTinations, or banifhments. At lealt no- 
 thing of this kind is laid to his charge in hiftory. 
 
 In all publick inftruments he us'd no other flile than 
 that of Mayor of the palace and the epithet of illutiri- vir Il 
 ous, a title which our Kings of the firft race ordinari- 
 ly annex'd to that of King. He permicted foreign 
 Princes to call him Viceroy or Lord Lieutenant of 
 the kingdom. Hiftorians fometimes give him the name 
 of Duke of Franc e, fometimes that ot Prince of Franc e^ 
 Conful of FraKceand Patrician. His epitaph fHleshim, 
 King, but he never took that title upon himielf. This was 
 a very cheap piece of modefty, and fuch as he judged 
 neceiiary for him in point of policy. Some bale chil- 
 dren that he left behind him, fnew that with the virtues 
 of a hero he had alfo the vice that is but too common 
 with them. Moft of thefe paffoges, which we find par- 
 ticularly Ipeciried in the ancient hiftorians , dcfcribc 
 Charles Marts I as in all refpects a great man, a great 
 Prince, a great foldicr and a great ftatefman ; but few 
 of them reprefent him as a very religious Prince, ex- 
 cepting that he protect ed the miffionaries , who went 
 in his time to preach the faith to feveral tributary nati- 
 ons of France. 
 
 His
 
 The Hiftory ^FRANCE. 
 
 An. 741. His death wou'd naturally have produced a great al- 
 VXY*^ teration in the affairs of France, and had without all 
 doubt done fo, had not Charles's family, which waS 
 always fruitful in great men, afforded him fucceflors 
 of high merit. to the great prejudice of the royal .fami- 
 ly. He was twice married, and had by his fir ft wife 
 named Crotrude two fons, Carkman arid Pepin, and 
 by his fecond called Soxnechilde niece of Od'iton Duke 
 of Bavaria, a third, wrjo is Ibmetimes called Grippon 
 . in hiftory, and fometinies Grifon. Some time before 
 his death, he called a meeting of the Lords at Ver- 
 beries, ahoufe of plealure r&sxCotnpiegne, where with 
 their confent he divided the ftate he had governed with 
 The monarchy fo much glory, between Carhman and Pepin. To 
 dlvlded ^~- m Carloman the eldeft he gave Auflrajia and Francia 
 w^ario- n Germanica, with all the nations depending thereupon, 
 man font f/and to Pepin Neujlria, Burgundy and Provence. Grip- 
 -^ fo n o f Sonncchilde was excluded the fucceffion, 
 for what reafon it is hard to guefs ; but Sonnechilde 
 managed the matter fo well in the abfence of Carlo- 
 wan and Pepin, who were gone to take pofTcffion of 
 their governments before Charles's death, that fhe per- 
 fuaded him to difinember fbme towns and territories 
 of Auflrafia, Neujlria and Burgundy, to make a petty 
 ftate for Grippon. 
 
 This produced a war ; for Charles was no foonet 
 dead, than the two brothers, pretending that this dip- 
 mcmberment was made without the confent of the 
 great men of the kingdom, difputed the poflefiion of 
 it with Griffon. So they entred the field with their 
 armies. 
 
 SonnechiLle and her fon, being unabfe to make any 
 f efiftance , betook themfclves to Laon , where they 
 were immediately bdieged, and taken within a few 
 days. Their lives were granted them; but Sonnec hilde 
 was confin'd in the monaftcry of Chelles, and her fon 
 in a caitlc of Ardennes called to this day Neucha- 
 1ean. 
 
 The Alemanm, Bavarians and Gafcoti!, did not fail 
 according to cuftom to revolt upon the change of 
 the government. The Gafcons began under the 
 command of Htinand or tlnnalde Duke of 
 
 Carloman
 
 THIERRY II. 159 
 
 Carlo-man and Prf>;, who had perfectly forefeen An. 741. 
 thefe commotions, thought themfelves bound in poli- wXV^ 
 <?y, and for the fake of their own prefervation, to live Annai. Me- 
 in a good correfpondence, and to act always in con- renfes ad an * 
 cert ; and indeed they never did otherwife. They paired ctnrinuat. 
 the Loire together, defeated the militia of Berry, burnt Fredeg.c." 
 the fuburbs of Bourges, took the caftle of- Lodes and II0 - 
 level I'd it to the ground ; and purfuing the Duke of 
 i Aquitain, who continually retreated before them, they 
 obliged him about the end of fiimmer to fue' for 
 I peace, and to fubmit to the ancient homage he owed 
 to France. 
 
 The two brothers repafled the Loire. Carloman 
 march'd without flopping with his forces to the other 
 fide the Rhine. The Alemanni, who did not expect 
 him fo foon, ask'd quarter alib, gave hoftages, and 
 fwore obedience to him. 
 
 After thefe expeditions Pepin, either of his own ac- p ep -, n ^I MU 
 cord, out of policy, or at the defire of the French Lords, childeric 
 iwho were ftill much addicted to the royal family, put *" '*' 
 an end to the interregnum, which had lafted ever fince * ' 
 i the death of Thierry II. and railed Childeric to the 
 i throne, who was the third of that name fince the 
 ; father of Clovis. Some make him fon of Thierry II. 
 others of Chilperic II. and others again of that Clo- 
 itaire whom Charles Martel made King of Attftrajia. 
 ;It is certain he was one of the royal family. And this 
 is all we ca;i be fure of concerning him.' 
 
 CHILDERIC
 
 The Hi/lory of FR 
 
 C H i L D E R. i c II. King of Neuftria and 
 Burgundy. 
 
 CARLO MAN T)uke of Auftrafia. 
 
 CHilderic was made King, not of the whole 
 French empire, but only of that part which Pe- 
 pin governed ; viz. of Neuftria, Burgundy and 
 Provence, but in no wife of Auftrajia, which, as 
 formerly in the time of Pepin, father of Charles Mar- 
 tel, was a diftinct .principality from the reft of the 
 French empire. 
 
 In the mean time a new war broke out in Germany. 
 Mod of the revolts of thefe German nations were ow- 
 ing to their natural reltlefsnefs, which upon the Icaft oc- 
 c'afion fet them all iu arms,, without taking any other 
 meafures. To quell which difturbances the French 
 Princes had for the mod part no other trouble than 
 that of paffing the Rhine with an army to chaftife 
 them : but now they had laid their defigns very deep, 
 and the confequencc of this rebellion had been raoli 
 fatal, if the two Dukes had not a&ed with the ut- 
 moft dilpatch, and provided an immediate remedy for 
 that which threatncd the greateft danger, 
 
 Sonnechilde, before the death of Charles MarteJ y 
 or immediately after, forefeeing what would happen, 
 with regard to the exclufion of her fon from the fuc- 
 ceffion, had enter'd into a private confederacy with 
 Odiloii, Duke of Bavaria^ her uncle, who had made 
 a league with the Duke of Aquitain, with Theobald^ 
 Duke of the Almans, T'heodoric^ Duke of the Saxons, 
 and with the Scla-vonians. But Sonnechilde and her 
 Ion being taken, and Hunalde, Duke of Aquitain^ 
 with the I)uke of the Almans^ meeting with bad fuc- 
 cefs in their attempt, put off for fome time the effe& 
 of this dangerous confederacy. The Dukes however, 
 notwithftanding their late oaths, united in a frcfh con- 
 fpiracy, and the Duke of Bavaria fct up his ftandard 
 In token of a revolt. 
 
 Carlvmatt
 
 GniLDERid II. *6i 
 
 Carloman and Pcpin feeing themfelves befet with An. 741 
 fo many enemies, gathered the moft numerous army v^-yv** 
 they were able, pafs'd the Rhine and advanc'd as far 
 as Lech. They found the Duke of Bavaria encamp'd 
 on the other fide, and all the bridges and fhallow 
 pafles thereabouts well guarded. 
 
 They continued encamp'd for fifteen days in fight Annai. M*. 
 of each other. During which time the French Dukes nftadaa 
 founded the river in all parts, and at laft found two 74 *' 
 fords at a great diftance, the one above and the other 
 below the two camps. Upon this they march'd off 
 fecretly in the night ; and after a long and difficult 
 journey pafs'd the river. 
 
 Being arrived jiear the enemy's carrp, they charg- Pep'm w 
 ed them at day-break on all fides. The furprize was C" 1 . 1 ?'* 
 foon followed with fear and faint-heartednefs. The CJ ' 
 confederates made no refiftance, excepting the Duke 
 of Bavaria, who loft moft of his men, and was o- 
 bliged to fly as the reft had done. The conquerors 
 overran and ravaged all Bavaria, and continued there 
 fifty two days. Carloman afterwards entred Saxony 
 with a part of the army, befieged a town called Hoc- 
 fiburg, where Duke Theodoric, who had iecured him- 
 felf there, furrendred. But he forgave him, and re- 
 ftored him his duchy, requiring only a new oath of 
 him. 
 
 While Carloman was thus fubduing the Saxon:, Pe~ 
 fin had repafs'd the Rhine to march agafnft the Duke 
 of Aquitain, who having forced the paflages of the 
 Loire, had advanced as far as Chartres, which he 
 took and burnt. But as foon as he got notice of the 
 approach of the French army, he repafled the Loire ; 
 and Pepin feeing his army extremely fatigued, did a| 
 not think it advifeable to purfue him. But the 74^ 
 Ipring following he chaftifed him, and forced him to 
 demand quarter, by the watte he made in his country. 
 This year and the two following were taken up by 
 the two brothers in fupprefimg new revolts, but efpe- 
 cially thofe of the people of Germany. 
 
 Carloman in the run of fo many victories enter'd An. 745-. 
 upon a defign which furpriz'd all France. It was to & 746. 
 renounce his governments, and embrace a monaftick Egmard m 
 life. This he executed by retiring to mount Soratle, nnal - 
 now called mount Ore/If, or the Mount of S. Syhe- 3 
 VOL, I. M fter,
 
 i6z The Hi/lory of FRANCE^ ' 
 
 An. 746 fter, where he built a monaftery. Afterwards he 
 s^V^ "went to mount Coffin, where he diftinguifhed hirrfelf 
 tiS much by his fan&ity in private, as he had done in 
 publick by his conduct and valour. 
 
 Pepin being now by his brother's retreat become mafter 
 of the whole French empire, and fbvereign Duke ofyfo- 
 ftrafia, faw himfelf nearer than ever to the throne to 
 which he afpir'd, and apply'd himfelf more than he 
 had yet done to procure the affections of the peo- 
 ple. He aflembled a council at DUTCH, between Aix- 
 la~Chapelle and Cologne, where he procured fome ex- 
 cellent orders to be pafled in favour of the church, 
 the poor, widows and orphans, and fet his brother 
 Griffon at liberty, who till then had been kept prifoner 
 at Neufchateau. He brought him to court, gave him 
 a lodging in the palace, treated him in a very honour- 
 able manner, and gave him feveral earldoms, and o- 
 ther lands, which brought him in a confiderable reve- 
 nue. But this reftlefs young man cou'd not content 
 himfelf with a private life, but efcaped from court, 
 made fure of a fhelter in Saxony, and pretended to no- 
 thing lefs than to make himfelf Duke of Auftrafia, 
 as well by the afiiftance of the Duke of Saxony, as 
 by the help of a party he had form'd in France, which 
 he hoped great things from : but the expedition with 
 which Pepin pafled the Rhine broke all his mea- 
 fures. 
 
 The Duke of Saxony was defeated by an army of 
 Sclavonian Vintdes, which Pepin had railed up againft 
 him, and was a third time taken in the fortrefs of 
 tiocfibourg, which in all likelihood coft him his life, 
 for we meet with no mention of him after that time. 
 Grippon, having lofl this fupport, repair'd to Bava- 
 ria with fome French troops, who for the inoft part 
 confided of male-contents againft the government. 
 Odilon, Duke of Bavaria, dying at this juncture, 
 Grippott made ufe of his French foldiers, and a recruit 
 brought him by the Duke of the Almans, to pofleft 
 himfelf of Bavaria, and having feiz'd theDucheis Hil- 
 trude and her fon TaJJtllon, who was then very young, 
 he caufed himfelf to be proclaim'd Duke of Ba- 
 , varia. 
 
 Hiltrude was Pepi^s fifter , but he hated her not 
 
 much lefs than he did Griff o^ bccaufe upon his firft 
 
 - 2 revolt
 
 CHILDERIC II. 16 j 
 
 revolt fiie was in the plot with him, and had fled to An. 746. 
 Bavaria to marry Duke Odilon againft Pfpin's will, VxVN> 
 for fear of being made an abbefs in fome monaftery : 
 for it was not uncommon at that time to difpofe of 
 our Kings and Dukes daughters in this manner. 
 . For this reafon, if Pepin cou'd have expected as 
 much iubmiflion from his brother as from the young 
 Duke I'aJJiUon his nephew, he micht pofiibly have 
 left him in pofleflion of what he haa taken, and par- 
 don'd him the manner in which he had done it : but 
 knowing his humour, that he could not depend upon 
 him, he refblved to drive him out of Bavaria. Grif- 
 fon expected him, and made preparations for his de- 
 fence : but at the fame time he had recourfe to other 
 means for keeping ppfleflion of his new eftate; that 
 was the Pope's mediation, who indeed ufed his inter- 
 eft for him, and wrote alfo to the French Bifhops, ex- 
 horting them to do all that lay in their power to pro- T. i. condL 
 cure a peace between the two brothers. Carloman Galliz, p. 
 too wrote to Pepin from his monaftery upon this 515 ' 
 occafion, but they were not able to prevail with 
 him. 
 
 Pepin however was in no great hafte, but (pent the An. 747. 
 winter fealbn of. the year 747, and the beginning of & 748. 
 748. in making proper provifion againft the correfpon- 
 dence Grippon maintain'd within the kingdom : but in 
 the Ipring he entred Bavaria, and charged Grippon ib A 
 briskly, that he took him together with inoft of the R 
 male-contents that had followed him; and having re- A 
 ftored the young Duke Tajjlllon, whom he left un4er tenfes ad an, 
 the care of his mother, he returned to France. Grip- 749 ' 
 po he brought back with him, and endeavoured a it- 
 cond time to win him by a mild deportment : for he 
 not only gave him his liberty, but alfo the town of 
 Mans, and twelve counties of the kingdom of Neu- 
 Jlria in apennage, of which he made him governor, 
 with the title of Dake. But with all thefe advantages 
 this man, who was perpetually diicontented, faw him- 
 felf Pepin's fubject, which was a circumftance he 
 could not fubmit to. His refentment moved him yet 
 once more to quit France, and throw himfelf under 
 the protection of the Duke of dquitatM. Pepin was 
 not much concern'd at his departure ; every thing 
 was quiet both at home and abroad ; his victories had 
 M z mgde
 
 T<54 The Hi/lory of? mxcv. 
 
 An. 748. made him formidable to all his enemies ; the lenity 
 of his government had gain'd him the hearts of the 
 people ; the great ones lov'd and fear'd him ; and 
 thinks in a word, he look'd upon himfelf as in a condition 
 
 - er anc j formidable authority, nor any of his ance- 
 ftors, excepting his uncle GrimoaU, who fail'd of 
 fuccefs, durft attempt, how much foever they de- 
 fired k : that w*s to take the title of King, and 
 afcend the throne in the room of the idol that pof- 
 fefs'd it. This he compafs'd by his cunning and po- 
 licy, with much more eafe than could have been ex- 
 pe&ed from the difficulty of the undertaking. The 
 particulars I fliall relate in the hiftory of the fecond 
 race of our Kings, which was begun by Ftp tit's tak- 
 ing pofleffion of the crown. 
 
 End of the Kinp *f the frf Race. 
 
 THE
 
 C 1*5 3 
 
 THE 
 
 ABRIDGMENT 
 
 OF THE 
 
 Hiftory of FR A N c E. 
 
 The Second Race. P E P I N. 
 
 TH E contempt into which the Merovingian An. 
 Kings were fallen encreas'd daily in France, as 
 well as the efteem of the family of Mayors of 
 the palace, who governed, and in which for 
 a century we have feen nothing but a continual fucceffi- 
 on of great men and heroes, equally capacitated for go- 
 vernment and war. The abominable companion, which 
 the hiltorians of the reign of Pepit^ and his firft fuc- 
 cefibrs, do upon all occasions make between the latter 
 defcendants of C<W/, and the latter Mayors of the pa-- 
 lace, has been ever fince repeated publickly and with- 
 out fcruple. It was look'd upon as a piece of juliice 
 due to virtue and merit, rather than flattery, or a con- 
 trivance to gain favour. In a word, it was openly 
 affirm'd that Pepin deferved to be a King, and was 
 fo in effefi, tho' another poflefs'd the title, and it was- 
 always efteem'd a crime to deprive him of it. 
 
 M
 
 166 Tfhe Hiftory of? R A N c E.' 
 
 An. 7fO. Pepia to remove this obftacle, which had flood in 
 
 +s~\~^ the way of all his predeceflbrs, and to facilitate the 
 
 nation's compliance with proceedings they -had always 
 
 hitherto refufed to be engaged in, thought the interpo- 
 
 fition of the Pope might be ferviceable to him. The 
 
 bufinefs was not only to purchafe a right to the 
 
 crown, which defcended by birth, but. to make a 
 
 way to it without any embarraflment ; not only to 
 
 obtain the votes of the people by reafon, but to dimi- 
 
 nifh their fcruples, to overreach and impofe upon 
 
 them, and, in fine, to dazile their eyes and deceive 
 
 them. Pepin had contracted a dole friendfhip with 
 
 Zachary, who was at that time in the chair of St. Pe- 
 
 1. 1. Cone. ter. He confulted him upon all important points of 
 
 Gall- ecclefiaftical difcipline, with regard to the Bifhops, 
 
 Priefts, Monks, and Nuns. He caufed his anfwers 
 
 to be read in council, which were always followed 
 
 with refpeft and fubmiffion. 
 
 The Pope juft ready to be overwhelm'd by the 
 Lombards , and hated by the Emperor Conftantius Co- 
 pronymus, as great an Iconoclaft as Leo Ifaurius, his 
 father, had no other dependance but upon France, 
 whither he turn'd his views as his predeceflbrs had 
 done. Pepin was not ignorant of tin's, but laid hold 
 of the opportunity, and 'refolv'd to difcover to him 
 the defign he had formed of caufing himfelf to be de- 
 clared King of France, and moreover that he depend* 
 ed upon him to facilitate the execution of it. He 
 perfuaded S. Boniface, Bifhop of Mayence, to lay the 
 propofal before the* Pope. This holy Prelate was ftill 
 labouring with great xeal in the converfion of the 
 people of Germany, and Pepi* cou'd not fend the 
 Pope a meflage of this nature by a properer man to 
 fucceed in it. 
 
 All thefe great affairs have ever two faces, and we 
 have always feen the Saints take different fides even 
 in the fchifms of the church, according to the different 
 light in which they have appear'd to them. The danger 
 which Rome was in of linking under the power of 
 the Lombards ; the Emperor of Conftantinople's out- 
 rage againit the Catholick religion ; the Saracens being 
 mafters of Spain, and upon "the frontiers of France, 
 where Cbarfes Martel had put a ftop to their further 
 progrefs ; the German churches being on all fides ex- 
 i pofed
 
 PEPIN. 167 
 
 pofed to the incurfions of the neighbouring nations, An. 75"!. 
 which were ftill idolaters ; the power and reputation 
 of Pepin, who alone was able to difpel or prevent 
 fo many evils with which the church was threatned ; 
 the fatal confequences of his refentment, and the ma- 
 ny advantages which would afterwards refult from a 
 good underftanding betwen him and the holy fee; the 
 little injury would thereby be done to a King, who 
 was not worthy that title, and to a family which for 
 near a hundred years had pofTefs'd nothing but the name : 
 all this being laid before the holy Prelate in that co- 
 gent and perfuafive manner which Pepin was matter 
 of, whenever he pleafed to difplay his talent, moved 
 the Pope, and brought him over to his party. He 
 hoped from all thefe reafons that the affair would 
 tend to the good of the church and Itate, and to the 
 great glory of God. 
 
 He fent a Prieft named Lulle to negotiate this affair Epift. Boni- 
 with the Pope. The turn which it took fhew'd plain- ^l^ 7 ' 1 ' 
 ly that the Pope's anfwer was agreeable to Pepix's Anaftafius. - 
 intentions, who as foon as he received it, ordered Eginardus. 
 Burcarde, Bifliop of Virsbottrg^ and Fulrade, Abbat ^Mma 
 of S. Denys, to fet out for Rome . They were com- pnprt by 
 miflioned to propofe to the Pope, as a cafe of conici- pe P in ' '*' 
 ence, whether, considering the prefent fituation of Eu- .v^yj^Jr. 
 rope, it was proper for the title of King to be fepa- 
 rated from the royal power in the empire of France, 
 which alone was in a condition to protect religion in 
 particular? Whether this power, having been in Pe- 
 pin's family for an hundred years, ought to be reunit- 
 ed to the name of King, in a fubjecl fo incapable of 
 governing as was Chitderic\ or whether the title of 
 King ought to be reunited to the royal power in the 
 perfon of Pepin, who was fo capable of fupporting 
 it, and rendring it ufeful to the ftate ? The cafe being 
 examin'd, the Pope gave his opinion, that in regard to 
 the ftate of affairs, he who pofleis'd the authority 
 might join the name of King to it. 
 
 The embalfadors being return'd with fuch a decifi- ibid. cone, 
 on of the cafe as was wifh'd for, Pepin, who had al- Domini p- 
 ready made fure of mod of the Lords, called an af- S^J-J^i- 
 lembly at Sotjj'ons ; where they confirmed all thefe roll magni, 
 reafons in favour of Pepin, and added befides that per Monach. 
 fuch was the opinion of the Pope. The affair was 
 . M 4 concluded
 
 i<58 TheHiJlory <?/FRANC E. 
 
 An. 75-1. concluded without anyoppofition. Pepin was imme- 
 V^vO ( diately proclaimed King, and placed upon the throne 
 
 'with his wife Bertrade. 
 
 An. 7^1. Cbilderic, the only party concern'd, had no body 
 The Jtffiti- to ftand by him, and in all likelihood he knew no- 
 thin 8 ^ wfiat ^ parted till they came to figniry his 
 depofition to him. They told him that he muft fuifer 
 himfelf to be ftiaved; and after this degradation they 
 ipCTius in carn " e< ^ him to the monaftery of Sitbitx, in the dio- 
 ffr. Sithiu. cefe of Terouenne, which is now the abby of S. Ber- 
 ttn at S. Omer. There he v/as admitted monk by the 
 Abbat Nantaire, where he died three or four years af- 
 ter. He had a fon who was alfo Ihaved. Thus end- 
 ed the illuftrious race of Clovis and Merovee, after 
 they had reigned above two hundred and fixty years 
 in Gaul, 
 
 ^In the mean time Pepin omitted nothing that 
 his policy could fuggeft to him to give weight and 
 ten- authority to his election. He wou'd be confecrated, 
 . and that by the holy Bifhop Bonifase, who was after- 
 wards a martyr. This was none of the lead of Pe- 
 fitt's fhrewd contrivances to render his perfon more 
 auguft and venerable to the whole nation, and it was 
 to this holy unc~tton that he afcrib'd all the victories 
 he gain'd after his coronation. The civil war, which 
 his brother Grippon thought to have renew'd, was ter- 
 minated by his death at a battle in Sav?ye, where he 
 was kilPd, when he was endeavouring with fome 
 forces to gain Italy, to flicker himfelf under the pro- 
 tection of Ajlolpkits, King of Lombardy. 
 
 Pepin received this news at Bonne upon the Rhine, 
 at his return from Saxony, where he had juft defeated 
 the Saxons that had revolted. He chaftited the Bre- 
 tons alfo, who had made fome irruprions into the ter.- 
 ritories of France. He took the caflle of Vannes, and 
 obliged the Count of Britantty to furrender. 
 
 About the fame time he extended the borders of 
 the French empire at the expcnce of the Pyrenneax 
 Saracens: but he had yet much greater fuccefs on 
 the other fide the Alps. 
 
 Pope Zacbarias did not long outlive Pcpin's coro- 
 nation, and was fucceeded by Stephen III. in the pon- 
 fifical fee. dftolphus, King of the Lombards, had for 
 ibme time tiureamed Rome. He had taken Ravenna 
 
 2, from
 
 PEP IN. 169 
 
 from the Exarch Eutychius, which put an end to this An. 
 form of government called the Exarchat, about a him- 
 dred and eighty five years after it had been infti- 
 tuted. 
 
 As the authority of the Exarchs of Ravenna had al- 
 ways extended over the city of Rome, dftolphus pre- 
 tended, that being matter of Ravenna, Rome alfo 
 ought to be fubjedt to him, and acknowledge him for 
 King. The Pope gave the Emperor Conjlantius Co- 
 fronymus notice of it, and many were the negotiati- 
 ons upon this occafion, either between the Pope and 
 the Emperor, or the Pope and the King of Lom- 
 bardy. In fine, when the Pope faw there was no The p^e 
 hopes of fuccour againft: the Lombards, nor any pro- ** /fetor 
 ipect of an accommodation, he reiblved to follow EeimrcMa 
 the example of his predecefTors, and have recourfe to Annai. ad 
 the King of France ; upon which he came for fanclu- - 7/3 
 ary to Pepin's court, in fpight of all the efforts which 
 Aftolphus made to prevent him. 
 
 Pepiu went to meet him from T'hionville to Pont- An. 75-3. 
 Ton, a royal palace, and received him with the greateil Concmuac. 
 refpecl. From thence they came together to Paris, JJjj* c * 
 and the Pope went to lodge at the abby of St. De- 
 ny s. He perfuaded Pepin to wage war with the King An. 75*4. 
 of Lombardy, by declaring himfelf the defender and 
 protector of the church ot Rome againft the ulurpati- 
 ons of this Prince. The King told him that he ac- 
 cepted thele titles with joy, and wou'd endeavour to 
 maintain them with dignity. 
 
 In the mean time, Aftolphus, forefeeing the aim and 
 intention of the Pope's journey, endeavoured earneftly 
 to divert this ftorm, and obliged Carloman, who, as 
 was before obferved, had turned a monk of mount 
 Cajfin, to go to France with his abbat to prevent the 
 Pope's defigns from taking effect, and to ufe his in-, 
 jtereft with the King his brother, that the peace which 
 had lafted for fo long time between the French and 
 the Lombards might not be interrupted. 
 
 Carloman was obliged to obey, but his rernon- The de^tt, / 
 (trances were to no purpofe. Some time after he re- Carloman, 
 turn'd for Italy, but died in the way before he was p rct - l ' cr "* 
 got out Of France. 
 
 Pepin however, before he would declare war, fent 
 three different times to the King of Lombardy to pro- 
 
 pofe
 
 TheHiftory ^FRANCE. 
 
 An. 75H- P *" 6 an accommodation : but as he made the reftituti- 
 l^y\> on of Ravenna and the reft of the exarchate a necef- 
 Anaftafius. fary condition of the peace, together with the liberty 
 and independence of Rome, his propoials were not ac- 
 cepted. 
 
 Both fides therefore made preparations for the war : 
 but while France was getting ready, Pepin, who made 
 the beft of every thing, was of opinion that fome ad- 
 vantage might be drawn from the influence of the 
 Pope's prefence upon the minds of the French. He 
 had been confecrated King by S. Boniface Bifhop of 
 Mayence^ but was defirous to have that ceremony per- 
 fomi'd anew by the hands of the Pope, who readily 
 confented to it. Queen Bertrade and the two Princes 
 the Pope, claries and Carloman received alfo the royal un&ion 
 from the hands of the Pope, who, as he was giving 
 his benediction to the French Lords, conjur'd and re- 
 quir'd them in the name of S. Peter to maintain the 
 crown in Pepix's family. Pepin on his part made a 
 folemn promife to the Pope, as did alfo the two Prin- 
 ces his fons to protect the holy fee. The Pope con- 
 An. 755* ferrd upon them all three the title of Roman Sena- 
 tors. And Pepin fbme time after march'd at the head of 
 his army to the Alps, and was ready to pafs them by 
 the month of September. 
 
 Anaftafius dftolphu; was waiting for them at Suze, where a 
 emrin. Fred, bloody battle was fought, in which the Lombards were 
 Epift.sceph. en t| re iy defeated, 3.r\d.Aflolpbtts was forc'd to retire to 
 Hemaixivar Pavia, whither Pepin foon followed and befiegcd if. 
 ?<> tbeKi"K After the fiege had lafted fome days, at the Pope's in- 
 trcat Y ne ma ^ e the ^ ame propoials to Aflalpbus which 
 he had fo often offer'd already. This Prince too hap- 
 py to efcape at fuch a rate, figned every thing he was 
 ^ e ^ re< ^^ promifedwith an oath to reftore Ravenna with 
 
 \ y the tret-.y all Ipeed, gave forty hoftages for lecurity, and con- 
 ./ Pavia. iented that the Pope (hou'd from that time take poiref- 
 
 lion of the town of Narni. 
 
 Epift. steph. Pepi* went farther, for as it was to him and not 
 af Pep'm. to the Emperor that the cefilon of Rarvennn was made, 
 and as the exarchate by that means became his con- 
 <}ueft, which he pretended to have a right to difpofc 
 of, he made a grant of it in form and in writing to 
 the Pope and the Roman church. After which he or- 
 dcr'd the Abbat Fvlrade to conduct the Pope to Rome, 
 
 with
 
 PEP IN. i? 1 
 
 with a large company -of foldiers under the command An. 75*5*. 
 of Jerome bafe fon of Charles Martel, and then re- V-'V^-' 
 turned to France. 
 
 Aftolphus having efcaped the danger to which he was 
 expofed, began to think his liberty too dearly purcha- 
 fed ; and after many afte&ed delays, came with an ar- 
 my to befiege Rome. The Romans, encouraged by the 
 example of the French foldiers, whom the Abbat/#/- 
 rade had left with them, defended themfelves with 
 much bravery, and gave Pepin time to pafs the Alps 
 again. 
 
 In the mean time the Emperor of Conflantinople\ 
 embafTadors arrived in Italy. One of them named 
 Gregory, having got the ftart of the reft, came to the 
 King who was already withia reach of Pavia. He 
 paid his refpecls to him and return'd thanks in the Em- 
 peror's name for the part he had taken in favour of the 
 Empire, and requefted him, in cafe he (hou'd be able 
 to force the King of Lombardy to yield up Ravenna. 
 and the reft of the exarchate, to allow them to return 
 to the obedience of the Emperor their ancient and law- 
 ful mafter. He added to this requeft many prefents 
 from the Emperor. 
 
 The King anfwered that he was very much con- r*e Emperor's 
 cerned for being under an indifpenfible engagement to 
 the contrary, and that he wifli'd he cou'd have com- 
 ply'd with their inclinations; that the Emperor had 
 never made any propoial to him of making war againft 
 the King of Lombardy; that he had undertaken it upon 
 no interefted or ambitious view, nor upon any other 
 human motive whatfoever ; that he had had no pro- 
 fpet in doing of it, but the benefit and honour of the 
 Roman church; that this war was the war of S.Peter; 
 that he had undertaken it for the glory of this Saint, 
 who had himfelf the honour of it, and the Popes 
 his fucceffbrs all the benefit ; that he had bound him- 
 felf to this engagement by an oath, which nothing 
 fhou'd induce him to break ; and in a word, that it was 
 not the Emperor he had taken Ravenna from, but the 
 King of Lombardy. 
 
 The Emperor's embaflador return'd with this difa- 
 greeable anfwer, and the King, whom Aflolphus imagined 
 was gone to Rome, came a fecond time to fet down 
 before Pavia, This diverfion entirely anfwer'd Pepi's 
 
 expec-
 
 172 The Hiflory of F R AN c E. 
 
 An. 75 > 5'- expectation. Afiolphtu raifed the fiege of ^o^f, and 
 demanded peace, which was granted him upon condi- 
 tion of executing the treaty of Pawia, adding Comma- 
 Mo to the other towns that were to be given up, pay- 
 ing a large fum of money for the expence 'of the war, 
 and the annual tribute of twelve thoufand Joh <fOr^ 
 which the Lombards had formerly paid France^ and re- 
 deemed in Clotaire II. 's time. 
 
 The donation of all thefe places we are fpeaking 
 s. G*iii. l.x. of, was a fecond time committed to writing; and fo 
 AnnaY Fui- tne P 6306 being figned, the King went to pay his de- 
 denfw & votions at Rome ; where he (laid but a very fliort 
 Me:enfes ad t j me) f or f ear o f i I1C reafing the jealoufy of the Greeks, 
 and returned to France. But to provide againft /tftolphus** 
 relapfing into his ufual treachery, he thouent it necefTary 
 to have the treaty executed before he left Italy, and fent 
 the Abbat Fulrade attended with the King cfiLamkiardy's 
 officers to take pofleffion of Ravenna, and part of the 
 Anafhfius. other places comprehended in the ceffion. This Abbat 
 took hoftages of all the towns, made the moft con- 
 fiderable of the inhabitants follow him to Rome , 
 and depofited the keys of all thefe places upon the 
 tomb or S. Peter, to put him, as it were, and all his 
 fucceffors in poflefiion of them. This is, properly 
 Ipeaking, the original of the temporal power of the 
 Popes, which was a great advantage to their pon- 
 tificate. 
 
 dftolpbu;, notwithftanding his new oaths, endea- 
 voured fome time after Pepix's departure, to recover 
 the tre^y of Pav ' a i 2 nd t 116 lofs he had fuftain'd in 
 e- % n ' n g ** He had not yet delivered up Faexza and 
 an. kerrara, and continually occafion'd new incidents to 
 7j. retard the reftitution of them, but his death put an end 
 
 Eginard. to his projeds. He fell from his horfe in hunting, 
 in AnnaL and died of the fall a few days after without leaving 
 
 any children to fucceed him. 
 
 F.pift. sreph. His death had like to have caufed a civil war among 
 
 D'd' P "Lr ^Lombards, But Didier^ one of JJlolphtts's generals, 
 
 Ki a ^lf Jm being at the head of an army in Tvfcatty, and being fecure 
 
 Lombard/, of the Pope and the King of France's afiiftance, by the 
 
 aflurance he gave them of faithfully fmiihing the exe- 
 
 cution of the treaty of Pavia^ and alfo of adding Bo- 
 
 logne to the ceflion; he agreed with the Lombards to 
 
 acknowledge him for their King. Immediately after his 
 
 election,
 
 ele&ion, the Pope entred into pofTeffion of Faenza and An. yyy. 
 all ihe duchy of Ferrara. The towns of Spoleto and \^~y~**J 
 Benevetum,\vhich had always belonged to the kingdom 
 ofLombardy, took this opportunity to revolt, and put 
 themfelves under the protection of France and the Ro- 
 man church, Didier making no oppofition. 
 
 While affairs were thus carried on in Italy, the Em- 
 peror's embafladors were at the court of France, and 
 continued their inftances with the King to perfuade 
 him to have fome regard to the interefts of their Ma- 
 fter, who was deprived of -his patrimony, under pre- 
 tence of taking it from tint Lombards, who were only 
 ufurpers of it. But the confequence of thefe affairs, 
 and the turn they began to take, fhew'd plainly that the 
 Pope was more regarded than the Emperor. 
 
 Thus Pepin in the middle of France govern'd the An. 757. 
 affairs of Italy , till Pope Stephen died. His death 
 made no alteration. Paul, deacon of the Romijfj 
 church, was raifed to the chair of S. Peter, and was 
 the firft Pope of that name. The repofe of the Pope 
 depended upon that of France : and he might be af- 
 fured that the Emperor and the King of Lowbardy 
 wou'd lofe no opportunity of difturbing it, that they 
 cou'd lay hold of; and it was not long before fuch a 
 one ofter'd. 
 
 The Saxowmade a general revolt the following year. E g inard.ia, 
 Pepin was obliged to lead a great army againft them, Annai.adm. 
 to fight feveral battles in the country, and to force the 758< 
 towns there. At length he defeated them, and as a The Saxons 
 puniihment for their revolt impofed a new tribute up- *&** 
 on them of three hundred horfes , which they were 
 obliged to bring him every year, when he held the ge- 
 neral aflfembly on the champ deMay. Upon this oc- 
 caiion alfo the King of the Sclavi filbmitted to him 
 and became his tributary. 
 
 The Lombards had no fooner got notice that Pepin 
 was employ'd on that fide, than they took the advan- 
 tage of it. Didier, who had promifed every thing to Didier /, 
 the Pope, to get himfelf made King, thought he ceafed taettke r- 
 to be fo, if for the fake of keeping his word he fhou'd ty of Pa 
 give up the remainder of what they demanded. Far 
 from that, he began to commit hoftilities, ravaged 
 Pentapolis, and mrpriz'd Spoleto and Beneventum. 
 <Abin Duke of Spoleto was put to the fword, and the 
 
 Duke
 
 174 The Hiftory 0/pRANCE.~ 
 
 An. 7O- Duke of Beneventttm forced to fly to Otranto. Didier 
 WV^-' came to a conference with the Pope near R otne, where, 
 notwithstanding all that had paflfed, he protefted to him, 
 that he had nothing more at heart than peace. But he 
 complain'd that he was too hardly ufed ; and that 
 notwithftanding he had already reftored feveral places, 
 yet they retain'd his hoftages in France. 
 
 All this pafied in Italy without Pepta's knowing 
 any thing of it, fo exactly did the Lombards keep the 
 pafTages of the Alps, to prevent the Pope from having 
 any correfpondence with France ; and in the mean time 
 Didier's embafladors made continual complaints of the 
 Pope, as a man who abufed the protection France af- 
 forded him, who perplexed and cavil'd at every thing, 
 and refufed to give the King of Lombards time to re- 
 concile the minds of his fubjects, to whom all thefe 
 difmemberments of their ftate were exceedingly difa- 
 greeable. 
 
 Ep'.ft. . The Pope perceiving that moft of his letters to France 
 
 Paul! Pap* were intercepted, took occafion from the complaint the 
 
 *c.^c m ^ I ' n 8 tfLombardy had made to him concerning the hofta- 
 
 lino.' a ges, to lay before him the ftate of affairs. He offer'd >/- 
 
 dier to folicit the reftitution of the hoftages, and made him 
 
 read the letters which he had written to the King of 
 
 France upon this occafion. But he gave the bearer 
 
 other private letters to the contrary, and charged him 
 
 to inform the King of the infringements Didier had 
 
 made upon the treaty of Pavia, and of his intrigues 
 
 at the Conftantinopolitan court. 
 
 Ep'ift. i6.& ^ nc King being informed of thefe particulars by the 
 
 7 . in Codicc Pope, afTured him of his protection, and fome time 
 
 Caroline-. aft er f ent Jt em jgift S Bifhop of Rotten with the Duke of 
 
 Ante air e to declare in his name to the King of Lom- 
 
 bardy, that if he did not do the Pope juftice, heffiou'd 
 
 foon fee him with an army in Italy. Thefe menaces 
 
 EpkR. a i. in had fome effect. Didier reftored a part of the patri- 
 
 Cod.Caroiin. mony of S.Peter, which he had ufurped, delivered up 
 
 An. 760. into the hands of the Pope fome lands refign'd by the 
 
 treaty of Pavia^ and promifcd to yield up all the reft 
 
 Epift. 14. in ty the eiv * f dpril this year 760. But having receiv- 
 
 cod.caroi'in. ed an accountthat the Emperor had agreed to the league 
 
 that was propofed to him ; and this Prince having pro- 
 
 mifed him a fleet of three hundred fail, which were 
 
 immediately to land in Italy, he began his hoftilities 
 
 anew,
 
 PEPIN. 
 
 anew, and refufed to fmifh the execution of the treaty An. 760; 
 of Pavia. However this fleet did not appear, and \*S*f\j 
 Didier was in danger of feeing the whole force of 
 France at once pour in upon him, had it not been pre- 
 vented by a diverfion in all appearance managed by 
 himfelf or the Emperor, which for fome years layd 
 hard upon P<rp/'s fhoulders ; but was fucceeded by 
 fuch times as equally tended to advance the happinefs 
 of France, and the glory of this Prince. 
 
 Vaifar Duke of Aquitain, fon of HunaUe, who Eginard. in 
 was turned monk, revolted. Pepin immediately patted Annai.adafl. 
 the Loire with an army, and did not fail to oblige this 'con'onatt. 
 Duke to furrender. He gave hoftages, and Pepin re- Fredeg.c.ir. 
 turned with content. But the year after, the Duke An. 761. 
 took up arms a fecond time, which coft him the caf- The re lt / 
 tie of Bourbon, Cbantelle, Clermont in Auvergne, and AqiSahL 
 the defolation of this province , moft of the ftrong 
 towns of which Pepin ruin'd, having cut in pieces a 
 very confiderable body of the rebels. 
 
 The following year he took Bourges and Thouars An. 762. 
 upon- the confines of Poitou, and he and his generals ibid. c. 127. 
 defeated feveraJ fquadrons which the Duke of Aquitaitt 
 had fent to ravage the French territories. The Duke 
 of Aquitain was ruin'd, and one more fuch campaign 
 as the two preceding ones wou'd have deprived him 
 of the reft of his ftates. Pepin made preparations for 
 ! it, and had already patted the Loire an. 763. But ei- an - 763* 
 ! ther the Duke's good fortune, or perhaps his intrigues, 
 raifed Pepin a new and unexpected enemy. 
 
 It was the young Tajfillon Duke of Bavaria his ne- 
 phew, who having fome time before done homage to 
 him for his duchy, in a general aflembly at Compiegne, 
 i had refided at the court of France, and followed him 
 afterwards in moft of his expeditions. He was prefent 
 alfo at this ; but feigning himfelf fick, he quitted the 
 camp in great hafte, and was no fooner come to Ba- 
 i varia, than he pulled off the mask, and declared that 
 .. he wou'd never after appear before his uncle to do him 
 homage for his ftates. TaJJillon, according to the hi- 
 ftory of Bavaria, had about that time married Luit- 
 lerge daughter of the King of Lombardy, and this al- 
 liance affords us room to conjecture that he was fe- 
 cretly in league with that King and the Duke of Aq ;'- 
 tain. 
 
 This
 
 Ij6 The Hiflory ^/"FRANCE. 
 
 An. 762. This incident obliged Pepi* to march back his for- 
 
 VXV"^ ccs on tni ' s fide tne Loire. He thought his prefence 
 
 neceilary in the kingdom at this conjuncture ; and 
 
 having given proper orders to preferve the places he 
 
 had taken from the Duke of Jquitain, he called the 
 
 Ajjcmblee de May at Wormes rpon the banks of the 
 
 An. 764. Rhine to watch the Iteps of the Duke of Bavaria. He 
 
 & /^f. kept thefe two Dukes after this manner at a bay during 
 
 the whole campaign, without their venturing upon any 
 
 attempt. He acted in the fame manner and tor the fame 
 
 reafons the following year; but the year after he began 
 
 a new war in Aquitain. 
 
 This he managed in fuch manner as to baffle the 
 Duke. We may fee by the courfe of the hiftory, when 
 our Kings went to chaftife their rebellious vailals, it 
 was their cuftom to ravage the country ; and if they 
 took any towns, to level them. Pepin had already 
 began to act in another manner with regard to the 
 Duke : For having taken Bourges and Clermont ui 
 Auvergne, he preferred them and placed garrifbns in 
 them, which made irruptions on all fides, and alfo 
 harrafs'd the country during the winter feafon. The 
 Duke of Aquitain, to prevent this inconvenience for 
 the reft of his governments, refolved to defend himfelf 
 in the fortrefles and caftles fituate upon the rocks, and 
 in fuch places as were difficult of accefs, and demo- 
 lifhed the walls of Ar^enton in Berry, of Poitiers^ Li- 
 woges^ Xaintes, Pengueux, Angouleme, and feveral 
 other towns, that the enemy might not be able to quar- 
 ter there in the winter. 
 
 Pepin let him alone ; but as foon as he had execut- 
 ed this defign, hemarch'd to take poffefiion of all thofe 
 places, and fpent almoft this whole campaign of the 
 An. 766. vear 7^- U1 rebuilding the walls and towers. This 
 was a great conquell which coft him nothing but mo- 
 ney. The Duke of Aauitain was extremely vexed at 
 it, and to repair this lols undertook what he had never 
 Cominiiat. dared to undertake from the beginning of the war. He 
 Fredeg. c. march'd with a numerous army to orrer battle to Pe- 
 3- pin, who accepted it, and entirely defeated him. The 
 
 Duke had like to have been taken, and this wou'd 
 have ended the war ; but he efcaped under the cover 
 of the night. After this great defeat, he demanded peace, 
 but it was refuted him. And theDukcofJ^iww in- 
 
 timw
 
 P E p I N. * 77 
 
 timidated by the rigorous ufage of the Duke of Aqui- An. 
 tain, fubmitted to the King, and Was reconcil'd to him \ 
 by the mediation of the Pope. 
 
 In the two following campaigns Pepin finifhed Epift. i. in 
 the conqueft of Aautuln. During the winter he Cod. are- 
 laid fiege to Touloufe, and took it, made himfelf ^'^7 
 mafter of the country of Albi and Givaudav, and Pepin maM 
 took feveral towns and caftles in Auvergne and Li- a t "^f 
 moufin. At length the people of Aqjtittain furrendred Aquiain, 
 themfelves to Pepix. Vaifar, thus abandoned, fled with An. 767; 
 a very few men to Xaintonge , and was kill'd by his 
 own foldiers. Thus perifhed this froward rdllefs Prince, 
 a fworn enemy to the French, and with him ended the 
 principality of Aquitaix, which was reunited by Pepin 
 to the crown of France^ between forty and fifty years 
 after it had been difmembred from it by Eudes grand- 
 father of the laft Duke. 
 
 This glorious expedition was the laft of this Prince's 
 reign. He was taken ill of a fever at Xaintes, and, 
 after he had bin foms days, caufed himfelf to be car- 
 ried to Tours to the tomb of S. Martin, and from 
 thence to S. Dettys, where he died of a dropfy at the uls death: 
 age of rifty four, the twenty third day of September, An. 768. 
 an. 768, the feventeenth of his reign, and the twentieth E g ;n,rd. in 
 of his government. Sni 
 
 None of Pepitfs predecefTors on the throne of France nif 
 were equal to him in courage, prudence, and fuccefs, 
 and all the great qualities which concurr'd to form 
 him an accomplifh'd Prince. The talent of making 
 himfelf efteem'd, relpeded, beloved and feared, which 
 fuppofes all civil and military virtues, was to a fove- 
 reign degree in him. He wanted nothing but to be 
 born a Prince of the Royal Family ;- and this he fup- 
 plied by his cunning and ambition. Of all the ways 
 that ferve to raife a man to the throne, whofe birth 
 has not placed him there, he made choice of the leaft 
 odious. He fhed no blood either to afcend to it, or 
 maintain himfelf in it. And he eftablifhed his authoj 
 rity at firft upon fuch a bottom, that during his whole 
 reign there is not the leaft mention of a revolt in Franck, 
 This was owing to an extraordinary prudence, which 
 was his reigning virtue. So great was the idea the 
 world had of it, that it became a proverb; ami when 
 Vot, I, N they
 
 17* The Hijlory of FRANCE. 
 
 An. 768 . they wou'd commend any one in this relpe&, He //, 
 ty tne )S as prudent as Pepin. 
 
 His low and burly (lature, which drew upon him 
 the firnames of ftiort and fat, diminiftied nothing of 
 the refpet, which his great merit procured him, and 
 with this low bulk he had a certain air and ftatelinefs, 
 which he made at pleafure to fupply the majefty of 
 prefence and ftature. Hiftory reproaches him with 
 very few faults. Only we are informed that he had 
 fome bafe children, and that he endeavoured to di- 
 vorce Bertrade, to make room for another perfon he 
 was in love with. But Pope Stephen III. having 
 made fome paterrtal remonftrances to him upon that 
 occafion, prevail'd upon his paflion to give way to the 
 fear of fcandal. In a word, Pepin having exceeded 
 the merit of all his predeceflbrs, had no equal in the 
 whole royal line, or which he was the founder, un- 
 lefs we fhould except his fon Charlemagne, whofe 
 glorious reign is the fubje& of the following hiftory 
 we are entring upon. 
 
 CHARLEMAGNE 
 
 AND 
 
 CARLOMAN. 
 
 TH E kingdom of France arrived at the highefl 
 pitch of power it ever was at; a great part 
 of Spain, and almoft all Italy conquered, the 
 Saracens defeated, the bounds of the French empire, 
 and thofe of Chriftendom, extended far beyond the Da- 
 nube and the Teiffe ; Dacia, Dalmatia, and IJlria fub- 
 dued ; the barbarous nations as far as the Vlflula made 
 tributary ; the empire of the weft, with all its prerogatives, 
 transferred to the houfe of France ; a kingdom of this 
 extent governed with application and authority, and 
 iv uh the belt laws, both civil and ecclefiaftical : in a 
 2 word,
 
 CHARLEMAGNE and CARLOMAN. 17$ 
 
 word, a continued fucceflion of victories and con- An. 768. 
 quefts for the ipace of fix and forty years : This is 
 the fcene which the glorious reign Of Charlemagne 
 opens to us. 
 
 The divifion of the French empire between this An. 768. 
 Prince and his younger brother Carlo-man is related by 
 our hiftorians in a very confus'd and different man- 
 iier. We learn by the courfe of the hiftory that it 
 did always fubfift according to its firft fettlement; 
 that Charlemagne had Neuftria, Burgundy, and Aqui- Carlomaa ' 
 tain, and a part of the kingdom of Auftrafia that lay 
 towards the Meufe, and that Carloman had the reft^ 
 with all beyond the Rhine. 
 
 This divifion, which weakened the power of the 
 French empire, and the mifunderftanding which arofe 
 between the two Kings, awakened the enemies of 
 this great dominion. Hunalde, father of the lad 
 Duke of AquitatM^ had refigned his duchy to his fon 
 above twenty years before, to take upon hrmlelf the 
 habit of a monk. Seeing him dead, and his govern- 
 ment made a prey to the French, he gave way to the 
 hopes of recovering the throne; fo true is it, that 
 how difficult a ftep foever it be to quit a kingdom, 
 yet it is poflibly much eafier to do this than to bear it 
 when done. Hunalde, then having left his monafte- 
 ry, and put himfelf at the head of fome forces, ftir'd 
 up the country, and raifed infurre&ions in feveral places. 
 Charles ma'rch'd againft him, and was at firft join'd 
 by his brother Carloman ; but this Prince being dif- 
 contented at the change that had been made in the 
 divifion of the French empire, deferted him almoft im- Eglnard. in 
 mediately. Charles however did not give overpurfuing vita caroli 
 Hunalde, but took him and imprifon'd him. This ex- magni ' 
 pedition meeting with fuch fucCefs and dilpatch con- An. 769. 
 vinced D idler , King of Lombardy, and Tajfillon, 
 Duke of Bavaria, that Pepin's fon was not much 
 lefs formidable" than his father had been, which deter- 
 min'd the Duke to lie quiet at home, and the King 
 of Lombardy to ufe all his endeavours to gain the 
 friendlhip of this young King, by waiting for an op- 
 portunity to bring him off, if he ccu'd, from the in- 
 terefh of the Pope. 
 
 The King of Lombardy, befides his daughter Luit- 
 whom he had married to the Duke of Bava- 
 N 2 ria t
 
 i8p The Hiftory of FRANCE. 
 
 An. 769. ria, had alfo a fon, and another daughter. His Ion 
 he propofed to marry to Gifelle, fitter of Charlemagne i 
 and his daughter to this Prince or his brother Carloman. 
 There does not appear to have been any difficulty in 
 the marriage of Gifelle with the Prince of Lombardy : 
 However it came to nothing. Such was the fate of 
 that Princefs, who had already been demanded in vain 
 by the Emperor Conftantin for his fon. She was nei- 
 ther Emprefs nor Queen, but a Nun. 
 - As for the marriage of the King of Lombardy's 
 daughter with Charlemagne or his brother, there was 
 a great obftacle in the way of it. Thefe two Princes 
 were married, which however did not hinder them 
 from hearkning to the propofal. The Queen-mother 
 Bertrade look'd upon this marriage, to which fhe 
 meant to perfuade Charlemagne, as a means to reft ore a 
 good underiknding between trance, the King of Lorn* 
 hardy, and the Duke of Bavaria, and to prevent Car- 
 loman from making ufe of thefe two Princes's affi- 
 ftance to raife a civil war mFranee, which fhe was al- 
 ways afraid of, from his rcftlefs and jealous difpofition. 
 Pope Stephen IV. who fucceeded Pope Paul about 
 the conclufion of the laft reign, was apprehcnfivt 
 that this marriage might be of dangerous confequence 
 to the holy See, and did all he could to hinder it, but 
 to no purpofe. For the Queen-mother herfclf took 
 a journey to Italy ^oA Bavaria to negotiate this affair, 
 and the matter was concluded: but to make the Pope 
 cafy, fhe perfuaded Didicr to reftore the holy See fevc- 
 ral places that he had made himfelf maflcr of. She 
 brought the King of Lombardy's daughter into France, 
 whom Charlemagne married as foon as fhe arrived. 
 To make way for this marriage, Charlemagne was 
 obliged to repudiate his wife Himiltrude, daughter of 
 a French Lord, which he did accordingly. This me- 
 thod of divorcing was a very great irregularity, and 
 but too common in that age. .Some years before it 
 concilium council was held at Verberies, a royal palace inCoaw- 
 vermerienfe. pegne, \vhcrc fomc cafes of coiifcicncc of this nature 
 cRGaS" " vvere decided in a very furpming manner by the Bi- 
 ftiops there afK;mbled, which gave a great Itroke to 
 the indhlblubility of marriage, and were a very loofe 
 An. 771. morality upon fo important a lubjecl:. But notwith- 
 ftanding the Queen-mother's care and precaution, Car--
 
 CHARLEMAGNE. isi 
 
 toman's reftlefs fpirit, urged by the inceflant inftances An. 771. 
 of perfons of the fame difpofition, had not fuffercd v^-yK-' 
 the peace to laft long in France, if he had lived, but 
 he died within a year of Charlemagne's marriage. 
 
 Carloman reigned but three years, and left two fons Carfomanv 
 minors behind him at his death. The Queen Dow- diRt ''" 
 ager furprized at the unexpe&ed death of her huf- 
 band, and apprehenfive left Charlemagne fhould feize 
 her pecfon and her children to have them fliaved and 
 confined in a monaftery, fled with them, and all fhe 
 was able to carry off, to the King of Lombard^. 
 
 Charlemagne receiving this news at Valenciennes, 
 where he had held a diet, either out of good nature 
 or policy, fhew'd a great deal of concern and refcnt- 
 ment at the Queen's flight, having not deferred, as he 
 laid, to be fear'd in this manner. However he 
 march'd up to the frontiers of his brother's kingdom, 
 where leveral Bifhops and Lords came and furrendred 
 themfelves to him, and otfer ? d him the deferted king- 
 dom, which he accepted and took pofTeffion of with- 
 out any refiltance. 
 
 This Prince being under no farther apprchenfions of ibid. 
 a civil war, and feeing all things quiet and in perfecT: Charlemagne 
 fubje&ion at home, thought of fubduing the Saxons, ^^f ** 
 who were the molr. troublefome neighbours of the 
 French empire. 
 
 He propofed to himfclf a double end in -this war. An. 772,. 
 Firft, to weaken them in fuch fort, that it fhould be 
 entirely out of their power to raife any difturbance ; 
 and fecondly, which was the beft way to make them 
 traceable, to root out idolatry, and eftablith Chri- 
 ftianity in their country. He cbu'd not bring it about 
 in lefs than three and thirty years of war without in- 
 terruption; a war, lays the author of this Prince's Eginard. in 
 life, which was the molt fcvcre and fatiguing that vi " f ir :i 
 France had ever experienced. 
 
 The occafion of the war he at that time took in r^ Saxon 
 hand againll this nation, were the irruptions they made *" " 
 into the French territories. He patted the Rhine at 
 Worms s, and entered Saxony, carrying ravage and 
 terror wherever he went. Of the feveral forts this 
 people had built upon the palTages, as well of the 
 rivers as of the woods and lanes, to put a flop to 
 the courfe of the French, the molt coiifidcrable was 
 N 3 . called
 
 1 8 a The Hiftory of F R A N c E . 
 
 An. 771 called Ereshourg by Paderbourn. It was in this fort 
 
 VXVN^ that the idol Irminful was worshipped in a very rich 
 
 temple built in honour of him. They look'd upon 
 
 this idol as the tutelary deity of the nation. 
 
 Monachus Charlemagne laid fiege to the fort, took it and car- 
 
 ?n n v!a fl c7- S fied ff Sl1 the 8 0ld atld f llvet f the tem P le > and 
 
 roll magni. Ipent three days in razing it intirely to the ground. 
 Annaies From Eresbourg he advanced to Vefer, where the 
 juTtf??! S axons came to implore his compaffion. He par- 
 don'd them, took twelve hoftages for the fecurity of 
 their promife, and prohibited them from rebuilding 
 Eresbourg. They thought themfelves very happy in 
 faving the reft of their country upon thefe conditions; 
 which they obferved no longer than till they faw 
 Charlemagne removed at a great diftance from them 
 by the exigency of affairs in Italy, which were of 
 greater importance than thofe in Saxony. 
 
 Stephen IV. who fucceeded Paul, and was but in- 
 differently qualified for government, fuffered himfelf 
 to be amufed by Didier, King of Lombardy. This 
 Prince brought matters fo about, as to fet the Pope 
 and France together by the ears ; and having deprived 
 hfm of this refort, was in good hopes of repairing 
 the breaches which the treaty of Pavia had made in 
 the kingdom of Lombardy. But the death of this 
 Pope, and the character of his fucceflbr broke his- 
 meafures. 
 
 Auaftafms It was Adrian I. that came in his room, a man 
 in Adriano. o f prudence , and conftancy equal to his virtue, 
 who, refuming the maxims of his other predecefTors, 
 was no fooner elected than he fet himfelf ferioufly 
 to aft in concert with France, and put himfelf upon 
 his guard againft the artifices of the King of Lom- 
 bardy. 
 
 After many negotiations which he had gladly entred 
 upon with that Prince, to give the French time to 
 come into Italy, if need fo required, he made an open 
 declaration that he would conclude nothing with him 
 till he faw the treaty of Ptivia, and every thing that 
 had been fettled by Pepin, in his lall journey to Italy, 
 qompleatly executed. Charlemagne, having notice of 
 ^11 that pafs'd, put himfelf in readinefs to repafs the 
 14//7,', and then entred upon his march,
 
 CHARLEMAGNE. 
 
 He arrived at the paffes which the Lombards guard- An. 77*. 
 cd at the entrance of the plains of Piedmont, where v.^-v'-s-/ 
 they were ftrongly entrench'd ; but he forced their Chariemagn* 
 fortifications. Dtdler fled to Pavia, whither Charle- enl 
 wiagne went to befiege him. The fiege lafted fix 
 months, at the end of which the King of Lombardy 
 was compelled by the garrifbn and citizens to capitu- 
 late ; but he could obtain no terms but thofe of his^ 
 life. He liirrendred; and this furrendry ferved for* 
 a fignal to all the other towns which ftill held out 
 for him, to fubmit to the difcretion of the conqueror. 
 For during the fiege of Pavia feveral detachments of 
 Charlemagne's army had made themfelves matters of 
 thegreateft part of it. Prince Adalgife, D idler's fon, Eglnard.ai 
 fled by fea to Conftantinople, where the Emperor an ' 774. .. 
 Conflantine beftow'd upon him the title of Patrician, 
 which he enjoyed to his death. Thus ended the reign 
 of the Princes of Lombardy in Italy, two hundred 
 and fix years after the famous conqueror Alboin had 
 begun it- 
 
 The advantage Charlemagne got by this march to 
 the other fide the Alps, was the conqueft of near two 
 thirds of Italy, for the remainder beyond Rome ftill 
 belong'd to the Greek Emperor as well as Sicily. 
 
 Charlemagne placed /r<?#^> governors in Tofc any and 
 At Pavia, but at feveral other places he left the Lorn* 
 bard Dukes or Governors in pofleflion, becauie they 
 had made a ready furrender of themfelves, on condi- 
 tion that their governments fhould ftill continue in 
 their own hands. It is certain that the dethroned 
 King was carried into France, tho' no contemporary 
 author tells us what became of him. According to 
 fome others, who wrote long after that time, he was Anfehnus 
 baniflied to Liege, and died afterwards in the mona- Leojicnfis. 
 ftery of Corbie. si S ebmu '' 
 
 From this time Charlemagne added the title of King in cod. Car. 
 of Lombardy to that of France. The Popes gave it & a P. ud 
 him in their letters to him. He afTumed it in the pub- Grctler 
 lick a&s, and we find it upon fome of his coins. 
 During the fiege of Pavia he made a journey to 
 Rome, where he was receiv'd in a kind of triumph, 
 fpent his Eafter there, and confirm'd the grant which 
 Pepin had made to the holy See. 
 
 N 4 Thii
 
 1 84 The Hi/lory of F R AN G E. 
 
 An' ; 774. This Prince having fettled the affairs of Italy, and 
 V^xy"^ firmly eftablifhed the French dominion there, departed 
 in the month of Auguft. That which haftned his 
 return was a new revolt of the Saxons. 
 
 Charlemagne march' d with fuch expedition, that he 
 arriv ? d at Ingeibeim upon the Rhine before the Saxons 
 had any notice of it, and entred the country with his 
 forces, who furpriz'd and cut them in pieces. 
 Eg'.nard. ad At the beginning of the campaign, this Prince, hav- 
 fn. 77J. j n g pafs'd the Rhine, took the cattle of Sigebourg, 
 and rebuilt that of Eresbourg, which the Saxons had 
 retaken and demolifhed the year before. He ap- 
 proach'd the Vefer, which he palled in fpight of the 
 refinance of the Saxons, of whom he made a great 
 flaughter : but they got the better of a detachment of 
 the army, which they furpriied upon the banks of the 
 Vefer. 
 
 .7** Saxons The Saxons, feeing their country laid wafte, and 
 &feaud. mu ch blood fpilt, came according to their ufual cuf- 
 tom to implore his clemency. The King knew by 
 former experience that thefe ' forced fubmiffions were 
 a mere pretence to get rid of him ; but the news he 
 received from Italy, where he forefaw his prefence 
 xvouM foon be neceffary, determin'd him to accept 
 their fubmiflions and hoftages. 
 
 The truth is, Adalgifc, ion of the dethroned King, 
 was no fooner arriv'd at Conjianttnoplt-, than he en- 
 gaged the Emperor in his interefts ; and this Prince 
 promifed him a fleet and an army, provided that he 
 fcould find means to raife himfclf a party in Italy ^ 
 which he immediately let about. 
 
 For this purpofe he apply'd himfelf to Rot^audf, 
 
 Duke of FriouL He knew him to be well affecleci 
 
 to his family, and that he had fubmitted to France 
 
 onlybecaufe he was not able to relift it. His attempt 
 
 Egmard in therefore met with no great difficulty in the fucccfs ; 
 
 Apnai. ** Aratifc. Duke of Eencventum. who had married a 
 an. 776. .O--* 7 . .' .^^. i 
 
 magne notice. One of the qualities of this great Prince, 
 which did not a little contribute to his victories, was 
 the readinefs of his judgment, which made him re- 
 fqlve out of hand, and execute his refolutions with 
 
 wonderful
 
 CHARLEMAGNE. 185 
 
 wonderful difpatch. He had no fooner received this An. 776. 
 news than he repafTed the Alps with only a felecl bo- \^V^J 
 4y of his troops. He furprized Duke Frioul, and be- A revolt * 
 headed him. The Dukes of Beneventum and Spole- 3|*" 
 to had not yet (declared themfelves, and the prote- 
 ftations they made of their fidelity and innocence met 
 with iufficient credit. Trevifa^ and fome other towns 
 that had revolted, furrendre<J, and the King placed 
 French governors in them. He returned with rhe 
 fame expedition to the frontiers of Germany, where 
 the Saxons had again taken the field. They had recor 
 vered the fort of Eresbourg, had been beaten before 
 that of Sigebourg, and purfued by the French to the 
 Iburce of the river Life. In this place Charlemagne , 
 who had not fpent above four months in his expediti- 
 on into Italy and his return to Wormes, came to fur- 
 pme them. They could hardly believe it was him ; 
 but when they were fure of it, the camp was fill'd 
 with confternation, and they fued for pardon, and de- 
 manded baptifm 
 
 This alfo was but a mere pretence, but it was a- The Saxon* 
 greeable to Charlemagne's wiihes , who for a long 
 time had waited an opportunity to foften the lavage 
 manners of this nation by Chriitianity. Upon this he 
 caufed feveral of them to be baptiz'd, took frefh ho- 
 ftages, rebuilt the fort of Eresbourg, and rais'd ano- 
 ther upon the Life. 
 
 Jn one of his expeditions againft the Saxons he had 
 made himfelf matter of Paderborn in Weftfhalia, and 
 he made choice of this town in the fpring to hold the 
 diet or afTembly of the French Lords there, to confult 
 about mcafures for preventing thefe continual revolts 
 of the Saxons. 
 
 Before the meeting of the aiTembly he penetrated a Ail. 777. 
 great way into Saxony with a numerous army, and 
 conftrain'd the moil conliderable of the heads of the 
 
 come thither to oblige themfelves by a more 
 authentick oath to be faithful to him. MoiJ of them 
 came excepting Vitikinde, one of the molt famous of 
 the Saxon commanders, who repair'd to the King of 
 Denmark. The other commanders took the oath in 
 jhe name of the whole nation before the aiTcmbly ; 
 and were obliged to add this.claufe to it, that if they 
 |hou'd ever violate it, they confentcd to be reduc'd to 
 
 flavery,
 
 186 TheHiftory ^FRANCE. 
 
 An. 777. flavery, and driven out of their country. Several al- 
 V^V-*^ fb, to carry the cheat on the better, embraced Chrifti- 
 anity, and were baptiz'd. 
 
 Charlemagne, to ftiew the Saxons how far the repu- 
 tation of his name and arms extended, woii'd at this 
 diet receive the homage of an Emir of the Saracens of 
 Spain named Ibmalarabi, who came to furrender him- 
 felf to him, with all the towns under his govern- 
 ment. 
 
 The Emir, at his fubmiflion to the French power, 
 
 demanded of Charlemagne the reftitution of Sara- 
 
 goffa, and the other towns that had been taken from 
 
 ibid, him, which this Prince promifed and performed. 
 
 ^u ^-rg. In the fpring of the year following he paffed the 
 
 Pyrenees thro* Gafc ogne to Navarre. Pampeluna was 
 
 the firft town he befieged, and it furrendred upon ar- 
 
 ticles. From thence he marched to Sararoffa, which 
 
 did not hold out long, where he re-euablifhed the 
 
 Emir Ibinalarabi. Another Emir put alfb Huefca and 
 
 Jaca, and fome other towns of his government un- 
 
 der the protection of France. Barcellona and Gironne 
 
 Charte- renewed their homages and the oath of fidelity, 
 
 magne'* **- which they had taken feveral years lince to the late 
 
 UlE. 1 *" Kin g P*pi*- There Charlemagne put an end to his 
 
 conquefts, and prepared to repafs the mountains. 
 
 His return was attended with diiadvantage. The 
 Gafcon mountaineers getting together, and fuffering 
 the greateft part of the army to repafs, fell upon the 
 - rear, defeated it utterly, pillaged the baggage that was 
 placed there, and deitroy'd feveral of the French 
 Lords. 
 
 A new revolt of the Saxons wou'd not fuffer 
 
 Charlemagne to take any reft after fo fatiguing an ex- 
 
 P . sanftj pedition. Vitikinde, knowing this Prince was at the 
 
 Ludgrri ad other extremity of his dates, returns from Denmark 
 
 Nifntwm. into Sa*oy, and putting himfelf at the head of the 
 
 moft mutinous part of his nation, march'd as far as 
 
 the Rhine, ravaging as he went, and put every thing 
 
 to fire and fword from Duitz overagainft Cologne to 
 
 Coblents. He pillaged alfo the town QfVerde^ and 
 at.- Saxons terly demolilh'd it. The Saxons were purfued hi their 
 dtftMtd. retreat, and attack'd at the pafTage of the river Eider^ 
 ^^TTg' wnere tne y were defeated in (uch a manner that very 
 few efcaped* 
 
 TOs
 
 CHARLEMAGNE, 
 
 This defeat kept them quiet for the following year ; An. 779. 
 and hearing that Charlemagne had palled the Rhine, \~r\~*~S 
 they came to fue for pardon, which was granted 
 them ; but, among other conditions, Ke required them 
 to hold a diet of the whole nation upon the river An. 780. 
 Onacre the year after, at which he himfelf would be 
 prefent. This they performed, and a great number of 
 Saxons were baptized there. From thence Charle- 
 magne with his army advanced as far as the river 
 Ewe, to hold an afTembly of the Slavonian nation 
 there. He left Bifhops, Priefts and Abbats in Sax- Chron Mrf. 
 cxy and Sclavonia, who converted and baptized feve- fiacenfe - 
 ra'l Pagans. About the end of this fame year he made Epift, 64. 
 a journey to Italy, at the prefime inftances of the ^ ri i n M? , 
 Pope, upon account of fome differences that had C( *' 
 arifen between him and the governor of Naples, and 
 the intrigues of Arigife, Duke of Beneventutn, who 
 was always a caballing in favour of Prince Adalgife. 
 Charlemagne" 1 ^ prefence re-eftablifh'd peace, and diiap- 
 pointed the male-contents. 
 
 He brought along with him Queen Hildegarde, who 
 was already mother of three Princes, the eldeft named 
 Charles, the fecond Carkman, and the third Louis. 
 The little Prince Carloman, whofe baptifm had been Eglmrf < 
 defignedly put off, was baptized there on Softer Day an ' 7 ** 
 by the Pope, who changed his name at the font for 
 that of Pepin, notwithstanding Charlemagne's eldeft 
 ion by his firft wife already bore that name. 
 
 There was another affair of much greater impor- CharfemtgM 
 tance tranfa&ed in this country. He declared after JjJjJ J~" 
 the baptifrn of this young Prince, that he would make <>/ Lombar- 
 him King of Lombardy, and Louts, his youngeft fon, d y. '. 
 King of dquitain; and the Pope gave them both the Z^'^'. t 
 royal un&ion. Pepin immediately took poffeflion of Ki,, f f A" 
 his kingdom, and Louis did the lame after his return q 
 to France. Charlemagne gave them fage and judicious 
 rninifters to govern their ftates, for both of them were 
 as yet but minors. 
 
 Charlemagne feeing every thing quiet, turn'd his , 
 views upon the Saxons. He lopk'd upon it as one of 
 the beft methods to keep them in fubmiffion, to ftiew 
 himfelf to them from time to time, to appear every 
 year in their country at the head of an army, and 
 frequently to aflemble their Dukes to treat with them 
 upon the affairs of their nation. As
 
 1 8 S The Hiftory of F R A N c E. 
 
 An. 781. As foon as he 'had forage enough in the field, he 
 
 VXY*"^ pafled the Rhine, advanc'd with his army as far as the 
 
 Eginard.ad h ea d o f the Life, and held an aflembly of the Saxons 
 
 an. 781. there -p he p rinces O f the N ort h fent embafladors to 
 
 compliment him, particularly Sigefroy, King of the 
 
 Danes, otherwife called Normans, and the Kings of 
 
 the Huns or dvares. They demanded peace and his 
 
 friendfhip; which he promifed them on condition of 
 
 their offering no injury to his fubje&s. 
 
 But he was no fponer return'd to France than he 
 recejv'd the news of a frefli revolt of the Saxons, 
 headed by Vittkin.de, and fent an army thither ; but 
 foon after they brought him word, that thro' the mi- 
 underftanding of his generals a great part of it had 
 been defeated by the Saxons at the foot of the mountain 
 Sontal near the fefer. 
 
 This Prince, who had not been us'd to fuch news 
 as this, was very much chagrin'd at it : but, without 
 lofing time, he march'd at the head of a frefh body, 
 and entred Saxony, where the fole noife of his ap^ 
 proach diflipated this whole viftorious army. 
 
 He fent orders to the mod confiderable of the Sax* 
 ons to appear before him, who came trembling and 
 begging his patience, laying the fault upon Vitikinde, 
 whom they all accufed of having raifed the fedition. 
 The King required them to deliver him up to him; 
 but they anfwered that he had fled to Denmark. Re 
 is fled, faid the King, but the acceffaries in his crime 
 tire Jlill here, and I will make an example of them, 
 which I have too long forbore to do. 
 
 Tht Saxons Upon this he gave the lignal to his foldiers to in- 
 
 fnertiy f- veft this multitude of Saxons, caufed them to be dif- 
 
 taflita. armed, ordered them to number out four thoufand 
 
 five hundred of thofc that had affifted at the battle of 
 
 Sontal, and having commanded them to be carried to 
 
 Verde upon the river Alte, beheaded them there. 
 
 After this terrible punifhment in open field, where 
 the number of dead bodies rather reprelented a bloody 
 defeat, than the execution of the fentence of a Prince 
 pronounced upon the guilty, Charles departed to keep 
 his winter at Thionville, where he loft Queen Hilde- 
 garde, a Princefs equally belov'd by the King her 
 husband, and by the nation. 
 
 The
 
 CHARLEMAGNE. 
 
 The firft effect which this dreadful (laughter pro- An. 782. 
 duced was a general conflernation, but fuch a one as VXV\J 
 foon changed into rage by the arrival of Vitikinde^ 
 and another Duke named Albion: and Charlemagne 
 foon heard of the general revolt of the whole na- 
 tion. 
 
 The Saxons fucceeded no better in this effort than An, 783, 
 in the reft. For two years that this general revolt 784, 785-. 
 lafted, Charlemagne defeated them in three bloody 
 battles, and carried the ravage as far as the river Elbe ; 
 and to leave them no time to breathe, he reiblved to 
 pafs the winter of an. 785*. in the fort of Eresbottrg, 
 Thither he brought his two eldeft fons, and Queen 
 Eaftrade, daughter of a French Count, whom he had 
 married fome months after the death of Queen Hilde- 
 garde. He made war continually upon the Saxons 
 during this feafon, in Which they ufed to recover the 
 lofTes they had fuffered in the fummfr, and the whole 
 winter was taken up in the incuriions of the French 
 into Saxony, in fire and ravage. 
 
 In the mean time, the King being weary of this war vitikinde, 
 which had coft him much blood, fatigue and expence, their head 
 had a mind to put an end to it, and fo well managed '*"" (fen ~ 
 the matter, that he perfuaded Vitikinde and Albion to Ann. Poeta 
 come to him at Attigni^ upon the river Aifne, who Saxonkt l. 
 were fo charmed with his goodnefs, generality, and a j ad an * 
 other great qualities, that they fuffered themfelves to 7 
 be intirely won, and allb embraced Chriftianity. So 
 that upon their return to their countries they lived in 
 the faithful obfervance of their promifes to the Chrifti- 
 an Religion, and kept the people in fubmiffion, at 
 leaft for fome years. 
 
 Peace being fettled in Saxony, the King fupprelled ^ n ^g^ 
 without much difficulty fome other emotions, which 
 cou'd hardly fail to arife from time to time in fo vaft 
 an empire compofed of fo many different nations. 
 Hepunifhed the Bretons, who had made fome difficulty 
 to pay him the tribute. He made a fourth journey to 
 Italy, where he curb'd the reftlefs difpofition otArtgife, 
 Duke of Benei'entum, who was one while quarrel- 
 ing with the Pope and another with the. Greek go- 
 vernors, and obliged him to deliver up his two fons 
 for hoftages, the eldeft of whom he neverthelefs re- 
 ftored him foon after, 
 
 The
 
 190 The Hiftory of F R A N c E.' 
 
 An. 787. The Duke of Bavaria by his ill conduct obliged 
 him to enter his principality with a numerous army, 
 but was forced to fubmit and fue for pardon. He 
 was excufed for that time : but the King having dif- 
 overed the following year, that he was dealing with 
 the Duke of Beneventum, with Conflantine the Em- 
 peror of the Eaft, or rather with Irene his mother, 
 Regent of the empire during his minority, and with 
 the Huns, to form a league againft France, he in- 
 vited him to the diet at Ingelheim. The Duke, who 
 did not imagine his intrigues were difcovered, came 
 thither without any miftruft, but he was no fooncr 
 arrived than he was ieized, and told, that it was in 
 order to his trial. 
 
 When he came before the afTembly, he was greatly 
 furprii'd to fee fome of his own fubje&s among his 
 w. Vlta f accufers. He was found guilty of felony, and con 
 
 Eginard. d 
 an. 788. & 
 
 demned to be beheaded : but the King commuted his 
 pt/Ba- punifhjnent, and contented himfelf with confining 
 him and his two fons in different monafteries. He 
 was feat to that of St. Goar, upon the banks of the 
 Rhine, over againft Rhimfeld. So Bavaria ceas'd to 
 be a feparate nate from the kingdom of Charlemagne, 
 and was governed, like the other provinces, by Counts 
 he fent thither. 
 
 In the mean time the Duke of Bavaria's puniftiment 
 did not hinder the effect of his intrigues from break- 
 ing out into two great wars, which Charlemagne faw 
 himfelf upon a fndden engag'd in. 
 
 The Huns or Avares, according to their agreement 
 
 * 
 
 rr he tne -^ u ^ e ^ invaded France with two numerous 
 
 armies at the fame time. The one entred Frioul and 
 the other Bavaria : both of them were totally defeat- 
 ed by the French generals. Another more numerous 
 than the former came pouring in upon Bavaria, and 
 met with the lame fate, and this laft defeat flnifhed 
 the troubles on that fide. But thofe which the Greeks 
 created Charlemagne in Italy, took up no lefs of his 
 application. It was another confequence of the Duke 
 of Bavaria's league. 
 
 dragife, Duke of Beneventum, managed under hand - 
 a general revolt of the Lombards in Italy, and the 
 Regent Irene had promifed to fend him Adaltife with 
 a fleet and an army to reftore him to the throne of 
 
 the
 
 CHARLEMAGNE^ t'pi 
 
 the late King of Lombardy his father. The Pope was An. 788. 
 inform'd of all the contrivance, and gave the King *^-y->-< 
 notice of it. The death of the Duke of Rcneventura 
 -and his eldeft fon, who died both within a month of 
 each other, did not difcourage the Greeks from mak- 
 ing ule of the great forces they had raifed, and which 
 were arrived with Adalgtfe under the command of ge- 
 neral John. A battle infued, and the Greeks were de- 
 feated. 
 
 After this defeat, Adalgife repair'd to Conjlantinople, 
 and never appear'd after in Italy. 
 
 This was one of the moft mccefsful years of Char- 2* French 
 lemag^% reign. Four battles gain'd by his generals, "J2?J? t J 
 viz. three again ft the Avares, and this againft the Greeks, ofthe Greeks. 
 His power more confirm'd than ever in Italy, and his 
 Empire augmented with all the duchy of Bavaria were 
 the fuccefles that fignalii'd it. 
 
 The following year he compleated the conqueft of An. 789. 
 Germany, penetrated victorioufly into Scla-vonia, de- 
 feated therilfes in battle, and obliged them, as well as 
 feveral petty Kings or Dukes of the Sclavi, to do him 
 homage for their lands, and acknowledge him for 
 their fovereign. 
 
 Two years before, upon the Huns or Avares difa- 
 greeing with him about their Limits, he conquer'd their 
 country, and his fbldiers brought off an infinite deal of Egir.ard. a4 
 booty. Thefe A-vares were fettled upon both fides of an * 79I< 
 the Danube, and poflefled a great part of the country 
 now called Aujlria. and Hungary. At length he pufhed 
 his conquefts as far as the fall of the Raab into the 
 Danube. 
 
 Thojoy of fuch happy fuccefs was temper'd by oc- 
 cafions of forrow which Princes can no more avoid ibid, ad a~. 
 than other men. Pepin, fon of Himiltrude, Charle- 79*. 
 magve'sfirft. wife, jealous of feeing his brothers already 
 upon the throne, without any thing yet done for him- 
 lelf, carried his jealoufyto fuch a length as toconlpire 
 againft the life of his own father. The conlbiracy was 
 difcovered, the Prince's accomplices punifli'd with (death, 
 and himfelf imprifon'd in the monaftery of Pruim in 
 Ardennes. 
 
 In the mean time the Avares, after the retreat of the Chronkon 
 French, had repoflefled themfelves of their towns and '~ 
 
 caftles, and had rebuilt the walls, being refolved, if they 
 
 came
 
 The Hiftory 0/ 1 FRANCE. 
 
 An. 793- came again to attack them, to make a better defence 
 ^^X./ than ever. It was indeed Charlemagne's defign to have 
 returned with all fpeed : but he was prevented as well 
 by fome revolts that happen'd in Italy in the duchy of 
 BeneTentutn, as by the commotions of the Saracens in 
 Spain, and a new revolt of the Saxons. 
 
 The troubles of the duchy of Beneventutn were fooa 
 fupprefTed by the arrival of Pepin King of Italy : thofe 
 of Spain were of a longer continuance : for the Sara- 
 cens furpriz'd Barcelona, fpread their ravage as far as the 
 fuburbs of Narbonne , and burnt them. But that which 
 chiefly broke the defign of the expedition again ft the 
 Avares, were the Saxons, whole revolt was general. 
 It began by a piece of treachery to Theudertc one of 
 Eginard. ad the trench generals in thofe quarters. For when there 
 an. 793- was not the Icaft appearance of any diflatisfa&ion among 
 them, they made an attack upon him at Ruftringen near 
 the liefer, and cut his men in pieces. 
 
 Charlemagne did not think it proper to take any en- 
 terpriie in hand at this juncture. He fent fome com- 
 panies to the Pyrenees to oppofe the Saracens if they 
 ihou'd make any new attempts, and placed himfelf 
 upon the frontiers of Francia Germanica to prevent the 
 irruptions of the Saracens , waiting till he was in a 
 better condition to go and puniih them in their own 
 country. 
 
 Rodeiicus He was difengaged of the troubles in Spain by the 
 Tdetanus. great victory which Alphonfus, fnrnamed le Chafte , 
 gain'd over the Saracens, in which feventy thou- 
 iand of thefe infidels fell upon the place: which made 
 the King of Cordova lay afidc his defign of invading 
 Languedoc. So Charlemagne made preparations at lei- 
 lure for the Saxon war^ and in the mean time caufed 
 Egmard. ad the council of Frankfurt to be held, which was fb 
 an- 794- called from the place where it was aiTembled, and 
 
 which at that time was no more than a royal palace. 
 The c **Kii cf The herefy of Neftorius, which Felix Bifhop of 
 Fnncforr. Urgel, and Elipandus Bifliop of Toledo, had revived in 
 other terms, was anathemamiz'd there. But the fecond 
 council of Nice, in which the Emprefs Irene had cauf- 
 ed the error of the Image - breakers to be condemned, 
 met with a rough reception here, becaufe they formed 
 their opinion of this council upon the forged acts of 
 it T mat had been brought from (Jwftantinople to France 
 
 by
 
 CHAkLEMAGNE. rp$ 
 
 >y the Iconoc lafts. Befides that this council was not An. 794- 
 :hen looked upon as a general council in France, and v^V^/ 
 moreover the French were very much incenfed rigainft 
 :he Emprefs upon account of the troubles (he had raifed 
 in -Italy. 
 
 'Tajjlllon formerly Duke of Bavaria \vas brought bc- 
 "ore the council of Francfort^ and obliged to ask par- 
 Ion for his revolts and infidelity to Pcvin and Charle- 
 magne, and to make a renunciation in form of all the 
 ight which he or his children might claim to Bavaria. ' 
 Afterwards he was fent to the mo nailery of Jnmiege Tom. 2. 
 icar Roan with his fons, where they pafled the reft of Coi ' c ' Ga ^ 
 heir lives. 
 
 About this time died Queen FfftraJe^ a proud and Eginard. a4 
 mighty Princefs, hated by the Fretnh, and was the an< m> 
 :aufe of the conlpiracy I have been ipealcing of againfl 
 :he King her husband. 
 
 During the fitting of the council, Cknrlefnagzemzfa 
 reparations for the invaiion of Saxony. As foon as 
 ic came thither , his pretence alone made the Saxons 
 ay down their arms, and fend a petition for pardon. Mgffiacenfo 
 rie received their delegates at Eresbourg^ to whom he Anna!. Pui- 
 nade anfwcr that he wouM grant his pardon upon two ' 
 ronditions. Firil, that they fhou'd again receive the 
 :hriftian priefts they had driven out of their country. on$ 
 ^.nd fecondly, that their army being ranged in battl 
 ic fhou'd choofe out a thfrd part of it, and thofe 
 ,vhom he knew to be mod feditious, in order to tran- 
 port them out of a country where they cou'd not 
 ive quietly. This condition, hard as it was, was ac- 
 cepted, together with the former, and afterwards exe- 
 :uted. This is not the laft time we find Charlemagne 
 niniihing the Saxons in this manner. 
 
 What pafled at the council of Francfort, gave Pope 
 Adrian a great deal of uneafinefs and dilquiet, who . 
 lad need of all his wifdom to adjuft matters with 
 Charlemagne and the Emprefs Irene at the fame time, 
 md to maintain the authority of the council of Nice. 
 rie died about two years after that of francfurt, and 
 vas not only lamented by Charlemagne as a great 
 ^ope, but alfo bewail'd as a friend for whom he had 
 i very fenfible afte&ion. 
 
 He was fucceeded by Leo III. who for the reputa- ^ 
 on of his virtue was chofen with one voice, and this an ' 
 
 VOL. J. O univerfal
 
 1 94 The Utftory of F R A N c . 
 
 An. 796. univerfal confent ieemed to preftge a much happier 
 VxY"^ pontificate than it proved to be in the event. 
 
 Peace being re-eftabliftied in Saxony, where there 
 were very few revolts of any moment , gave Char- 
 lemagne an opportunity of refuming his former defign 
 of a new expedition againft the Avares: but as he 
 was determined to be always upon his guard with re- 
 'Annal. Ful- fpecl to the Saxons, he contented himfelf with fend- 
 denfe*. ing two armies into the country of the Avares, the 
 one commanded by Htrvi Duke of Frioul, and the 
 other by his fon Pepin King of Italy. The fucccfs 
 anfwer'd his wifhes. The Avares were totally defeat- 
 ed, their Kam or Prince killed, the remains of their 
 army driven as far as the Teiffe, all their towns taken, 
 chwie- and the capital named Ringa demolifhed. This victory 
 nugne'* leems to have put an end to the war of the Avares. 
 'thTtwntrt of From that time they fubmitted to the yoke of France, 
 the Avar. and made but a few revolts afterwards, which were 
 eafily fuppreiled. We may alfo look upon it as the 
 end of that nation, which was almoft utterly extermi- 
 nated. 
 
 ib'.a. ad an< At the end of this campaign Charlemagne went to 
 797- Aix-la-Chappelle with Queen Lutgarde, his fifth wife, 
 
 whom he had lately married. There he received ho- 
 mage of a Prince of the Avar es named Tbeudon, who 
 haa Tubmitted to him before the fccond war with the 
 Avarcs. A Saracen Emir named Zata, who had 
 made himfelf mailer of Barcelona and all that territo- 
 ry, came alfo to acknowledge him for his fov^reign. 
 'Abdalla, uncle of Alhaca, the new King of Cordova, 
 came Ibme time after to demand fuccour of Charle- 
 magne againft this Prince, who had deprived him of 
 part of the fucceffion of the late King, .which he pre- 
 tended belonged to him. The King of Aquitain had 
 orders to conducl him into Spain, and do him right 
 there. 
 
 Charlemagne received alfo embafladors from Alphon- 
 ftts the chafte. King of the Ajlurias, who came to ac- 
 quaint him with the new advantages, which this Prince, 
 with whom he had always a great intercourfe and fa- 
 miliarity, had gained over the Saracens. Thus as the 
 general arbiter of die affairs of Europe, he was applied 
 to by almoft all Princes as well chriftians as infidels, 
 every where both refpe&ed and feared. The Saxons 
 z alone,
 
 CHARLEMAGNE* 195 
 
 alone, who had Ib often experienced one while his An. 798. 
 clemency, and another his wrath, cou'd not come in- ^/"V* 
 to the fentiments of the other nations, but he punifh'd E ^ inar j*- * 
 them the following year with great ieverity for a ledi- an * 7 
 tion in which fome of his officers had been killed. 
 After which he returned to Aix-la-Chappelle where he 
 gave audience to the Emprefs Irene^s embafTadors, who 
 were come to anticipate him, and to juftify this Prin- 
 cefs in an affair which wou'd hardly admit of an a- 
 pology. 
 
 She had put out the eyes of her foil Conftant'mc, 
 who died after this cruel execution : afterwards fhe 
 had caufcd hcrfelf to be proclaimed Emprefs, and re- 
 cognized miftrefs of the Empire, which now firfl ad- 
 mitted of a female head in her perfon ; for fhc reigned 
 then and many years after in her own name, and no 
 more as regent. 
 
 The embafladors, to abate the horror of this amazing 
 crime, blacken'd the life and conduct of the young 
 Emperor with a thoufand calumnies ; and requellecl 
 the King to maintain Peace with the Emprefs. But Eg'^ard. ad 
 there is a great deal of reafoii to believe, that, to pre- an ' ^ 8 ' 
 vent this Princefs taking advantage of the troubles of Ann Fuld ' 
 the Empire, and having any thoughts of conquering Zonaras ' 
 the reft of Italy by means of thele diforders, fhe at 
 that time made an overture of a defign that fhe had, 
 or at lealt pretended afterwards to have, of marrying 
 him with an intent to make him Emperor. It is cer- 
 tain that thefeembaffadors were well received, and ob- 
 tain'd leveral favours of the King. 
 
 The affair of Felix Bifhop of Urge I was alfb one of 
 thofe, with which Charlemagne was taken up, during 
 his winter-quarters at A:x-la-Chappelle. This Bifhop, 
 who had retracted his errors at Rome, had taught the 
 fame afterwards, and was again condemned in a coun- 
 cil by PopeZ,ec>; and when they fignified his condem- 
 nation to him, he delired them to conduit him to the 
 King, of whom he got leave to explain his do&rine 
 anew in prefence of feveral Bi(hops ; refolved, as he 
 faid, to fubmit, if they were not fatisfied with the ;^' n ^ b 
 reafons he fhou'd produce in fupport of his opinion. -, ^ c jj " 
 Upon this he made a fecond retractation, both by wordcra Fe,i : enj. 
 of mouth and in writing ; but the confequence (hew'd Ado - iaCLr * 
 that he was either very 'inconitant in his fentiments, or 
 O 2, very
 
 istf The Hiftory of F R AN c E. 
 
 An. 798. very knavifli in his behaviour with relation to them. 
 He returned to his errors, was depofed from his Bi- 
 Ihoprick, and died in exile at Lymv, obilinately difo- 
 bedient to the church and his King. This is the ufual 
 end of thefe pretended faints of herefzarchs. 
 
 Elipandus Bifhop of Toledo did not long furvivehim : 
 Some make him die a convert. The herefy of thefe 
 two prelates was foon extinguifhed by the care of 
 Charlemagne, and peace reflored in the churches of 
 France and Spain. But that of Rome was difquieted 
 with great troubles fome time after PopeZ.<?o had held 
 a council againft Felix, which gave Charlemagne much 
 unealinefs. 
 
 Eginard. ad 
 
 an. 799. and 
 him 
 
 cauled his eyes and tongue to be pluck 'd out. As k 
 is certain that he had afterwards the ufe of his fpeech 
 and fight, Anafiafius Bibliothecarius fays they were re- 
 ftored to him by a miracle. But Theophanes a contem- 
 porary . author tells us that he drew companion from 
 his very enemies, and that they executed but half their 
 wicked defign. 
 
 Be that as it will, he fled to France for fhelter, from 
 whence the King fent him back to Rome, and took 
 
 An. 800. proper meafures for his fecurity. The year after he 
 went thither himlelf, having before defeated the Bre- 
 tons who had revolted, gained fome advantages over 
 the Saracens in the Mediterranean, received homage of 
 the Emir of the town of Huefca in Spain, who fub- 
 mitted to -his authority, and given orders on the coafts 
 of all his vaft Empire, as well to prevent the defcents 
 of the Saracens, as the Normans, who began from that 
 time to infelt thefe feas. 
 
 - Being arrived at Ancona, he fent his fon Pepin King 
 of Italy with a detachment of his army into the duchy 
 of Beneventum, where Duke Grimeald, having altered 
 his conduct with regard to France, was become fu- 
 Ipe&ed by him. Pepin entred this duchy without any 
 refinance, Grimoald either fubmitting, or repairing to 
 the territories of the Greeks. 
 
 The King being arrived at Rome, fpent feven days 
 in informing himielf of the rtate of the town, of the 
 fmiation of the affairs of Ifal\, and in examining the 
 
 uifor-
 
 CH ARt EMAGNJE. 197 
 
 informations which had been given concerning the at- An. Sep. 
 tempt committed upon the perlbn of the Pope. Cam- V^Y"^ 
 pule and Pafcal the two ringleaders of the confpiracy 
 had been feized, and had no other way to defend them- 
 felvesthan by laying moft horrible crimes to the Pope's 
 charge. The Pope, as he had agreed with the King, made 
 pnblick oath of his innocence of the calumnies with 
 which they endeavoured to blacken him. But that 
 which gave the greateft fatisfaclion to all the people, 
 was his defiring favour of the King for his two mor- 
 tal enemies, by whom he had been fo barbaroufly treat- 
 ed. Their life was granted them, but they were fent 
 into banilhment together with their accomplices. 
 
 Charlemagne's reputation was fo great not only in p.l. Macin, 
 Europe, butalib v&AJla, that the K'mgofPer/ia Aaron nift. Saraz. 
 Rafijd was ambitious to let him know how much he 
 efteemed him. This Prince was in the Eaft what Char- 
 lemagne was in the Weft : A great foldicr, a mighty emha 
 conqueror, and a good ftatefman, governing his peo- t 
 pie with authority ; a lover of letters and learned men, , him 
 and zealous for his religion, as Charlemagne was for />"/< /<** 
 his. He was at that time matter of Jerusalem , and M ) L *' lld ' 
 made a grant of it to Charlemagne. A prieft named 
 Zacharias returning from Jerusalem, brought in his 
 name a banner to this Prince, and the keys of the city 
 as a mark of the polTerlion he had taken of it in bis 
 name ; and it is this banner and theft keys which have 
 given occalion to the ftory of Charlemagne's march to 
 the holy land, of his conqiieft of Jerusalem from the 
 Saracens, and fome other accounts of this nature, with 
 which the world have pleafcd themfelves in adorning 
 the life of a Prince, of whom it was believed nothing 
 cou'd either be thought or faid too great. 
 
 Some time after he had received this prefent of the King 
 of Perjia there happen'd an affair at Rome, which made 
 a very great noife upon account of the intereft that the 
 Eaft and France, the two greatefr ftates.of the chriflian 
 world, had in it. 
 
 - Charlemagne going to S.Peter*son.Chriftmas day ta Charlemagne 
 afllft at mals; as he was upon his knees. before the al- ^wrf E- 
 
 tar, the Pope approach'd him and placed a crown up- f'* f thg 
 on his 'head. Immediately all. the people began to cry 
 
 out, God blefs Charles Auguftus, crown 1 d by the hantt 
 
 tf God, life and vi&ory to the grand and pacifick Em 
 3 ferof-
 
 The Hiflory of F R A N c E.' 
 
 An. Sco. pzror sf the Romans. During thefe acclamations this 
 rince being feated upon a kind of throne, the Pope 
 came to P err ~ orm his refpects and make thofe reverences 
 to him which the fupreme Pontifs u fed to pay to the Em- 
 perors when they faluted them at Rome by this cha- 
 racter. He prefented him the imperial habit, which 
 he put on , and returned with it from church to his 
 palace. 
 
 Eginard, Charlemagne^ fecretary, tells us that this 
 Prince knew nothing of the Pope's defign, when he 
 came to church ; and that he protefted he wou'd not 
 have come, if he had fofefeen what wou'd happen, 
 notwithstanding the iblemnity of the day. If this pro- 
 teftation was fincere, it was the effect and mark of a 
 great modefty ; but Charlemagne loved glory, and was 
 very politick : and if the titles of Emperor and AH- 
 gff/lfis were given him againft his will, he appeared af- 
 terwards to retain them with great fatisfaclion. The 
 Emperor at his return from Rome received the King 
 cf Pcr/ta^s embaifadors , and thofe of an Emir of 
 Africa , who made him prefents in the name of their 
 maftcrs, in his camp between Verceil and Ivree. 
 
 Being arriv'd in France, whither he was followed 
 by thefe embailadors, they brought him the governor of 
 Rieti and the Emir of Barcelona. The firft had re- 
 volted and been taken by the King of Italy, who had 
 reduced the town toafhes to keep "the other towns that 
 were in the neighbourhood of the Greeks, and were 
 always ready to revolt, in their duty by this example. 
 The Emir of Barcelona , who fome time before had 
 fubmitted to France to procure fuccour againlt the 
 King of Cordova, had refufed to admit the King of 
 Aquttaia into his town, when he had been to beiiege 
 Leridaof which this Prince made himfelf mafter The 
 Emir was furprized without the town, which was 
 obliged to furrender after a long fiege. Charlemagne 
 condemned thefe two governors to banifliment. 
 
 Wnile the Pe-fian embaffadors continued with the 
 Emperor at Aix-la-Chappelle, the time was Ipent in 
 nothing but feafting, diverlion, and fhews, in which 
 this Prince fpared no charge to give thefe Grangers a 
 grand idea of his magnificence, and of the politenefs 
 of his Court. At their departure lie made them rich 
 pre&nts as well for themfelves as the King of Perjia^ 
 
 and
 
 CHARLEMAGNE." 
 
 and made his own embafladors, whom he fent to this An. 800. 
 Prince, attend them in their return. V~*-v">*/ 
 
 Charlemagne being now Emperor of the/f*/?, thought 
 of conquering the reft of Italy, which had always be- 
 longed to thofe who bore this auguft title. He did 
 not want other opportunities of declaring war againft 
 Irene, bccm&Grimoald Duke of Beneventum renewed 
 his revolts upon every occalion, and mairitain'd him- 
 ielf in them only by the fuccours of the Greeks. The 
 Emperor's defign was to begin with attacking Sicily, in chron< 
 both becaufe the magazines and fleet of the Greek 
 Empire were there, and alfo becaufe the commandant 
 general of that part of Italy, which remained to the 
 Greeks, had his refidence there. 
 
 The Emprefs Irene had notice of it, and ufed her The 
 utmoft endeavours to allay the temped. It was then * re ^ e "** 
 thatftie propofed a marriage with Charlemagne to make chademagne 
 him Emperor of the Eaft, and fent the captain of her /a marry him. 
 guard to France upon this meflage. This Prince found Eginard. ad 
 the offer an advantageous one, and fent Jejffe Bifhop an - 8ci< 
 of Amiens and Count Helingaude back with the em- 
 baffador. They had orders to conduct' this affair, to 
 endeavour to find out the true intention of Irene, and 
 to get perfect information of the iituation of that court. 
 The Pope, to whom the Emperor imparted this nego- 
 tiation, came readily into it, and joined to the French 
 embaffadors an apocriiiarius, whom we now call a 
 nuncio , to help to bring the bufinefs to a fuc- 
 cefsful conclufion. But the great Lords of the Con- \ 
 Jiantinopolitan court did not reiifh the affair ; and for 
 fear of feeing themfelves in fubjedlion to a ftrangc Prince, 
 and upon fome other motives befides, they proclaim'd 
 Nicephorus the patrician Emperor, and dethroned Irene, An. 805* 
 who was banifned into the ille of Lesbvs now cal- 
 led the ifle of Metelin, where Die died the year fol- 
 lowing. 
 
 The embafTa dors of France wef-e fpe6lators of this 
 revolution. Nicephorus treated them with a great deal 
 of courtefy, a/lured them that he was refolved to main- 
 tain a moftfincere friendfhip with their mailer, and no- 
 minated embafladors to go with them to the court of 
 France. Charlemagne received them with his ufual 
 magnificence, and peace was concluded between the 
 two Empires. 
 
 O 4 Tran.
 
 ^op *Tke. Hiftory. -^F 
 
 An: 803. Tranquillity being reftored in Italy by thispe'ace, and 
 VX'V^V' by an adjuftmcnt of the limits then fettled between 
 wfioneBcT ^ tW m P erors ? Charlemagne turned his arms to- 
 joram! e wards Gv<M9' and P*#aw<7. He repeopled the coun- 
 try of the Avares by colonies drawn from Bavaria and 
 S'sc* 1 " Sd tiie Dei 'gh bour ing provinces. He ordered yfr; Eilhop 
 of Saltzkourg to preach the faith there, and that he 
 might at laft deliver himfelf from the trouble, which 
 the Saxons had for fo many years given him, and ftill 
 daily continued to give him, he march'd to the other 
 fide of the Elbe with a great army, forced ten thoufand fa- 
 m '' lies f the northern Saxons to leave their country, 
 difperfed them on this fide the Rhine in fevcral parts 
 of his dominions, and placed in their room the Aba* 
 drites, a neighbouring people, who hud been always 
 very faithful to him. That part of the Saxon nation 
 which was furrered to remain in their country obtain'd 
 this favour upon a very hard condition, that the chil- 
 dren at the death of their parents ihou'd have no right 
 to the fucceflion, and that it ihou'd be difpofed of at 
 the will of the Emperor. Afterwards he granted thefe 
 inheritances to none but the children of liich as had 
 InvitaLu- been loyal and dutiful to him. This kept the whole 
 (jovia PJJ. nation j n great dependence, and was an effectual tho* 
 a violent remedy. From that time there were no 
 more revolts in Saxmy, and the chriftian religion was 
 foon fettled there without any refinance. 
 
 During this expedition Charlemagne .gave Kings to 
 the Sclavi , received the homages of all the nations 
 about the Elbe, and treated with Godefroy King of the 
 Danes, who had advanced with a numerous cavalry, 
 attended by a great fleet, when he faw Charlemagne 
 approach fo near his Hates. After this the Emperor 
 xepafTed the Rhine, and came to Rb?:ms to receive the 
 Pope, who had ask'd leave of him to come into Francs 
 to have the fatisfa&ion of feeing him : At leaft we 
 meet with no other motives for this journey. 
 Eginard. ad The year after, a Sclavoman Prince named Lechus-, 
 w. 8oj. having made irruptions, into the country of the Avares^ 
 Charlemagne fent his eldeft fon Charles againft him, 
 who defeated him in a battle, in which Lechus himfelf 
 
 Charlemagne periled, 
 
 jtvMei hit CharlentagKe was in his fixty fixth year, but of a 
 
 SZS'th' conltitution ecjual to his profpericy. Having oftentimes
 
 CHARLEMACKE. 201 
 
 that he was but a man, and might be furprized An. 803. 
 by death, he refolved to make a publick will , and 
 have it approved by his fubje&s themfelves, to prevent 
 as much as polfible all the misfortunes which his death 
 might otherwife have caufed in his family and in all 
 Europe. Upon this account he called a general diet 
 at T&iottviU*;, where he divided his Empire between 
 his three fbns, Charles, Pepin and Lewis, referring ~ * 
 neverthelefs the fovereign authority throughout the fioSTi 
 whole Empire to himfelf for his life. Franc. 
 
 All the Lords applauded his difbofal; but this cau- 
 tionary prudence proved of no ufe ; for he had the 
 misfortune to fee Charles and Pepin die before him, 
 and Lewis the youngeft was fble matter of the French 
 Empire, excepting >\vhat was given to one of Pefiin's 
 fons, which he did not keep long, as you will fee m 
 tiie hiftory of the reign of Lewis. 
 
 After this great affair was fettled , Pepin King of 
 Italy and Lewis K.\ng of Aquitain, who affifted at the 
 diet as well as Charles their eldeft brother, ask'd leave 
 of the Emperor to return to their governments where 
 there prefence was neceflary. The Saracens had made 
 a defcent upon the ifle of Cor flea, and Pepin man'd 
 put a fleet to go in chafe of them : but they did not 
 ftay for his coming, and reimbark'd before he was able 
 to reach them. 
 
 This yearalfo afforded a very happy expedition againft 
 the Sorabi, in which Prince Charles defeated them in an- 
 battle ; the King of Aqttitain alfb fignaliz'd himfelf on 
 the other fide the Pyrenees againft the Saracens, who 
 had put themfelves in arms to invade the territories of 
 France. He furprii'd them, made a great flaughter of 
 them, and finifh'd his campaign with the taking of Pam- 
 fe'una. 
 
 The Emperor according to his ufual cuftom retir- ibid. *3 
 ing to Aix-la-Chappelle for the winter-feafon, received 8 7- 
 there a new embafly from Aaron King of Perjia with 
 magnificent prefents. The only view which thefe two 
 Princes propofed in thefe mutual embaflades was to 
 carry on a friendly correfpondence between each other. 
 The Saracens were again defeated in the ifland of Sar- 
 (linia, in Corfica and in Spain. Neverthelefs Ingoherf 
 general of the King of Aquitain was obliged to ra.if* 
 $he fiege of fqrtofa whjich he had, attempted. But this
 
 The Hiftory 
 
 An. 8o3. Prince befieged it in perfon the following year, took it 
 by capitulation after an aflault of forty days, and fent 
 the keys of it to the Emperor his father then taken up 
 with a new war in the North. 
 
 Conquerors in pufhing their conquefts and fubduing 
 their enemies , always make themfelves new work. 
 Godefroy King of the Danes or Normans, whom I have 
 fpoken of before upon account of the tranfmigration 
 of the Saxons, was uneafy at feeing the French fo near 
 his kingdom. He was a very potent Prince, had a po- 
 pulous country and a vaft navy, which conftantly a- 
 larmed all the coafts of Germany, France, England 
 and Scotland. Befides he was a valiant Prince, and 
 firmly refolved not to fuffer the trench to get any 
 footing in his kingdom. And to keep them at a far- 
 ther diftance from him, he invaded the country of the 
 Abodrites, and made himfelf mafter of a great part of 
 Charlemagne's conquefts on the other fide the Elbe. 
 
 This Prince being apprehenfive of Godefroy's palling 
 that river, fent Prince Charles with an army, who reco- 
 vered almoft all the country that the Danes had feized. 
 Upon this Godefroy a&ed defenfively ; and withdrawing 
 to Jutland, he walled in the cape of the country which 
 bears this name, and fortified it with ftrong, towers. 
 Charles feeing the field clear, returned, having firft built 
 two forts upon the Elbe to prevent the inroads of the 
 Normans znAVilJi, who joined them in this war. 
 
 An. 809. The following campaign did not meet with an equal 
 fhare of fuccefs. The Saracens taking advantage of 
 the King of Italy's rupture with the Greeks, which 
 however was of no great confequence, made a defcent 
 upon the Ifland of Corfica , furprized the town of 
 Aleria upon holy Saturday, and carried off almoft all 
 the inhabitants for flaves. The French alfo having fuf- 
 fered themfelves to be furpm'd in Tortofa, the King 
 ofAquitain endeavour'd to recover it, but without fuc- 
 cefs. On the other hand Count Heribert having laid 
 (iege to Huefca, a town frequently taken and as fre- 
 quently loft by the French , was likewife forced to 
 break up. 
 
 The King of Denmark refining to make fatisfa&ion 
 
 for the hostilities of the preceding year, T'raficon Duke 
 
 of the Abodrites recovered the reft of the country, 
 
 which this Prince had taken from the trench, and 
 
 , - gain'd
 
 CHARLEMAGNE. 203 
 
 gain'd fome advantages over the Danes ; . but he was An. 809. 
 
 killed by treachery, and this haughty Prince having 
 
 made a refolution to carry the war far into Germany, 
 
 had the boldnefs to fay that they fhou'd in a fhort time 
 
 fee him at the head of his Normans defeat the famous 
 
 King of Prance in battle before Aix-la-Chappelle. 
 
 Charlemagne, who had never yet met with fo bold 
 an enemy as this, thought him formidable enough to 
 make fome extraordinary preparations againft him. He 
 got the ftart of him, and fending a numerous army un- 
 der the command of Count Egbert to the other fide 
 of the Elbe, as if he had detign'd it fhou'd invade 
 Denmark, he ordered this general to make fure of cer- 
 tain pafTes to* prevent the Danes from coming near the 
 Elbe, and to employ his foldiers during the whole cam- 
 paign in building a town upon the river Sturic in a 
 place called Effesfeh, which was in a condition to en- 
 dure a fiege by the March following. This precaution 
 made the King of the Normans lay afide all thoughts 
 of paffing the Elbe to enter Saxony, and turn his de- 
 figns another way, as I fhall quickly obfervc. 
 
 The Greeks and Saracens obliged Pepin King of - 
 
 Italy, and Louis King of Aquitain to take up arms J]J' vi a 
 
 again the following year. The affair of the Saracens dovici Pij. 
 in Spain was foon terminated by a treaty of peace, 
 which the King of Cordova made with Charlemagne. 
 The King of Aquitain employed the forces he had 
 then in pay to punifh the Gafiofts, who had revolted, 
 and raniack'd their country. But the Saracens of A~ 
 frica made a defcent upon the ifland of Sardinia ; and 
 having committed fome wafte there , marqh'd to the 
 ifland of Corfica, which they almoft intirely fubdued. 
 
 That which determined them to this expedition, was, 
 becaule Pepin King of Italy had drawn off moft of 
 the forces that guarded thefe iflands to employ them a- 
 gainft the Greeks in the country of Venice. This coun- 
 try was partly under the dominion of the Emperor of 
 the^fi?/?, and partly under that of the Emperor of the 
 Eaft, but with very little dependance efpecially upon 
 the Eaflern Empire. Till that time the inhabitants had 
 been more inclined to -the French than the Greeks ; 
 but at length the intereftof the latter prevailed. Pepin 
 attack'd tfttf^wAMav by fea and land, beat them every 
 where, and obliged their Dukes to ask quarter and fub- 
 
 mk.
 
 204 The Hiflory <?/* FRANCE. 
 
 An- 809. mit. This war alfo ended this fame year by_a treaty 
 \^sy~\J df peace concluded at Aix-la-Chappelle , whither the 
 Emperor Nicephorus had fent embafladors to Charle- 
 magne. By this treaty Venice was reftored to the Em- 
 peror of the Eafl. But Charlemagne had another ene- 
 my at the fame time, that gave him more trouble. 
 
 This was Godefroy the King of the Normans whom 
 I have already fpoken of. This Prince had taken the 
 field ; and having no hopes of being able to force the 
 pafs of the river Elbe, upon which the French had en- 
 eamped, he mann'd a large navy with a numerous ar- 
 my, muck fail for Frijla, made himfelf matter of the 
 jfles adjoining to it, and taking advantage of the con- 
 fternation with which this unexpected attack had feiz- 
 ed the people, he paffed to the continent. The French 
 and Fnfons drawing up a regiment in hafte, went to 
 meet the Normans, but were defeated, and feveral towns 
 furrendred and fubmitted to the tribute, which they 
 obliged them to pay, for the firft time. The Vilfi al- 
 ways in league with this King, made an affault on the 
 other hand upon the fort of Hobbuchi upon the Elbe, 
 thought by fbme to bzHamhourg, which was defended 
 by the Eaflern Saxons under the command of Count 
 Odon, and took it. 
 
 This bad news obliged the Emperor to haften the 
 advancing of his navy and land forces. Himfelf went 
 to a place called Lippenheim to wait the arrival of the 
 latter. As foon as they were met, he advanced to- 
 wards the enemy, and pitchM at the confluence of the 
 river Alre and the Vefer, expecting the arrival of the 
 Norman King, who had boafted that he wou'd ufe his 
 utmoft endeavour to engage Charlemagne in perfon. 
 
 But the Emperor was not a little furpriz'd to mid 
 that the enemy's army was reimbark'd, and the fleet 
 iail'd for Denmark. The caufe of this fudden retreat 
 was the aflaflination of the King of Denmark by one 
 of his guards. His Death put an end to the war : for 
 Hamming, this Prince's fon, fucceeding him, defired a- 
 hove all things to make peace with the Emperor, and 
 concluded it without pretending to. any of the new 
 conquefts his father had made. 
 
 E^.nard. ad ' The joy which this peace afforded Charlemagne, was 
 an. Sio. & followed with grief, caufed by the death of hisdaugh- 
 Rotrude^ and his fon Pepin King of Italy, who 
 
 dieci
 
 CHARLEMAGNE. 1 2O~5 
 
 died at the age of thirty three years and fome months. An. Sib. 
 The death of thefe two children afflicted him to fo V-^-v^ 
 great a degree as wou'd have abated the idea, which Charlemagne 
 the world had conceived of his great conftancy and Jjf"^ ;V _ 
 ftrength of mind, if the goodnefs of his nature and &&. 
 difpofition had not in fome meafure ferved to ex- 
 cule it. Pepin was a Prince accufed of no vice in 
 hiitory, but commended for his great re(pe& and at- 
 tachment to the Emperor his father, a Prince of much 
 courage and ability in war. He left fix children be- 
 hind him, five daughters and one fon named Bernard. 
 Charlemagne made this young Prince King of Italy. 
 The five daughters were carried into France, where he 
 had them educated with great care at his court. 
 
 The embafladors whom Charlemagne had fent to An. 811. 
 Cvnjiantinople to ratify the peace between the two Em- 
 pires, were fome time after their arrival informed of 
 the death of the Emperor Nicepbor*s, killed in the war 
 againft the Bulgarian!. Stauracias his fon was im- 
 mediately proclaimed Emperor ; but foon after depofed 
 by Michel, furnamed Rangabe, who ratified the treaty 
 of Peace made with France, and fent embafladors to 
 Charlemagne to confirm it. They arrived an. 812. Egirard. ad 
 This fame year Charlemagne loft his eldeft fon Charles, an< 8li ' 
 whom he loved no lefs than Pepin, becaufe he was 
 no ways inferior to him in all good qualities. He had 
 now none of his fons left whom he defign'd to reign, 
 but only Louis King of Aquitain , a Prince whole 
 wifdom and conduct was ftill matter of great confo- 
 lation to him, but at the fame time an equal caufe of 
 concern, as it was attended with the fear of lofinej 
 him, as he had done the reft. He fent his grandfon jj e matfs 
 Bernard to reign in Italy, and gave him Count Valon Bernard kit 
 or Vala, related to this young Prince by his mother's 
 fide, for a minifter. And this he did^ upon notice 
 that a fleet of the Saracens of Africa, join'd to thofe 
 of Spain, who by this means broke the treaty of peace 
 concluded two years before with France, was ready 
 to put to fea in order to make a defcent upon Sardi- 
 nia and the ifland of Corfica. The Saracen forces that 
 invaded Sardinia were totally defeated, which prevented 
 the defign of the others upon the ifland of Corjica, where 
 they plainly faw they were expeded, and was follow- 
 ed by a new treaty of peace with thefe Babarians. 
 
 Grimvald
 
 2o6 The Htftory 
 
 An. 8l2 Grimoald Duke of Beneventum, who alfo had re- 
 \^y\^ volted after the death of Pepin, was forced by Count 
 Vala to fue for peace, and obtain'd it, but upon con- 
 dition of paying a tribute of twenty fix thoufand fo/s 
 d'Or, which made near two hundred thoufand livres of 
 our money, at the prefent value. In fine this fame 
 year the Vilfi on the other fide the Elbe were fubdued, 
 and the two Kings of Denmark, who had fucceeded 
 their kinlrnan Humming that died after one year's 
 reign, fent alfo to demand of the Emperor the con- 
 firmation of the treaty of peace made with their pre- 
 decefTor, fo that all things were quiet in the French 
 Empire. 
 
 He afloctates In the mean time Charlemagne^ great age, and the 
 fa finLewis infirmities which daily increafed upon him, made him 
 'j r jj" " refolve to aflbciate his fon Lewis in the Empire, and 
 to add the title of Emperor to that of King, which he 
 Theganus de had long fince conferr'd upon him. He executed this 
 pr'c L 6 d ' defignwith the confentof the great Lords of his king- 
 Chronic.' dom ; and having fent for this Prince to Aix-la-Chap- 
 Moffiacenfe pellc, the ceremony of his coronation was performed 
 ad an. 813. j n September with as much magnificence as piety. 
 
 Charlemagne applied himfelt afterwards more than, 
 ever to promote religion and ecclefiaftical difcipline in 
 his kingdom, and to that end caufed fcveral councils 
 to be held in diverfe places. But the Saracens having 
 again taken arms, he was obliged to refume the care 
 of a war. Thele infidels made great havock in the 
 ifle of Corjica. Count Hormengaud governor of Lam- 
 pourdan was then at fea. But at their return he fur- 
 priz'd them, took eight of their ftu'ps, and fet five 
 hundred chriftians at liberty, whom they had taken for 
 Haves. This defeat did not put an end to their pyra- 
 Eginard. ad cies. They furpm'd Chita - face hia, and afterwards 
 an. 813. Nice, pillaged both of them, and from thence march'd 
 to Sardinia, where the inhabitants fufr'ering them to 
 make a defcent were furprized and cut in pieces. 
 
 During theie tranfa&ions Michel the Emperor of the 
 Eaft was dethroned by Leo called the Armenian, whom 
 the embafladors Charlemagne had lent to Conftavtino- 
 ple treated with, following the inilruclious they had re- 
 ceived for this court. Leo at difinifiing them, fent 
 frefli embafladors to attend them to Charlemagne. But 
 thefe embafladors at their arrival found that the Empire 
 Of the I4 7 eft had alfo changed its mafter. Char-
 
 CHARLEMAGNE.' 207 
 
 Charlemagne about the end of January an. 814. was An. 814. 
 feized with a fever as he came out of the bath, and af- V_x*V^-' 
 terwards fell ill of a pleurify which carried him off in Eg' " arc} - ad 
 eight days. His piety rekindled in this laft ficknefs, Th^tus 
 and he expired in the livelieft fentirnents of compunc- c. 7 . 
 tion, the twenty eighth of the fame month, in the fe- Ch *J le ; 
 venty firft year of his age, the forty feventh of his SV^ 
 reign, forty three years after the conqueft of Italy , and < 
 fourteen after his being crowned Emperor. 
 
 All the qualities neceflary to form a great man cen- 
 tred in this Prince. A diftinguifhing noblenefs of mind 
 and difpofition, with a graceful mien, and all other ac- 
 complifhments rcquifite to fet off the merit of Ib ex- 
 cellent and rich a treafure ; and all this exercifed by 
 a conftant application to the government of fo vaft an 
 Empire, as that which he had formed by his prodigi- 
 ous conquefts. Notwithftanding all his wars , he 
 made piety and learning to flourifh, as much as if he 
 had enjoyed the moft profound peace; defcending to 
 the management and infpe&ion of the particulars of 
 all affairs ; always upon the march and in expeditions, 
 while his age and health would permit, equally wonderful 
 at the head of an army, a council, and a focietyof the 
 learned. He had his faults as well as other men ; but 
 we may venture to fay that they were owing even to 
 his good qualities, and efpecially to the tendernefs of his 
 heart. A little too much indulgence for his children gave 
 occaiion to many fcandalous difcourfes, touching their 
 conduct, which were not wholly without foundation. 
 The incontinence, which fome modern authors have 
 reproach'd him with, is not fufficiently proved, to tar- 
 nifli the reputation of this great Prince, and we no 
 where find in hiftory that he had two wives at a time. 
 It is well known that the term concubine did not al- 
 ways ^fignify a miftrefs at that time as it does now, 
 but often a real and true wife without a portion, to 
 whom the inequality of her condition with regard to 
 her husband, ctid not according to the cuftom of thole 
 times allow the name of wife. Charlemagne had fe- 
 veral of this kind, but one after the other : At Leaft 
 we have no fufficient proof to the contrary. Upon 
 his Tomb was engraved this epitaph, as it is related by 
 Eginard. 
 
 Here
 
 20 s The H-iflory of F R A N c E. 
 
 An. 814. 
 
 VxV\^ //ere lies the body of Charles the Great, and Catholick 
 Emperor, who -with much glory extended the bounds 
 of the kingdom of France, and governed it happily 
 for forty feven years. He died at the age of fe-venty^ 
 in the year of our Lord^ 814, the feventh Indittio % 
 the twenty eighth of January. 
 
 LEWIS the G O D L Y, 
 
 Emperor and King ^FRANCE. 
 
 Wl S was in Aquitain at Charlemagne's 
 ad death. But as foon as he heard the news of 
 
 T 
 
 on. 814. .1 J it, he immediately diflblved the general meet 
 ing of the Lords of his kingdom, which he then held 
 at Doiie^ upon the confines of Anjon and Po:toa, and 
 went to Aix-la-Chappelle. There he was again ac- 
 knowledg'd unanimoufly for Emperor and King of all 
 the French nation. 
 
 This Prince, then at the age of thirty fa years, 
 had already in all his conduct given proof of feveral 
 good qualities worthy the rank to which his birth had 
 
 Theg. c. 19. railed him. Much valour, prudence, moderation, 
 goodnefs and piety; with this he had an agreeable 
 countenance and deportment, and in his ftature, how- 
 ever moderate, but well proportion'd, an extraordina- 
 ry ftrength of body, and a wonderful dexterity in 
 handling of arms. He executed the Emperor his fa- 
 ther's will in all points, liberally fupplied certain arti- 
 cles in favour of his filters, whofe portions he thought 
 too fmall. But at the fame time he gave them to un- 
 derftand, that he was refolved not to fuffer the fcan- 
 dal, which Ibme of them till that time had given, and 
 afjgned them feveral monafteries for their abode. 
 
 There were feven of them in number, and three 
 - boys befides, whom Charlemagne had by his lalt 
 
 Nithard,l.i. wives ? who had not born the title of Queen. They 
 
 ' were named Drogon, Hugues and Thierry ^ and 
 
 were as yet minors. Lewis kept them at His own 
 
 i palace
 
 LEWIS I. 
 
 palace^ educated them according to their quality, and An. 814- 
 made them eat at his table. V^^/ 
 
 Thefe domeflick regulations took up the firft days 
 of his new reign. Afterwards he gave audience to 
 the embaffadors of Leo Armenius, with whom he re- 
 newed the ancient treaties. He fent for King Bernard 
 his nephew from Italy, who did homage to him for 
 his kingdom, and took an oath of fidelity to him. 
 He confirmed the treaty made by Charlemagne with Theg.c/io? 
 the Duke of Beneventum for the homage that Duke JjJ* Lud< 
 was to render him, and the tribute he was to pay 
 him, which was reduced to 7000 fols eT or, inflead of 
 2fOOO which he pay'd before. 
 
 While thefe affairs were tranfa&ing, Heriolte, one The Emfemr 
 of the pretenders to the kingdom of Denmark, ar- I " 1 ' 1 **? 
 rived at court. The Emperor promifed him his pro- * 
 
 te&ion. It was his intereft to keep up thefe civil 
 wars of the Danes or Normans, who were already 
 become formidable by their defcents upon the coafts 
 of France. 
 
 The Emperor being juft upon his march, fent or- 
 ders to the Saxons and Abodritts to be in a readinefs 
 for this expedition upon the firft notice. To encou- 
 rage the Saxons to behave themfelves well, he granted 
 both them and the Frifons a grace which they had 
 with the utmoft earneftnefs requested of him at his 
 coming to the empire, viz. to reftore them the right V jra LoJ, 
 of fucceeding to their parents, which Charlemagne I'ii. 
 had deprived them of by way of punifhment for their 
 frequent revolts. This conceffion was approved by 
 many, and blam'd by more. The one commended 
 the Emperor's goodnefs in doing it, the others charg'd 
 him with imprudence in removing fo fure a means of 
 keeping thefe unquiet nations in their duty, and the 
 only one which Charlemagne had found erle&ual for 
 this purpofe. 
 
 Heriohe, with the Saxons and Abodrites, command- An. 8i 
 ed by Duke Baudri, advanced in May as far as the 
 frontiers of Denmark. But as the two other Norman 
 Kings could not be perfuaded to join battle, they con- 
 tented themfelves with pillaging and ravaging all this 
 frontier, and bringing away with them a great num- 
 ber of hoffages. After this campaign Henolte waited 
 upon the Emperor at Paderborn, who held a diet there, 
 
 Vo L. I. P where
 
 1 1 o The Hijtory of F R A arc*. 
 
 An. 81?. where he received the homages of the Sclav!, and the 
 V"V^ other tributary nations to France, whofe ' envoys came 
 alto to fee what they had to faar or expect from the 
 new government.' 
 
 An. 816. Pope Stephen V. made the Romans take an oath of 
 ike Romans fidelity to the Emperor, and came fome time after in- 
 an oath J Q p rance ^ to crown him and the Emprefs Hermingarde 
 with his own hand, and to treat with him concern- 
 ing the affairs of the church and the government of 
 Rome. The French empire enjoyed then a perfect tran- 
 quillity, and, excepting Ibme rifings of the Gafcons and 
 Scin onion Sorabes, who were foon fupprefs'd by the 
 punifhments inflicted on them, there was not the lealt 
 appearance ot a new war kindling, faving' in Spain. 
 But Abulas, King of the Saracens, who had commit- 
 ted fome hoftilities, fent emballadors to /iix-la-Chap- 
 pelle^ who were detain' d there a long time without 
 an y anfwer, but at laft their excufes were admitted, 
 an. 816. X ne y were difmiffed with menaces, that if they did 
 not exactly obferve the treaties, war Ihould be declar- 
 ed againft "them. 
 
 The embailadors of the Norman Kings had not 
 fuch good liiccefs in their negotiation : they cou'd 
 not perfuade the Emperor to abandon the protection 
 of Heriolfe their kinfoian and competitor; and it was 
 relblved in the Emperor's council to foment this war, 
 which weakned a dangerous enemy, and delivered 
 An. 817. the coafts of France from their outrages. 
 The Emft- In the mean time the Emperor enter'd upon an im- 
 P ortant defign which he declared in the diet of Aix- 
 la-Chappelle, an. 817. viz. to afTociate one of his fons 
 T* in the empire ; and to give each of the two others a 
 ki n gd m - ^ was Lothaire his eldeft fon, whom he 
 affociated ; Pepi*, his iecond fon, he made King of 
 AqxitaiH, and Lewis his youngeft, King of Bavaria. 
 Tnis choice was approved, and the inurument of it 
 fent to the Pope. The ceremony of the coronation of 
 the three Princes was perform'd with much folemnity, 
 and the two Kings departed immediately to go and re- 
 ceive the acknowledgment of their relpedive fubje&s. 
 The Emperor made this divilion in imitation of his 
 father Charlemagne, but at a very different juncture. 
 He was in the flower of his age, and might (till have 
 more fons, whom alfo he vvou'd be obliged to give 
 
 a Hi arc-
 
 LEWIS!. 21 1 
 
 ii (hare in his kingdoms. But befides, to do nothing An. 817. 
 unadvifedly in this affair, he ought to have been very V^OTVI 
 lure of preferving over thefe lubaltern Sovereigns, if 
 I may be allowed to ufe that term, as much authori- 
 ty as Charlemagne was able to retain over thofe he 
 made in his life-time ; and this was what he could 
 not anlwer for, and what indeed did never happen. 
 So this rafh ftep had in time ftrarige confequences. 
 
 He was very fortunate in providing a remedy for The revolt of 
 the evil it produced at firft. "Bernard, King of Italy, ?, e . rnar , d ' 
 reprefented Pepin, his father, eldeft brother to the Em- " 
 peror; and as he was matter of Italy, the natural 
 feat, if I may.fb fay, of the weftern empire, leemed 
 to have a particular right of pretenlion to the title of 
 Emperor. When he heard the news of the ailbcia- 
 tion of Lothaire, he did not diiFemble his refentment, 
 and it ferved to haften the revolt he had in his mind. 
 He depended much upon a party he had in France, 
 compofed of feveral male-contents, for the moft part 
 courtiers of the laft reign, whofe credit was very 
 much funk under the prefent government, and fome of 
 whom had been disgraced. So he took off the malque, 
 and came with an army to feize the paffes of the 
 Alp, 
 
 The Emperor had no fobner notice of this revolt 
 than he raifed an army, and march'd with all expedi- 
 tion to Chalons upon Saoae. This difpatch had its ef- 
 fecl: , and partly thro' the fear which it fpread a- 
 mong the enemies, partly by the promifes which the 
 Emperor made privately to the officers of Bernard's 
 army, they delated in fuch a manner,, that this Prince 
 in a few days found . himfelf lett almoil alone. 
 
 In the delpair this deferdon had caft him,' he 
 thought the furefl refuge was to have recourfe to the 
 goodnefs of him he had offended. He pafled the Alps, 
 attended with the heads of his army, and came toge- 
 ther with them to ask pardon of the Emperor, by 
 throwing down his arms at his feet. 
 
 The Emperor receiv'd him with a ftern air and 
 countenance; and, reproaching him for his treachery, 
 told him, that before they fpoke of pardoning a crime 
 which deferved the crueleft death, he wou'd nrit 
 know who were the accomplices ,in it. Bernard did 
 not need to be prefs'd upon this article : he named 
 P 3 theiw
 
 z 1 z The Hijlory of FRANC E. 
 
 An. 8 1 7. them all immediately, and they were for the mofi 
 o-v^x^J part feized. 
 
 viraLud- The Emperor foon after called a diet at Alx-la- 
 The Jesth cf Chappelle, before whom he tried the guilty, who were 
 Bernard, all condemned to death, but this Prince commuted 
 Kig <>f lo* 'the punifhment. Bernard, and all his lay-accomplices 
 had their eyes bored out, which was become a -com- 
 mon punifhment in France, after they began their 
 commerce with the Greeks, among whom it was ve- 
 ry much in ufe. Bernard died three days after, either 
 out of grief*, or thro' the injury he received by the 
 boring out of his eyes. As for the Bifhops concern- 
 ed in this revolt, after they had been depofed by a 
 council, according to the Canons, they were fent, 
 fome into banifhmenr, and others to monafteries to 
 do pennance there. Thus this revolt was dfffipated, 
 and by that means the kingdom of Italy was reunited 
 to the crown of France. 
 
 To prevent the like factions, the Emperor ordered 
 his three younger brothers, Dragon, Hugues and T*bi- 
 erry to be fhaved, put each of them into a monaftery, 
 and made them take orders. 
 
 The King of Italy's revolt awakened feveral of the 
 tributary people of France, the moft part of whom 
 were always ready to fhake off the yoke : but they 
 - were all fubdued, and forced to fubmit. 
 
 The Emperor went in perfon to puniih the Bretons, 
 and at his return loft the Emprefs Hermingarde at 
 Angers, who died there two days after his arrival. 
 An. 819. Thus Lewis victorious, or at leaft obeyed on all 
 fides, fpent his winter, as Charlemagne had done, in 
 holding diets for maintaining order in the empire, and 
 confirming the difciplinary regulations, which he had 
 feiit the. foregoing years to the churches and mona- 
 fteries. 
 
 vua Lud. Caving loft the Emprefs Hermtngarde, they prefTod 
 him to marry again, and the Lords, who had daughters 
 qualified for this marriage, omitted nothing that might 
 s inclinations in favour of their families. Duke 
 
 had the honour of the preference for his 
 daughter Judith. 7 A he Emperor in this marriage had 
 <i;ch in a fe- as much regard to the dignity and birth of the wife he 
 uuJnwri- made choice of, as to her beauty. She was by the 
 father's fide descended of the moft noble family of 
 
 the
 
 LEWIS!. 213 
 
 the kingdom of Bavaria, and by her mother of the An. 819. 
 moft illuftrious blood of all Saxony. But notwith- V^v>._J 
 ftanding all thefe advantages it was her fate to be af- 
 terwards either the caufe or occafion of very great 
 troubles in France. 
 
 'Till that time all the revolts which had happen- 
 ed againft Lewis, either beyond the Alps, or at the 
 Pyrenees, or on this fide the Rhine, or beyond the 
 Elbe, had ferved only to confirm his power by a 
 fpeedy defeat, and to render him more formidable.' 
 But this year there ftarted up a new rebel, worthy to 
 be look'd upon by the French as a dangerous enemy, 
 upon account of his bravery and ability in war, of his 
 cunning and intrigues. This was Lindttvit, Duke of 
 Pannonia inferior. He revolted and engaged in his 
 undertaking the Sclavi between the Save, the Dra-ve, 
 and the Carinthie. He defeated or dcftroyed fome 
 French armies that were fent againft him, being fel- 
 dom beat and never broken. But at length being 
 forced to abandon his country, rather than Furrcnder, 
 he was kill'd treacheroufly by a Dalmatian Lord, 
 with whom he had taken flicker, in hopes by that 
 means of making his peace with the Emperor. 
 
 During this war the Gafcons and Bretons, who had 
 revolted, were again fubdued, and the army penetrated 
 as far as the other fide the Segre, into the territories 
 of the Saracens, who had furprized Barcelona: but 
 this place furrendred to them. They conftantly fup- 
 ported Heriolte againft the Norman Kings, and this 
 they did fo ftrenuoully, that thofe Kings were forced 
 to come to an agreement, and yield up one part of 
 Denmark to him. 
 
 The Emperor calling a diet at Nimeguen caufed An. 821 . 
 the a6t by which he had afTociated his fon Lothaire in 
 the empire, and made a ceflion of the kingdoms of 
 AqxitatB and Bavaria to the two others, to be read 
 over, and made the Lords fubfcribe to what he had 
 done, and confirm it with an oath. There he receiv- T. a.Conc. 
 ed the emballadors of Pope Pafcal, who fncceeded G ^- 
 Stephen, and confirmed rhe grant of. the cities and 
 territories which his predeccflbrs had made to the Ro- 
 man church, adding ibme others alfo to them. 
 
 In October the Emperor held a meeting at Tkion- 
 
 ;7A*, where he married his cldeft fon Lothaire to Ir- 
 
 P 3 wtKgardei
 
 An. 82 1. mingarde daughter of Count Httgues. The Lords and 
 
 v^VN^ Biihops, who had affifted in the confpiracy of Bernard 
 
 King of Italy, came to petition the Emperor for par- 
 
 don ; and for this purpoie applied thernfelves to the 
 
 RadKertusin Abbat Adelard , who having been firft difgraced was 
 
 S 1 Adhe " afterwards recalled to court, and at that time was in 
 
 as much credit as he had been before in the reign of 
 
 This Abbat being a perfbn of great merit, of 
 the royal family, and fecond coufin to the Empe- 
 ror, not only obtain' d a revocation of their banifh- 
 ment, but alib a reftitution of all their eftates, which 
 had been confifcated. Nay the matter went farther 
 yet, and the Emperor by the perfuafion of his new 
 minifter gave an example of piety and chriftian humi- 
 lity which was of infinite benefit to the church, but 
 without doubt contrary both to policy and prudence. 
 v\n tud. This Prince, who had an extreme fenfible and ten- 
 fij. dcr confcience, fuffer'd himfelf to be perfuaded that he 
 
 had been guilty of a great fin in the punifhment of 
 Theganus. Bernard King of Italy ; fo that at the palace of At- 
 tigni upon ihc river Atfne, in the preience of a great 
 aflembly, he accufed and publickly condemned his 
 own conduct in this refpet, and made an open con- 
 feflion of it as of a crime infinitely fcandalous, and 
 that required fuch a reparation. But what was more 
 remarkable, in this publick confefllon, he mentioned 
 the faults he had committed againft the new eftablifhed 
 minifter, as well as the difgrace of the Abbat Vala. 
 This piece of pennance was greatly commended, in- 
 fomuch that they did not fcruple to compare him to 
 the Emperor Theodofias , tho' there was a great deal 
 of difference between the two cafes. In that of T'heo- 
 dofius every thing was improving, and the Prince's au- 
 thority in tne government of the kingdom was no ways 
 iinpair'd. 
 
 In the lame a/Terribly at Attigni, Le-vjh made another 
 ponfeffion, which had nothing in it but what w:is praiie- 
 worthy, viz. that contrary to the lail will of thti hue 
 Emperor his father, he had caufed his three younger bro- 
 thers to be ftiaved and confin'd to monaiteries : which 
 was an infringement upon the canons, that forbid the 
 forcing any perfon to retire to a monaltery, efpecially 
 if., he has committed no crime worthy fuch a pen- 
 
 nance.
 
 LEWIS!. 215 
 
 nance. He fent to ask their pardon, and left it to An. 8*2. 
 their free choice either to continue as they were, or to \^^VN> 
 return to court. But thefe three Princes continued in Eginard. a4 
 that date by option and virtue, which had at firft been J 1 - 
 impofed upon them by force, and preferr'd their re- vi j a 
 tirement to all the hopes the world cou'd flatter them 
 with. 
 
 In the mean time the young Emperor Lotkaire\ 
 whom his father Lewis had fent into Italy to fettle the 
 affairs of that kingdom, was crowu'd Emperor at 
 Rome by Pope Pafcal, who had affiir'd him of his 
 wiflies to have the fatisfa&ion of placing the imperial 
 crown upon his head with his own hands. 
 
 Pafcal died the year after, and was fucceeded by Eginard. ad 
 Eugexius II. who was no fooner cholen than Lothaire an. 814. 
 went to Rome, where he had a ftrenuous diicourfe 
 with the new Pope upon the irregularities that had 
 paffed towards the conclufion of the laft pontificate. 
 He caufed juftice to be performed and reftitution to be 
 made to feveral perfons, who had been deprived of 
 their polfefiions and unjuftly oppreffed, and reftored 
 the ancient cuftom which the Emperors had formerly cmuffa- 
 obferved of tending a fort of intendants to Rome to ' whom tht 
 fee that juftice was well adminiirred, to hear the GSBSj JiKJ. 
 plaints of the people, and to finilh fome important 
 fuits themfelves upon particular order from the Prince. 
 
 The Emperor was well pleafed with his foil's con- 
 duct upon this occafion, and at the fame time had far- 
 ther reafons for fatisfadion from the fucceis of the 
 BntMty expedition, whither he march'd in perfon with 
 a refolution to punifh the Bretons in a manner that 
 fhou'd take from them all thoughts of rifing for a con- 
 iiderable time. 
 
 He march'd at the head of a numerous army, and 
 pitch'd his camp under the walls of Rennes. There he 
 divided his forces into three bodies, gave one of them 
 to Pefi King of /lqnitaiH) another to Levjis King of 
 Bavaria, and commanded the third himfclf. Thus 
 they entred the country at three different places. Vio- 
 marque, who headed the rebels, durft not face fuch 
 a prodigious force ; fo they yielded every where and T,H Bretons 
 furrendred at difcretion. The country was defcrted d! f cated - 
 by the fb Idler y. The army continued ra\ r aging there 
 four days. The Emperor upon his return took ho- 
 P 4 ftages.
 
 ~i6 The Hiftvry ^/FRANCE. 
 
 An. 824. ftages, and ordered the Lords of the country to attend 
 \S^T^J him at Aix-la-Ckappelle the next year at a time appoint- 
 ed. They did not fail to obey his commands, and 
 were received more favourably than they expected ; but 
 as foon as they were got home, they made a new re- 
 volt. But the death of Viomarqae their leader, who 
 &n. 825*. was furpriz,ed by Count Lambert, reftored the peace in 
 Britany; but it lafted no longer than v/hile France was 
 in tranquillity, and able to awe the Bretons into fub- 
 miffion. 
 
 The Emperor', after his expedition into Britan'y , 
 march'd to Romn, where the Emprefs Judith, who 
 had brought a fon into the world Ibme months before, 
 waited his arrival. This fon was named Charles, and 
 is known in hiftory by the name of Charles the 
 Bald. 
 
 At fatten he found the embaffadors of Michal fur- 
 named the Stammerer, Emperor of the Eaft, fucceffor 
 to Leo the Arm: nian, and as great an Iconoclafl as him- 
 felf. The arrival of thefe emballadors, and the orders 
 they had received for the court of France, revived the 
 old difbute concerning the worfhip of images. 
 
 Having demanded a confirmation of the ancient 
 freaties made with France, they defired the Emperor 
 to ufe all his authority for the re-union of the Eaftern 
 and Weftern churches in the fame fentiment upon the 
 article concerning images, and to permit them to go 
 to ^ Rome upon this affair, and make an offering to the 
 church of S. Peter in the name of their mailer. The 
 Emperor confented to all they defired. But the pro- 
 ject of reuniting the two churches in the point in quef- 
 tion came to nothing, what attempts foever were made 
 in France to farther the fucccfs of it. In the mean 
 time a revolt, which happened foon after at the Pyre- 
 nees, gave the Emperor a great deal of difturbance. 
 
 Abderame II. reigned at Cordova, and in his time 
 the Saracens and French were fometimes at peace, fome- 
 times in war, and always jealous of each other as 
 they ufed to be. Barcelona had been lurpriz'd five or 
 fix years before ; and Count Bera, the governor, had 
 been afterwards acculed of delivering it up to the Sa- 
 r.iozns for bribery. Upon this fafpicion he was ba- 
 niflied to Rouen. This affair gave occafion to a new 
 .rupture between the Frensh and Saratens j and accord- 
 ing
 
 LEWIS!. 217 
 
 Ing to theSpantJh hiftory, Tarragona, Lerida, andTwr- An. 8if. 
 tofa, which Lewis had conquer'd in the reign of Char- 
 lemagxe, were retaken by the Saracens. Thefe lofles 
 revived Sera's fa&ion, whom the exile of this Count 
 had exafperated, but not intirely diflipated. 
 
 Aifon a Gothick Lord (that is to fay, a Catalan, becaufe 
 at that time they ftill obferved the Gothic k laws in Cata- 
 lonia) was concerned in this faction. He made his efcape 
 from Atx-la-Chappelle, where he had been detain'd ; and 
 marching with great expedition, arrived at Catalonia. 
 There he put himfelf at the head of a party, which 
 waited only his arrival to declare themlelves, feized 
 Aufona (now Vic} and Rofa, and fent to Abderame for 
 fuccour, who furnifhed him with men and money. inaf(J 
 All this happen'd about the end of an. 826. Stofc 
 
 The Emperor was at Seltz, a palace upon the Rhine^ 
 when this bad news arrived, and immediately difpatch'd 
 Heltfacar Abbat of S. Riquier, and the Counts Hilde- An. 827. 
 brand and Donat, who at their arrival found matters 
 in a very bad (late : Aifon, with the forces Abderame 
 had fent him, having diflipated all thofe of the Counts 
 of the frontier, and taken many towns. 
 
 Villemondc fon of Count Bera came to join Aifon 
 with a large company of his friends, and all fiich as 
 had been dilgufted at his father's difgrace. Afterwards 
 being feconded by the Saracens, he put all Cerdagne 
 and the adjacent country to fire and fword. However ne;nf*ceeft 
 the prefence of the Abbat Helifacar and the Counts "^ French 
 fent from court reftored their courage in fome mea- ''* pam " 
 lure, and the orders they gave put a flop to the pro- 
 grefs of the rebels. Bernard. Count of Barcelona^ 
 which had been retaken from the Saracens fome time , 
 before, kept the people of his government in their fi- 
 delity ; but Aifon forced him foon after to fliut himfelf 
 up in this town. Abumarian, one of Abder -awe's ge- 
 nerals, having fpread his army thro' the counties of 
 Barcelona and Girona, wafted all this country in fuch 
 fort, that Pepin Kir:g of Aquitain, who came with 
 great fuccours, but too little expedition, was not able 
 to fubfift his troops there, but was forced to return to 
 France without doing any thing. 
 
 The Emperor being greatly provok'd at this bad fuc- 
 cefs, order'd the commanders of the French army to An. 828. 
 be tried, who out of the little regard they had for the 
 
 King
 
 sis TheHtftory 
 
 An. 82,8. King of Aquitain had been the caufe of delaying the 
 V^^ march, and deprived them of their pods. He ierved 
 in Pan- Baudri Duke of Fr:oul in the fame manner, who had 
 l fuffer'd himfelf to be furprizedby the Bulgarian, who 
 after their vi&ory fack'd all Pannonia fuperior, and 
 drove all the French Dukes out of the country of the 
 Sclavi. 
 
 There was another piece of bad news happen'd at 
 the fame time, viz. the defeat of Heriohe, one of the 
 Kings of Denmark, whom till then the Emperor had 
 tupported againft the other Kings of this ft ate, and that 
 with fo much more warmth and inclination, becaufe 
 this Prince was become a chriftian. In the mean time 
 the other Kings fent embafladors to the Emperor to 
 excufe them ill this particular, protefting that Heriohe 
 had brqken the peace. The Emperor, who was much 
 incumbred about the affairs of Spain, admitted their 
 plea, and advifed Heriohe to repair to the county of 
 Rinfiri which he had given him mFri/ia, promiiing to 
 refettle him "in Denmark as foon as the flate of his af- 
 fairs wou'd permit. 
 
 In the mean time the young Emperor Lotbaire, and 
 his brother Pepin, were at the head of an army de- 
 fign'd for Spain. It was raifed at Lyons, where thefe 
 two Princes then were. They had orders to ftand up- 
 on the defenfive, and to protect only thofe countries 
 which were fubjet to France. The difadvantages of 
 the preceding year, and the frontiers bdng threatned on 
 ?.ll iides, made it requifite for them to obferve this 
 conduct. For this reafon Lothaire, who had the chief 
 command, wou'd not fatigue his foldiers with pafling 
 the mountains till he was fure of the enemy's deligns. 
 By the advice he received, he underilood that they 
 haulted, either for fear of the army which they knew 
 to be near them, or for fome other reafon. So the 
 whole campaign was fpent in makingprovifion againlt 
 each other, without any attempt of aclion. 
 Ti>t Saracens ^ new accident put all Italy into a conflernation. 
 r.^t them- The Saracens of Africa, by the treachery of an officer 
 if JicihT^'" ^ the E a ft ern Emperor's army, made themfelves ma- 
 fters of Sicily. As this conqueil of the Saracens was 
 little lefs dangerous in its confluences to the Weftern 
 than to the JLafitrn Empire, the Neapolitans, who had 
 no hopes of ailirtance from Gwft&zta&pk} applied to
 
 L E w i s I. 219 
 
 ts for that purpofe. At another time this Prince An. 8z&. 
 might have taken advantage of this offer to make him- ^XYN-* 
 felf mafter of the reft of Italy , and particularly of 
 Naples ; but he had then too much bufinefs upon his 
 hands. All that he was able to do, was to put a fleet 
 to fea under the command of Count Boniface gover- 
 nor of the ifle of Corfica, who having levied forces in 
 this ifle and in Tofcany, went to make a defcent upon nctUfcmt <f 
 Africa, between Utica and Carthage. There he de- J'J f ca 
 feated an army of the Saracens ; but feeing himfelf ^> />/</*" 
 unable to go one ftep into the country without meeting *&*?. 
 with frefh armies, the very defeat of which wou'd it- 
 lelf ruin him, he reimbarked. This expedition filled 
 Africa with the dread of the French army, but not foas 
 to make the Saracens abandon the attempt of Sicily. 
 
 The Emperor was forced to leave the affairs of 
 Spain in the fame ftate he found them. Aifon conti- 
 nued under the protection ofAbderame in pofleffion of 
 Aufona, Rofa, Maureza, Cardono^ Solfone, and all the 
 Other neighbouring territories of which he had made 
 himfelf mafter. Some domeftick troubles, the feeds of 
 Which had been long fown, began to break out, and 
 gave the Emperor too much embarraflment to neglect 
 the time and means of repairing thefe lofles, and pre- 
 paring a more effectual luccour for Italy. I lhall go 
 a little higher in defcribing the fource of affairs, to 
 make the conlequences of thefe fatal intrigues the bet- 
 ter comprehended, which we may look upon as the 
 firft fpring of the decay of the French Empire. 
 
 The Emprefs Judith having brought Prince Charles Tat "Birth / 
 into the w'orld an. 819. cauied thereby much joy to ^ r j s ^l 
 the Emperor, but, at the fame time, drew a great deal ^t i/ 
 of trouble upon him; for her firft care was to think of Chauvr> '* 
 the fortune and fccurity of her fon, and to make the ^f 
 Emperor fenfible of the condition to which this infant 
 and'herfelf wou'd be reduced, if he fliou'd have the 
 misfortune to die before he had made provifioii for 
 him- He then perceived how imprudently he had act- Ti>t tnnttt 
 ed in that over-forward diviliou he had 'made of {iis Jj^'i* 
 
 kingdoms. Empertr. 
 
 Lothaire was the mo ft concerned in this affair of 
 all the Emperor's fons by the firll venter. Pepin had 
 been made King of Ay nit aw, and Lewis King of Ba- 
 Thefe two incoafiderable kingdoms, in com- 
 panion
 
 220 The Htftory off RANGE. 
 
 An. SiS.parifon of the red of the French Empire, had their li- 
 
 \^C*J m i ts afilgned, and the Emperor had no thoughts of 
 taking any considerable detachment from them. Lvthaire 
 had been aflbciated in the Empire, appointed fucceflbr 
 to the reft of his fathers kingdoms, and alfo to his 
 
 Theganus fovereignty over his other brothers : and it was in his 
 
 cum. ai. divifion that Charles was to fhare. 
 
 The Emperor, loon after the birth of this young 
 Prince, had laid before his three fons the refolution he 
 had taken of giving him a part and fliare with them, 
 and found them very backward in confenting to it. 
 
 Nithayd.l.i.But at length he and the Emprefs having applied them- 
 felves to gain Lothaire, prevailed with him to agree to 
 what they defired of him. The Emprefs had the cun- 
 ning when Charles was baptized to get that Prince to 
 {land godfather. This was at that time efteemed in 
 France one of the molt facred ties to bind a Prince to 
 the prote&ion of him, whofe furety he was. It was 
 alfo thought proper to perfuade him to take upon 
 himfclf the care and tuition of him, and to promiie 
 upon oath that he wou'd defend him upon all occafi- 
 ons and againft all oppofers, and fecure him the po- 
 Ibid. fefiion of that which the Emperor was difpofed to 
 affign him for his part in the fucceffion.^ But it was 
 not long before this Prince repented of the engage- 
 ment he had made, which might be the more preju- 
 dicial to him, the more general terms it was couch'd 
 in ; for there was nothing particularly fpecified, and it 
 was in the Emperor's power to give Charles as great 
 a lhare as he thought proper. 
 
 Lotbaire however dillembled his thoughts, but Princes 
 are too nearly infpe&ed, and by too many obfervcrs, to 
 conceal their inclinations. They eafily guefs'd at his 
 fentiments by their natural conformity with his in- 
 tcrcirs, and from that time certain turbulent Ipirits con- 
 ceived great hopes of feeing a change in the govern- 
 ment. Of this number were Count Matfride, a great 
 officer, and who till then had held thefirft rank among 
 the minifters of the Emperor, and Count Hugues^ 
 whofe daughter Lothaire had married. Both of them 
 were extremely incenfed againft the Emperor, becaufc 
 they, among others, had been deprived of the military 
 command upon account of the ill fuccefs of the 
 
 vita Lud. i ate spanijh war. They omitted nothing that cou'd 
 ' J ' i contribute
 
 EWIS. 221 
 
 contribute to. poifon this Prince's mind, to perfuade An.- 828. 
 him to retract the promife he had made touching the 
 divifion, and to make this agreement void in an af- 
 fembly of the Lords of the kingdom. From that 
 time all the male-contents began to aft in concert, to 
 folicit the nobility and clergy to demand' of the Em- 
 peror a reform of the government, and to cabal on 
 all fides in favour of Lotbaire^ to maintain the divifion 
 of the Empire as it had been made and approved in the 
 afTembly of an. 817. 
 
 As the Emperor was a Prince of great piety and a ten- 
 der confcience, they preffed him with religious topicks, 
 and perfuaded him, for the difcharging his confcience, 
 to fend a fort of commifTaries to feveral parts of the 
 Empire with the character of the Prince's envoys, and 
 with orders to make frricl: inquiry into the difbrders nici 
 that then reigned in the flate. 
 
 Vala was one of thele envoys, he, who formerly 
 bore the title of Count, and had been given by Char- 
 lemagne for minitfer of ftate to his grandfon Bernard, vita Valx 
 when he made him King of Italy. Having been dif- Abb - in fx \ 
 graced after the death of Charlemagne, he turned Monk J" 1 ^ 4 * BcneJ ' 
 of Corbie, and was become Abbat of this monaftery. 
 Adelard had afterwards reftored him to the good graces 
 of the Emperor, and he was then in great efieem. He 
 was a man of an excellent and folid understanding, 
 able in the conduct of affairs, and in great reputation 
 for his virtue. 
 
 Having executed his commiffion, he gave an account 
 of it in a general aflembly of the Bifhops and Lords' 
 at Aix-la-Ckapfelle. There he very much exaggerated 
 the depravation of manners which reigned in all parts 
 of the kingdom, and addrefs'd himfelf feveral times to 
 the Emperor, telling him, that he was refponfible to 
 God for all thefe irregularities, and the moll culpable 
 of any body in this matter. 
 
 This boldnefs of a man, who had the reputation of 
 a faint, and whofe invectives upon this occafion were 
 very capable of rendring the government odious, was 
 vaftly agreeable to feveral feditious perfons of whom 
 the affeinbly was full. 
 
 The Emperor, far from appearing to take offence 
 at the Abbat Gala's liberty, commended his advice, or 
 rather his reproofs; and a&ing always by the mea- 
 
 fures
 
 An. 828* fures of piety and an ill governed humility, he volun- 
 
 VYX* tarily fubmitted his paft conduct to the judgment 
 
 of new cenfors, as if he had been refolved to ruin his 
 
 authority. He aflembled diverfe councils to examine, 
 
 hot only What was neceflary to be reformed among 
 
 the clergy and the other orders of the (late, but alfo 
 
 in his own perfon and that of the Princes his chil- 
 
 !. a.concU. dren. This is the fubftance of* the circular letter he 
 
 6aU - fent into all his provinces to notify to the whole world 
 
 his intentions in this affaif. 
 
 The councils were held according to his orders. We 
 
 have only the ads of that of Paris, and from them it 
 
 appears thatthefe councils treated the Emperor in a far 
 
 Via Lud. more decent manner than the Abbat Vala. had done. In 
 
 *') the mean rime the Emprefs made this Prince fenfible, by 
 
 the manner of their fpeaking in the aflembiy -&Aix-la- 
 
 Chaff elle i that there was lorne intrigue in hand, and 
 
 fome ill defign upon the anvil a^aiuft him. She had 
 
 been inform'd that the Counts Matfride and 
 
 tiithard.l. i. Lothaire's father-in-law, continued to make all their 
 - efforts to fet this Prince and the Emperor his father at 
 variance, that he gave ear to them, and treated in pri- 
 vate with the principal Lords to prevent the fuffcr- 
 ing a new partition to be made in favour of Prince 
 Charlei. 
 
 r,a Lud. Upon thc'fe difcoveries, the Emperor refolved firfl 
 p *i- to fend Lotbaire away, and obliged him to go for 
 
 Italy ) under pretence that his prefence was required 
 there, to defend it aguinft the attempts of the Saracens ; 
 and fecondly , beginning to miftruft the Abbat f^ala 
 and his other miuifters, he fent for Bernard Duke of 
 Langitedoc and governor at Barcelona to come to him, 
 that he might make ule of him as his advifcr and coun- 
 ftllor. He was the Abbat /^At's brother-in-law, 
 who had formerly married his lifter, before he became 
 a monk of Corbie, and befidcs he was the Emperor's 
 godlbn and relation. He was a man of refblution, a 
 good foldier , an able and good counfellor; but a 
 wicked man, if we may believe the author of the Ab- 
 
 
 in 
 
 via vat*. fc llt j^/ a s uf e ^ W h fecms very partial in the account 
 
 he gives of the court-intrigues at that time. 
 Tnt Empcrer As foon as the Count was come to the Emperor, 
 naknant* his prefence alone baffled the faction which was juft 
 ^SfS l1 P n the P oillt of breaking out; and this Prince at 
 
 hi?
 
 LEWIS!. 223 
 
 his perfuafion immediately declared the new divifion. An. 82$. 
 He publifhed an edi& at IVorme;, by which he gave \^XY*V 
 Prince Charles, firft, the country of the Alemanni,*,. Theganus 
 what lies between the Rhine, the Moein, the Necre num ' 3f 
 and the Danube: fecondly, Rhetia, now called the 
 country of the Grifins, and laftly a part of the king- 
 dom of T$urgudy, namely Burgundiafransjurana on 
 the other fide mount Jura, now the country of the 
 Switzers zndGeneva. The edit was no foonef pub- 
 liflied than they inveighed with great feverity againft the 
 new minifter. 
 
 While thefe things were tranfa6Hng, Loth air e had 
 already returned from Italy, where he made as fliort a 
 ftay as poffible, and appeared at court with his brother 
 Lewis King of "Bavaria at the time of the publication 
 of the edict. They were very much difturbed at ft, 
 and feveral Lords and Bifhops murmured openly a- 
 gainft it, for which fome of them were put out of 
 their places, and others difmifs'd the court, and the 
 partifans of the Emprefs placed in their room. 
 
 The number of the male-contents was greatly in- vita Val*: 
 creafed upon this occafion ; and they railed bitterly in 
 all places againft the new minifter : the exiles, and others 
 that had retired voluntarily to their eftates, fboke of 
 nothing but his tyranny, and violent proceedings, and 
 of the difference he had made in the royal family. 
 Nay they carried the matter farther yet, and fpread a 
 report throughout the empire, that the great correlpon- 
 dence which was feen between the Emprefs and Count 
 Bernard, had fome other principle befide their ambiti- 
 on, and they did not. fcruple to fet abroad that there . 
 was a diftionourable familiarity between them. 
 
 The male - contents look'd upon it as a principal 
 point, to gain the Abbat Vala to declare for them. 
 He refufed for fome time, but at laft confented, upon 
 their afTuring him that Count Bernard hadhimfelf con- 
 fpired againft the Emperor, and defigned to deftroy him 
 with his three tons, to place the Emprefs's fon Upon 
 the throne. 
 
 This is one of the crimes laid to Count Bernard's 
 charge by the adherents, and them alone, of the Abbat 
 Vala, and which feems to be fufficiently confuted by 
 the filence of other hiftorians, and the Emperor's future 
 conduct towards him- 
 
 The
 
 124 The Hiftory of FRANCE. 
 
 An. 82,8; The Abbat Vala then declared himfelf openly againft 
 th 6 minifter, in favour, lay they, of the Prince him- 
 felf, whofe true interefts they did themfelves the ho- 
 nour to maintain by taking up arms againft him. This 
 Is neither the firft nor the laft inftance of fuch fantafti- 
 cal zeal. 
 
 As foon as the Abbat of Corbie had declared him- 
 felf, Hildtti Abbat of S. Dennis and grand mafter of 
 the chapel royal, Bernard Bifhop of Vienne, Azobard 
 Biihop of Lyons, Jejfe Biihop of Amiens, all of them 
 perfons of great reputation for their probity, wifaom 
 and learning, embraced this intereft, and were follow- 
 ed by feveral others, whofe merit help'd very much to 
 ftrengthen the faSion. 
 
 Thefe Bifhops and Abbats met together , and pro- 
 tefted they wou'd look upon all perfons as rebels to 
 God and the church, that did not lecond them in their 
 defign of reftoring order to the ftate, procuring the ie- 
 curity of the people, and providing for that of the 
 Emperor and all the royal family. They cried up the 
 Abbat Fala's virtue every where, and he was never 
 thought a greater faint, than when he levied a rebel- 
 lious war againlt his Prince. 
 
 Tht revolt ,/ p The Emperor's three fons had not as yet appeared 
 the Emfcror'i in the conspiracy ; but when the faction was grown 
 tbrftfaK. ftrong, and the people were put in motion by the au- 
 thority of the Biihops and Abbats, the Princes were 
 acquainted that it was now time for them to make, 
 their appearance and place themfelves at the head of 
 them. A revolt of the Bretons gave them opportunity 
 to do it. 
 
 The news of this revolt coming to the Emperor's 
 ears, he drew up his army at Atx-la-Chappelle to go 
 in perfon to punifli the rebels. But one part of his 
 forces mutiny 'd, and refilled to march, excufing them- 
 felves upon the difficulty of the ways, which were as 
 Annai. Ber- yet very bad. The Emperor, who was not in a con- 
 jnjani ad, ditiou to reduce the mutineers, nor fate where he was, 
 departed with the reft of his army, though he had at 
 that time the' gout upon him, and march'd with great 
 uneafinefs bv the lea coafts , having his foil Lewis 
 King of Bavaria with him. 
 
 LotJjMre^ whom his father had fent to Italy a fecond 
 time, to remove him from the fadion at" court, re- 
 
 turn'd
 
 L E \V I S I. 225 
 
 entred France ; and Pepin, according to the order? he An. 830. 
 had received from him, came with the forces of Aaui- \S~V*^* 
 tain, not to make war mBritany, but to declare war 
 againft his father. 
 
 At the fame time the King of Bavaria, who per- 
 ceived that he was watch'd with a very itrict eye at 
 court, efcaped and went to Corby to the Abbat fata, 
 and fome Biihops of the faction who were come thi- 
 ther. 
 
 In the mean time the refraftory forces at Aix- 
 la. - Chappe lie departed under the conduft of their 
 heads, and came to Paris to join* Pepin, who 
 march'd immediately to the fea coafts to meet the 
 Emperor his father. This news being brought to the 
 Emperor, and the defection of fbme Lords who had 
 dcferted his colours, made him fenfible of his danger. 
 He confalted with the Emprtfi and Count Bernard, 
 about what method he fhou'd take in fuch a melan- 
 choly conjuncture. It was difficult for him to make 
 a choice ; but at length coniidcring that the hatred they 
 bore to the Emprefs and the Count was the principal 
 ground of the revolt, he judged that, by removing them 
 both from him, he fhou'd be able to bring tKe rebels 
 to fome temper. Count Bernard therefore fet out 
 foon after, for his government of Barcelona ; the Em- 
 prefs retired to Laon to the monastery of S.Mary, and 
 the Emperor came with his army to encamp at Com- 
 fiegnc. 
 
 Pepin advanced on that fide, and ported himfelf at v j L u d. 
 Vcrberics three leagues from Compiegne. From thence g'^ an - 
 he fent fbme detachments under the command of the 3 * 
 Counts Varin and Lambert, who went to lay fiege to 
 Laov, the gates of which being open'd to them, they 
 feized the Emprefs and carried her to Pepin's camp. 
 This Prince,, after many reproaches, gave her to un- 
 derftand, that fhe had no other way of cfcaping death, 
 than by taking upon her the vail of a Nun, and pcr- 
 fuading the Emperor to lay down his arms, receive 
 the tonfure, and retire alfo to a monaitery for the reft 
 ' of his life. He fent her to the Emp'eror's camp to make 
 him thefe propofals. She perfnaded him to confent to 
 the flrft, which concerned herfelf; to the fecond he 
 anfwered, that whatever danger he fhou'd be expos'd 
 to, by the treafon of his fubjccls, tie wou'd make no 
 V o L. L Q refo-
 
 226 The Hiftory ^FRANCE." 
 
 An. 830. refolution without the advice of the Lords and Bifhops 
 l^xW-f of both fides. The Emprefs returned to Pepi^s camp 
 The Emprtft w ith this anfwcr, who immediately fent her to Poidiers^ 
 where they vailed her in the monaftery of S. Radegonde. 
 He confented to the meeting propofed by the Empe- 
 ror, which was held in the palace of Compiegne. 
 vita Vak. The Emperor entred the hall with a (tern counte- 
 nance, and refufed to fit down upon the throne. He 
 talk'd in a manner as affedtmg as it was unworthy his 
 rank : but his difcourfe moved the affembly to fuch a 
 degree, that moft of them role up, came to him and 
 forced him to fit upon the throne they had prepared for 
 him. This was not the confequence Pepiit expected. 
 However they went no farther, and Pep'tn remain'd in 
 his camp till the arrival of Lot hair e, who came to join 
 him with other forces. Lothaire had hardly encamp 'd, 
 when almoft all the Imperial army defcrted over to the 
 The Emptnr camp of the two Princes ; fo that the Emperor feeing 
 delivered to no wav to e fcape, delivered himfelf up with his fon 
 tujfifa* Charles to the difcretion of the rebels. 
 
 Lothaire treated him with reiped, and wou'd not 
 degrade him. He contented himlelf with difcharging 
 his wrath upon fome Lords of the family of the Em- 
 prefs and Count Bernard, and in the mean time or- 
 dered every thing himfelf, leaving his father nothing 
 but the empty title of Emperor, which he wou'd not 
 take from him, tho' he wiih'd to fee him quit it. 
 Nithard.1. i. He employed fome monks, whom the Emperor 
 found ready to perfbade him to retire to a cloifter, as 
 he had formerly defigned, when he was no more than 
 King of dquitain, VfiCharlemagnc' >/ s, life time: but they 
 finding him firmly bent againir, any fuch refolution, 
 orter'a him their ferviccs ; and tho' they were no bet- 
 ter than fpies, he made them his confidents. 
 
 His main point was to let the three Princes at vari- 
 ance, and Gombaut one of thefe monks, a dexterous 
 and ambitious man, charged himfelf with the commit- 
 fion. He went in the name of the Emperor to wait 
 upon the Kings of Bavaria and dquitain, laid before 
 them the conicquenccs of the alteration that had been 
 made; that in the room of a father full of goodnefs 
 towards them, they wou'd have their cldcft brother for 
 a mailer, who wou'd foon forget how much he was 
 obliged to them for the ft.itc he was raifcd to. Laftly, 
 3 he
 
 LEWI s I. 227 
 
 fie added, that the Emperor engaged himfelf to augment An. 830. 
 their fhares, in cafe they behaved themfelves upon this v^xys-' 
 occafion as Ions ought to behave to a father who had 
 always moft tenderly loved them. 
 
 Thefe Reflexions, which the two Princes had in. all 
 likelihood already Tnade themfelves, fupported by the 
 expectations of their own particular advantage, made 
 all the impreffion upon their minds which the Empe- 
 ror could have wifh'd. They yielded to GombaK^^ *& " '** 
 remonftrances, waited upon the Emperor, and were "/%;?& 
 reconciled to him, and promiled him never to Iwerve vita Lud. 
 from their duty. *" 
 
 Their reconciliation furprifed Lothaire and the reft 
 of the faction ; but this Prince was in hopes, that in i 
 diet which they had agreed to aflemble in order to 
 put an end to the civil war, his intereft wou'd prevail. 
 But he was miftaken. For firft the Emperor procur- 
 ed the meeting to be held at Nimeguen, contrary to 
 Lotkaire's intentions, who would have had it held in 
 the country on this fide the Rhine, where the people 
 were much more in his intereft than thofe on the o- 
 ther fide. Secondly, the Emperor, affifted with his 
 two other Ions, had lufficient authority to oblige 
 Count Lambert, one of the moft factious of the 
 whole party, to return to his government, to put a 
 flop to the irruptions of the Bretons. Thirdly, he 
 ordered, under pretence of the publick tranquillicy, 
 that all thofe who came to the diet of NimegttcK^ 
 fhou'd bring no more attendance with them than were 
 neceflary for their fervice ; and he gave notice under 
 hand to the German Lords to come thither in great 
 numbers, which they did not fail to do, and came al- 
 moft all of them with a refolution to do him the beft 
 fervice they cou'd. 
 
 By this means finding himfelf pretty ftrong, he ven- 
 tured at two ftrokes of authority. The firft was to 
 make Hilduin, Abbat of St. Denys, who contrary to his 
 order had come with a large attendance and arms, depart 
 from Nimeguen, commanding him to go to Paderborn, 
 \vith none but his domefticks, there to wait his orders. 
 The fecond, was to fend the Abbat Palo, back to his 
 monaftery of Cor by, to live there for the future as a 
 monk, without meddling in the affairs of ftate. After- 
 wards he fent to defire Lothaire to come to him, 
 Q a promising
 
 228 The Hifttry <?fF RANGED 
 
 An. 830. promifing him all manner of fecurity and fatisfac- 
 
 V^-y-^ tion. 
 
 This propofal increas'd Lotkaire's fear : but feeing 
 things take a different turn from what he expe&ed, 
 he accepted it, and went to the Emperor, who re- 
 ceived him tenderly, embraced him, laid before him 
 in a very lively manner the confequences of their dif- 
 union, which wou'd not only be the ruin of the ftate, 
 
 Ht it rta- but alfo of the royal family. In ihort, he fo workM 
 
 tip* to LO- U p 0n him, that this Prince threw himfelf at his feet 
 bath'd in tears, implored his pardon, and promifed to 
 be entirely fubjed to him for the future. 
 
 The Emperor did not flop here ; for feeing him- 
 felf mailer, he ordered the chief accomplices in the 
 rebellion to be feized, and had them condemned to 
 death in the diet, as guilty of high treafon. But in 
 all likelihood, out of reganj, to the three Princes, he 
 was content to banifh moft of them into monafteries. 
 However he caufed Je/e, Bifhop of Amiens, who 
 was one of the moft culpable in this affair, to be de- 
 pofed in a council, after which peace feemed to be 
 again reftored. 
 
 After the diet of Nlrneguen the Emperor return'd 
 to Aix-la-ChappeUe, where he rctain'd his three fbns 
 with him. He prevail'd with the Pope, then Gregory 
 IV. and theBIfhops to annul the Emprefs's engagement 
 to the proMiou of a nun, as having been contracted 
 by a manifdl force, and recalled her to court. 
 
 Vita valz. She was no fooner there than her enemies were 
 made fenfible of it. The Abbat Vala was confin'd to 
 a caftle upon a ftecp rock, upon the banks of the 
 lake of Geneva. Others were banifhed. But that 
 which made the greatcft noife was that Lothaire, who 
 had for fo many years been partner in the empire, 
 was declared to have no (hare in the government ; 
 and his name was no more added to that of the Em- 
 peror's in the publick ats. Nothing was left him 
 out the title of King of Italy, and this upon conditi- 
 on that he wou'd enter upon no important tranfa&i- 
 ons without the Emperor his father's confent. As 
 for Pepin, King of Aquitam, and Lewis, King of 
 Bavaria, the Emperor performed his promife to them, 
 and augmented their kingdoms with fome towns and 
 territories, and gave both them and Latbalre leave to 
 return to their realms. After 
 
 num. 37. 
 
 Tira Lud. 
 Pii. 
 
 Nithard. 
 1 i.
 
 LEWIS I. 229 
 
 After all, it appeared that the Emperor did violence An. 830. 
 to himfelf in the feverity he ufed towards the rebels V^-'Vs-' 
 and whether it was owing to his own inclination ; to 
 mild and gentle methods, or to fomeBifhops injecting 
 new fcruples into his mind, he fomc time after grant- vita Lud. 
 ed a general amnefty and difchargc to all thofe who ad an - 
 had been confin'd in monafteries, againft the will of 3 
 the Emprefs, and reftored them their eftates. 
 
 He was not willing that Vala himfelf fhould be ex- 
 cepted out of this general pardon, and only required 
 him to acknowledge his fault before his punifhment 
 was taken off. But Vala was one of thofe ungo- v - lta vaJ*. 
 vernable fpirits and pretended faints, whofe pride and 
 conceit was too big for repentance, ready to fuffer 
 sny thing rather than confefs he had been miftaken. 
 Ton ought to know me better, laid he to the monk Paf- 
 chajius Radbert his friend, who was fent to him up- 
 on this errand, and if you knew me better you wou'd 
 give me other advice ; / have been guilty of MO crime, 
 and I can confefs none without injuring my felf. 
 
 Upon this anfwcr the Emperor "fear ing l&Lothaire 
 Ihou'd renew his correlpondence with this Abbat, whofe 
 prifon join'd to the Alps, order'd him to be tranf- 
 ported to the Abby of Nermoutier, and fome time af- 
 ter for a like reafbn, for fear Pepin, King of Aqui- 
 tain fiiou'd refcue him/ to be brought back to Corby, 
 but without allowing him the dignity of Abbat there. 
 It was thought there would be lefs occafion to be ap- 
 prehenfive of him here, becaufe he might be ealily and 
 clofely obferved. 
 
 The Emperor, who had fo much regard for his 
 enemies, did not forget his favourite Count Bernard., 
 xvhorn he had banifhed againft his will to his govern- 
 ment of Barcelona, and recalled him to court. 
 
 This return reftored the troubles there. For the monk 
 Gombaut \vasbecome veryconfidcrablc for the great fer- 
 vice he had done the Emperor, in reconciling the 
 King of Bavaria SR&Aqttitam to him. Bernard at his 
 arrival found this competitor already firmly eilablifhed, 
 and in a condition to difpute the port, which he wou'd 
 have retaken, with him. ; Befides the Kings of Bava- 
 ria and Aquitain were always averfe to Bernard \ 
 and laftly, whether the Emprefs look'd upon him as a 
 man already too much hated by the people, or was 
 Q 3 afraid
 
 The Uiftery (^ 
 
 An. 831. afraid of giving frefh ground for the ill reports which 
 V-y" > -' had done her Ib much injury throughout the empire, 
 fhe deferted him. Bernard enraged at this treatment, 
 return'd with a refolution to be revenged, and entred 
 into a private league with Pepin, King of Aquitatn, 
 who, notwithstanding his reconciliation, and the new 
 benefits the Emperor had conferred upon him, was 
 impatient, as were alfo his two other brothers, of the 
 Emprefs's refettlement in all her former power. 
 
 The Emperor foon difcovered it upon occafion of 
 a diet he aflembled at Thionville, where he concluded 
 a peace with the King of Den-mark, and the Saracens 
 of Africa. He had fent Pepia orders to appear there, 
 but he did not corne till the meeting was over. Some 
 time after he itole away privately from Aix-la-Chap- 
 fclle the night before the feaft of Innvce uts, and re- 
 turn'd tO AquitatU; 
 
 He had no great difficulty to engage Lothaire in the 
 revolt, who had warm refentments of the difhonour 
 that had been done him in depriving him of the title 
 mus o f Emperor ; and both together drew in the King of 
 ]? g er . Bavaria ; but their league remain'd a fecret for fbine 
 tirkiani ad time, The Emperor was refolved to punifh the King 
 an. 831. O f detain ; but as he was preparing in the fpring to 
 pafs Che Loire, news was brought him that all Bava- 
 The iw riA was U p j u arm s, and that Lewis, at the head of 
 *j **. an arm y^ \vhich was to be join'd by a great body of 
 Sclavouiaw, was upon the point of entring the country 
 of the Alemanni, to take it from Prince Charles ; that he 
 had moil of the old male-contents with him, and a- 
 mong others Count Matfride, who had undertaken to 
 make all Saxony and Francia Germanica revolt. 
 
 This news made him lay afide the dquitain expe- 
 dition, and he marched with great difpatch to May- 
 eace, after he had given orders to ali the Lords of 
 France, Saxow, and the reft of Germany to fend him 
 their forces. They came with luch expedition and 
 eal as gave this Prince a very fatisfa&ory profpe6h 
 -He Biffed the Rhine and the Moein, and pitch'd his 
 camp in the midtl of the country of the Almans. 
 
 The King of Bararia was then encamped 
 hardettn^ continually expecting, as they had made him 
 believe, that thb'ftofei on the other 'fide the Rhine, 
 with the Saxony v/ould iurreader to him, and defcrt 
 
 the
 
 LEWIS!. 331 
 
 the Emperor's army ; but he expc6ted them in vain. An. 832. 
 Both the one and the other continued faithful. So v^^V^-* 
 not daring to appear before the Emperor's army with 
 a force to much inferior as his was, he return'd to 
 Bavaria. 
 
 The Emperor purfued him but flowly, rather to 
 fright than engage him ; and arriving at Ausbourg, he 
 fent him orders to come before him. Lewis know- 
 ing his own impotency, and the goodiiefs of the Em- 
 peror, thought it was his beft way to obey. So he 
 came to Ausbourg, where he threw himfelf at the Em- 
 peror's feet, who pardon'd him a fecond time, and 
 permitted him to return to his kingdom. 
 
 As the Emperor return'd to Mayencc, Loth air e, 
 who had always forbore to declare himfelf openly, 
 came to meet him at Frankfort, where he ufed all his 
 endeavours to perfuade him that he had no lhare in the 
 revolt of his younger brother ; and the Emperor was 
 rather willing to believe it than reafon'd into it. 
 
 There was now none but Aquitain to fubdue. vita Lud. 
 The Emperor came to Orleans, where he held a diet on ? *<* n ' 
 the firft of September, and from thence went to Joac, J1 ' 
 a palace in theLimoufin, from whence he fent orders 
 to Pepin to come to him. Neceffity obliged him as 
 well as the reft to have recourfe to fubmiiTion. Count 
 Bernard, by whofc advice the Emperor fuppofed he 
 had a&ed, had alfo orders to appear there. Both of 
 them were tryed, and Pepin was eafily .convicted of 
 a revolt, which had been publick There was not fo 
 ftrong proof againft Bernard, but the Emperor how- 
 ever deprived him of his dignity and government. As 
 for Pepin he ftill found a refuge in the clemency of 
 a father, always ready to pardon his children. ' Only 
 he ordered him to retire to Breves, where he wou'd 
 have a town for his prifon, till fuch time as he Ihould 
 be permitted to return to his kingdom. He was car- 
 ried to 'Treves, but was refcued in the way by his own 
 people. Upon the news of his efcape, almoft all A- 
 qultain took up arms again, and the Emperor's army, 
 greatly fatigu'd and harraffed on all fides, was obliged 
 to repafs the Loire. 
 
 Scarce was he arrived aiAix-la-Chappelle, when he 
 
 receiv'd advice of a new league of his three fons 
 
 againft him. This was of more confequence than 
 
 Q 4 the
 
 232 The Hiflory <?/FRANCE. 
 
 An. 832. the former, and would perhaps have been lefs fo, if 
 V^/->w/ he had not taken a refolution to puniih Pepin's re- 
 volt feverely. 
 
 The Emprefs made ufc of the opportunity, when 
 fiie found him fo extremely exafperated agatnft Pepin, 
 and urg'd him in fuch a mauner, that he difinhcrited 
 him, and gave the kingdom of Jquitain to Prince 
 Nirhard. l. Charles then eight years of age. The principal Lords 
 I '* n 833< of the country, who had refus'd to join in the revolt, 
 took an oath of fidelity to the young Prince. Such 
 a thundering ftroke as this cou'd not fail of being ef- 
 frclual, either to render the Emperor formidable to 
 his children, or his children irreconcileable with him. 
 But peoples minds were fo difpofed at that time, that 
 this new alteration was almoft univerlally disliked. 
 Lothaire, and the King of Eavarla openly undertook 
 the defence of PcpiK, and an univerfal infurreciion 
 followed. Lotbaire was then in Italy, where he be- 
 gan with levying an army, and perfuadcd Pope Grega- 
 ry IV. to go with him into France, pretending there 
 was a necelfity for the authority of the holy Ste to in- 
 vira Lui terpofc, to reconcile the father with his children ; but 
 p "' indeed to fcreen his revolt from the odium that lay up- 
 
 on it, thinking that as he had the Pope for a fupport, 
 there would be lefs fcandal in having his father for an 
 enemy. He forced the palTes of the Alps, upon which 
 the Emperor had let a guard and continued his march 
 to the Rhine. 
 
 The Emperor on the other hand drew his army to- 
 gether at I4 r orraes^ being informed that the rendezvous 
 of the rebels would be in thofe quarters. According- 
 ly the three Princes came fome time after to encamp 
 at Rutfelt, between Baft! andC0/2#r, and the Empe- 
 ror having quitted his camp at tt r ormes, came to poft 
 himfclf between them and Strasbourg. The Abbat 
 Vita Valsc. Vala repaired by the Pope's order to the camp of thcfe 
 Princes. At length the Emperor refolved to decide 
 the aifair by a battle, and let out from his camp at the 
 head of an army with this defign. 
 
 The Princes having advice of his march, rang'd their 
 
 forces in order of battle ; but whether a iudden remoi ie 
 
 confcicrice, and the terrible thought of engaging 
 
 wirh their father fmote them to the quick at the ve/y 
 
 ^ent of execution, or rather ibmc politick views 
 
 which
 
 LEWIS!. 2 3 j 
 
 which they facceedcd in ; they conferred with the An. 833. 
 Pope, and confented that he fhould go to wait upon \^s*y~\J 
 the Emperor, and fee if there was any way of com- 
 ing to an accommodation. But during the ncgotiati-: 
 on, they took the advantage of the two camps lying 
 near each other, to bribe the Emperor's foldiers, which 
 they managed fo effectually, that the defertion was 
 more fudden and general than it had been three years 
 before at Compiegne. The night after the Pope's 
 departure, who took leave of the Emperor on St. Pe- 
 ter's day, this Prince found himfelf almoft left alone v jta Lud 
 in his camp with the Emprefs and Prince Charles : PH ad an. 
 and the lame day a great body of deferters came to 8 33- 
 furround him, threatning to feize him by force, if he m Emft. 
 rcfufed to furrender up himfelf into the hands of' the rar !i te - 
 Princes. "^ 
 
 He was under a necefllty to fubmit ; and as foon 
 as he arrived at the camp of the Princes, they carried 
 him into Lothaire's tent, but the Emprefs and Prince 
 Charles into that of the King of Bavaria, 
 
 Immediately fome of the heads of his army afTem- 
 bled together in a tumultuous manner, and call'd for 
 t'ala. And it was determined with one confent that 
 the Emperor having merited depofition for his ill go- 
 vernment, the throne was vacant, and ought forthwith 
 to be till'd. All immediately decreed the empire to 
 , Loth air e, who, after fome afTe&ed oppofition, fuffer- 
 cd himfelf to be proclaimed Emperor. Thus two im- 
 portant affairs were fmifhed in one moment of time, 
 the deposition of an Emperor, and the election of his f iret 
 fucceifor. 
 
 Lothaire was not to enjoy the fruit of his wicked- 
 nefs alone, Pepin and Lewis were to have their fhare 
 in it, and their dominions were augmented at the ex- 
 pence of Prince Charles. 
 
 After this the Pope return'd to Rome, very 
 much concern'd to have lent his name and authority, 
 contrary to his intentions, to a faclious party, which 
 carried every thing to extremity, and had falfly flat- 
 tered him with being the mediator of a peace, which 
 wou'd have been much for his honour, if he had pro- 
 cured it. The Emprefs was baniftied to Tortona in 
 fhc Milanese. Pepin returned to Ayuitain, and Lewis 
 
 to
 
 -234 
 An, 
 
 Theganus 
 num. 43. 
 
 Ada exau 
 ftorationis 
 tud. 1'ii. 
 
 He Is pMt 
 t fen.;antt 
 
 The Hiftory of FRANCE; 
 
 833. to Bavaria. Lothaire took the road forMarley, a pa- 
 Jace in Alfatia, carrying his father along with him. 
 
 From thence he went to Metz, and at length to Soif- 
 fons, where he imprifon'd him in the monaftery of St. 
 Medard, and fet a ftritt watch over him, took Prince 
 Charles from him, and fent him to the abby of Prum 
 in the Ardennes. After this he caufed his election to 
 be confirmed in the month of Oftober, in a diet which 
 he called at Compiegue, where he clearly perceived, 
 lhat tho' he had all the voices, yet he had by no means 
 all the hearts and inclinations of the aflembly. 
 
 As he was in fearch of the propereft methods to fecure 
 his ufurpation, fome Bilhops fuggefted one that was 
 very agreeable to him, viz. To caufe the Emperor to 
 be accufed,' in an aflembly of the Bifliops, Abbats and 
 Lords, of fome crimes againft the intereft of church 
 and ftate, after which they wou'd enjoin him a pub- 
 lick canonical pennance for the reft of his life. 
 According to the Canons, during the time of this 
 pennance, the penitent was not permitted to bear 
 arms, nor to concern himfelf with publick affairs. 
 And thus by making the Emperor incapable of the 
 cirential functions of the fovereignty, he wou'd be al- 
 ib rendrcd incapable of bearing the title or holding the 
 rank of a Sovereign. 
 
 This expedient was put in execution. Ebbon, Bi- 
 fhop of Rheinis, whom the Emperor had raifed to this 
 dignity from a very mean condition, was prefent in 
 the aflembly called together for this purpofe, and Lo- 
 tbairis chief inftrument in impoiing upon his father 
 all the confufion of this mortifying ceremony. He 
 drew up an indictment of feveral pretended crimes a- 
 gainft this Prince, which was read to him, and of 
 which he was obliged to own himfelf guilty. They 
 made an exhortation to him upon this fubjec"t, and the 
 obligation he was under to make reparation for the 
 icandal he had given, took away his fword and belt, 
 and having made him proftrate himfelf for fome time 
 upon a hair-cloth, they vefted htm in a piece of fack- 
 cloth, and in this equipage led him in ceremony to a lit- 
 tle cell of a monaftery, there to pafs the reft of his days 
 in pennance. The people, who were fpeclators of this 
 ftrungc cataifrophe, were moved at the fight of it, and 
 went cu: of the church in a penfive and mournful fi- 
 
 lence,
 
 L E W I S I. 235 
 
 Jence, which could not be agreeable to Lotbaire : but An. 834, 
 he gave himfelf no great trouble about it, thinking 
 himfelf fecure of the Lords and Bifhops. vi 
 
 In revolutions of this extraordinary nature the firft Pl1 * 
 fuccefs is never lafting. The impetuofity of the peo- 
 ple foon cool'd : all thoie who contribute the mod 
 to thele alterations aft upon hope and profpecl. Few 
 obtain their wifhes, becaufe too many have the fame 
 pretenfions. By this means intererts changed, and 
 from thence proceeded an indifference, and afterwards 
 an averfion for a party which had no more baits or 
 allurements, and was no longer rated but by the crimi^ 
 nal and infamous part of its character. Scarcely was 
 the news of the Emperor's treatment Ipread thro' the 
 French empire, when they perceived the forrow and 
 indignation it caufed in the minds of the people. 
 
 Lotbaire had offended his brothers by his haughty 
 behaviour: the two chief minirlers, Count Matfride 
 and Count Lambert were grown jealous of each other, 
 and had the deftru&ion of one another more at heart 
 than the advancement of their matter's affairs. The 
 King of Bavaria was again recovered to duty by Dro~ 
 gon, Bi'fhop of Metz, the Emperor's brother, and af- 
 ter Lotbaire had feveral times refufed fome Lords to 
 fee the Emperor, whom this King had lent to enquire 
 after the eftate of his health, he declared his refent- 
 ment. The Abbat Hugues perfuaded Pepin to take 
 the King of Bavaria's part. Several Lords, even of 
 thofe who had been the moft averfe to the Emperor, 
 declared in a manner openly for him, follicited the 
 towns, and cauled thofc in particular, whom they 
 knew to have the greateft fway, to take an oath to re- 
 ftorc the Emperor. In a word, the King of Bavaria Anna). Ber- 
 open'd firft, and march'd to Aix-la-Chappelle^ with a j nia '*Ua l 
 defign to furprize Lothaire there. 
 
 This Prince, having had no advice of it, went with 
 the Emperor to Comptt&tt) where he had given the ren- 
 dezvous to his army. There he underftood that almoft 
 
 to the Kingdom of Burgundy, and, to prevent their 
 following him too clofely, He left the Emperor and 
 prince Charles at the Abby St. Denys, and march'd 
 
 with
 
 The Hiflory 
 
 An. 834, wjth gteat fpced, without (topping till he was come to 
 \,^>\*S Vienve^ In thefe quarters he had a great number of 
 
 adherents, and particularly Agobard THfhop of Lyons, 
 who had till that time fcrv'd him faithfully, and be^ 
 fides he was not far from his kingdom of Italy. He 
 encamp'd under the walls of Vtenne, and refblved to 
 reft there for fome time to fee what turn affairs wou'd 
 take. 
 
 As foon as Lcthairis retreat was known, and the 
 *F>*tkt Emperor was at liberty at S. Denys, great IT" -'ides 
 tfrwi, flock'd to him, people, Lords, Bifhops, ever yon? for- j 
 ward to exprefs his joy and defire to fee him again up- 
 on the throne : but he refus'd to rcfume the crown, 
 till an aifembly of Bifhops had repealed all that had 
 been done in that of Gmnpitfftr, where he had been 
 depofcd. He received his fword and his crown from 
 the hands of thefe prelates, and feated himfelf upon 
 his throne with the acclamations of the people which 
 far exceeded all that had ever yet been heard. 
 
 The Emperor after this ceremony called a council, 
 
 in which many were of opinion that with his army, 
 
 .which encreafed daily, he fhou'd parfQGJLftbaire in his 
 
 retreat, whofe intimidated forces wou'd be eafi- 
 
 ly difperfed. But he was of another mind, and hoped 
 
 always that he wou'd return of himfelf, and that the 
 
 confufion of his affairs wou'd oblige him to fubmit 
 
 to his duty. He went to his palace of Chierfi upon 
 
 Oife, where .?*/>/, Lewis of Bavaria and the Counts, 
 
 u ho were on the other fide the NLa'me, came to join him 
 
 with their armies. After thefe rejoycings, which fo happy 
 
 a reconciliation of children with their father, and fub- 
 
 jects with their Prince merited, the Emperor fcnt PC- 
 
 fin back to his kingdom of Aquitain, which he inverted 
 
 him with anew, and the King of Bavaria followed 
 
 him to Aix-la-Chappelle, where they kept the feaft of 
 
 pi'^adan. Eafttr together, and whither the Emprefs Judith ar- 
 
 854. rived fome time after from her prifon of T'ortona. The 
 
 Emperor publilhcd a general amnelly in all the pro- 
 
 vinces, out of which he exccpted Ebbon Bilhop o* 
 
 Rbeims, who had prended in the aflembly of Com- 
 
 fiegne, and been the caufe of his confinement. He 
 
 lent alfo to perfuade Lothaire to lay down his arms' 
 
 Theganus and come to him, alfuring him of his pardon : but this 
 
 num. 48, 49. p r i ucc cither not daring to truft to his promife, or 
 
 having
 
 LEWIS I. 237 
 
 having yet hopes to recover Ms Intereft, wou'd hearken An. 8.34. 
 to no propofals. v^-V"s-' 
 
 He depended much upon the Counts Matfride and 
 Lambert, who ftill held out for him upon the marches 
 of Br-itany , of which the latter was governor. The 
 Emperor refolving to deprive him of this refuge, fent 
 Odon governor of Orleans againft them, with an army 
 able to crufh them; but he fuffer'd himfelf to be 
 furpriz'd, his army was cut in pieces, and himfelf ?' *M 
 killed. Fi -=- 
 
 This victory gave Lothaire new hopes, who took 
 the field, feized Chalons upon Saone, and afterwards 
 Autun and Or leans, from whence he march'd to Maine 
 with adefignto join the Counts Lambert and Matfride. 
 The Emperor attended with the King of Bavaria fet 
 forward with a delign to prevent this conjunction, but 
 did not arrive foon enough to execute it. 
 
 Lothaire lengthened with the forces of the two 
 Counts, came and encamped near the Emperor's ar- 
 my. Upon this many negotiations were propofed, 
 which Lothaire readily agreed to, in hopes of corrupting 
 the Imperial army, as he had done at the camp of Rot- 
 felt in Alfatia: but not fucceeding, he decamped pri- 
 vately by night, in order to pott himlclf near the 
 Loire. * 
 
 The/w/>mWarmypurfuedh;mas far as/<w; where 
 the King of Aqttitain having join'd the Emperor with aum< 
 a new armed body, Lothaire found himfelf under great 
 difficulties, being much inferior in force. 
 
 The Emperor thought this a favourable conjunftare to 
 conquer the obftinacy of his Ion. So he fent Burs.- 
 dade Bifhop of Paderhorn , Duke Gebhard and Be* 
 ranger his kiniman, a man who by his conduct had 
 merited the furname of Sage, to him. He gave them 
 orders not only to defire Lothaire to think of peace , 
 but to command him in his name to come to him, 
 and ailure him this was the kift ftep his father wou'd 
 take in his favour. 
 
 The Bifhop of Paderborn, who carried the meflage, 
 performed his commiffion perfectly well, difcourfing 
 him not only as the Emperor's embafTador, but alib as 
 a Biihop and a meffenger of heaven. He work'd up- 
 on the Prince, andafTuring him that the Emperor wou'd 
 always be mindful that he was his father, he perfuadcd 
 him to come and implore his clemency. This
 
 The Hiftory <?/* FRANCE. 
 
 An. 854. This fubmiflion was made in prefence of the whole 
 army. The Emperor received him with a grave de- 
 portment, but fuch as difcovcred lefs wrath than joy, 
 at his fon's return to his duty, after fo long a devi- 
 ation from it. I grant you your pardon, fays he to 
 him, I reftore you Italy, I permit you to go thither 
 and govern it ; but upon this condition, that if you 
 
 num. 54.1 venture to return to France without my orders, there 
 fhall be no more pardon for you. 
 
 Peace being proclaimed between the two armies, 
 Lothaire continued fome time with his father, and 
 went afterwards to Italy, the paffages of which the 
 Emperor caufed to be leized and punctually guarded, 
 with a prohibition to fuffer any perfon to pafs from 
 France, without declaring his bufmefs. Pepin returned 
 alfo to Aquitain, and Lewis to Bavaria. And thus 
 the peace was again eftablifh'd. 
 
 After the departure of the Princes , fome Bifhops 
 were brought to their trial, who had had the greateft 
 hand in depofing the Emperor at Compiegne. Ebbon, 
 Bifhop of Rbeims, who was in prifon, depofed himfelf, 
 and was fucceeded by Fonques. Agobard, Bifhop of 
 Lyons, who had made his efcape, was alfo depofed : 
 
 vita Lud. This was tranfacted at Thionville in Sexage/ima-week- 
 
 It is very furprizing that the nations at enmity with 
 France fliou'd not make a great advantage of the trou- 
 bles with which it was then harraffed ; and yet nothing 
 was attempted bv the Pyrenean Saracens, and the Greeks 
 of Italy. The Normans alone made two defcents up- 
 Annaies Ber- n Frtjia, where they committed great outrages ; but 
 this was all the confequence that attended them. 
 
 Notwithstanding the Emprefs had entirely recovered 
 her former interelt and power, fhe was not without 
 fome folicitude and concern for the future (late of 
 things. The Emperor began to decay in his health, 
 and if he flioiild dye, fhe had all the reafon in the world 
 to be apprehenfive of her own and her fon Charles's 
 iituation ,, with regard to the inclinations of the three 
 Princes, and it was abfolutelyneceflaryfor her to make" 
 a friend of one of them. 
 
 She had her eye upon Lotbaire, r.nd gave him hopes 
 of returning into France, and being again aflbciated in 
 the empire, and cf feveral other advantages ; and as 
 
 intereft
 
 LEWIS!. 
 
 iritereft is the firft principle of reconciliation at court An. 835-. 
 more than elfewhere, ftie took the Abbat Val.i into her 
 favour, who had the greateft influence upon Lothaire, 
 fent for him from the monaftery of Bobio between 
 Gennes midPlacextia, which the Prince had made him vita Lud. 
 Abbat of, received him with all poffible refpecl, and P 'J ad an - 
 promifed to forget all that was paft, provided he would 3f * 
 bind the King of Italy firmly to her interefts. He gave 
 her his word to do what fhe defir'd, and loon after the 
 Emperor lent orders to Lothaire to come to him : but 
 fome incidents, together with a long and levere illnefs, 
 detain'd this Prince in Italy. Vala dy'd alfo in this in- 
 terval at his monaitery ; which put off for a confide- 
 rable time the important treaty they had in hand. A- 
 bove a year palled without any talk of a new altera- 
 tion concerning the divifion of the fucceffion between 
 the Princes. But the Emprefs conftantly purfucd her An. 836*. 
 defign, and perfuaded the Emperor to refoive upon 
 granting Prince Charles the whole kingdom of Neu- ^ n< g-^ 
 ftria, befides the country of the Alton***!, which he 
 had already. 
 
 This difpofal could not be kept fo fecret, but that 
 the three Princes, who were concerned in it, got no- 
 tice of it : upon which they met together, to deliberate 
 upon renewing the war ; but the paffes of the Alps were 
 fo well guarded, that it was impoffible for Lothaire to 
 enter France. The ilates of Pepin and Lewis were fo 
 far dittant from each other, and their people, as well 
 as the reft of France, fo tir'd of civil wars, that they 
 did not think it poffible to engage them in a frefh dit- 
 pute. So they refolved to dinemble the matter, till 
 ibme favourable opportunity prelented, and in the mean 
 time Charles was acknowledged King of Neuftria in 
 an authentick manner, in a general diet held at Chierfi^ 
 where the Neuftrian Lords took an oath of fidelity to 
 him ; but the death of the King of dqttitain happening 
 fome months after, was a new incident that gave the 
 Emprefs room for refuming the negotiation, begun ^j^ g,^ 
 two years before, with Lothaire. 
 
 As foon as the news of Pepix's death arrived , 
 three things were deliberated on in council ; firft, whe- 
 ther Aqttitaitt fhou'd defccnd to Pefin's children, who 
 left two fons behind him, the eldelt of whom bore his 
 name, and the youngeft that of Charles. Secondly, 
 
 whe-
 
 340 The Htfttory 
 
 An. 838; whether, fuppofing the intereft of the empire required 
 V^v^-' tne exclufion of P*pi*'s fons from the fuccelTion to 
 this ftate , the Emperor fliou'd give it to one of the 
 three Princes his fons ; and thirdly, in cafe he fhou'd 
 bellow it upon one of the three, which of them he 
 fliou'd pitch upon for that purpofe. There was no great 
 difpute upon the firft article : the two orphan Princes 
 had no intereft in the council , and the Emprcfs go- 
 verned there ; and it was agreed that all thefe divilions 
 were a great inconvenience to, and weakning of the 
 French empire. The two other articles were deter- 
 mined as follow, 
 
 It was refolved that Lewis King of Bavaria having 
 his fhare on the other fide the Rhine at a great diftance 
 from Aquitain , they cou'd have no thoughts of him, 
 and that a new partition mult be made of all the reft 
 of the empire between Lothaire and Prince Charles^ 
 \vho from that time was called King of Neuftria. 
 
 This affair tended greatly to Lot hatreds advantage, 
 who by that means re-cntred Into polleflion of a great 
 part of the rights he had been deprived of for his re- 
 volts. He was to be informed that he was obliged to 
 the Emprefs for it, and by this motive he was to be 
 engag'd to fwear, that he wou'd always remain in a 
 ftricl amity with her and Prince Charles, agamft Lewis 
 King of Bavaria, who being alone wou'd find himfelf 
 too weak to difturb the peace of the Empire. 
 
 As foon as this refolution was taken, Lothaire was 
 fent for to lf r ormes: where the Emperor gave him his 
 choice, either to portion out two fhares himfelf, or 
 to choole that which he liked belt, when they were 
 affign'd by perfbns of underftanding, and fuch as were 
 Nitbardus capable of dividing them as equally as polTible : but he 
 hi. ad an. jcfircd the Emperor to vouchfafe'to take the trouble 
 of appointing the divifion himfelf, to which he con- 
 fentcd, and fix'd the Meufc for the limits of the two 
 kingdoms, a line being drawn from the head of the 
 Meufe to the Rhone through theprcfent county of Bur- 
 gundy. Ckarlefi fhare was included between the 
 Meufe, the country of the S-witzcrs, the Rhone and 
 the Ocean, befides which he had the French territories 
 on the other fide the Pyrenees. Lotlaire had all the 
 rdt except the kingdom of Baiaria. 
 
 3 ' The
 
 LEWIS I. 241 
 
 The conlufion of this treaty, which was matter of An. 838- 
 great joy to the whole court, made the King of Bavaria V^-v^-' 
 extremely uneafy, who, without any farther diffimula- * n r ol t 
 tion, took the field with a defign to make himfelf p r : e( 
 mafter of all Francia Gcrmanica : but the Emperor 
 marching his army with great difpatch to Mayence, 
 prevented the people from declaring for the King of 
 Bavaria, who was again obliged to implore his par- v )^ L "A 
 don : but always fully refolved to pay no regard to Pl ^' 
 the promifes he made of continuing in peace ^ any 
 longer than till he was in a capacity of breaking them 
 without danger. 
 
 The Emperor march'd from thence with the lame 
 expedition to AquitaiK , where there had been fome 
 rifings in favour of Pepin the late King's fon, and 
 obliged the people to iwear fidelity to Prince Charles, 
 whom he had brought thither, together with the Em- 
 prefs, and promifed the Lords to take care of the edu- 
 cation and fettlement of their deceafed King's fons ; 
 but he cou'd never perfuade them to deliver up the 
 young Pepin into his hands. 
 
 He continued to give orders for the repofc of Aqul- 
 tain, when about the feaft of the purification they 
 brought him the news that the King of Bavaria hud vita Lud. 
 made a frefh revolt , and entred the country of the Pij - 
 Allemanni : upon which he immediately fet forward, 
 leaving part of his forces with the Emprefs and AnnalesBer- 
 Prince Charles, and march'd with the reft into Ge?r-fmiani.adan. 
 many. 8 *- 
 
 At his approach Lewis retired to Bavaria, whither 
 he efcaped being purfued by the Emperor's falling ill 
 of a dangerous cold in his head and a fever, which 
 carried him off within the fpace of fix weeks. 
 
 When he faw himfelf a dying, he fet apart a crown, 
 a fword and golden fcepter adorned with precious 
 ftones for Lothaire, and order'd one of his attendants 
 to deliver them all three into the Prince's hands. To 
 fend him thcfe marks of empire was to declare him Em- 
 peror : but he order'd the ' bearer to tell him that he 
 made him this prefent upon condition that he kept his 
 word with Prince Charles and the Emprefs, and gave The Empires 
 them no trouble about that part of the fucceflion , ** * 
 which he had yielded to them with the folemnity of an ckarafier - 
 oath. 
 
 VOL. L R He
 
 Tneganus 
 anm. 10. 
 
 141 The Htflory of F R A N c E. 
 
 An. 840. He died with a lively fenfe of piety June io. an. 
 \^y^J 840. in his leventy fecond year, and the twenty fe- 
 Vita Lud. venth of his Empire, and was buried at Metz by his 
 Pir ad an. mother Q ueen Hildegarde in the church of S. Arnold. 
 
 This Prince came into the world with the beft en- 
 dowments of nature and inclination; liberal, and bene- 
 ficent ; an enemy to all kinds of violence, difpofed to 
 make his fubje&s happy, and capable of effecting it, 
 if he had been lefs forward in his wifhes towards it. 
 His eagernefs to gain their love made him too little 
 fear'd, and his too great indulgence was the occaiion of 
 an infinite number of revolts , which wafted all his 
 kingdom. By too much forgivenefs he render'd the 
 crime prefumptuous. By too much affability and de- 
 ference to the Bifhcps and Abbats, of which his court 
 was always full, he became contemptible in their eyes, 
 and found himfelf in time expofedto indignities, which 
 they forced him to bear by the advice of the faction. 
 He was reproach'd for railing feveral perfons of mean 
 birth to the prelacy, who became infolent thereby, 
 and who themfelves were revenged of him for mak- 
 ing fo bad a choice. He had a great fhare of piety , 
 but with an equal littlenefs of ipirit; fond of the 
 church devotions and reading holy books, to fuch a 
 degree as to neglect the buiinefs of (late, which he left 
 too much to his minifters and the Emprefs Judith, 
 who abfolutely governed it. Charlemagne had given 
 him a learned education : he underftood Greek, which 
 ^vas neceilary for him upon account of the frequent 
 embafles at that time from Conftantinople to the court 
 of France. He fpoke Latin as readily as his mother 
 tongue : but he look'd upon it as a point of confcicnce 
 to forget all the prophane poems he had learnt in his 
 youth, and cou'd not endure to hear any thing of that 
 nature recited before him. He took no pleafure but 
 in ftudy, and in learching out the difficulties and va- 
 rious fenfes of holy Scripture. He was chafte, fober 
 and modeft ; without pride, ferious even at the publick 
 fhews and diverfions. In a word, he was a very good 
 Prince, too good a father, a very bad politician, and a 
 very moderate Emperor. 
 
 CHARLES
 
 CHARLES the BALD, LOTHAIRE, LEWIS. 243 
 
 An. 840. 
 V>YN> 
 
 C H A R L E s the BALD. LOTHAIRE 
 Emperor. LEWIS King of Bavaria. 
 
 THE French dominions, were now almoft as 
 large as in the time of Chark-magne, except- 
 ing oil the fide of the Danube, where fome nati- 
 ons (hook off the yoke in the reign of Lewis the Dc- 
 toaaire during the diflentions of the Imperial honfe; 
 but thefe dominions, as extended as they were, Were 
 too much divided to preferve their glory entire, and to 
 maintain themfelves in that great power which rendred 
 them formidable to all the nations in Europe : and 
 France, which had for fo long time carried the war 
 as far as the Baltick fea and Pannonia, is now going 
 to be expos'd to the infults of the Northern nations, 
 and to be fack'd and pillaged by them: thefe were the 
 fatal erfe&s not only of the divifion of this great ftate 
 between fever al Princes, but yet more of the continual 
 duTentions of thefe Princes among themfelves, which 
 employed as much as they weaken'd them. 
 
 Lotbaire, whofe uneafmefs and ambition had been fo 
 long the unhappinefs of the French, no fooncr law his 
 father dead, but he form'd the defign of making him- 
 jfelf the fole monarch of the French Empire. 
 
 He began with entring upon the territories of Lewis 
 King of Bavaria : but finding him upon his guard, he 
 turn'd towards trance. King Charles was at that time 
 in Aquitain, and the people of Neuftrta being gain'd 
 partly by Lothaire's emiflaries, partly by the fear of 
 an army which threatned them with utter dcftruSion, 
 fubmitted to him. He advanced as far_as Paris. Ge- 
 rard, who was the governor of that city, declar'd for 
 him. At the fame time Ebbo the depriv'd Biihop of 
 Rheims rais'd all Compiegxe for him, and for his re- 
 ward was reilor'd to his" Bifhoprick, after having been 
 abfolv'd in a council at Ingelheim by twenty Ehliops 
 of Lothaire's faclion. 
 
 This Prince taking the advantage of his lucccfs, pafs'd Nitha 
 the Seine, and reduc'd all the country as far as the ad a 
 Loire to his obedience. Tho' Charles was (rruck with 
 confteriiation and wonder at this dreadful news, yec 
 R z he
 
 244 The Hiftory 0/ FRANCE* 
 
 An. 840. he advanc'd as far as Orleans with an army much in- 
 vXV^ ferior in number to that of his enemy : but when he was 
 there, embalfadors came to him from Lothaire, who 
 propos'dan accommodation to him. 
 
 Charles, after having well confider'd of it, thought 
 that in the confufion his affairs were in, a peace, tho' 
 never fo difadvantageous, would be preferable to a war 
 that would in all probability quite deftroy him : fo 
 that he did not reject the hard propofals of Lothaire, 
 but got the Lords in his army to agree to them. They 
 amounted to this, that Charles fliould continue in pof- 
 fefllon of Aquitain tt\&Languedoc, that Lothaire fhould 
 yield Provence to him, and that he fhould have befides 
 ten counties between the Loire and the Seine', that 
 the reft fhould be given up to Lothaire, and that in the ' 
 May following there fhould be a meeting held at At- 
 ttgn'i; at which the two Princes fliould be prefent, in 
 order to fettle every thing to the advantage of the 
 ftate, and eftablifh a lafting peace: but Lo//w><? did not 
 come thither. 
 
 The Kings of France and Bavaria, having already 
 had but too many proofs of the defign their brother 
 had form'd of depriving them both of their kingdoms, 
 united againft him ; and the King of Bavaria having 
 forc'd the pafs at the Rhine, and defeated Duke Adal- 
 bert's troops, who guarded it, march'd with his own 
 and join'd Charles's which had been rc-inforc'd with 
 fome others, which the Emprefs Judith his mother had 
 brought him from Aquitain. 
 
 Charles and the King of Bavaria having confulted 
 together upon the proper meafures they fliould take, 
 to defend themfelves againft the ambitious defigns of 
 their brother, lent a deputation to him of fome Bifhops 
 and Lords, to defire him in their name to ftand to the 
 divifion which the Emperor their father had made of 
 his dominions among them, and which he himfelf had 
 agreed to and confirm'd with many folemn oaths ; but 
 he would hearken to nothing : fo they advanc'd to- 
 wards him, and follow'd him with a defign to fight 
 him. 
 
 tjtt.'t *f The two Kings fent again fome propofals ofaccom- 
 
 i/S-TSc- nipdation. But at length it was neceflary to come to 
 
 :w, it'jf a battle, in which heaven declar'd itfelf againft the in- 
 
 juftice and unbridled ambition of Lothaire, who was 
 
 defeated
 
 CHARLES the BALD, LOTHAIRE, LEWIS. 24? 
 
 defeated at Fontenay, a town in Auxerrois^ and his An. 84 .. 
 troops flaughter'd in a miferable manner. V^V^' 
 
 This happen'd upon the twenty fifth of June in the 
 year 842. Lot hair e fled, and got to Aix-la-Chappelle 
 follow'd by very few of his people. 
 
 How great foever this vi&ory might be, the two 
 Kings made no ufe of it. For the King of Bavaria 
 return'd to his own dominions, where he always ap- 
 prehended the fecret intrigues of Lothaire, andC&ar/es's 
 army was disbanded. 
 
 On the other hand Lothaire loft no time, but found 
 means to bring a new army together again, and became 
 more formidable than ever to his conquerors. He ad- 
 vanc'd towards the Rhine in order to attack theKing 
 of Bavaria. The approach of this army oblig'd that 
 Prince to remain in his own dominions, and hindred him 
 from going to Langres, where he fhould have had an 
 interview with Charles, that they might have taken 
 proper meafures upon their common affairs. 
 
 Charles having rendezvous'd ibme troops at S.Quen- 
 tin, march'd towards Maftric, and entred upon Lo- 
 thaire's territories to make a diverfion. ' Lothaire came 
 back ; and the feafon was already too far advanc'd for 
 him to return againft the King of Bavaria : fo he went 
 to Aix-la-Chappelle. 
 
 It might well be expe&ed that the enemies of France 
 would take advantage of all thefe confuilons. 
 
 The Normans did not fail to do fo. They had al- 
 ready in the foregoing years made feveral incurfions 
 into the kingdom; but in this they began thofe hor- 
 rible ravages, with which they laid the country wafte 
 fo often afterwards. They entred the mouth of the i nva f tm p f 
 Seine \ and being carried by the tide, they had the bold- the Nonran- 
 nefs to come up as far as lo Rouen, furpriz'd that city, AnnaLBcm- 
 and pilhg'd it, as well as all the monaftcries and the n ' a 
 country in the neighbourhood ; and after having load- 
 ed their fleet with a prodigious booty, they return'd 
 without being either attack'd or puriued. 
 
 In the mean while the two Kings repair'd to Stras- 
 bourg on the fourteenth of February in the year 843. An. 843. 
 and there they renew'd their alliance before the two 
 armies in fo folemn a manner, that they fatisfied all \ 
 the people of France of the fjncerity with which they 
 were refolv'd to continue perfectly united againft their 
 common enemy. R 3 They
 
 246 The Hiflory of F R A N G-E. 
 
 An. 843. They fent again to propofe an accommodation to 
 \^*y~\s Lothaire, who refus'd it. The news of which being 
 brought to the two Kings and publifh'd in the army, 
 caus'd an univerfal indignation ; and the foldiers defir'd 
 with eagernefs that they might march againft this ob- 
 itinate Prince, who was the caufe of all the misfor- 
 tunes of France. 
 
 The Princes were not willing to let the heat of the 
 foldiers cool, but refolv'd to go immediately and at- 
 tack Luthaire, who was at Sinfik upon the Rhine be- 
 twixt Bonne and Andernach. He durft not wait their 
 coming thither, but retreated to Aix-la-Chappelle : and 
 not thinking himfelf fafe there, he took away from 
 thence all the treaiures and even every thing of value 
 Annal. Ber- tnat was j n $ t> jy[ ar j s church. Finding himfelf ftilt 
 follow'd, he fled as far as Lyons, that in cafe of ne- 
 ceffity he might have a fecure retreat into his kingdom 
 of Italy. 
 
 Tiie two Kings meeting no refiftance any where, 
 refolv'd to pufh Lothaire to the utmoft, and make him 
 declare, in an authentick manner, that he was entirely 
 diverted of all the rights which he might have, or might 
 pretend to have, over any part of the country on this 
 iide of the Alps and on the other fide of the 'Rhine. 
 
 The authority of the Bifliops was never greater in 
 France than during the civil wars which had divid- 
 ed the family of Lewis the Debonnaire , both in 
 that Emperor's life-time and after his death. The 
 Princes willingly gratified the ambition of thofe pre- 
 lates , if it fcrv'd to fatisfy their own , and without 
 any difficulty they allow'd them to be difpofers of 
 crowns, provided they did but place them upon their own 
 heads. 
 
 . Thev call'd together therefore feveral Bifhops at 
 -Aix-la-Chappelle, and defir'd them to decide the matter, 
 and declare to the people, as from God, that the con- 
 duct of Lothaire, both with regard to his brothers, 
 and with regard to fo many provinces of France which 
 he hadranfd by the war, deferv'd it at their hands, and 
 oblig'd them to deprive him of his part in that king- 
 dom, which the Emperor his father had given him by 
 will. They did fo; and after having doclar'd that La- 
 tkftire had no more right over any part of France, the 
 prelident of the aflembly addrefs'd himfelf to the two 
 
 Kings
 
 CHARLES *&? BALD, LOTHAIRE, LEWIS. 247 
 
 Kings in thefe terms : Receive the kingdom by the au- An. 843. 
 thority of God, and govern it according to His divine \*S*f^J 
 will; we advife you, we exhort you, we command y OH 
 to do fo, 
 
 After thefe authoritative words, at the pronouncing 
 of which all the people fhew'd figns of approbation 
 and rejoicing, the two Kings chofe each of them 
 twelve perfons to mark the divifion of the whole do- 
 minions ; and Nithard the hiftorian fays that himfelf 
 was one of thofe whom Charles chofe. 
 
 The divilion was made very peaceably,thoie who made 
 it having a regard to what might be moft agreeable 
 and convenient for both the Kings. Lewis had a}rea~ 
 dy Bavaria by the old divifion, and part of the reft of 
 Germany. Fnjia was now added to it, which befides 
 the country which bears that name, comprehended at 
 that time Holland and Zealand. He had all Germany ', 
 and all that lies between the Meufe and the Rhine. 
 Charles had all the reft as ,/ar as the Alps and the 
 Ocean, befides Aquitain and all that belonged to the 
 Empire on both (ides the Pyrenoan mountains, of which 
 he had already taken poffcflion. 
 
 Lotkairewzs (track with this news, and much more 
 fb when he knew that all the Lords of Neuftria, a- 
 mong whom he had had a great number of partisans, 
 were under perfect obedience to Charles. He fent em- 
 baiTadors to the two Kings, who took care not to 
 fpeak as from him in that haughty tone which was 
 ufualwith him formerly upon the like occafions. They 
 reprefented, that their mafter having nothing but Ita- 
 ly, he cbuld not maintain the title of Emperor with 
 dignity, and that the Greeks would difpute it hereaf- 
 ter with the houfe of France. They defir'd the two 
 Princes to confider a little upon this realbn, which 
 ought to be the common concern of all the royal 
 family. 
 
 The two Kings very earneftly defired peace. Lc- Nithard. 1.4. 
 thaire was ftill mafter of the country lying upon the ad ** 8 *3- 
 Rhine. A great part of the Saxons had declared for 
 him, and the King of Bavaria was afraid left the Scla- 
 vonians, who were always drfpos'd for a revolt, and 
 the Nor mam fhould join them. Aquitain was not yet 
 fettled, and young Pepin in alliance with Lothxirc had 
 9 party there continually. Count Lambert, whom 
 
 Charles
 
 248 The Hiftory of F R A N c E^ 
 
 An. 843- Charles had difpoffefs'd of his government of the 
 Vx - Y r " s - / frontiers of Britanny, folicited Duke Notnenoy to lay 
 hold of the occafion of the troubles in France to 
 lhake off the yoke. All thefe reafons obliged the two 
 Kings not to reject an accommodation with Lothaire. 
 They anfwered the embafladors, that for the fake of peace 
 they would confent to yield Lothaire fome part of the 
 kingdom of France, provided they had aflurances of 
 his iincerity and refolution to reftore tranquillity to the 
 flate. And thus they began again to enter upon a treaty. 
 The negotiations lafted a long while; and as feve- 
 ral difficulties came upon the board, they refolved to 
 prolong the truce to the feftival of St. John in the fol- 
 lowing year, which was the term fix'd upon, within 
 which to finifh this important bufinefs. It was at 
 peace it length concluded within that time at Verdun. The 
 made, and a two ]{j n g s f or fh e f a ^ e o f p ea ce yielded a great deal, 
 *fthe tin 3 n d the new divifion was made after the following 
 A. manner. 
 
 ATI. 844. Lewis, King of Bavaria, had all the country be- 
 longing to the French empire beyond the Rhine, and 
 over and above the cities and territories of Spiers, 
 Wormes, and Mentz, and for this reafon we fhall 
 not call him for the future King of Bavaria, but with 
 the ancient authors. King of Germany. Lothaire, be- 
 fides Italy and his title of Emperor, had all the coun- 
 try between the Rhine and the Schelde, Haynault and 
 Cambrejls, and fome other counties on this fide the 
 Meufe, and from the head of that river to the conflux 
 of the Saone and the Rhone, and from that conflux all 
 the Rhone, as far as the fea, with the counties on both 
 fides. Charles had all the reft of France, and bore 
 the name of King of France. The Princes parted ve- 
 ry well fatisfied, and reciprocally fvvore moft folemn- 
 ly to contribute all that lay in their power to preferve 
 a good peace. 
 
 8S$ T he E m P ref ? 3 u<Ktb had not the fttisfeaion of feeing 
 ditb. this reconciliation ; fhe died at fours fome time before. 
 
 She was a Princefs of a great genius, and dextrous in 
 her management. The authority which fhe exercis'd 
 in the government, drew upon her, during the life of 
 the Emperor, her husband, many enemies and great 
 troubles, which fhe always conquered. The envious 
 ch#rg'd her with a great many crimes, The Emperor 
 
 Lewis
 
 CHARLES f& BALD, LOTHAIRE, LEWIS. 249 
 
 Lewis the Debonnaire believ'd, or always feem'd to be- An. 844. 
 lieve her very innocent. The court is a place where Lx^N^ 
 calumny dares to do every thing, and where policy 
 difiembles every thing; and this is the reafon that fo 
 many of its myfteries are impenetrable. 
 
 Count Bernard, whofe favour and familiarity did 
 the greateli injury to the reputation of that Princefs, 
 did not furvive her long. His ambiguous condud all 
 along made him be fufpecUd of having a deiign to 
 raife his governments into a fovereignty, and fet up 
 for himfelf. The King had him feiz'd, and by the 
 judgment of an afTembly of French Lords he was be- 
 headed. 
 
 While the peace was negotiating between the three 
 Princes, Count Lambert, formerly governor of the 
 frontiers of Britanny, who had been a long time 
 in Lothatre's intereft, and whom ^Charles had dif- 
 poflefs'd of his government, compafs'd his end in en- 
 gaging Nomenoy, Duke of Britanny, to revolt againft Regifto-iwa 
 that Prince. Duke Renald, a native of dcfuitain, was f Q ^ A s \ 
 fent from that fide with troops, and Nomenoy be- && 
 ing fallen lick, put his fon Henfpe'e at the head of an. 
 army, which he fent to ravage the territory of Rennes. 
 Duke Renald march'd thither in hafte, and met the 
 Bretons at Meffac near the river Villaine. He attack- The FrencK 
 ed them and defeated them. Lambert with fome other *^ r ^Jv e 
 troops followed clofe after the Duke of Britanny' s fbn, afterwanu. 
 and came up juft as he was routed. He found the *" h 
 French in diforder, and difperfed after the enemy, whom '**** 
 they purfued ; and he charg'd them with (b much vi- 
 gour, and at fo proper a feafon, that as much con- 
 querors as they were, they were forced to run for it. 
 A great many ftay'd upon the field, and among others 
 Duke Renald. The confequence of this vi&ory was 
 the taking of Nantes, of which place Lambert was 
 made governor by the Duke of Britanny. 
 
 He was fcarcely got into pofleiTion of this govern- 
 ment before he fell out with the Duke, who took it 
 from him, but he was not long without revenging 
 himfelf. He knew that a large Norman fleet was up- 
 on the coaft of Aquitain ; he went and joined them, 
 and propos'd to them the furpriziag and pillaging of 
 Nantes. They followed him, and a Weft wind riling, 
 which was very fair for failing up the Z^/rr, they ?- 
 z riv'd
 
 The Hiflory of FRANCE.' 
 
 An. 844. riv'd unexpectedly at Nantes, which they took by fca- 
 lado, and put all in the place to fire and fword. 
 They lent out detachments, which ravaged Anjott and 
 "Touraine. From thence they made a defcent upon 
 Guyenne, where they committed the like diforders ; 
 troa and, having ma4e themfelves mailers of an ifland 
 which is not named in hiftory, they did what they ne- 
 ver yet had dar'd to do upon the coafts of France ; 
 they ftay'd there and built barracks in which to pals 
 the winter. 
 
 The peace which was concluded between the three 
 brothers, gave thofe Princes more time to apply them- 
 felves to the fettling and defending their dominions a- 
 gainft their enemies. The King of Germany, partly 
 by force, and partly by management, reduced moft of 
 thofe German nations which had (hook off the yoke, 
 and fubjecled them again to the French empire. 
 
 The Emperor Lot hair e fent his fon Lewis to the 
 other fide of the Alps, and that Prince was crown'd 
 King of Lombardy by Pope Sergius II. who had fuc- 
 ceeded Gregory IV. But he could not prevail to have 
 bl>o, formerly Bifhop of Rbeims, reftored ; and that 
 Pope had no regard to what had been done at the 
 Cone ili abulum of Ingelbeim, where the Bifhops, who 
 were Lotbaire's partifans, had put him in pofleffion of 
 his bifhoprick again. 
 
 Lewis reftored tranquillity to the duchy of Bette- 
 
 vent, and promifed it to Siconulpbus, upon condition 
 
 of a tribute of an hundred thoufand crowns of 
 
 gold, Adalgifius, who claimed againft Siconulphus, 
 
 T%t Saracens was excluded. But the Saracens, whom thefe two 
 
 "/ competitors had called in to their affiftance, continued 
 
 Italy. matters of Barri, a confiderable city upon the gulph 
 
 of Venice, and of fome other places, from whence 
 
 they often difturbed Italy afterwards with their incurfi- 
 
 ons and ravages. 
 
 The King of France did not fucceed Ib well in 
 reltoring peace in Atjuitain, as the King of Germany 
 and the Emperor Lotbaire had done in their domini- 
 ons. Young Pepin made himfelf matter of Touloufe r 
 and got all the countries bordering upon the Pyrenean 
 mountains to revolt. 
 
 The King marched and laid fiege to 'Touloufe, but 
 was forc'd cp raife it, and part of his troops were 
 defeated. lu
 
 CHARLES the BALD, LOTHAIRE, LEWIS. 25 \ 
 
 In the mean while the three brothers being recover- An. 844. 
 ed from thofe animofities, which made them entirely **^v*>J 
 disregard all the disorders and confufions of the em- 
 pire, came to a refohuion in eameft to fettle it in con- 
 cert with one another ; and having had an interview 
 at Juds near Tkionville, they fent orders to Peptn, judidum 
 the Duke of Britanxy, and Count Lambert to return g^ laCar < 
 to their duty, and acknowledge Charles as King of 
 France and their Sovereign. They threatned them 
 that if they did not do it immediately, they would all 
 three join their armies, and come and punifti them for 
 all that was paft. What followed ftiew'd that thefe 
 menaces did not much fright them ; and the repeated 
 defcents which the Normans made upor* feveral parts 
 of the French empire, hindred the three Princes from 
 putting their threats in execution. 
 
 Never had that nation appear'd fb formidable as it 
 did this year. For, without mentioning England and 
 Spain, whither they carried their arms, the French em- 
 pire felt their fury in feveral places. 
 
 Heric, their King, attack'd the King of Bava- Anna! Bee- 
 ria in perfon, and having return'd up the Elbe with g"'^ 11 ** 
 fix hundred fail, he took Hamburgh by ftorm and pilr JJ, r jrf 
 jaged it. He was not repuls'd till after he had done //& / 
 a great deal of mifchtef. They entred Frifia, where JMJ ^ 
 (hey were beaten at firft ; but they had their revenge, AnnaL Me- 
 and gained two victories over the German troops, tenfes. 
 great numbers of which were flain. Afterwards 
 they made feveral attempts upon the coaft of Flan- 
 ders and in Aquitain ; but the mod confiderable expe- 
 dition was that of one, of their generals called Regnier, 
 who entred the Seine with fix hundred fail of ihips, 
 and went up as far as Rouen, the inhabitants of which 
 place for want of courage or forces open'd their gates 
 to them. He pufh'd on to Paris, which he found a- 
 bandon'd. He entred that city upon Eafter day, and A r - 
 pillaged it wkh all the country about it. 
 
 The King with fome troops being intrench'd at St. 
 Denys, and not judging it prudent to venture a battle, 
 engaged him with a large lum of money not to pro- 
 ceed any farther, but return into his own country. 
 He thought likewife it would be beft to make an ac- 
 commodation vfithPepia, who was continually mak- 
 ?ng troublefom divernons. He yielded /Iquitain to
 
 The Hiftory 
 
 An. 845-. him , referving the cities and territories of Poitiers, 
 Xaintes, and /ingouleme, and requiring homage for the 
 reft : and having rende^vous'd his troops, he march'd 
 againft Nemenoy, Duke of Britanny, who had a little 
 while before made fome incurfions as far as into 
 Maine. The expedition was not attended with fuc- 
 - cefs. He was furpriz'd by the Duke in a difadvan- 
 te* by the tageous place. He had like to have been kill'd, and 
 Bretons. fhe re p Ort was f pre ad over France , that he was flain 
 as well as routed. 
 
 The "Emperor fucceeded better in Provence, which 
 had revolted from him ; he fubdued the rebels : and 
 the people of Bohemia embracing at the fame time Chri- 
 ftianity of their own accord, gave the King of Germany 
 the greateft fecurity of their fidelity that he could wifh 
 for. Thefe were the principal things that hapned in 
 the year 845*. 
 
 An. 846. Next year Charles entred Britanny with a nume- 
 rous army, upon which the Duke fued for peace and 
 fubmitted. The Normans committed ftill more ra- 
 vages towards Bourdeaux and Xaintes, and in Frijia. 
 Their defcents were fo unexpected, their incurfions 
 Ib fudden, and their victories fo quickly obtain'd, that 
 they were almoft to be feen at the fame time in dif- 
 ferent places, and were feared every where, even where 
 they were not to be feen. 
 
 The Saracen Princes, after the example of the Nor- 
 
 mans, continually harrailed the French empire. They 
 
 entreci the Tyber, came up and pillaged St. Peter's 
 
 church at the gates of Rome. They beat Ibme of the 
 
 rt* French Emperor's troops. The young King of Lomhardy 
 
 ife'sancus. march'd againft them, and attack'd them, but was eri- 
 
 ' tirely defeated, and with a great deal of difficulty got 
 
 to Rome, whither he fled, and fav'd himfelf. 
 
 The union of the three Princes, between whom 
 there feem'd to be a better underftanding than ever,, 
 and the defcents of the Normans upon Britanny, where 
 they beat the Bretons three times this year, obliged 
 Ar.Ml.Ber- Puke Nomenoy to live peaceably with the King of 
 tiniani ad France ; but thefe fame Normans committed their 
 n< N- ufual ravages upon the French empire. They invaded 
 ans ^d Aquitain, made miferable havock upon all the coaft, 
 Saracens in and befieged Bourdeaux ; while fome others of the 
 ' ' fame nalion fel1 u P on the Emperor's territories on 
 
 f ;r,. te
 
 CHARLES ffo BALD, LOTHAIRE, LEWIS. 255 
 
 the fide of the Rhine, and made themfelves ma- An. 847. 
 fters of the ifland of Betau. About the fame time V^-v"^ 
 the Saracens in Italy made fome inroads as far as the 
 gates of Rome ; fo that both the extremities of the 
 Emperor's dominions were in continual alarms : but 
 the Saracens in Spain having had a confiderable battle 
 with Ramire, King of Leon, and loft it, fued to the 
 King of France for peace, who willingly granted their 
 requeft. 
 
 This peace facilitated Charles's expedition into Aqui- 
 tain, where the Normans continued the fiege of Bour- 
 deaux with vigour and obftinacy. He furprifed nine chr. Font, 
 of their fhips in Dordogne, put all that were in them 
 to the fword, and oblig'd the others to raife the fiege. 
 But fcarce was he got out of Aquitain before they at- Bourdeaux 
 tack'd that place again, took it by the treachery of the *"' b tht 
 Jews, pillag'd and burnt it. 
 
 Bourdeaux did not belong at that time to the 
 King , but to 'Pepin , to aflift whom this Prince 
 had march'd into Aquitain. The Lords of the coun- 
 try attributed this lofs to want of application or 
 want of courage in Pepin ; and, according to their 
 ufual inconftancy, they refolved by almolt general 
 confent to put themfelves under the King of France. 
 That Prince accepted the offer ; and Pepin was o- Annai. Ber- 
 blis'd to wander about incognito, as he had done for fmiani ad 
 many years. an - 8 ^ 1 
 
 During the war in Aquitain, Nomenoy, Duke of 
 Britanny, renew'd the war with France, and gain'd 
 greater advantages than he had ever done. He made 
 himfelf mafter of Nantes and Rennes , and feiz'd 
 Anjou and Maine as far as the river Mayenne. This 
 fuccefs encouraged him to that degree that he entirely 
 ihook off the yoke of France, and refolved in good 
 earneft to execute the deiign he had long before Nomenoy, 
 form'd of taking the title of King, and accordingly Dttte ^ B , ri " 
 had himfelf crown'd by the intruding Bifhops of Bri- S^tf 
 tanny, whom he had placed in their Sees, after hav- Kig- 
 ing depriv'd the lawful paftors. 
 
 In the mean time a new fleet arriv'd from the North 
 upon the coaft of Aquitain ; and the Norman pyrates 
 meeting with nothing to oppofe their landing, not 
 only ravaged the coaft, but had likewife the confidence 
 to go up the country as far as to Perigueux, which 
 they pillaged, and return'd to their fhips loaded with 
 
 booty,
 
 254 
 
 An. 
 
 TheHiftoty 
 
 booty, without any one's daring to flop them in fo 
 long a journey. About the fame time the King of 
 German^s army was cut in pieces by the Sclavonians ; 
 and Rome was upon the point of being ftorm'd by the 
 Saracen*, and had infallibly been taken if the cities of 
 Anaftafius. Naples, Amalphi and Gaietta, had not fent and fuc- 
 coured it with their fhips, which defeated the Sara- 
 
 Annal. Ber 
 tiniani'ad 
 an 8/0. 
 
 Chr. Font. 
 
 f tht 
 ^>/ Br i- 
 
 id. 7 ad an. 
 8/1. ' 
 
 The French 
 
 The title of 
 Kizitai- 
 lowid him. 
 
 The year after this overthrow, the Saracens reveng- 
 ed themfelves upon Provence, where they put all to 
 fij^ an j f w ord, and pillaged the city of Aries. The 
 Emperor was likewife obliged to leave the ifland of 
 Betau. to the Normans, not being able to diflodge 
 them. 
 
 The Duke of Britanny, who in winter had made 
 peace or a truce with France^ and had reftored Nantes 
 and Rennes, renew'd the war in the fpring, and retook 
 thofe two places. But at length the death of this 
 Duke delivered trance from one of the mofl dange- 
 rous ^ obftinate enemies fne had ever had to 
 that time. He left the principality of Britanny, 
 together with the cities of Rennes and Nantes, to his 
 fon HerifpSe, who had no lefs courage and ambition 
 than himielf. 
 
 The Duke of Britanny\ death made the King hope 
 that he ftiould find it more eafy for the future to fub- 
 due that people, and keep them to their duty. Where- 
 fore, after having renew'd the Treaty of alliance with 
 the Emperor and the King of Germany at Merfen, he 
 march'd an army into Bntanny againll Herifpce. 
 
 That Duke rcceiv'd the French with fuch refoluti- 
 on as was not expected. They join'd battle, which 
 was a very bloody one. The French were routed with 
 a great {laughter, and the King being obliged to fly, re- 
 treated into Anjoti. Then peace was mention'd ; and 
 the Duke came to the King at Angers, where it was 
 concluded upon very advantageous and honourable 
 terms for the Duke. The cities of Rennes, Nantes and 
 Retz were yielded to him, of which he was already ill 
 poffeffion. The King confented that he ihould wear 
 the diadem and other marks of the royal dignity, up- 
 on condition however that he fhould pay homage to 
 France as his predecellbrs had always done. This 
 Prince and his fucceilbr were the only two that 
 Fr**<e acknowledged for Kings in an authentick man- 
 
 ner j
 
 CHARLES the BALD, LOTHAIRE, LEWIS.' 25$ 
 
 ner ; and after thefe two Princes we never meet in An. Syr. 
 hiitory with more than Counts or Dukes of Bri- S^v>-^ 
 tanny. 
 
 Herifpee was indebted for Ib advantageous a treaty 
 not only to his valour, but alfo to the ufual diverfi- 
 ons which the Normans made in the kingdom. They 
 cntred the Seine, came up to Rouen, and fack'd it 
 again ; from whence they had the confidence to go 
 by land as far as Beau-vats: but in their return they 
 were furpriied by the French and intirely defeated. 
 Thofe who efcaped got to their fhips again, and re- 
 turn'd to their own country. 
 
 The following years were equally fatal to the An. 85-2* 
 French empire by the defcents and repeated pillages of 
 thefe pyrates, both on the fide of the Rhine and on 
 that of the Schelde. 
 
 Nantes, Touraine,Angers,Rhis, all thole fine coun- Ibid, ad an. 
 tries lying upon the river 0/>*, were Jikewife rava^'d- 8 '3' 8 *+- 
 and the Sovereigns of the French empire, inftead of 
 executing fo many treaties made between them, to 
 luccour each other, fell out again. The male-con- 
 tents in Aquitain, which party had not been as yet 
 entirely crufh'd, took advantage of the King's di- 
 ftance, who was bufied in Neuftria in appeafing the 
 diflentions between the Bifhops, and in holding of 
 councils. And this party prevail'd fo far as to occa- 
 fion an almoft general revolt. 
 
 They proceeded even to depofe Charles, and put in 
 his place Lewis, fon of the King of Germany who 
 being fallen out at that time with Charles for fome 
 breaches of ancient treaties, willingly laid hold of this 
 occafion to be reveng'd on him. Lewis was crown'd 
 King of Attain-, foon after which Charles parted 
 U&Lotre. and put great part of the country to fire 
 andfword. A new accident augmented the trouble* 
 Of that kingdom. Pepin, who Had fallen fome time 
 before into Charles's hands, and whom that Prince 
 /^/T d ? be im P rifon ' d fo ^e monaftery of St 
 MeJard. , made his eicape, and appear'd all of a fud- 
 
 dfans quitain * where he rais ' d ^n "is old par- 
 
 K ***** and ;f^^ tho> Aortal ene- 
 however to ad in concert to dethrone 
 the ne w King who was oblig'd to quit the country 
 and return to Germany. His father was not in a con- 
 * ditioii,
 
 15<S The Hiftory of FRANCE. 
 
 An. 85*4. dition to fupport him, as well bccaule of his diftance 
 
 W^ from him, as becaufe he was employ'd with the na- 
 
 tions beyond the Elbe, and about the Danube and the 
 
 SW, where he was fometimes victorious, and fomef- 
 
 times the contrary. 
 
 The Emperor, fblicited by both his brothers, who 
 were each defirous of getting him over to their party, 
 held them in uncertainty, iometimes Iteming to In- 
 cline to one fide, and fometimes to the other. He 
 was himfelf in a good deal of perplexity. The railing 
 the fiege ofBarri in Italy, which his fon Lewis, whom 
 he had lately made a partner with him in the '.vv.Ve, 
 was oblig'd to abandon. The continual inroads of 
 the Saracens made the Romans murmur openly guHut 
 the government. Michael, the third t>f that name, 
 Emperor of the Eaft, was in a great rage at the breach 
 of the treaty of marriage with his daughter, who was 
 contracted to the young Emperor, which made L,J- 
 tbaire apprehenfive he would declare war a-v nift 
 him. This Prince however managed fo as to latisfy 
 the Romans, and brought his affairs into fuch a con- 
 dition as to fear nothing from the Emperor Michael. 
 He left Italy, and took a journey into his dominions 
 on this fide of the Alps. 
 
 This was the lad of his life. He was ftruck with 
 a mortal difterrper; and during his (icknefs the re-^ 
 membrance of fo many misfortunes as he had 
 brought upon the French empire, and of which he 
 had been the firrt and principal author, ftruck him 
 with remorfe, and the terror of God's juftice feiz'd 
 upon him. He ordered himfelf to be carried to the 
 nbby of Prum in the Ardennes ; there he renounc'd 
 the empire and his dominions, had his head fhav'd, 
 and took the monkifli habit upon him, rather proba- 
 bly to die in that ftate, than to pafs his life in peni- 
 Deathoftht tence ; for his difeafc was incurable. He died fix 
 d avs a f rer on t h e twenty ninth of September, in the 
 V ear Sff* tne fifteenth of his reign, and the fixticth of 
 his age: A Prince ambitious, uneafy, fhuffling, crafty, 
 deceitful, always ready to break his promifes, and vi- 
 olate hl ' s mo ^ il emn oaths i a perfecutor of his own 
 father ; for a long time a declared, and afterwards always 
 a fecret enemy to his bothers ; always bufy in railing 
 troubles in their dominions, without being able to 
 keep his own in order and peace. He began to give 
 
 a fhock 
 
 AnnaLBer 
 tiniani'ad 
 an. 8j $-.
 
 LEWIS II. Emperor, CHARLES the BALD. 257 
 
 a Ihock to the French empire by his revolts during An. 85*4- 
 his father's life-time. He law, and contributed very 
 much to its decay after he was placed upon the im- 
 perial throne. He wanted neither courage nor firmnefs 
 nor constancy' in his enterprifes, but they were alrr.of t 
 always fatal to his country, and were certainly theoc- 
 cafion of all the misfortunes which befel it afterwards, 
 and of all the troubles with which it continued to 
 be difturbed till the extinction of Cker.lemagnt's 
 race. 
 
 LEWIS II. Emperor. CHARLES 
 
 King of France. LEWIS, King of Ger- 
 many. CHARLES, King of Provence, 
 LOTHAIRE, King of Lorain. 
 
 THE French empire was already very much 
 weakened bythedivifion which had been made 
 of it among the three fons of Lewis the De- 
 bonnaire. But it was yet more fo by the new divifion 
 of that part, which Lothaire the Emperor polfefs'd, be- 
 tween his children. For he left likewife behind him 
 three legitimate fons, Lewis, Lothaire and Charles. 
 Lewis King of Italy and Emperor had his part already. 
 Lothaire had for his fhare the kingdom of Auftrafia, 
 that is, the country lying between the Rhine and the 
 Mettfe; except Mentz, Spiers, Wormes, and fome other 
 cities yielded before to the King of Germany. He had 
 bcfides all that his father pofleis'd between the Meufe 
 and the Schelde, the counties lying upon the Meufe; 
 Haynault, Cambrefis, and all the countrey going down 
 to Burgundy along the Meufe, as far as the conflux 
 of the Rhone and Saone, and the mountains which fe- 
 parate Switzerland from what is call'd auprefer.t 
 Fr an che-C orate'. This extent of ground was called Or - in D f t 
 the kingdom of Lothaire, in Latin Lttharingia, and name LO- 
 afterwards in French Lorain. So that this name, . 
 which is given now to a dominion of lefs extent, 
 takes its original from the name of this Prince. 
 VOL. I. S Charles
 
 258 The Htftory of FRANCE. 
 
 An. 85-4. Charles the youngcft of all had Lyons, Provence^ 
 ^~~v~^' what is call'd Dauphiny, and Transjuran Burgundy , 
 T. 2. v.if- that is, what belong'd to the ancient kingdom of Bur- 
 Baiur e p? m g u *dy beyond mount Jura, and which is at prefent 
 149. the country about Geneva and Switzerland. Our old 
 
 Annal. Ber- hiftorians give this divifion the narne of Provence, or the 
 tmiam. kingdom of Provence, bccaufe the country which bears 
 that name is one of the mod conllderable parts of it. 
 
 The Kings of France and Germany, uncles to thcfe 
 Princes, did not oppofe this diyifion. They let their 
 nephews take peaceable pofTefiion of their parts, and 
 in this they faithfully obferv'd the ninth article of a 
 treaty concluded at Merfen upon the Meufe, by which 
 ft was agreed that the uncles fhould not moleft their 
 nephews in fucceeding to their father's dominions. 
 An. %SS> The King of France, having recover'd the peo- 
 ple of Aquitain , had his fon Charles crown'd King 
 of Aquitain at Limoges. The joy of this coronation 
 was difturb'd by a frefh invafion of the Normans, who, 
 after having pillag'd Bourdeaux again this year, entred 
 the Loire, and made a defccnt on the fide of Poitou. 
 The Aquitalns under the command of their new King 
 march'd and met them on the road to Poittiers, and 
 charg'd them with fo much vigour, that they entirely 
 defeated them ; fcarcc did an hundred of them efcape, 
 and they had a great deal of difficulty to get to their 
 fhips again. 
 
 The railing of young Charles to the throne made a 
 fixth King in the French Empire. This great number 
 of fovcrdgns, three of whom had the name of Charles, 
 and two that of Lews, may make as much confufion 
 in hiftory, at it occafion'd at that time disturbances iii 
 the (late; and therefore in order to avoid it, lamoblig'd 
 to diftinguifh them as much as poffible. For which 
 rcafon I ftiall for the future czMCharles King of France,. 
 who rcign'd in Neujtria and at Parts, I fhall call him,, 
 
 When I name Charles King of Aquitain and Charles 
 King of Provence, I fhall add the name of their king- 
 dom. And I ihall call Lothaire King ofLorahi. As 
 for the two L*wis\ the King of Italy will be luflici- 
 ently diftinguilh'd from the King of Germany by hi& 
 tirle of Emperor. The
 
 LEWIS II. Emperor, CHARLS the BALD. 259 
 
 The eight following years prefent us with nothing An. 85-5-. 
 but ravages of the Frexcb empire by the pirates, and \^sy~\J 
 particularly the dcfolation of France by the Normans, 
 who during all that time entred fometimes by the Seine, 
 fometimes by the Sommc , fometimes by the Loire, 
 fometimes they fpread themfelves over Aquitain and 
 the other provinces beyond the Loire, were feldom 
 beaten, and almoft always committed the fame dilbr- 
 ders Without oppofition as they had hitherto done. 
 
 Robert lurrianfd the Strong, grandfather to Hugh 
 Capel, was look'd upon for fome time as the tutelar 
 Angel of France againft thefe terrible enemies. He de- 
 feated them in feveral actions, but fell himfelf in one 
 of his own victories ; and his death freed them from a 
 bridle which had us'd to curb their. 
 
 The royal authority was trampled under foot. The 
 people of Aquitain dethron'd their King Charles, and 
 put Pepin again in his place. Then they were tir'd, 
 and call'd Charles back again ; and all thefe' changes 
 happened in one and the fame year. 
 
 Pepin, being difpofTcfs'd, put himfelf at the head of 
 the Normans, went along with them pillaging leveral 
 provinces, and feconded them in the defign they from 
 that time form'd of fettling themfelves in France. 
 
 The French Princes, inftead of uniting to fupprefs 
 thefe diforders, as they had fo often pfopos'd, aug- 
 mented them by their diffentions. The Emperor Lewis 
 quarrel'd with his brothers upon the account of the 
 death of Charles King of Provence, of whofe domi- 
 nions he expected a lhare with them. The King of 
 Germany invaded and took by force great part of Charles 
 the Bald's dominions , and was driven out of them 
 again a Ihort time after. 
 
 Thefe two Princes had no more rcafon to be fatfg- 
 fied with their own children than with their fubjects. 
 Carkman, the King of Germany's fon, revolted againft 
 his father. Lewis, Charles the Bald's eldeft fon, did 
 the lame, and, notwithstanding his father's expreis pro- 
 . hibition, married the daughter of a Count of Britanny 
 call'd Hardofiin. Charles King of Aquitain gave him 
 the like vexation by marrying likewife againft his will 
 the widow of Count Lamtcrt, one of thofe whofe 
 revolt and fecrct practices had given him the greateft 
 diiiurbance of any thing, and done the moft mifchief 
 S z to
 
 260 The Hiflory <?/FRANCE. 
 
 An. 85-5-. ^.France. And laftly, his daughter Judith, widow of 
 Eidulph King oftteWcft-SajfOKs \\\ England, being re- 
 turn'd into France, went away with Baldwin Earl of 
 Flanders ; and having married him, retir'd with her hus- 
 band into the kingdom ofLorain. Never did Prince reign 
 with more vexation both from his fubjeSs and his own 
 family. 
 
 Amidil all thefe affii&ing circurr, fiances, he had the 
 pleafure of hearing the news of Peptn's being taken, 
 .upOn which he had him clofely confin'd in the caftle 
 of Sen/is: but about the fame time a frefh occafion 
 of fortow prefented itfelf , which was that his fon 
 Charles King of Aauitain was dangeroufly wounded 
 as he was taking fome diverfion near the foreft of 
 'Coriipiegne. This Prince was never cur'd of that wound, 
 but died two years after. 
 
 During all thefe troubles and terrible diforders with 
 which France was afflicted, an affair came upon the board 
 which made a great deal of noife in the world, and 
 therefore deferves a particular account to be given of it. 
 
 It was the divorce of Lutbaire King of Lorain from 
 Queen Theutberga, which for feveral years made a 
 great deal of work at Rome and in France. I fhall 
 relume the (lory from the beginning, and entry it on 
 to the end without interruption. 
 
 Lotbaire fell paffionately in love with a mirtrefs 
 fcSrf cairdr*W/W, upon which he took fuch an averfion 
 to his Queen Theutberga, that he refolv'd to be di- 
 yorc'd from her, that he might marry Valdrada, and raife 
 her to the throne. In order to compafs his ends he had 
 recourfe to the moll unworthy artifices. He had the 
 ani & Q ueeQ accus'd of the moft infamous crimes , and 
 cberg*. - ( j rcw j n f omQ Bifhops to affift him in gratifying his 
 pailion. This Princefs was given to undcrftand, that 
 her life was in danger, if (he did not herfelf lend an 
 helpmg fiand to the divorce by confefling herfelf guilty 
 Anmi.B- of 'the crimes laid to her charge. She did fo; but foon 
 tiBuni. - a f ter (^ e ma( j e h er efcape from court, and fled into 
 the kingdom of Charles the Bald, from whence fhe 
 wrote to Pope Nicholas I. who was refolv'd to exa- 
 mine into this affair himfelf. 
 
 Lotkaire on his fide fent Gontberius Archbifhop of 
 
 CoI : Jg, Theutgaldus Archbifhop of Treves, and dtto 
 
 ;,op of Verdun to Rome, to inform the Pope of 
 
 what
 
 LEWIS II. Emperor, CHARLES the BALD.' 
 
 what had pafs'd, and to give evidence of the confcf- An. 
 lion which fbetitberga had herfelf made of her crimes, 
 and of the fentence which fl-veral Btfhops afTembled at 
 Aix-la-Chapfelle had pafs'd againft her upon that con- 
 feffion. 
 
 The two Archbifhops and the Biihop of Verdun rc- 
 turn'd from Rome without any other anfwer, than that 
 the affair in hand was of fb great importance as to de- 
 ferve to be examin'd with all poflible care and atten- 
 tion. 
 
 Lot hair e thought he fhould iatisfy the Pope by af- 
 fembling the Bifhops again at Aix-la-Cbappelle, where 
 they not only declar'd , as they had already done 7 
 that for the future the King could not in conference 
 look upon Theutherga as his wife, but likewile that 
 he might marry another. Upon which this Prince fent Epifl. *8. 
 two Counts to Rome, to prefent the Pope with this Nicolai pap. 
 declaration, and to defire him to confirm it, promifing 
 to be determin'd by his judgment. 
 
 The Pope anfwer'd, that he would fend fbme pre- 
 lates into France upon this bufinefs, and defir'd the 
 King would not precipitate matters. But this Prince, 
 who had no good opinion of all thefe delays , pro-* 
 ceeded of himfelf, married Valdrada publickly , and 
 made her take the title of Queen. 
 
 This fcandalous marriage was blam'd and detefted Epift. **. 
 throughout the \vho\eFrecb Empire ; and the Pope, upon Nic lai Fa P- 
 whom this affair was devolv'd by Lotkaire's confent, QJJ. 
 order'd a council to be held at Metz, whither he fent 
 his legates; but thefe very legates fufFer'd themfelves. 
 to be corrupted, and confirm'd what had been done at 
 dix-la-Cbafpclle. 
 
 The Pope being inform'd of all this by Charles the 
 "Bald, and the Bifhops of that Prince's kingdom, call'd 
 a council together, null'd the acts of that of Metz^ 
 depos'd the Archbifhops of Cologn and Tfnies , who 
 were come again to Rome to deceive him, and threat - 
 ned the other Bifhops, who were concern'd in that 
 unjuft fentence, to depofe them alfo, if they did not 
 make fatisfa&ion to the church for the fcandal they had 
 given. 
 
 Thefe prelates, frighted at deprivation, wrote to the 
 
 Pope, and condemn'd or excus'd their behaviour. The 
 
 Pope eafily accepted of their excufe, provided they re- 
 
 S 3 nounc'd
 
 262 The Hiflory 0/1 RANGE. 
 
 An. 8^. nounc'd the Archbifhop of Cologn's communion, and 
 indalg'd Lotbaire no more in his wickednefs. This 
 Prince wrote himfelf to the Pope, complaining of the 
 rigor with which he was us'd, and that too much regard 
 was paid to the teftimony of his enemies. In his letter he 
 blam'd fome heats which the Archbiihop ofCologa had 
 ihewnat/<L<Mf ? protefted that for his part he was always 
 willing tofubmitto the judgment of the holy See, when 
 it fhould be better inform'd, and that he was refolvM to 
 Annai. Ber- come to Rome himfelf, as foonas the affairs of his king- 
 tiniani. <jom. yf OU \^ permit him to be abfent. Rotnldtts Biihop 
 
 of Strasbourg was the perfon who carried this letter. 
 
 Epift. iz. Viildrada. acted very near the fame part, and wirh as 
 
 NicoJai. little fincerity as Lrthaire. She pretended the fame 
 
 fubmjffioa to the Pope's judgment, and the fame de- 
 
 . . fire to go to Rome to inform him herfelf of the truth 
 
 c the fa&s which were difpatcd. She remov'd from 
 
 the court of Lorain ; but this removal did not hinder 
 
 Ibme meetings, which Lothaire and fhe manag'd pri- 
 
 vately, but which they could not hide from the people 
 
 about the court ; fo that, as fecret as they were, the 
 
 Pope was informed of them. 
 
 This determin'd him to fend A/finius Biihop of Ort# 
 lAtQ France with the character cf kgate, and with 
 ablolute power to a& in his name in this affair. The 
 legate declar'd to Lrtbaire in the prcfonce of a great 
 many Bifhcps and Lords, that he muft before every 
 thing elfe remove Valdrada. from him, and take the 
 Queen again, and that if he did not do fo, he had or- 
 ders to excommunicate him. That after he had by thele 
 fteps brought things to the fame condition they were 
 in before the procefs began, the cauie inould be exa- 
 miu'd with all the leifuxe and exactnefs that an affair 
 of this confequence deferv'd. 
 
 Lotkaire^ who knew that Charles the B.ild and the 
 King of Germany waited only for his being excom- 
 municated to invade his dominions, fubmkted to every 
 thing. He had Tfkeutberg/n brought to him, and both 
 He and Ihe, cloath'd in their royal habics with their 
 crowns on their heads, aflifted at mats which the le- 
 gate celebrated pontifically at Contrc-ville^ a royal pa- 
 lace of that Prince's upon the J\Iofiik_ a league below 
 'foul. But the legate did not flop here ; he requir'd 
 that Valdradz fliould go to fame to delire the Pope's 
 
 abfolution,
 
 LEWIS II. Emperor, CHARLES the BALD. 263 
 
 abfolution, for the fcandal fhe had given to all Prance ; An. 85-5-. 
 and Lothaire had the mortification of feeing Valdrada S^v""-^ 
 come to Contreville, as the legate had appointed her, 
 and fet out with him on her journey to Italy. She Ep . lie & 
 palled, the Alps with him; but as fhe was upon the f)-.Nic'.Pap. 
 road to Pavia, fhe receiv'd a private order from Lo- 
 thaire to go no further. She obey'd with a great deal 
 of joy, and returned into the kingdom of Lorain, but 
 did not appear at court. The King only went to fee 
 her fometimes incognito. 
 
 Upon the Pope's receiving advice of Valdradas re- 
 turning into Lorain, he excommunicated her, and 
 gave notice of it to the Bifhops of the whole French 
 Empire. He threatned Lothaire himfelf with excom- 
 munication. He wrote to Charles the Bald and the 
 King of Germany ) to get them to do all that was in 
 their power to make Lothaire recollect himfelf; but 
 they could prevail nothing. 
 
 During thefe negotiations Pope Nicholas died. Adrian 
 II. fucceeded him, who immediately examin'd into this 
 grand affair. This change gave Lothaire fome hopes of 
 good fortune in a bufinefs, the fuccefs of which had 
 appear'd defperate hitherto, and which nothing but his 
 pafTion could hinder him from looking upon as irri- 
 poffible. 
 
 He wrote a very hand fome letter to the Pope, and Regmo ad 
 defir'd he would approve of his coming to Rome him- an ' 868 
 felf, that he might fruftrate the deligns of his enemies, 
 and dilprove the falfe informations which had been 
 fent into that country againft him. The Pope anfwer'd 
 him in a very civil manner, contented to his journey 
 to Rome^ andpromifed him all the juftice and even all . 
 
 the favour which the law of God would permit. 
 
 Lothaire appear'd latisfied with the anl'wer, tho* he 
 knew this journey muft throw him into great perplexi- 
 ty, if his caufe was tried at Rome according to the 
 forms ; but he depended very much upon the Pope's 
 goodwill and affection for the Emperor Lewis , who 
 favour'd him. 
 
 He refolv'd therefore to go to Rome ; and ns he was 
 certain that Theutberga fincerely delir'd to retire from 
 the world, and that far from hurting him fhe would 
 alfift in obtaining the divorce from the Pope, he cn- 
 gag'd her to go thither too, and order'd her to go be- 
 4 $4 fore
 
 264 The Hiftory of F R A N c E. 
 
 An. 86S. fere him; but when the Pope heard of it, he fent her 
 \*s^f^j back into frame. And as he forefaw this would irri- 
 tate Lotbaire, he made it the lefs difagreeable by tak- 
 ing off the excommunication, under which his prede- 
 Ep'.ft. 7. cellbr had put Valdrada ; tho' this was done upon af- 
 Adriaci. furajices that Lothatre had forj a long time had no 
 
 converfition with her. 
 
 An 869. ^' s P rocee ding f the Pope's increas'd Lothairis 
 hopes, and he let out fome time after for Rome, and 
 came to Ravenna in June. His defign was to have 
 a conference with the Emperor before he faw the 
 Pope: but this Prince was engag'd at the liege of 
 Barri, where his prefence was requir'd, and therefore 
 he fent the Emprefs Ingelberga to him, with whom 
 Lot k air e confulted about the buimefs he had to ma- 
 nage with the Pope. 
 
 This Pontif at that Emperor's defire receiv'd Lc- 
 tbaire very civilly at mount CaJJin. The Emprefs 
 prevail'd with him, that to prevent this Prince's being 
 look'd upon as an excommunicate, he would celebrate 
 mafs pontifically in his prefence, and give the com- 
 munion to him and all his retinue. 
 
 It was with great difficulty that the Pope agreed to 
 this laft article, and at length he confented to it only up- 
 on condition that Lotbaire fliould proteft publickly, 
 that ever lince Valdrada had been excommunicated by 
 his predecefibr, he had had no evil communication with 
 her. Upon which Lotkaire faid he was ready to fwear 
 he had had none from that time. Upon this aflurance the 
 Pope promised to do what the Emprefs defir'd of him, 
 and every one prepar'd himfelf for approaching the 
 holy myiteries. 
 
 The next day the Pope faid mafs publickly and 
 pontifically in the church of mount CaJJin : ( others 
 lay it was at Rome.} At the end of the mafs, he in- 
 vited the Prince to approach the holy table ; and then 
 taking the holy Sacrament into his hand, he addrcls'd 
 him in thefe words : 
 
 Loth. Reg. " Sir, if your Majcfty knows yourfelf not to be 
 
 f efh Rom. " guilty of the adultery which my predeceflbr forbad 
 
 Ga" I>C nC '" y u to commit, and if you are firmly refolv'd 
 
 " never to fall into that crime for the future, draw 
 
 " near with confidence to this Sacrament of eternal 
 
 Ci life, and receive it for the remiflion of your fins. 
 
 z " But
 
 LEWIS II. Emperor, CHARLES the BALD.^ 265 
 
 " But if your confcience reproaches you with having An. 869. 
 " committed this fin fince the time I have mention'd 
 to you, or if you are not refblv'd to forfake it en- 
 tirely and for ever, I adjure you not to touch 
 the body of your Saviour, and receive that to your 
 condemnation, which his divine providence has in- 
 ftituted as a remedy for the fins of men. 
 Lothaire was too far advanc'd to draw back; and 
 therefore notwithftanding the flings of his confcience 
 which accus'd him of the crime his mouth had de- 
 ny'd, and notwithstanding the paflion he felt in his 
 heart for Valdradn, he receiv'd the communion from 
 the Pope's hand. When he was retir'd from the holy 
 table, the people who accompany'd him approach'd it 
 to communicate ; and when the Pope deliver'd the hoft 
 to each of them, hefpoke thefe words : " If you have 
 " neither contributed nor contented to the fin of Kin? 
 " Lothaire your matter and that of Valdrada , and 
 " have not join'd in communion with thofe who 
 " were excommunicated by the holy apoftolick fee, may 
 44 the body and blood of our Lord Jefus Chrifl pre- 
 " ferve you to everlafting life." There were fbme, 
 tho' but a few , who were frightned at thefe words, 
 and withdrew from the communion table. 
 
 The day after this ceremony, the circumftances of 
 which we fee were very particular, theEmprefs returnM 
 to the Emperor at the fiege of Barri, and the Pope to 
 Rome, whither Lothaire follow'd him. This Prince 
 was but indifferently receiv'd by the Romans, who in- 
 flead of coming out to meet him feem'd to look upon, 
 him as an excommunicate ; but the Pope fhew'd him 
 a great many marks of friendfhip, and made him pre- 
 fents. He fent two Bifhops into France to examine 
 again in a council upon the fpot the bufinefs of the 
 divorce, with orders to decide nothing till they had 
 given him an exa6l account of their proceedings : but 
 God himfelf put an end to this affair in. a way that 
 the Pope and the King of Lorain had not forefeen- 
 
 There have not been many fins more vifibly punifh'd 
 by God, than the facrilege committed by Lothaire and 
 his courtiers, when they receiv'd the communion from 
 the Pope. When this Prince and his retinue arriv'd 
 at Lucca in their return to France, they were f. tYd with 
 a malignant fever which carried off all thofe, who had 
 
 com-
 
 266 The Hiftory ^FRANCE.' 
 
 An, 869. committed the facrilege, and of which the Prince him- 
 \^^C^ felf died on the fixth of Auguft at Placentia, whither 
 
 he had order'd himfelf to be carried. 
 
 Fatal death Such was the end of this Prince, who did not want 
 thai? 5 L " S ooc * qualities , but who by delivering himfelf up 
 to an unhappy paffion, the impulfes of which he fol- 
 low'd too much, had a reign full of fcandalous wick- 
 ednefs, and at the fame time difturb'd with uneafinefies, 
 fears, jealoufiss, and troubles : and this reign was fi- 
 nifh'd with a death which ihews the greateil Princes 
 upon earth, that they have a mailer and a judge above 
 them. It were to be wifh'd that fuch an example as 
 this would make them fear him more. 
 
 Queen Tkeutberga retir'd into a convent at Metz, 
 where ihe ended her days. Valdrada a&ed in the fame 
 manner, and (hut herfelf up in the monaftery of Re- 
 miremont, either to go through a courfe of pennance, 
 or elfe out of chagrin at feeing all ner hopes ruin'd, 
 and all her grandeur brought to nothing. 
 
 Lothaire dying without any legitimate children, his 
 iucceffion was a new fubjccl: of difpute between the Em- 
 peror his brother, and his uncles the Kings of France and 
 Germany. It happen'd at a juncture very favourable 
 to Charles the EaU. 
 
 The King of Germany was fallen ill at Ratisbon ; 
 and the Emperor, who of the three had the moft ap- 
 parent right to the kingom of Lorain, being the only 
 brother to the deceas'd King, was engag'd in war with 
 the Saracem ; and had for three years held on the liege 
 of Barri, which place he did not take till the year 
 after. In the mean while the people of Loraln were 
 not all of the fame mind in relation to their late King's 
 fucceflor. The Emperor had but very few of his party 
 in that country : but the King of Germany's and the 
 King of France'^ factions were pretty equal and ballanc'd 
 each other. 
 
 The King of France's partifans gave him to under- 
 
 ftand, that there was no time to be loft, and that he 
 
 muft march without delay into Lorain at the head of 
 
 Annai. Ber- an army, tie follow'd this advice, and came to Metz. 
 
 linianiadan. on. the fifth of September ; and his party having pre- 
 
 vail'd, he was crown'd King of Loraiy four days 
 
 after. 
 
 His
 
 LEWIS II. Emperor, CHARLES the BALD." 267 
 
 His taking pofleffion in this manner had like to have An. 870. 
 caus'd a war between the two Kings ; but after feve- 
 ral negotiations they agreed and divided the kingdom 
 between them. 
 
 The principal cities which Lewis King of Germany BMjf 
 had in his divifion were Cologn, Utrecht, Strasbourg, * 
 and BaJlL He had already 14 ormes, Spires, and Mentz, 
 and thus he had all the country upon the Rhine from 
 S-vjitzertand to the mouth of that river. Treves and O f 
 Met'z, were likewife yielded to him with the territories Germany. 
 depending upon all thefe cities, and all the country 
 that lay between the rivers Ourta and the Meufe. He 
 had likewife Aix-la-Ckappelle , and almoft all on that 
 fide that was between the Rhine and the Meufe. 
 
 The moft confiderable places that came to Charles's 
 fhare, were Lyons, Befanpn, Vienne, fongre, To///, 
 Verdun, Cambray, Vi-viers, and Ufez. He had befides 
 this Haynault and a third part of Frifia, which, as I 
 have already obferv'd, reach'd at that time as far as the 
 mouth of the Schehle. So that Charles the Bald added 
 to his dominions almoft all the higher La-rain, a con- 
 liderable part of the Low -countries, all Burgundy, 
 Daaphiny, and that part ofLanguedoc which is next the 
 Rhine. ' 
 
 This diviiion of the kingdom of Lor am was made 
 between the two Kings, without regarding much the 
 Emperor Lewis, to whom this mcceffion belong'd, or 
 the remonftrances and menaces of the Pope, who up- 
 on this occafion wrote thundring letters to Charles the 
 Bald and the French Bifhops and Lords. But thcfe 
 thought that their common intereft requir'd an augmen- 
 tation of power in the two Kings, that they might be 
 in a better condition to oppofe their enemies, and efpc- 
 cially the Normans, v/ho kept France in continual fears 
 and alarms. 
 
 The incrcafe of Charles the Bald's power by the 
 acquifition of half the kingdom of Lorain , and the 
 good underftanding which he kept with the King of 
 Germany, made his reign more abfolute and ealy than 
 it had ever been. The Saracens had not appcar'd upon, 
 tije co-ails of France fora long while. The inroads 
 of the Normans were lefs frequent and attended with 
 leis damage through the care that was taken to provide 
 againtl their attempts, chiefly on the iide of the Loire 
 
 and
 
 $8 The Hijlory of F R A N c E: 
 
 An. 870. and Anjou, where they made themfelves matters of 
 Angers. But it was the fate of this Prince never to be 
 without great vexations and troubles from his own fa- 
 mily, when his enemies gave him no disturbance. 
 
 Charles had had four fons by Queen Ermentrrtde his 
 fir ft wife, Lewis, Charles, Carlornan, and Lothaire. 
 The two lafl of thefe four he defign'd for the church, 
 that his kingdom might not be fo much divided after 
 his death. Lothaire died very young, tho' already dig- 
 nified with the title of Abbat. Charles, whom his fa- 
 ther had made King of Attain, was kill'd by the ac- 
 cident I mention'd before. There remain'd therefore 
 \^*%^ Lewis, who after his brother Charles's death had been 
 made King of Aquitain, and Car Ionian, who was al- 
 ready in deacon's orders, the taking of which he much 
 repented. He rebell'd againft the King his father; and 
 having got fome troops together, or rather a vaft num- 
 ber of vagabonds and robbers, he put himfelf at the 
 head of them, and committed a great many diforders 
 in the country between the Meujc and the Seine, and 
 in fome other parts of the kingdom. 
 
 jKd.ada This rebellion lalted for fome time; but at length 
 873. he was taken and condemned to death by the judges, 
 
 whom the King his father had commifllon'd to try him, 
 and who changed this punifhment into what was pretty 
 common in thofe days, namely, having his eyes put out, 
 and afterwards imprifbn'd for life. However, as blind 
 as he was, he found means to make his efcape, and 
 got to his uncle the King of Germany ; but he died 
 Shortly after in the abbey of Epternach, which that 
 Prince had given him for his fubfiftence. 
 
 Charles the Bald having no more rebellions to be 
 afraid of in his dominions, thought he could do no- 
 thing better than exterminate the Normans if he could, 
 who had for a long time kept footing in the country upon 
 the Loire. He concerted the thing with Solomon Duke 
 of Britanny, who after having made ufe of the Nor- 
 mans againft France upon feveral occafions, now found 
 them to be very troublefbme neighbours. 
 
 They befieg'd them in Angers, where the greateft part 
 of them were got; but they were forc'd to capitulate 
 for a large fum of money. One of the articles of the 
 capitulation was, that they fliould have an ifland in the 
 river Loire to flay in till February, upon condition that 
 
 then
 
 LEWIS II. Emperor y CHARLES the BALD.' 269 
 
 then they fliould leave the kingdom, and not return An. 873. 
 during the King's life. The capitulation was exaftly ^xyx-* 
 obferv'd by the French ; but when the time fix'd by the 
 treaty was come, the Normans broke their oath, and * 
 maintain'd their footing in the ifland which is not nam'd 
 in hiftory, where they had fortify'd themfelves at their 
 leifure, and continued their incurfions. 
 
 The Duke ofBritanny did not long enjoy the fruits AJI. 874. 
 of his victory ; for a confpiracy being form'd againft 
 him, his eyes were put out, and the next day he died. 
 His death occafion'd civil wars in Britanny, and at laft 
 Alan one of the pretenders was fettled in quiet poflef - 
 fion of that duchy. 
 
 But the death of the Emperor Lewis II. who died An. 875*. 
 in Italy without iffue male during thefe troubles inBri- 
 tanny, was an incident of much more importance, and 
 in which our French Sovereigns could not but have a 
 great deal of concern. 
 
 The Kings of France and Germany had for a long time 
 been making their parties in Italy with relation to this 
 fucceffion, but they were much more bufy and eager 
 when they heard the news of the Emperor's ficknefs. 
 The bufinefs in hand was no lefs than the kingdom of 
 Italy and the title of Emperor. That dignity could 
 not be divided, and there was but little likelihood that 
 any of the Italian dominions fhould be difmembred, 
 which were as it were join'd to the Imperial crown. 
 
 The King of Germany^ party look'd as if it would 
 be the ftrongeft, for befides that he was elder than the 
 King of France, and had more reputation than him in 
 foreign countries, the Emprefs Ingelberga, a Princefs 
 of great parts and addrefs, was in his interefr, ; becaule 
 fhe thought after the death of her husband (he could 
 rely more upon him for her fafety and other advantages, 
 than upon the King of France with .whom fhe had fal- 
 len out. 
 
 Ba/il Emperor of the Eaft kept a good correfpon- 
 dence with the King of Germany ; and if he Ihould 
 have occafion to declare for either of the two Kings, 
 it was not doubted but he would favour that Prince. 
 But Charles the Bald manag'd his matters more private- 
 ly. He was fecure of Pope John VIII.'s affiftance, 
 who fucceeded Adrian II. and whofe countenance muft 
 necelfarily be of very great weight upon this occafion. 
 
 Thofe
 
 The Hiftory 0^ FRANCE. 
 
 An. 875*. Thofc of the Emperor's court who hated theEmprefs, 
 \^^C^J which were a great number, were for him. But above 
 all ^ he was very diligent in learning all that happen'd; 
 and from the time of the Emperor's being ill, he kept ' 
 himfelf in conftant readinefs to march upon the fitll 
 advice he fhould receive of his death. 
 
 Death of the He receiv'd it pretty early in Anguft at Douji-les- 
 
 L^f r frez, a pleafure-houfe near Mottfon. And after having 
 
 jinnaLBer- fent his fon Lewis to the frontiers of the kingdom of 
 
 tinianiadan. Lorain, to defend it againft any attempts of the King 
 
 *7f' of Germany, he got himfelf ready to begin his inarch 
 
 to Italy upon the firft of September. When he entree! 
 
 that kingdom, his army was join'd by a great number 
 
 of Lords of the country, who brought their vailals 
 
 along with them. 
 
 The King of Germany furpris'd at this forwardnefs, 
 fent away his Ion Charles with fome troops, and after- 
 wards his other fon Carhman with a fecond body. But 
 neither one nor the other durft engage themfelves too far, 
 becaufe of the imall number of forces they had in 
 comparifon of the King of France, who notwithftand- 
 ing propos'd a conference with Carlo-man. He did all 
 that he could to get this young Prince to join with 
 ibid. & An- hjrn^ promifing him he would take care he fhould reign 
 "' alone in Germany after the death of the King his father; 
 but Carloman rejected thcfe bafe propofals, which oblig'd 
 the King of France to lay more reasonable ones before 
 him. 
 
 He offer'd him to quit Italy, provided he would 
 withdraw himfelf; and that he would afterwards come 
 to an agreement with the King of Germany, as they 
 had done for the kingdom of Lorain. Nothing could 
 be more advantageous for the King of Germany ; the 
 offer Was accepted. Carloman began to march off 
 with his troops, and Charles pretended to retire like- 
 wife : but this was a fnare which Carloman fell into, 
 odorannus f or want o f p ril jence. Charles expected every day 
 pontigonenf. news from the Pope to inform him how the Romans- 
 ' were difpos'd towards him ; and the Pope having fent 
 him word that he would be very well receiv'd at Row? 
 provided he made hafte, upon this advice he march'd 
 in all hafte, and made the beft of his way. As foon 
 as he appear'd, the gates were open'd to him, and he 
 made his entry 'amidft the acclamations of the people. 
 
 A
 
 CHARLES the BALD Emperot. 
 
 { few days after, he was crown'd Emperor by the An. 
 ope in St. Peter's church on Cbrtftmas day, the day 
 n which Charlemagne his grandfather had receiv'd the 
 mperial crown in the fame church. 
 
 He did not make any long flay at Rome, but went Anna]. Eer- 
 rom thence in January, ana at Pa-via he receiv'd ho- J" aa - 
 nage from the Bifhops and Lords of the country, 
 K>th as Emperor and as King of Italy. When he de- 
 >arted. he left Bofon, who was brother to the Emprefs 
 n's wife, his lieutenant general, and with the title of 
 Duke gave him the ducal crown ; and this is the firft 
 ime, in my opinion, that we meet with this mark of 
 honour and authority in our hiftory. 
 
 His prefence was neceflary in France; for the King 
 of Germany, being prodigioufly vex'd and provok'd at 
 lis being thus prevented and difappointed, was refolv'd 
 :o difcharge his fury upon that kingdom; and not- 
 withftanding the remonftrances and menaces of the 
 Pope, he made his way as far as Atttgni, commit- Afla Cone ; 
 ting great ravages wherever he came ; fuch ravages as 
 Queen Richilda and her fon Lewis, Whom Charles the 
 bald had declared regent before he pafs'd the Alps, 
 could not hinder or oppofe for Want of a fufBcient 
 number of troops. 
 
 But Charles's return prevented the King of Germany 
 from proceeding any farther, and he repafs'd the Rhine 
 much fooner than could have been hopM for. The* 
 news of this retreat mightily rejoic'dthe new Emperor, 
 whofe majefty being heightened by that great title and 
 by the Imperial ornaments, which he wore fometimes 
 upon publick occafions, increas'd the refpe<5i of the 
 fubje&s and the authority of the fovereign. 
 
 Some time after his return, embaffadors came to him 
 from the King of Germany, who demanded in their 
 mailer's name the fhare wHich was due to him of the 
 lucceffion of the deceas'd Emperor according to the 
 promife which Charles had made in Italy to Prince 
 Carloman, by which he oblig'd himfelf to retire from 
 that country with his troops. The negotiation lafted 
 fome months; and the Emperor, who had a mind to 
 have the war ended, was difpos'd to make fome re- 
 compence to his brother, upon condition he would 
 acknowledge him for Emperor and make no pretences 
 Upon Italy ^ About the middle of Augufl he fent Odo 
 
 Bifliop
 
 272 
 
 An. 876. 
 
 Annal. Ber- 
 tiniani ad aa. 
 87*. 
 Death of tht 
 
 Morach. 
 Sangill. 1. 2. 
 c. if. & 16. 
 
 Annal. Ful- 
 ?enfes & 
 Metenfes. 
 
 tvum the 
 King ./ Ba- 
 varia'j fins- 
 
 The Hiftory ^FRANCE. 
 
 Bifhop of Beauvais to treat with him upon this fub- 
 je<3 : but while that prelate was on the road, he heard 
 the news of the King of Germany's death, which hap- 
 pen'd at Franefort on the twenty eighth of Auguft. 
 This accident deliver'd the Emperor from a great deal 
 of uneafinefs, and France from a danecrous war: for. 
 the King of Germany had already made great prepara- 
 tions in order to have carried it on with the utmoft 
 vigour. 
 
 A contemporary author gives us a handfome charac- 
 ter of Lewis King of Germany , which is not contra- 
 dicted by any other part of hiftory. He appears by that 
 to have had a great deal of courage, wifdom, and 
 moderation. He is prais'd for his great piety, and no 
 fort of irregularity or debauchery is laid to his charge. 
 He was well made, of a proper ftature, had amajeftick 
 air, and yet was affable, his humour was agreeable, 
 a man of a great deal of wit, was gracious, kind, and boun- 
 tiful, puniihing the greateft crimes with concern and 
 reluctance, and feldom putting the guilty to death. 
 
 His three fons, Carloman, Lewis, and Charles, by. 
 his death entred each of them into poffemon of that 
 part of his dominions which he had affign'd them four 
 years before in the diet of Forcbeim. Carloman the 
 eldeil had Bavaria, Bohemia, Carinthia, Sclavonic, 
 and all the countries depending upon the French Em- 
 pire as you go down the Danube, that is, the prefent 
 Auftria and part of Hungary. Lewis had Franc onia, 
 Saxony, Frifia, Tkuringia, and the lower Lorain, Co- 
 and ibme other cities lying upon the Rhine. 
 
 who is call'd in hiftory Charles the Big or 
 
 Charle 
 
 Charles the Fat, had Allemania, and under this name 
 was comprehended all that is beyond the Moein as far 
 as the Alps, and with that fome cities which had for- 
 merly belong'd to the kingdom of Lorain, but which 
 are not nam'd. This fuppofes that the late King of 
 Germany was, when he died, in pofieilion of the part 
 of that kingdom which he had yielded to the deceas'd 
 Emperor Lewis, whether it was that that treaty had 
 never been executed , or that he feiz'd that country a- 
 gain in the irruption he made into France while the 
 new Emperor was in Italy. I fhall therefore call Car- 
 loman King of Bavaria, Lewis King of Germany, and 
 
 Charley
 
 CHARLES the BALD Emperor] 
 
 fcbarles King of Allemania, till he comes to the em- An. 876; 
 pire ; to which he was rais'd fome time after. V_XY\/ 
 
 This divifion had been fo well regulated by the late 
 King of Germany, that there was no conteft between 
 the three Princes about it. But the Emperor, whofe 
 ambition grew with his power, had a great mind to 
 have a fliare likewife in the fuccefiion, and to get pof- 
 fefllon again of that part of the kingdom of Lorain, 
 of which the people of the country had made him 
 mafter formerly, and which the King of Germany had 
 oblig'd him to yield to him. 
 
 He went to Aix-la-Chappelle ; and from thence to- Anna]. Bar- 
 Wards Cologn where he rendezvous'd his troops. He fmiani ad an-' 
 was upon the point of returning back at the news he 876t 
 receiv'd that a Norman fleet of near an hundred fail 
 was entred the. Seine: but as he thought he had put 
 the principal cities fituated upon that river in fufficicnt- 
 ly good defence, he pur filed his defign. 
 
 Li the mean while Lewis King of Germany was ad- 
 vanc'd over againft Cologn with an army of Saxons, 
 furtngians, and French belonging to German France, 
 and he fent embafladors from his camp to the Empe- 
 ror, to defire he would not invade a country to which 
 he had no right; but this Prince would hearken to 
 nothing. The King of Germany, tho' much inferior 
 in number of troops, pals'd the Rhine however near 
 Andernach. He had his cavalry .canton'd in feveral 
 different quarters for the convenience of forage, and 
 fent again to the Emperor to defire peace. 
 
 Charles the Bald receiv'd the embafladors better than 
 he had done the firft time : he gave them to under- 
 ftand that he would very willingly treat with his ne- 
 phew, and that he would immediately without delay 
 fend him the propofals which he had to make to him, 
 But this was meerly artifice to amufe and furprife 
 him ; for that very night he broke up without any 
 noife, order'd his troops to be divided into a great 
 number of fmall bodies, and made them march thro' 
 private ways, tiiat he might fall upon the King of 
 Germany when he leafl thought of him, and attack 
 him at places where he could not expecl him. But . , ,. 
 Vilbert Archbifhop of Cologn gave advice of this Annal. ier-" 
 defign to the King of Germany, who pofted himfetf 
 advantageouflv with the few troops he had with him, 
 VOL.- I.- " -* 1 a
 
 274 The Hiftory of F R A N c E. 
 
 An. 876. and fent orders to his cavalry in the feveral quarters 
 \^^C^J where he had lodg'd them, to come and join him with 
 
 all fpeed. 
 
 The Empemr When the Emperor came up with his army, which 
 thinks to fur- confifted of fifty thoufand men, he was very much 
 5 Gttmany, furp" s '<l to find he was expeded. But without wait- 
 ing for day-light, he order'd the attack to begin at the 
 village of Megen. The Saxons who guarded that 
 poft t maintain'! it for fome time ; but at lalt being 
 over-power'd by numbers, they began to give way. 
 The King of Germany came up very feafonably to their 
 afiirtance, and prevented the confequences of this dif- 
 order; for with his German troops he charg'd the Frenc h 
 in their flank, routed them, and made a great flaughtec 
 among them. 
 
 This ill fuccefs difcourag'd the Imperial troops, who 
 
 had been promis'd a certain victory and the pillaging 
 
 of a camp furpris'd without making any refinance. 
 
 i,h!mffif On the other hand this firft advantage animated the 
 
 Defeated. German troops which increas'd every minute ; and their 
 
 King, who had form'd his plan of defence at his lei- 
 
 fure, rang'd them in order of battle as foon as they 
 
 join'd him. All was in good order on one fide, and 
 
 on the other all in very great confufion. 
 
 The King of Germany was not willing his fbldiers 
 fire and courage fhould cool, and therefore order'd 
 them to charge the French on all fides, who gave way 
 every where. The horror of being in the dark in a 
 country they were not acquainted with increas'd their 
 confirmation. In a fhort time all the French army 
 was defeated, and the Emperor was forc'd to fly that 
 he might not be furrounded. 
 
 The havock and flaughter that was made in the pur- 
 fuit was terrible. A great number of prifoners was 
 taken, and the Emperor arriv'daltnoft alone at themo- 
 naftery of St. Lambert upon the Mejife. This buttle 
 was fought on the eighth of Oduber at the latter end 
 An. S" 7 ^. f tne nig.ht in the year 876. Such was the fuccefs of 
 an enterprise at firft well enough concerted and carried 
 on, but which having been the effect of a great deal of 
 infincerity and foul dealing, ought not to have been 
 more fortunate in the event. 
 
 The Emperor call'd a dyet at Smtmoncl, a royal pa- 
 
 hce near Loon, to confider on the prefent pofture of 
 
 2 affairs
 
 enters 
 
 CHARLES the BALD Emperor. 275 
 
 affairs which gave him a great deal of trouble and per- An. 876. 
 plexity. 
 
 A large army cut in pieces, a very ftricl: union be- 
 tween the Kings of Bavaria, Germany and Allemania, 
 a numerous fleet of Normans in the Seine, who had 
 taken Rouen, the miftruft and jealoufy he had of fome 
 difcontented Lords ; and over and above all this the 
 frequent letters he receiv'd from the Pope relating to 
 the conftifion of affairs in Italy, where the Saracens 
 were continually committing ravages, and where the 
 Duke of Benevent and the Greeks carried on fecret 
 intelligence with thofe infidels : thefe were the fad cir- 
 cumftances the Emperor was in. 
 
 However they confulted at Saumonci only upon ways 
 and means to remove the Normans, that being the 
 moft preffing affair; and troops were font to that ride, 
 who (topt their incurlions. 
 
 The Emperor, having provided as much as was pof- Capit. Car. 
 fible for the fafety of the countries lying upon the Seine C9iv "^- s 77 : 
 againft the Normans, could not but perform the pro- 
 mife he had given the Pope of going into Italy with He 
 an army. And having held a diet at Chierft on the laiy. 
 firft of July, where he declar'd his fon Lewis regent 
 of the kingdom during his abfencc, he march'd in or- 
 der to pafs the Alps. 
 
 The Pope came to meet him as far as Verceil; but 
 both of them return'd back again upon the news that 
 Carloman, King of Bavaria, was entring/ta/y with an 
 army. The Emperor had a few troops with him, with 
 whom he had march'd before ; but he had advice that the 
 French Lords, who fhould have brought the army into/ta- 
 /y, refused to march, pretending that this expedition would 
 leave France unguarded, and expofe it to the inroads 
 of the Normans and German troops. This unaccepta- 
 ble piece of news made him haften his return, and he 
 march'd towards Morienne, where the Emprefs was 
 already arriv'd. 
 
 The Emperor fell fick upon the road. His di- H!i 
 (temper was only a fever, and fuch as did not take 
 away all hopes : but a treacherous phyfician, a Jew 
 by nation, Zedecias by name, in whom he plac'd all 
 his confidence, poifon'd him with a powder he gave 
 him as a fovereign remedy againft his difeafe. It was up- 
 on the road to the pafTage over Mount Cems that he 
 T 2 took
 
 The Htftory 
 
 An. 877. took this poifon ; and he was fo ill with it fome days 
 
 V^Y^ a ft er > th at he was oblig'd to ftop at a village call'd 
 
 Brios y and put up in a poor peasant's cottage. The 
 
 Emprefs came to him thither from Morienne, and there 
 
 he died eleven days after he had taken the poifon'd po- 
 
 An. 877. tion, that is on the fixth ofOflober, in the fecondyear 
 
 of his empire, and the thirty eighth of his reign, aged 
 
 fifty four. 
 
 He was a Prince, whom fometimes his unhappinefs, 
 and fometimes his want of conduct , brought leveral 
 times to the brink of ruin. When" he was jufl go- 
 ing to fink under his ill fortune, not having the 
 neceflary qualities to furmount it, fome certain con- 
 junctures, as happy as they were unforefeen, deliver'd 
 him from the dangers his wrong fteps had brought 
 him into. He had much lefs courage than artifice and 
 cunning. Ambitious he was and enterprifing, but 
 not capable of carrying on his undertakings. He 
 made himfelf neither lov*d nor fear'd enough by his fub- 
 je6b, fome of whom defpis'd him, and others out of 
 compaflion to him and full of jealouiy at their equals, 
 took his fide. His reign, as well as that -of his father, 
 was the reign of the Bifliops, to whom however he 
 began not to be fo complaifant after he was Emperor. 
 The boldnefs or rather the tyranny of the particular 
 Lords, whofe counties or governments became here- 
 ditary, was very much encreas'd under foweak a reign. 
 Enft ^ e is P rai ' s 'd for having lov'd letters and learned men, 
 
 Ca D r. imp. an d for having fent for them into France from the 
 moft dillant countries, and encourag'd them with great 
 rewards. In this he is even prefer'd before his grand- 
 father Charkmagne ; but it is in a panegyrick adclrefs'd 
 vide Mabiii. to himfelf. It is probably from the favours he beftow'd 
 inirule&s. upon thefe learned men, .that he is dignified with the 
 title of Great in feveral ancient monuments. He lur- 
 . viv'd all his brethren and leveral of his nephews. He 
 was the moft powerful of all thofe Princes, if we 
 meafure his power by the greatnefs of his dominions ; 
 and after him none of C baric-magnet line in France 
 had fo extended a fovereignty. He might by this means 
 have reftoi'd the fpkndor and dignity of the Imperial 
 family, if he had had leifure to have done it, and at 
 the fame time had been endued with fuch courage, 
 r i jlution and prudence as W;IN propordon'd ro the 
 wgnefs oC his anp!re. J After 
 
 *"'
 
 CHARLES the BALD Emperor. 277 
 
 After his death his body was embalm'd in order to An. 877, 
 6e carried to St. Denys; but the poifon had corrupted t ta 
 it to that degree, that they were forc'd to bury it under An 
 ground ztNantua,* monaftery belonging to the diocefe 
 of Lyons in Breffe, Some time after his bones were 
 remov'd to St. Denys. At leaft we lee his tomb in the 
 middle of the choir of that noble and famous abbey, 
 but certainly it does not belong to that age. 
 
 Charles, before he died, put into the Emprefs's hands 
 an inftrument feal'd with his own feal, in which he de- 
 clar'd his fon Lewis his fucceflbr, who was the only one 
 left of all his male children. He join'd with this in- 
 ftrument the fword which was call'd St. Peter's, with- 
 out doubt becaufe it had been blefs'd and prefented by 
 the Pope, and he order'd that it fhould be girt upon his 
 fon when he was declar'd King ; whether it was that 
 this was acuftom already ethblifh'd, or whether it was 
 a particular piece of devotion in Charles towards St. 
 Peter and the holy See. Befides this fword, he com- 
 mitted the royal mantle, the crown, and fcepter to the 
 Emprefs's charge, giving her orders to return into 
 France, as foon as fhe faw he was expir'd, and put his 
 fon in immediate pofleffion of all thofe murks of the 
 royal dignity. 
 
 LEWIS II. furnanid the STAMMERER, King 
 0/ France. CARLOMAN, King of Bava- 
 ria. LEWIS, Kingof Germany. CHARLES, 
 King of Allemania. 
 
 
 EWIS, two months after the death of his fa- An nai. Ber- 
 ther, was anointed and crown'd at 
 
 in the beginning of December by Hincmar Arch- s JJ ' nitt!ttn / 
 bifliop of Rbeims. But it was not till after the Lords Lewis'/I* 
 had caball'd very much among themfelves, with a de- stammerer. 
 iign to keep in their own families the counties and 
 duchies where they commanded. The condefcenfion 
 which Charles the Bald, partly through weaknefs, and 
 partly through the ill condition of his affairs, had fhew'd 
 T 5 fevcraj
 
 278 The Hiflory ^FRANCE. 
 
 An. 877. feveral of thofe Lords in allowing their governments to 
 V^V"\^ be hereditary, made the others pretend to the fame pri- 
 vilege, which prov'd in the fequel the ruin of the ftate 
 and royal family, and which in time left the fuccef- 
 ibrs of Charlemagne nothing but the empty title of 
 King without any power. 
 
 The Emprefs Richilda entred with them into this 
 combination, for the eftablifhment of Duke Bofon her 
 brother, whofe intereft Ihe prefer'd before that of the 
 King, being only his mother-in-law : and k was very 
 happy for him, that the fon of this Princefs, who was 
 born after the defeat at Andernach, did not live ; for 
 according to all appearance fhe would have prevail'd 
 by the great power (he had in the kingdom to have 
 gotten the crown for him. 
 
 And fhe would the more eafily have compafs'd her 
 end, becaufe Lewis had no fine qualities to recom- 
 mend him, was very infirm, and an impediment irt 
 his fpeech, which gave him the furname of Stam- 
 merer, made him fomewhat contemptible to the French 
 Lords. 
 
 However, the fmall merit this Prince had, contri- 
 buted to raife him the more eafily to the throne. For 
 as the only end of the Lords was to maintain 
 themfelves in their ufurpations, they faw very well 
 that under fo weak a reign they might itrengthen their 
 power and that of their families with much moreeafe, 
 than if they fhould choofe out of the other branches 
 ,0f the royal family a matter more capable of forcing 
 them to obedience and keeping them within the bounds 
 of their duty. 
 
 As the affairs of Italy depended very much on thofe 
 of France, the unexpected death of the Emperor, and 
 the effects which folio w'd from it in that kingdom, 
 threw the Pope into great uneafinefs. He had depend- 
 ed upon a French army to keep the' Saracens at a di- 
 flance from Rome, and to reftrain the violences of the 
 neighbouring Dukes and Counts : and juft when he 
 was upon the point of receiving this affiftance, he found 
 himfelf out of hopes of obtaining it. This unhappy 
 conjuncture redoubled thcboldnefs of the Saracens ^nd 
 Varia: Ep. turbulent people. The Saracens marched up to the 
 Joan. Papse. gates of Rome ; and the Pope was forc'd to treat with 
 them, and fubmit to a tribute , to prevent the utter 
 
 ruin
 
 L E W I S II. 279 
 
 ruin of the adjacent parts : but he had no lefs to fear An. 877. 
 from the Chriftian Lords of Italy, than from the Sa- ^wvx*/ 
 racens themfelves. 
 
 Lambert Duke of Spofeto carried his ambition fb 
 high as to pretend to the empire, and he was fecond- 
 ed by Adelbert Marquis of Tuft any. On the other 
 hand Carlo-man King of Bavaria made likewise fome 
 pretenfions to the Imperial crown. The Pope had no 
 mind either for this Prince or the Duke of Sppleto ; 
 but all his inclination was for the King of France, 
 whom he had conjur'dto march immediately into Italy 
 with an army. But neither this Prince's health nor the 
 condition of his affairs would permit him to go out of 
 the kingdom. 
 
 The Pope durft not refufe to open Rome to the 
 Duke of Spoleto, whofeiz'dhis holinefs. ; but heefcap'd, 
 and got to France by fea. He held a council at Troyes, Anna!. Be/- 
 where he anointed the King again, and put the crown tiniani'adan. 
 upon his head, not the Imperial crown, as fbme au- 8 7 8 -. 
 thors have written, but only the regal crown. not^Emptnr* 
 
 After the council the Pope return'd to Rome, with- 
 out any hopes of having fuccours from France, becaule 
 of the leveral rebellions which were then rais'd, and 
 of the incuriions of the Normans, who began again to 
 ravage the kingdom. He was conducted back by Duke 
 Bofon, who made great court to him, in hopes of 
 being fupported by his authority in the vaft deligns he 
 had form'd and afterwards executed. 
 
 In the mean time, as the King was marching his 
 troops againft Bernard Marquis ot Langueduc, .he was 
 feiz'd at Troyes with a mortal diftemper which took 
 him off fome days after at Compiegne, whither he or- 
 der'd himfelf to be carried. He died on the tenth of ibid, ad an: 
 April after a reign of one year and fix months. A weak 879. 
 Prince, furnam'd in hiftory the Do-nothing , becaufe 
 nothing memorable happen'd during his government, 
 and he was lick almoft all the time. 
 
 Befides his two fons Lewis and Carloman, whom 
 he had by Anfgarda his firft wife, Queen Adelaide 
 when he died was big with child of a Prince. It was 
 he, who was afterwards furnam'd Charles the Sim- 
 ple. As fbon as Lewis found he was given over by 
 the phyficians, he orderM Odo Bifhop of Beauvais and 
 Count Album to carry the crown and fword, and all 
 T 4 te
 
 s So The Hiftory ^FRANCE, 
 
 An. 879. the other marks of royalty- to his eldeft fon Lewis, 
 > and recommended to them to get him anointed and 
 crown'd King as foon as poffible. 
 
 It was the Bifhop's and the Count's intention to ex- 
 ecute this laft will of the King: but a confiderable 
 faction of Lords , who had a mind to transfer the 
 crown to Lewis King of Germany, was an obftacle 
 not eafy to be overcome. The King of Gerwanyvtw 
 moderate in his ambition, but not to that degree as to 
 refufe a crown when it was offer'd him. In fhort 
 after a great many delays and intrigues this Prince con- 
 tented himfelf with that part of the kingdom of Lo- 
 rain, which Charles the Bald had pollels'd ; and the 
 'Frexck Lords joinM together again to preferve the 
 crown in the late King's houfe, but not exactly ac- 
 cording to his intentions ; for it was refolv'd to place 
 on the throne Lewis his eldeft fon, but not by him- 
 felf as his father had defir'd, but Carloraan was to be 
 rais'd thither alfo. It was Duke Bofon, whofe daugh- 
 ter had married this Prince, who got the affair ter- 
 minated in this manner. They were both of them 
 carried to the abby of Ferrieres in the Senonois, where 
 Anfegife Archbifhop of Sens anointed and crown'd 
 them. The divifion of the dominions was made af- 
 terwards: Lewis had France and Ncuftria, and Carlo- 
 man had Aquitain and Burgundy, and therefore I fhall 
 call him King of Aquitain. 
 
 LEWIS III. King of France. CARLOMAN, 
 King of Aquitain and Burgundy. CAR- 
 LOMAN , King of Bavaria. LEWIS , 
 King of Germany. CHARLES, King of 
 Allemania. 
 
 THE difmembring of that part of Lorara which 
 I juft now mentioned, was lell prejudicial to 
 the crown of France , than that which was 
 made immediately after the raifing the two Princes to 
 the throne, 
 
 Duke
 
 LEWIS III. CARLOMAN. 281 
 
 Duke Bofon, brother to the Emprefs RicbiUa, had An. 879. 
 been made governor of Provence by Charles the Bald V^v-^ 
 his brother-in-law, and had married Hermengarda 
 daughter to the Emperor Lewis II. This Princefs of- 
 ten faid to her husband, that.it was not fitting an Em- 
 peror's daughter fhould live always fubject to a King 
 of France. Bofon did not want for inclination to fa^ 
 tisfy her on this head ; and Ingelberga his mother-in- 
 law, widow to the Emperor Lewis II. had us'd all 
 her endeavours with Pope John VIII. to procure the 
 kingdom of Lombardy for her fon-in-law; but in this 
 he had been prevented by Carloman King of Bavaria, 
 who had got into poflTeffion of it. 
 
 It was neceflary therefore that Duke Boffin's ambi- Erf ? !m . r>f * 
 tion fhould ftrike at fomething elfe. He was a man ArS 
 bf very cunning management, winning in his^behavi- vence. 
 our, and had the art of making himfelf beloved. He 
 had very much endear'd himfelf to the Lords and Bi- 
 ihops within his government ; and he knew how to 
 make ufe of this affection they had for him to arrive 
 at the point which his own ambition, as well as that 
 of his wife and mother-in-law, aim'd at. 
 
 The Bifhops of Provence and feveral Bifliops of the cbncilium 
 neighbouring countries met in council at Mantc, a town ^Jjj'gjjj,. 
 between Vienne and Tournon; and jointly with the Gall> ^.873! 
 Lords of the country they chofe Duke Bofon for their 
 King, under pretence that they were left expos'd to their 
 enemies by the Kings of France. We may know the 
 txtent of this kingdom by the fees of the prelates, who 
 affifted at the council : they were the Archbifnop of 
 Lyons, the Archbifhop of Vienne, the Archbifhop of 
 Tarantaife , the Archbifliop of Aix , the Bifliops of 
 Valence, Grenoble, 1/aifin, Die, Morienne, Gap, Ton- =, 
 Ion, Chalons upon the Saone, Laufanne, Agde, Macon, 
 the Archbifhops of Aries, and Befanfvn, the Bilhops / f; 
 of Viviers, Marseilles, Orange, Avignon, Uzez,, and 
 Riez. So that tfofon's kingdom comprehended Pro- 
 lence, Lyonnois, which we now call Dauphiny, Savoy, 
 Franche-Comte, part of the duchy of Burgundy, and 
 reach'd as far as into Languedoc. It is this kingdom 
 which is call'd fometimes in our hiftory the kingdom 
 of Aries, becaufe the Prince's refidence was fix'd at 
 Aries, or the kingdom of Provence, as it had been al- 
 ready nam'd when it had one of the Emperor Lot haired 
 children for its King. Such
 
 282 The Hiflory ofl? RANGE. 
 
 An- 879- Such an encroachment as this extremely provok'd 
 t^x^yxy all the Princes of the royal houfe of Charlemagne ; 
 and they all join'd heartily together to revenge it, and 
 to root the Normans out of all the French empire , 
 who had began again to commit more dreadful rava- 
 ges than ever. A third enemy had likewife nppear'd 
 for fome time. It was Hugh baftard fon of Lothaire 
 King of Lorain, and the famous Valdrad* his miftrefs; 
 and he pretended to no lefs than the kingdom of Lo- 
 rain, and was at the head of an army to back his prc- 
 tenfions to hfe father's fuccefiion. 
 
 The two French Kings had a conference immediate- 
 ly with Charles the Big, King of Allemania at Orbe 
 beyond the lake of Geneva ; and being return'd into 
 the quarters of the Loire, they defeated there a great 
 body of the Normans, moft of whom were either put 
 to the fword or drown'd in the river of Vienne. 
 ibid, ad an. Afterwards they came to an accommodation with 
 880. . Lewis King of Germany, and renew'd the treaty by 
 which that part of Lorain was yielded to him, which 
 I have already mention'd fo often ; however he held 
 it as a fee depending on the crown of France. This 
 Prince, after the conclufion of the treaty, march'd a- 
 gainft the Normans, who having made a defcent upon 
 thecoaft of Flanders, were advanc'd as far as theforreft 
 of Ardennes, pillaging all the way they came. He at- 
 Defeat efthe tack'd them near Thin, and made a great flaughter a- 
 Normans. mon g them. A party of them having thrown thtm- 
 felves into T'hin, which was a royal palace, he order'*! 
 it to be ftorm'd, and the aflault was handfomly fu- 
 Annai. Me- ftain'd. Hugh his natural fon was kill'd there, and 
 the Normans in the night divided themfclves into Cnall 
 companies, and got to their fhips again. 
 
 Anna]. Ful- But much about the fame time another body of Nor- 
 mans made an jfivalion upon Saxony, and there cut 
 this Prince's army in pieces. Two Bifhops and a 
 very great number of Lords and commanding officers 
 were llain. This oblig'd him to pafs the Rhine again, 
 in order to prevent the confequences of this defeat. 
 An. 880. During thefe tranfa&ions Carloman, King of Bavaria 
 Death of died on the twenty fecond of March of a palfy, with 
 jr; 10 Tf "sa- wn * cjl diftemper he had been troubled a long time. He 
 vSaRegino". was a Prince, whofe valour, prudence, and other good 
 qualities did honour to the blood of Charlemagne. 
 
 This
 
 LEWIS III. CARLOMANC 28$ 
 
 This Prince's fucceffion, who left no legitimate An. 880 
 children behind him, muft naturally occafion great dif- OOTV 
 putcs in Germany between his two brothers, Lewis 
 and Charles the Big. But thefe Princes refolv'd to 
 purfue their defign of continuing in union with one 
 another, and with the Kings of France, and therefore 
 treated together in an amicable manner. Lewis, King 
 of. Germany, fucceeded to the kingdom of Bavaria^ 
 and to all Carlo-man^ dominions; and to make a- 
 mends to Charles the Big, he renounc'd all the pre- 
 tenlions he might have to the kingdom of Lombard^ 
 and title of Emperor, and promifed him, that fo far 
 from oppofing him in the pWfuit of his rights over 
 Lombardy and the Imperial crown, he would fecond 
 him with all his might. Moreover to prevent every 
 thing that might occafion a civil war, he yielded Ca- 
 rinthia to Arnulph, Carlo-man's natural fon. 
 
 In June Charles the Big, the King of France, and Annal. EOT- 
 the King of Aquitain met at Contreville , a royal ""jjp" 1 
 palace near St. Menehoud, to confult about proper an 
 meafures for the common intereft of the royal fa- 
 mily ; and. the King of Germany being fallen fick, de- 
 puted fome Lords of his court to go thither in his 
 Head. 
 
 At this conference the two French Kings confirm'd 
 the ceffion they had made of Lorain to the King of 
 Germany, renounc'd all the right they might pretend 
 to over Italy in favour of Charles the Big, and it was 
 refolv'd to begin to execute the refolution which had 
 been taken of acling in concert againft the enemies of 
 the (late and the royal family. 
 
 The King of Germany, who had an army on foot, 
 gave it to the two French Kings , who march'd a- 
 gainft Hugh the baftard of the late King of Lorain, 
 whofe troops were cut in pieces. Afterwards they 
 turn'd towards Burgundy to drive Bofon out of that 
 part, and fent off only fome detachments to cover 
 France againft the Normans, who had gotten pofleffi~ 
 on of Gant, from whence they made inroads into all 
 the Low-countries and France. 
 
 At the end of July the two Kings came into Bur- An. 880, 
 gundy, where Charles the Big join'd them. They at- 
 tacked Macon, and took it by ftorm. The govern- 
 ment of it was given to Bernard, furnamed Hairy 
 Plant, From
 
 284 
 
 An. 
 
 The Hiftory 
 
 From thence the three Princes march'd and laid 
 fiege to Vienne, where Bofon had left Hermengarda 
 his wife with part of his troops, and was retir'd with 
 the reft into the mountains. This fiege lafted longer 
 than it was hop'd it would; and Charles the Big was 
 oblig'd to leave it to go to Rome to be there on Chrift- 
 mas day, the day he had appointed to receive the im- 
 perial crown from the hand of the Pope. 
 
 The forces of the bcfiegers were again diminilhed 
 by the departure of the King of France, who was 
 obliged to go to flop the conquefts and pillages of the 
 Normans. 
 
 chron. de They had furpriz'd "fonrnay in December, and got 
 gfftisNorm. more ftrength at Courtray. The day after Chriftmas 
 ad an. 880. <jay they, ftorm'd St. Omers , and afterwards took 
 'feroftane, St. Riquier, St. Valery, Amiens and Corby. 
 They committed moft horrible ravages all about ; and 
 now the Gauls were in a condition juft like that 
 they were in three ages before, when the Goths, Bur- 
 gundians, and other barbarians came upon them, and 
 deftroy'd thofe fine countries and fo many tiourifhing 
 cities. All this was done before the end of January 
 An. 881. in the year 881. They took Arras Hkewife in Febru- 
 ary, and pillaged it, after a terrible flaughter of the 
 inhabitants. 
 
 The King of France, with the body of his army, 
 took long journies, and advanc'd towards this pro- 
 vince, which has fince been call'd Picardy, and for 
 fome months he kept on this fide the Somme to cover 
 Paris. But the Normans having pafs'd that river in 
 3 f /y, he run the haiard of a battle, which he won, 
 and nine thoufand Normans were killed upon the fpot. 
 Of this number was Guaramond, to whom they gave 
 the title of King. The reft of the Normans repafs'd 
 the Somme, without being purfued very briskly, for 
 the King was apprehenfive of coming to a fecond 
 battle, becaufe he had alfo loft a great many foldiers 
 in the firft. 
 
 The King of Germany on his fide was as much pef- 
 ter'd as the King of France with other Normans, who 
 after having ravag'd part of Friftn, had made themfclves 
 mailers of Nimeguen. He attack'd them there, and was 
 rtpuls'd; but as they faw, that notwithftanding the 
 rigour of the feafon, he was refolved to continue the 
 iiege, they quitted the town by capitulation. Bui 
 
 Deftft pf 
 tt>e Nor- 
 mans. 
 
 Annil. Ful- 
 dnfes & 
 Metenfw.
 
 LEWIS III. CARLOMAtf. 18> 
 
 But another much more numerous army of Nor- An 881. 
 mans, under the command of two chiefs, Godefroy \*SY^J 
 and Sigefroy, to whom hiftory gives alfo the title of *}"**" * 
 Kings, came and ported themfelves upon the Meufe **? 
 in a place called Ha/lou. They attack'd Liege, which 
 they took and burnt. They took likewife Maftric and 
 Tongres, and committed the like barbarities there. CV 
 logne, Bonne, Zulpic, Juliers, Aix-la^Chappelle, and 
 feveral other places were lack'd, and never was feen 
 fuch dreadful defolation. The inhabitants of the towns 
 and villages in the Ardennes, having join'd in a body 
 to oppoie the ravages they were threatned with, were 
 cut in pieces. And, to compleat the misfortune, Lew- Di*th f 
 is King of Germany died at this unhappy juncture; fr e Q if ^f* 
 and his army, which was upon the march, having J 
 jheard the news of his death, disbanded itfelf. 
 
 The Normans made ufe of this accident. They An. 882. 
 rook T'reves upon Holy Thurfday, and reduced it to 
 jafhes. They march'd from thence towards Metz. 
 Venilo, who was Bifhop of that place, and Count Ade- 
 lard, met them with an army which was cut in pieces, 
 ind the Bifhop kilfd. Notwithstanding which, the 
 Normans, as victorious as they were, did not purfue 
 their defign of attacking Mrtz. ; for they feparated ; 
 and one part march'd towards the fea, to get to their 
 fleet, and load it with the prodigious booty they had 
 raken in all the cities I have nam'd, and the other re- 
 mrn'd to the camp at Hajlou. upon the Meufe. 
 
 After the King of Germany's death, Metz and the 
 Dther cities of Lorain, which had been yielded to that 
 Prince, offered themfelves to the King of France, and 
 iefir'd him to take them under his government; for 
 :hey could receive no affiftance from the Emperor 
 Charles the Big, who was (till in Italy. The King's 
 council did not think it convenient for him to accept 
 3f this offer, left it fhould occafion a breach with the 
 Emperor at a time when the union of the Princes of 
 :he royal family was more neceffary than ever : but 
 bey fent fome troops to aflift the people of Lorrin. 
 mder the command of Count Tbevdoric. 
 
 The King, after having detach'd this body, march'd 
 frith the relt of his army, towards the Loire, to join 
 he Duke of Britanny, in order to go together and 
 rght the Normans, who had ported themfelves upon 
 i that
 
 286 The Hiftory 
 
 An. 882. that river. But he fell fick at Tours ; and being car- 
 rfed to the abbey of St. Denys, he died there in Au- 
 n 8 b^w^ 11 on . e and two and twenty years 
 This young Prince had valour, conduit, and 
 Death of ^ application ; but according to fome hiltorians he was 
 Lewis, King a Debauchee, and they fay his irregularities occafion'd 
 his death. 
 
 When the King died, Carloman his brother was ftill 
 at the liege of Vienne, which had lafted two years. 
 The French Lords fent a deputation to him to aflure 
 him of their fidelity, and delired him to leave one of 
 his generals at the liege, and come and put himfelf at 
 the head of them to go againft the Normans. He de- 
 parted immediately, and join'd the army upon the 
 Loire. He was not there long before he heard of the 
 reduction of Vtenne by capitulation. One of the ar- 
 ticles was that Hermengarda ihould have the liberty of 
 going from thence to Autun, where Richard, Bofon\ 
 brother, commanded. She was conducted thither ; and 
 very proud Ihe was of having held out a fiege of two 
 years, and of having by this obftacle cool'd the ardor 
 of the French, whofe firft fury had put her own and 
 her husband's fortune in great danger. 
 
 Carloman being ready to march againft the Nor- 
 wans upon the Loire, Hajling their general lent to him 
 and delir'd peace. The King would hear nothing a- 
 bout it, but upon condition that this general and all his 
 Nvrmans fliould quit France. Hafting contented to it, 
 and retreated to his fleet with all his "troops. 
 
 The taking of Vienne, and the retreat of the Nor- 
 mans upon the Loire out of the kingdom, gave good 
 hopes of King Carlomarfs government : and ib much 
 the more, becaufe the Emperor being return'd from 
 Italy fet himfelf about pufhing the Normans to the 
 utmoft ; and to that end he railed one of the largeft 
 armies that had for a long time been feen in the French 
 empire. He march'd directly to the camp at Haflou, 
 where the principal army of the Normans was. His 
 delign was to furprize them there, before they had re- 
 called the detachments they had fent out to pillage on - 
 all fides ; but he was betrayed by fome ill-affected 
 people in his army, who gave advice of it to Godefrsy 
 and Sigefroy, the two Kings I mentioned before. So 
 that whe* the Emperor came up the Meufe, he found 
 
 almoft
 
 CARLOMAN. CHARLES. 287 
 
 almoft all the Norman troops got together again in An. 882. 
 their entrenchments at Hajlou ; and his bufinefs was V^xV^-* 
 either to force their lines or ftarve them. 
 
 Several accidents which happened, but eipecially the An . nal - Ber ~ 
 contagious difeafes that were rife in the Imperial camp liiPp'Vj ^f" 
 
 it i r* /* A t ?* ** OC rlUu* *U 
 
 made this defign milcarry. As the Norman troops an. 880. 
 were no lefs deftroy'd by the contagion than the 
 French and German, they came to a treaty, and peace 
 was concluded upon the following conditions. Firft, 
 that a large fum of money fhould be immediately giv- 
 en to Sigefroy. The fecond was, that he fliould be 
 allow'd to continue in the place where he was en- 
 camp'd; and thirdly, that he fhould make no at- 
 tempt upon the dominions of the empire during the 
 Emperor's life. Fourthly, as to Godefroy, that he fliould 
 have the lands inFrifia, which Roric, a Norman Prince, 
 had formerly poflefs'd by donation from the Emperor 
 Lothaire. Fifthly, that Hugh, baftard of Lotkaire, 
 King of Lorain, fliould be comprehended in this treaty^ 
 renouncing his pretenlions to the kingdom of Lorain, 
 .and that upon two conditions. The firft, that he 
 fliould have the revenue of the Biflioprick of Metz, 
 during the vacancy of that fee. The fecond, that the 
 Emperor fliould confent to the marriage of Godefroy 
 with Gifela, lifter to Hugh, and natural daughter like- 
 wife of Lothaire and Valrada. Sigefroy offered over 
 and above both for Godefroy and himfelfto turn Chri- 
 ftians immediately, and receive baptifm without delay. 
 After this treaty the Emperor withdrew to Coblens 
 where he flood godfather to the two Norman Kingsj 
 who received baptifm, and immediately after he dis- 
 banded his troops. 
 
 There never was a peace more dishonourable and 
 more prejudicial to the kingdom than this, which efta- 
 blifhed two Norman Princes upon the Meufe and ia 
 Frifia, and brought Hugh the baftard into an alliance 
 with thofc Princes. The King of France was very 
 much diflatisned with it, and letting his chagrin get 
 the better of him, he fent fhortly after to demand of 
 the Emperor the part of the kingdom 'of Lorain 
 which had belong'd to the Kings his predecefTors. 
 
 In the mean time a civil war broke out beyond the 
 Rhine in Turingia, where the Lords of the country 
 took up arms againft one another. Italy was in great-
 
 2*1 
 
 Htftorjf 
 
 An. 883, 
 
 An. 883. er diforder than ever, and the Counts or Governors 
 there paid obedience no longer either to the Pope or 
 the Emperor. 
 
 Charles the Big, to remedy this laft evil, which he 
 thought the moft prefling, went into Italy. Upon his 
 arrival there he found Pope John VIII. dead, andAfa- 
 rixus, a man made famous by being thirce legate to 
 Coaftantinoplf, in the pontifical chair. They had fe- 
 veral conferences upon the affairs of Italy, but to lit- 
 tle purpofe, for want of forces and authority ; and 
 the plague, which made fad havock in the country at 
 that time, obliged the Emperor to return over the 
 Alps. 
 
 As foon as the Normans knew the King of Franc c had 
 fallen out with this Prince, with whom alone they had 
 made peace, they began again to make their incurfions in- 
 to the kingdom. Thole at the camp at Hajlou advanced 
 as far as/i^o, Sotffvus, Noyon, where they put all to 
 fire and fword. The King halted to the aflilrance of 
 that country, gain'd feveral advantages over the Nor- 
 wans, and among others one near the river Aifne^ 
 where there were a thoufand killed upon the fpot. 
 
 But thele victories, which always coft the conque- 
 ror a great deal of blood, weaken'd the kingdom: on 
 the other hand thefc obftinate enemies feem'd to mul- 
 tiply by their lofTes. They return'd up the Sorame with 
 fuch numbers of forces, that the King durft not fray 
 till they came up, but was obliged to repafs that river, 
 They leii'd again upon Amiens^ and the terror of 
 them fpread every where in fuch a manner, that this 
 Prince was forc'd to deiire peace of them, which 
 yet he obtained not but by means of money. 
 
 He Was putting himfelf into a condition of op- 
 poling them in cale they (hould renew the war, when 
 he was wounded by a wild boar as he was hunting, 
 or, as foine relate it, by one of his own people, who % 
 intending to pierce the boar, had the misfortune to 
 wound this Prince in the thigh, of which he died fe- 
 ven days after. 
 
 The annalift of Metz, who reports the two ways 
 this ftory was told, relates one thing which clears up 
 this fact, and does honour to the memory of this 
 Prince ; it is that he himfelf, to fave the man's lire 
 who had wounded him, caufed the report to be fpread 
 that he was wounded by the wild boar. Th : s 
 
 Chron. de 
 rebus geftis 
 Norm. 
 
 An. 884. 
 
 France. 
 
 Annil. Me- 
 tenfrs ad 
 an. 884.
 
 CARLOMAN. CHARLES. 289 
 
 This fingle ,ah'on fhews us the good nature of this An. 884. 
 Prince, who had already given evident proofs of his *^v^/, 
 courage upon feveral occaflons. It looks as if the 
 hand of God had for fome years been heavy upon 
 Charlemagne's family, out of which, in the fpace of 
 feven years, died leven Sovereigns, namely, Lew- 
 is , King of Germany, who was foon followed 
 by Charles the Bald, the two fons of the King of 
 'Germany, namely, Lewis and Carloman, Lewis 
 the Stammerer, foil of Charles the Bald, and after- 
 wards Lewis and Car lorn an, fons of Lewis the Stam- 
 merer. 
 
 Carlo-man died without children ; and there was 
 none left of the Carlovinian branch in France, but a 
 child of five years of age, fon of Lewis the Stum*- 
 merer, and his fecond wife Adelaide, whom he left, 
 when he died, big with child of this little Prince, 
 whofe name was Charles. But a King of that age, 
 in the diftracted circumftances of the kingdom, could 
 give no hopes of fufficient affiftance againft the ene- 
 mies abroad, or of authority enough againft the fac- 
 tions at home. A new invalion which the Normans 
 were preparing to make as foon as they heard of the 
 King's death, did not allow the French Lords to deli- 
 berate any longer. They had recourfe to that Prince 
 of Charkmagne's family, who was the molt capable 
 of faving France, now upon the brink of ruin. 
 
 This was the Emperor Charles the Big, to whom 
 they fent and offered the crown of France, defiring 
 him to come immediately and take poifeflion of the 
 kingdom, that he might defend it againft the enemies 
 who were ready to enter upon it again. 
 
 ! Charles came without delay to Contreville, and re- Charles the 
 ceiv'd homage and oaths of allegiance from his new 
 fubje&s ; and by this .encreafe of his dominions he 
 was one of the moft powerful Princes that had ever 
 worn the crown of France. Emperor, King of 
 Italy, Mafter of all Germany and Pannonia, of all 
 France, and beyond the Pyreneaa mountains as far as 
 the.-Ero, for that part of Spain was then fubjeft "to, 
 the French. The wars, which were always carrying 
 on between the petty Chrillian Kings of thofe quar- 
 ters and the Saracens, kept Frame in pofleffion of 
 
 Vo L. I. U what
 
 290 The Htflory 
 
 An. 884. what might very eafily have been taken from her, ei- 
 v/Y-w ther by the one 'fide or the other. 
 
 CHARLES furnamed the BIG, 
 Emperor and King of FRANCE. 
 
 IF the capacity of the Prince had anfwered to the 
 extent of his empire, nothing could have been 
 more advantageous to France than the reunion of 
 all thefe dominions under one fingle head. Charles 
 might by this means have fallen on all fides upon the 
 Normans and have crulh'd them : but a great Hate is a 
 great weight, too heavy to be fuftain'd by a little 
 genius and luch was, Charles's. 
 
 The two firft enemies he had upon his hands, after 
 be was plac'd upon the throne of France, were Gode- 
 froy, that Norman Prince who had turn'd Chriftian, 
 and to whom, had, been yielded part of Frifia ; and. 
 Hugh the baftard, whole fifter Godefroy had married. 
 They agreed together, that Hugh, notwithstanding the 
 renunciation of the kingdom of Lorain, which he had 
 made at the laft treaty, fhould demand it again of the 
 Emperor; and that upon his refafing it, which he 
 would not fail to do, all army of Normans fhould 
 enter France. But they were prevented ; for the Em- 
 peror got Gudefroy aflaflinatcd at a conference, to 
 which he was drawn under pretence of making a new 
 treaty of peace; and a few days after Hugh, by fuch 
 another piece of artifice, was taken prifoner at Con- 
 trevillc. His eyes were put out, and he was (hut up 
 in the monastery of St. Gal. Afterwards he was 
 carried to the abbey of Prum in the forreft of Ar- 
 Rr'mo ad defines. I my felf, fays Kegino the hiftorian, wai then 
 884, 8Bj. Abbat of that monaftery, and cut off his hair, a jbort 
 time after which he died. 
 
 The Normans did not always foek for pretences for 
 breaking the peace, but they did not fail to make all 
 the advantage they could of the treachery that had 
 been pra&ifed upon Ctikfroy. Sigefroy, whom I have 
 
 already
 
 CHARLES r&? BIG. 291 
 
 already mentioned on occafion of the treaty of Hajlou, An. 885-. 
 made himtelf mailer of Lou-vain^ and in revenge of s/*V*>-' 
 G ode fray's death, he committed dreadful ravages in the ' 
 Low-countries, and in all the kingdom of Lnrain: 
 but lie turn'd his greatefl efforts to the fide of -France. 
 
 He palled the Summe, advanc'd as far as Ponipifc, Abbo !e 
 forc'd in to capitulate; and at lad being join'd by fe- <Jf$ 
 veral bodies of Normans, he came and laid fiege to r \/ly t i,e 
 Paris with a numerous army, and above, feven hun- Normans, 
 dred boats which covered the .Seine for the fpace of 
 two leagues. Count Odo or Eudes, who was after- 
 wards King, commanded that place. He had a great 
 number of brave Lords with him.; and the citizens, 
 animated as well by the example of their Bifhop Gof- 
 /;', who was wounded during the liege, as by his ex- 
 hortations, fought with all the valour imaginable. 
 The fiege lafted two years at leaft, during which time 
 the feveral Norman chiefs divided thejr work in this 
 manner,, whilft fome attack'd the town, others with 
 their troops made excurfions into the Provinces to 
 feek for victuals, forage, and booty ; ancl afterwards 
 they return'd to the camp to relieve their fellow coun- 
 trymen, who in their turn went out to pillage fome 
 other part of the kingdom. 
 
 All the machines then us'd at fieges, were employ- 
 ed in this, as well on the attacking as on the dcfen- 
 five part. There were alfaults, repulfes, and skir- 
 miihes. The city was twice fuccoured and fupply'd 
 with provisions. And at laft the Emperor being come 
 up in perfon, and cncamp'd at Montmartre with a 
 great number of forces, as he faw it was very, dan- 
 gerous to attack the Norman trenches, he entred into 
 a treaty with them. They rais'd the liege for u large ith rais'd 
 fum of money, which he gave them upon condition b y dl fa- 
 they fliould go out of France in March, till which 3Sf 
 time" he allow'd them quarters in Burgundy. Thi,s he ^\ n . 887, 
 did with the lefs difficulty, becaufe mod of the Lords 
 of that country had hitherto refus'd to acknowledge 
 him for King of France. Afterwards this Prince 
 turn'd towards Germany with more dilgrace than if 
 he had been beaten. 
 
 This unworthy treaty compleated his ruin by entire- 
 ly deftroying his reputation in the minds of the people, 
 who from contempt eafily pafs'd to difobsdience and 
 U 2, rebel-
 
 29i The Hiflory of P R A N c E. 
 
 An. 887. rebellion in all parts of the empire. Uneafinefs and 
 V^xV^^ vexation threw him into a ficknefs at Tribur, bc- 
 Annai.^Me- tween Mentz and Oppenheim. His fpirit was weaken- 
 Fuid" c d to that degree, that he was judg'd incapable of the 
 
 government; and the people of Germany put in his 
 P }ace ^rnuiph, Duke of Carintbia, natural fon to 
 Carloman, the late King of Bavaria. He Was a brave 
 j> I* kit and an aclive Prince, who knew how to make his ad- 
 piaa. vantage of the contempt which was fliewn to Charles. 
 
 The efteem that he had gotten in Germans, and the 
 aftc&ion which the people had for theblooiofC^^- 
 mazne, rais'd him to the throne. 
 
 As foon as he was proclaimed, Charles, in lefs than 
 three days, was fo much abandon'd as to have hard- 
 ly any one left with him to tend upon him in his 
 ficknefs ; and he would not even have had any thing 
 to live upon, if it had not been for the Archbifhop of 
 Mentz,, who took care to furnifti him. Arnulph af- 
 terwards granted him fbme lands in Germany, which 
 Annai. Me- he did not long enjoy; for ten months after he died 
 renfes & on the fourteenth of January in the year 888, re- 
 duc'd to the condition of a private perfon, after hav- 
 ing been matter* of almoft all the great empire of 
 Charlemagne. A ftation too much above his genius 
 for him to maintain himfelf in, at a time when the 
 fingle title of King or Emperor lawfully poflefs'd 
 would not fupply all the reft. 
 
 The deposition of the Emperor in Germany, and 
 the fortunate ambition of Arnulpk, were ftrange pat- 
 terns for the Lords of France and Italy. Charles the 
 pofthumous fon of Lewis the Stammerer, of about 
 eight years of age, was look'd upon as the lawful and 
 natural heir to the crown of trance; but the neccffi- 
 ties of the kingdom, which was befieged or rather in- 
 vaded and ufurped 'by the Normans, made the rights 
 of this young Prince to be forgot. Eudes, Count of 
 Paris, who had jurt defended that capital of the king- 
 dom with fo much glory, was plac'd upon the throne 
 to the exclulion of icveral pretenders, who afpir'd to 
 the crown, becanfe they were of the royal houfe of 
 Charlemagne by the woman's fide. Guy, Duke of 
 Spoleto, ion of Duke Lambert, and a daughter of 
 P-epln, King of Italy ^ got himfelf crown'd King 
 of Frame at Rome, iyjd immediately after pafi'd the 
 
 Alps
 
 CHARLES^ BIG. 293 
 
 Alps with an army to difpute the crown with Eudes. An. 888 
 But the latter had form'd his party fo well, that the V^VN-' 
 Duke of Spolet9 was obliged to give up, Eudes hav- 
 ing- gotten Arnulph, King of Germany, on his fide, 
 who at firfr, fcem'd willing to eipoufe young Prince 
 Charles. 
 
 As for Italy, Beranger, Duke of Friuli, who was - 
 by his mother's fide grandfon to the Emperor Lewis 
 the Debonnaire, got himfelf acknowledged as King by 
 a great part of the people of that country. 
 
 Rodolph, Duke of Transjuran Burgundy, who was 
 grandlbn to Conrad, brother of the. Emprefs Judith, 
 wife ' to Charles the Bald, afpir'd likewife to this 
 crown; but finding himfelf rvot ftrong enough, he 
 contented himfelf with being fecur'd of his govern- 
 ment,^whilft Lewis, fon of Bofon, lately dead, thought 
 alfo to maintain himfelf in the kingdom of Provence, 
 which his father had ufurp'd. Such was the condition j 
 of France at this time, at the mercy of four tyrants, 
 who tore it in pieces, whilft the Normans ravag'd it 
 in feveral places with impunity by reafon of thefe 
 confufions. 
 
 In fhort, Eudes remain'd in pofTeffion of the crown 
 of France ; and it is without reafon that fome of our 
 hiftorians have written that he did not take the title of 
 King, but only that of governor of young Charles. 
 For befides feveral hiftorians, who fpeak of his coro- See Baluf. 
 nation and anointing, we have likewife other monu- T^-^P' 1 * 
 merits, which jnconteftabty prove it. 
 
 There are two filvcr pieces of money or medals, 
 on which he has the name of King, one ftruck at 
 Tottlottfe, and the other at Angers. They are both of 
 them in the cabinet of medals belonging to the col- 
 lege of Lewis !e Grand at Paris, and may be fcen in 
 our larger hiftory. 
 
 U $ EUDES V
 
 294 The Uiftory of F R A N c E. 
 
 E u D E s, K^ing of. France. A R N y L p H, 
 King of Germany. L E; w i s, Mafter 
 of the kingdom of Aries. GUY and 
 BER ANGER atting as King of 
 Italy. 
 
 An. 888. ~|. ' UD E S being rais'd to the thror^ of. 
 
 \^Y***J "H found the kingdom in a ftrauge condition, ra- 
 X-J vagcd on all (ides by the Normans, and full of 
 
 Abbol. a. factions and troubles. The Counts and Dukes, who 
 now more than ever lookM.upon themfelves as little 
 Sovereigns, made war upon one another with impu- 
 nity, fill'd all places" with murders, and committed 
 mpft horrid devaftatioas upon the lands of their ene- 
 mies. 
 
 3 Rudolph, who had fortified himfelf in Transjuran 
 'Burgundy, took upon him the title of King. It does 
 not appear that Eudes oppos'd him. in this, either for 
 want of power, or becaufe 'Rodolph was his nephew ; 
 bur Arnulph^ King of Germany, knowing .that he fo- 
 l:ciicd under hand the Lords and Bifliops of Lorain 
 t6 ( put themfelves under his government, march'd 
 ivith a great number of forces to attack him. Ro- 
 etofyb \Vas riot in a condition to keep the field before 
 fo powerful an enemy; but he made good ufe of 
 the mountains, of which his dominions were full. Ar~ 
 aulfh could never force him from thence, and at lafl 
 a peace was (truck up. 
 
 What made Arnulfh more eafily come into it, was 
 the defign he had upon Italy, whither he march'd this 
 
 Aft. 888. fame year with an army. He found there the Duke 
 of Friuli beaten by the Duke of Spoleto ; and whether 
 it was that he did not fee peoples minds difpos'd 
 to acknowledge him for King, or whether fome other 
 . affairs call'd him back, he only lent a helping hand to 
 {he weakeft of the two rivals, hoping in time they 
 
 Lu'.tprand. \vould deftroy one another ; and fo he came back into 
 Germany, 
 
 Eudes
 
 Et/DES. 295 
 
 Eudes in the mean time had the Normans, upon his APT., 888. 
 hands, and that on all fides, as well in Aquitain as 
 upon the Mdrne, and upon the river of Aifne. \\ was 
 againft theTe laft that he r turn'd his arms, and did an 
 action which fignaliz'd the beginning of his reign, and Abbo l. x. 
 contributed very much to cftablifh him. 
 
 An army of ten thoufand Normans being got into Eudes dt- 
 the narrow lanes near the town of Montfaucon, he fa" the 
 came oat of a wood, where he was laid in ambufcade 
 with a thoufand horfe, and charged them with fo 
 much courage and conduct, that he entirely routed 
 them. This action happened on St. John Baptift's 
 day, in the firft year of his reign. An. 888. 
 
 But in the mean while fomc other Normans fack'd 
 the city of Me'attx, and did not retire till they had ehron de 
 rais'd a large fum of money upon the country lying Norm.'eeftij 
 upon the river M'arne. From thence they went into ad an - 88 ? 
 Cotentirt, where they fat down and befieged St. Lo, which 9 ' 
 they dcftroy'd, whilft other troops of the fame nation 
 laid wafte. the countries upon the Somme, the Meufe, 
 and the Scheide, and the parts adjacent to the towns 
 near which they pafs'd. 
 
 The King of Germany feeing them cpming towards 
 the lower Lorain, advanc'd on that fide, and Eudes 
 on the fide of Prance in order to hem them in ; but 
 few of them fell into their hands. They only receiv- 
 ed fome lofs ncti dmieus, andgain'd a great advantage 
 over the French troops in the Vermandois. Hiftoryjuft 
 mentions likewife thedeftruction of the cities of Troye, 
 foal and Verdun by the troops of that nation, as well 
 as a fecond and third fiege of Parts, in which they 
 did not fucceed. 
 
 Thofe who had taken St. Lo in Cotentin, carried 
 their arms into Britonny, where the Dukes Alan and 
 Jitdicael) who had divided that duchy between them, 
 were continually warring againft each other, tfow- 
 ever it was neceifary for them to unite againft this 
 common enemy. They took the field, and Judicacl 
 having march'd firft, beat the Normans ; but as he was 
 endeavouring to ftorm a town, into which a large 
 number of the conquered were retreated, he was flain. 
 Duke Alan purfued them ; and having attack'd a body 
 of fifteen thoufand men, he gain'd fo great a victory, 
 that fcarce could four hundred of the enemy get to 
 their fleet and fave themfelves But
 
 ^9<5 The Htftory of FRANCE. 
 
 An. 892. But defeating an army of this nation feem'd to be like 
 \^VV^ cutting the Hydra's head off. The fame fleet that car- 
 ried back the remains of the two battles in Bri fanny to 
 Denmark or Norway, brought again into the Low- 
 countries fome months after much larger numbers of 
 m troops to ravage the kingdom of Lorain. 
 
 Annal. Me- The King of Germany fent his foldiers to the de- 
 
 tenfes ad fence"of this country ; but one of his generals was 
 
 an. 891. furpriz'd near Aix-la-Chappelle, and routed. The 
 
 German army was alfo beaten fome days after near 
 
 a place called Gulia by our hiftorian ; but towards the 
 
 end of the campaign the King of Germany ftonn'd 
 
 the Norman camp upon the river Dyle in Brabant, 
 
 and made the greateft havock and daughter among 
 
 them that had been feen for a long time. 
 
 Annal. Me- In the mean while a revolution happen'd in France. 
 
 tenfes ad Several Lords revolted, and refolved to place young 
 
 an. 852. Charles, fon of Lewis the Stammerer, upon the 
 
 throne. He was then in the thirteenth year of his 
 
 age. Count Valgaire, tho' a relation of Eudes, fet up 
 
 the firft ftandard in this revolt : but it coft him his life, 
 
 for Eudes came up without delay, oblig'd him to Ihut 
 
 himfelf up .in Laon, ftorm'd the place, took him pri- 
 
 foner, and had his head cut off. 
 
 Another Lord, called Eble, rais'd likewife part of 
 Aquttain in Charleses favour. Eudes march'd thither ; 
 but fcarce had he taken meafures to bring this country 
 to obedience, before he was oblig'd to return into Ncu- 
 ftria, where a great number of Lords, and among 
 the reft Herbert, Count of Vermandvis, one of the 
 jmoft powerful, and Foulk, Archbifhop of Rheims, 
 had not only taken up arms, but likewife proclaimed 
 the^ young Prince King of France. He was crown'd 
 at Rheims by the Archbifhop, and all that part of 
 France acknowledged him for their Sovereign. So 
 that, for the future I fhall give him the title of King. 
 
 EUDES
 
 EUDES. CH AR LES the Si MPLE. 297 
 
 An. 884. 
 
 E UDE s and CHARLES the SIMPLE 
 
 reigning in France. 
 
 EUDES upon this news repafs'd the Loire in 
 all hafte, and appeafd in Champaign much 
 fooner than was expe6led. This fpeedy dili- 
 gence of his difconcerted the young King's party, and 
 diiperfed it, and he was obliged to beg protection of 
 the King of Germany. 
 
 It would be a decifive ftroke either for Eudes or 
 for Charles to get that Prince into their intereft. 
 Foulk, Arehbiftiop of Rheims, who, by reafon of his 
 noble birth, as well as for the great number of his 
 vafTals, was at the head of Charles's party, pleaded 
 ftrongly in his favour to the King of Germany, repre- Sp. 
 fenting to him that he was the lawful heir to the ap- 
 crown, the only one remaining in France of the male l ' 4 ' 
 line of Charlemagne, and that the caufe of his being 
 excluded from the throne for fome time, which was 
 his age, now fubfifted no longer. 
 
 Elides on his fide remonftrated to the King of Ger- 
 many, that he had been recognized King by the con- 
 fent of all the nation, that he himfelf had approved of 
 his election, and that the treaties which they had made 
 together oblig'd him to fupport him, or at lead not 
 to declare againft him : but this Prince was irrefolute, 
 and fometimes feem'd to incline to Charles's fide, 
 and fometimes to that of Eudes. 
 
 After all, the latter, who knew 'ArnutyWs projects 
 upon Italy, and the uneaiinefs in which he was kept 
 by the people of Germany his tributaries, who were 
 always ready to revolt, faw well enough that he 
 would make no ftrong attempts in favour of Charles. 
 For which reafon he refolv'd to drill on time, and Annal. 
 came up to the river Aifne to keep at a bay the troops teafcs - 
 which Charles had newly rais'd, and the German ones 
 which Arnulph had fent to that young Prince. He a- 
 voided fighting, and his only care was to hinder 
 Charles from proceeding any farther. 
 
 What he forefaw came to pals. The German 
 troops, and the others which Charles had with him, 
 
 were
 
 29* TkeHiJbry of Ffc 
 
 An. 894. were tired with this doing of nothing, and defired 
 Charles to difcharge them, fince there was no hopes 
 of deciding .the dLffbreace by a battle. He could not 
 help granting what would have been refus'd them in 
 vain. Charles rethr'd ; into Burgundy with a veryfmall 
 retinue i and Eudes feeing the enemy's army broken 
 up, went dfreclty to Paris. 
 
 Arnttlph- in the mean- time was got into Italy , wffete 
 he had made himfelf -mafter of thegreateft part "of Lorn- 
 ttardy ; and being fecure of J\-Klan, he went no farther. 
 Luitp. 1. 1. Me - return' d into Grrr/tftw, where he found Hermen- 
 c - 7 - & ar da, who waited for him at the Monaftery of Laa- 
 
 re/beitfi. She had gotten herfon 'Lewis crownMKing of 
 JFroi-cncc^s fucceiTor toB^'his father in the domini- 
 ons which he had ufurp'd from the crown of France. 
 She offerM the King of Germany- to lend him her 
 ion's- troops againft Rodvlph, King'of 'Transjuran Bur- 
 gunaj, provided that the towns they took from that 
 Prince fhould be united to the kingdom of Pro-vence. 
 A'rnulph accepted of the offer, but Rodohh defended 
 himfelf fo well, that Lewis could not take any place 
 from him. 
 
 An. 895*. In the year 895*. Ettdes came to Arnulph rtWorme;, 
 
 where he held a diet, and managed his point Ib well 
 
 as to engage him to abandon the protection of Charles. 
 
 But it appeared by the fequel that he promrs'd him at 
 
 that time what ne had no intention to perform ; for 
 
 ?,utittib<)ld, this Prince's natural Ion, made afterwards 
 
 Annal. M- King of Lorain by his father,- came with an army to 
 
 wnf. a fl* 4 ft c*r/j-and? befieged Lao*, which he could not 
 
 Jjf ' take. 
 
 Ic was about this time that Arnulpb being cnll'd to 
 dmfes\d ' J&m by Pope Formofus, to whom the Roman Lords 
 an. 856. gave a great deal of trouble, went thither with an ar- 
 my, took the city, and had himfelf crown'd Emperor. 
 Chrir. de In the mean while the affairs of Prance grew Worfe 
 Z&'ts Norm. aR( j worfe. The Ncrmans renew' d their ravages un- 
 der the command of Rollo, a great captain, whom 
 we fhall often have occafion to mention in the courfe 
 of this hiftory. They entred by the-Seixe, and after- 
 wapds went up the river Oife; and then dividing, 
 they fpread themfelves likewife in Aquitain. 
 
 All thefe confufions, and the continual revolts 
 happened femetimes on one fide 5 and fomc- 
 
 timcs
 
 tfre S 1*4 PL?: 299 
 
 times on another, and the refolution which- Charles An, 
 was juft upon the point of taking, of making an alii- 
 ance with the Normans, oblig'd Eudcs to hearken to 
 the counfel of thofe who advis'd him to an accom- 
 modation, and to divide the kingdom with that young 
 Prince. France, from the Seine to the Pyretteax France dl- 
 mountains, remain'd to him, and he yielded to 'Charles 
 all the reft, acknowledging him at the fame time for 
 his Sovereign, with regard to the part which he re- 
 ferv'd for himfelf. 
 
 After this peace Frame began to breath again. &U T An. 897. 
 des in a little more than a year after it was made 
 died at la. Fere upon the third of January*, in the year 
 $98, which was the tenth of a very troublefome reign-*; An. 898. 
 but which probably would have been more happy for 
 the people, and more eafy to him, if times and 
 cfrcumftances would have permitted him to have 
 made ufe of the great talents which nature had given 
 him for government. 
 
 He left a fon behind him named Arnulpk, whora. vita Sana* 
 fome people proclaimedJKing ; but he died fhortlysaf- Cenulfi. 
 ter, which made the trench Lords recognize Charlet 
 as King of all France. And thus the crown was re- 
 ftor'd to Charlemagne's family. 
 
 CHARLES the SIMPLE. 
 
 QUR hiftorians have never been lefs exa& in; An. 
 the detail of great events, than in their ac- 
 counts of this reign, efpecially of the fkft- 
 twelve years of it) that is to the year 910 and 911. 
 
 Foulki Archbifhop of Rhei-ms, Richard^ Duke oi 
 Burgundy, Herbert, Count of Vermanduis, and Ro~ 
 Icrt, brother to the late King Eu4e$, feem to.havt- 
 been at that time the mod powerful Lords of, th t 
 kingdom. Rvbert in procefs of time llgnaliz'd his 
 ambition, which he kept, hid with great care, and 
 Herbert his treachery. The firft by robbing his Sove- 
 reign of the crown, and the fecond by betraying that 
 Prince In the moft unworthy manner. 
 
 * The
 
 300 The Hi/lory ^F 
 
 An. 898. The firft memorable thing in. Charles's reign was 
 \^S*f**J the cefilon he made to the Normans of that part of 
 the kingdom of Neuftria, which was afterwards calPd 
 Normandy from their name. This ceffion was made 
 upon the occafion, and in the manner I am going to 
 relate. 
 
 Rollo, the beft general the Normans had ever yet 
 had at their head, had already ravaged Francs in divers 
 parts, and kept it in continual alarms by the troops 
 which he march'd or detach'd fometimes towards one 
 
 nince, and fometimes towards another. And tho* 
 lad been beaten and repuls'd in feveral skirmifhes, 
 Budo. 1.2. as at "fours and at Chartres, which he could not take, 
 yet he was become fo formidable, that his ever being 
 lent out of the kingdom was quite defpair'd of. 
 
 Deputations from the people came from all fides 
 to the King, defining him to buy peace of Rollo at any 
 rate. Upon this the French Lords met together, and 
 in that afTembly it was refolved to treat with this ge- 
 neral. 
 
 He had made hhrifelf matter of Roiien fome time 
 before, zndfraxco, Archbifhop of that city, had found 
 the way to get his favour. They made life of this 
 Prelate for the negotiation ; and >as they knew by his 
 means that Rollo's defign was to eftablifli himfelf in 
 France, and that it would be in vain to treat, if the 
 article of his fettlement was not part of the treaty, 
 the Archbifhop was commiffion'd to make Rollo the 
 three following propofals. 
 
 The firft, that they would yield to him all that part 
 of Neuftria as far as the fea, whjchl lay Nortlj of 
 the Seine, taking it from the river Andelle to three. 
 leagues above Roiien, and from the river Epte, which 
 runs thro' Gournay, Gifors, and St. Clair (this is that 
 part of Vexin, which is call'd at this day Norman 
 />*/'#) and more than this the country beyond the 
 Seine, which was of a much larger extent, for it 
 comprehended all that lay between Maine, Britanny^ 
 and the ocean. 
 
 The fecond proposition was relating to the Princels 
 Gift/a the King's daughter, whom this Prince offer'd 
 to Rollo in marriage; and the third t that he fhould 
 turn Chriftian. 
 
 4 Rolls
 
 I 
 
 CHARLES the SIMPLE. 301 
 
 . Rolk fignified to the Archbifhop, that he liked the An. 898. 
 pfopofitions ; and when he laid them before his army, v^Y"^ 
 they were receiv'd with great applaufe. A truce of 
 three months was immediately agreed upon, during 
 which time things might be more particularly regu- 
 lated. 
 
 Some days after, the King and Rollo, each with his 
 army, met at St. Clair upon the river Epte, where the 
 treaty was fign'd ; and another very important article 
 was added there, without which Rollo would never 
 'have confented, which was, that he ihould have Bri- 
 tanny for fome time, by reafon that Neuftria being en- 
 tirely ruin'd, he muft have a country from whence he 
 might get provifions, till the peace had put that, the 
 .poifeiTion of which was granted him, into a condition 
 i of furnifhing him. 
 
 | Duke Robert, who from .that time entred upon great . . 
 jdefigns, omitted nothing to gain the afte&ion of this ci " 
 jnew Prince. He gave him to understand, that he was 
 ioblig'd to him for the ceffion of Britanny, which was 
 rue; and to make the union between them more 
 lofe and fecure, he defir'd him to allow him to be 
 Is fponfor at baptifm, to which Rollo, who was re- 
 oic'd to have a friend fb powerful as .Robert was . jjt 
 ic court of France, readily confented. 
 
 This grand affair was flnifh'd about the end of the An. 911. 
 ear 911. and Ihortly after the country yielded to cya* / 
 lollo began to bear the name of Normandy becaufe of 8J3*~ 
 s new inhabitants, as it is call'd at this day. Normans. 
 
 In the beginning of the next year he was baptiz'd. An. 911. 
 )uke Robert gave him his name at the baptismal font, 
 "ind after this Rollo is commonly call'd in our hifto- 
 es Robert I. Duke of Normandy. Almoft all his 
 rmy follow'd his example, and the officers and fol- 
 iers were baptiVd. 
 
 The ceremony of baprifm was foon follow'd by 
 hat of the marriage of the Princefs Gifela, which was 
 s it were the band of peace between the two nations : 
 nd the new Duke apply'd himfelf entirely to govern 
 is dominions according to the laws which he made ; 
 ind he fucceeded fo well in this, that he was look'd 
 pon to be as great a politician as a general. I rnuft 
 low dilpatch in a few words the things that relate to 
 s family, which we are going to fee ex-
 
 3o2 The Hiftory of F R A w c E. 
 
 An. 912. tin& in Germany and I?al\, arid fubfift no longer any 
 
 V^XT^ where but in the French branch. 
 
 Death </ the The Emperor Arntilph died three years after he had 
 
 .Emperor receiv'd the Imperial crown. He left two fons behind 
 
 him, ZuentiboM, who was a baftard, and whom he 
 
 had made King of Loraln, andLe-ivis feven years old, 
 
 who was legitimate and was crowhM King of Get - 
 
 Annal. Me- many. The people of Loraln, to whom Zuentib'jld 
 
 tcafe *' had'made himfelf odious by his rugged ufage and op- 
 
 preflion, put themfelves under the dominion of the 
 
 King of France, but he was not in a condition to 
 
 maintain his right. Zttentibold fubdued the people of 
 
 Lorain, arid was kill'd fome time after in a battle with 
 
 the partifans of his brother, who added the kingdom 
 
 Duchefne of Loraift to tha"t of German*. He had even the title 
 
 T.a.j>.j8r. of King of the Romans, as we may fee by his epitaph. 
 
 This young Prince, after a reign very much difturb'd 
 
 Death f by civil wars, died the fame year that the peace was 
 
 Lewis King concluded betweefi the King of France and the Nor- 
 
 ly- mans ; and as he left no mile iiliie behind him, . the 
 
 Lords of Germany proceeded to the election of a King 
 
 of another family, who was Conrad Duke of Franco- 
 
 MaieSnecf *'*& So that the male line of Charlemagne was ex - 
 
 Charlemagne tin& in Germany. 
 
 And thus there being no longer any French Prince 
 upon the throne, either beyond the Alps or beyond the 
 Khine, this hirtory will for the future be confin'd to 
 the affairs of France. 
 
 As to the kingdom of Aries or Provence , Lewis 
 fon of the ilfurper Bafin difputed fome time the king- 
 dom of Italy with various fuccefs. However he car- 
 ried his point fo far as to be crown'd Emperor, but four 
 months after he fell into the hands of his enemy, who 
 had his eyes put out, and he died probably under this 
 punhhment, at leaft there is no more mention made 
 ^ of him in hiftory from that time. Only fome time af- 
 ter we meet with Charles Conftantine his fon with no- 
 thing but the title of Lord of Vienne, and Hugh fon 
 of Thibaud Count of Aries with the title of King. 
 So that the ufurpation of Bofon did not defcend in his 
 family as far as the fecorid generation ; and this Hug?? 
 whom I juft mentioned, having refignM his dominion? 
 in the year 926 to Rodolph II. King of Transjurav 
 Burgundy, this kingdom of Aries did not continue
 
 CHARLES the SIMPLE. 303 
 
 In all but about 47 years. I return now to Charles An. 912. 
 the Simple. He got an equivalent for the ceflion of vxV N ^ 
 Normandy by the acquisition of the kingdom of Lo- 
 ra'in, to which the Lords of the country call'd him 
 as foon as they heard of the death of Lewis King of 
 Germany; but the untowardnefs of his fubjeclsplung'd 
 him foon again into greater misfortunes than thd& he 
 had hitherto met with. 
 
 The favour of one Hagano, a man of a mean birth, 
 whom he had made his minitler of ftate, was the pre- 
 tence for their revolt, which they carried fo far as to 
 come to a refolution of putting themfelves under the 
 dominion of a new matter. The thing ^was almoft 
 concluded at Soijffons, where feveral difafte&ed Lords 
 were alTembled : but a Count nam'd Hugh, who was 
 ftrongly in the King's intereft without letting it appear, 
 fuipended the execution of it for fome time, and re- 
 concil'd the King to the Lords, upon condition that 
 he would banifh Hagano from court. The exile of 
 this miniiter depriv'd the King of the only man he 
 could depend upon to be inform'd of the intrigues of 
 the fa&ious, but it did not make them abandon their 
 criminal defigns. This determin'd the King to recall Flo^^i 
 Hagano that he might be near his perfon. 
 
 Duke Robert, who was at the head of the rebels, 
 made ufe of this to reinfl.am them, and took the field 
 with them. The King, who had recover'd feveral 
 Lords to his fide, and among others Herbert Count 
 of Vermandois one of the molt powerful, found hiin- 
 felf able to oppofe him. There were feveral attempts 
 on, both fides with various fuccels ; but Duke Rubert 
 by the correspondence he had with the King's army, 
 debauch'd the greateft part of his troops, who deferr- 
 ed, and the Count of r&-Jva*JoJs, fo famous in our 
 hiitory for his perrldioufiiefs, left him. and join'd the 
 rebels. 
 
 They waited for nothing but this treachery of the 
 Count to proceed to the laft extremities. They met 
 together, declar'd Charles unworthy to be their King, 
 and rais'd Duke Robert to the throne. They carried 
 him as it were in triumph, to Rheims^ where he was 
 c.rown'd King on the thirtieth day of June in the. ib;j. ,<j ar , 
 year 922. But Archbifhop fferve' had no time to 
 tafte the fruits of his infidelity, for he died three days 
 after. Cbarles
 
 T&e Hiftory ^FRANCE. 
 
 Charles had no affiftance left but what came from 
 the Lords of Aquitain, who for the moft part conti- 
 nued faithful to him, and rais'd an army for him, with 
 which he took the field the next year, and march'd 
 up to Robert as: far as Soiffons, where a bloody battle 
 was fought. The King and the ufurper fignaliz'd their 
 Heath / courage upon this occafion ; but Robert was kill'd, ac- 
 RoTjert. cording to fome hifterians, by Count Fulbert, who car- 
 chr' s^'ed T ^ *^ e ro >' a ^ ftandard, and according to others by th 
 chriFiod'.ad King himlelf with his lance which he darted in his 
 an. $23. mouth. 
 
 Of whatever importance the death of the chief might 
 be to the luccefs of the battle, it did not however 
 give the victory to the King's lide. Hugh the IVhite, 
 thus nam'd becaufe of the whiteneis of his counte- 
 nance, and call'd likewife Hugh the Great upon the 
 account of his high ftature, Roberts fon, reanimated 
 the troops ; and charg'd the King's army fo briskly, 
 that he quite routed it, and oblig'd the King himlelf. 
 to betake him to flight. 
 
 Under this new difgrace, he had recourfe to the 
 jDuke of Normandy, William call'd Long-Sword, fon 
 and fucceflbr to Duke Rollo or Robert, who had 
 been dead fbme time. This Prince promis'd to alfiil 
 Kim with all his forces ; but the rebels took fuch good 
 meafures, that it was impofiible for Charles and the 
 Normans to join together. . So that after feveral at- 
 tempts in vain, the King was oblig'd to retreat beyond 
 the Meufe, where he had flill fome fmall weak re- 
 mains of his party. 
 
 As foon as the rebel Lords had rcceiv'd advice of his 
 retreat, they confider'd upon putting themfelves under 
 the dominion of a new King. They offer'd the crown 
 to Hugh the Great, Robert's fon, who would not ac- 
 itrr ce P t f ft> b llt procured it for Raoul or Rudolph Duke 
 Kaou r- who had marr j e( i his fifter and was Ro- 
 
 bert's fon-in-law. We muft not here confound this 
 Rodolph, as fome of our hiftorians have done, with 
 Rodolph King of Transjuran Burgundy. 
 
 Herbert Count of Vermandois help'd alfo very much 
 to fecure the crown to Rodolph, but it was by a piece 
 of cpnduS as bafe and unworthy of a man of his 
 rank and blood, as that of Hugh the Great had been 
 generous and handfome. For having given Charles to 
 
 under-
 
 R O D O L P H. 305 
 
 Uhderftand, that he intended to declare for him, he An. 923. 
 perfuaded him to come into his county of Verman- V,^Y~V 
 dois\ and having gotten him within St. Quint'm, he 
 feiYd him and Ihut him up in a prifon at Chateau- 
 Thierry. 
 
 As this imprifonment of Charles ended in his death, 
 and as Rodolph always poflfefs'd the kingdom without 
 any body's difputing it with him, he is plac'd in our 
 hiftory in the number of our Kings, and the years of 
 his reign are begun to be reckon'd from the year 913. An. 92.3- 
 ih which all thefe things happen'd. There appear'd 
 no more among the French any remains of Charles^ 
 party : and Queen Ogiva his iecond wife, who was 
 daughter to Edward King of 'England, made her efcape 
 into her father's kingdom with the little Prince Lewis 
 her fon, who was but three years of age. 
 
 RAOUL or RODOLPH reigning in France. 
 
 WE have hardly met 'with a reign more full of 
 troubles and difturbances than this of Rodolph. 
 He was almoft always in war, always in ac- 
 tion, always negotiating treaties. He had fomething 
 to do with Henry King of Germany, who ibmetimes 
 under pretence of the dethron'd King being opprefs'd, 
 fometimes out of a defire of getting again in pof- 
 leffion of the kingdom of Lorain, proclaim'd war a- 
 gainft him or threatned to do it. William Duke of 
 Aquitain would not at firfl acknowledge him for King 
 of France. The Duke of Normandy, to whom King 
 Charles for the fake of his affiftance had promis'd to 
 grant fome new lands, would not let the railing of 
 Rodolph to the throne take off the hopes he had con- 
 ceiv'd of increafing his dominions. And laftly, Her- 
 bert Count of Vcrmandois, who had the King in his 
 power, and would never let him go out of his hands, 
 kept the ufurper always in uneafincfs, and demanded large 
 rewards of him for his treafon. 
 
 The firft enemies that Rodolph had to oppofe, were 
 
 th Normans, as well thofe who were fettled in Nor- 
 
 VOL. I X
 
 306 The Htjlory of FRANCE; 
 
 An. 92,4- maxdy, as thofe belonging to general Reynold, who 
 \^XY"V-/ was arriv'd from the North fome time before. They 
 
 Fiod.chr. ad had juft ravag'd the country lying upon the river Oife y 
 n * 9Z3> and afterwards Artols, but they were beaten every 
 where. 
 
 A truce was agreed on, and afterwards a peace which 
 did not laft long, and the Normans renew'd their ho- 
 ftilities. Rodolph made a diverfion on the fide of . Bay- 
 tax : There were feveral skirmifhes between the two 
 parties ; but at laft peace was made again with the 
 Romans, who had money given them, and the Count 
 of Vermandois got the Archbiflioprick of Rheims for 
 his fbn, who was only five years of age, in recoin- 
 pence for the fervices he had done Rodolph in this war r 
 there being a good underftanding between them at this 
 time. 
 
 But the war that Henry King of Germany declared 
 
 againft Rodolfh for the kingdom of Lorain coft him 
 
 dearer ; for that Prince, after fome endeavours, which 
 
 did not fucceed very well at firft, together with force 
 
 of arms made ufe of promifes and prefents to gain 
 
 An. 9Mi the Lords of Lorain, and he manag'd fo well, that at 
 
 & 925-. laft almoft all the kingdom fubmitted to the crown of 
 
 Germany. 
 
 As to William Duke of Aquitain, Rodolph took the 
 opportunity of a truce of three months, which he had 
 made with Henry King of Germany and the Normans, to 
 go and reduce him to obedience. This expedition was 
 over in a few days. William, paid him homage, but it 
 was upon condition that Rodolph fhould re-unite to the 
 duchy of d<j uitain Bourges and its dependencies, which 
 he had caus'd to be difmembred from it whilft Charles the 
 Simple was upon the throne. But the greateft piece of 
 uneafinefs that Rodolpb had hitherto had, came from Hej- 
 bert Count of Fermandois. This man, who was as am- 
 bitious as he was knavifh, thought that Rodolph could ne- 
 ver reward him enough for the treafon he had commit- 
 ted in his favour againft the King his lawful mailer. 
 Not content with the ftiare that Rodolph allow'd him 
 in all bufinefs, and with the large eftates which he had 
 added to his county, he demanded of him for his fon 
 Odo or Eudes the county of Laon vacant by the death 
 of Count Rotgaire. Rodohh refus'd him, and gave it 
 to one of the fons of the oeceas'd Count. 
 
 Herbert
 
 RODOLPH. 307 
 
 Herbert being angry at this refufal relblv'd to re- An. 92,7. 
 volt ; but before he did fo, he took meafures to be V^X 
 well fupported. He got Hugh the Great over to his 
 iide, treated with the King of Germany , who pro-' 
 mis'd him affiftance, and afterwards with William 
 Duke of Normandy, to whom he gave his daughter 
 in marriage; and to engage thete two Princes to fecond 
 him the more readily, he told them his defign was to 
 reftore King Charles to the throne. 
 
 As foon as he was fecure of thefe powerful allies, 
 he pull'd off the mask, and march'd to Loon to feize 
 it, but was prevented by the troops which Rudolph 
 fent thither. Having mift his blow, he went to Cha- 
 teau-Thierry where he kept King Charles a prifoner, 
 and told him that he came with a refolution to reftore 
 him to the throne. This Prince agreeably furpriz'd at 
 fo unexpected a change of fortune, willingly forgot all 
 the perfidioufnefs and treachery of the Count, and pro- 
 mis'd him the greateft rewards. 
 
 This blow confounded Rodolpb, who apprehending 
 a fudden revolution, went in all hafte into Hurgnndy 
 to raile an army there. Herbert did the fame on his 
 fide, and having join'd the Duke of Normandy at the 
 city of Eu, both f them did homage there to the King 
 for their dominions. The Duke (ign'd a treaty of al- 
 liance with the King and Herbert, and then great part 
 of what was call'd the country of France declar'd 
 t)penly for Charles. 
 
 The two armies were in the field, and ready to en- \ ^ 
 gage upon the banks of the river Oife, when Hugh 
 the Great, whom Rodolph had gain'd again to his fidej 
 $ame and offer'd his mediation to the two chiefs. 
 They accepted of it, and agreed upon time and place 
 to come to an accommodation in the prefence of 
 Hugh. 
 
 In the mean while Charles's faithful fervants had 
 taken heart again , and in fecret fet other fprings on 
 work to promote his reftoration. They apply 'd to 
 Pope John X. and reprefented to him how unworthi- 
 ly their Prince was treated , and the Pope wrote a 
 very fmart letter to Herbert upon this occaiion, threat* 
 ning him even with excommunication if he kept the 
 King a prifoner any longer. 
 
 X *. fferttrs
 
 3 o8 The Hiftory 
 
 An. 92.8. Herbert, who was difturb'd at this letter, came to 
 Rbeiras with Charles. He wrote back to the Pope, 
 that he labour'd with all his might for the fervice of 
 that Prince, and that it was not his fault he was not 
 immediately reftor'd. But this did not hinder him from 
 continuing to treat with Rodolpb, and at laft the agree- 
 ment was concluded. Rodolph, who was refoiv'd to 
 make it at any rate whatever, gave Herbert the coun- 
 ty of Laon , which had been the occafion of the 
 quarrel. 
 
 This was all that Herbert aim'd at when he pretend- 
 ed to fupport the intereft of the dethron'd King. Un- 
 happily for this Prince, Pope 'John was himfelf at this 
 time driven from the pontifical See, and Herbert by 
 that deliver'd from the fear of excommunication. He 
 went with Hugh the Great to meet Rodolph, paid him 
 new homage for his dominions , and put the King 
 again in prifon. 
 
 The King of Germany did not trouble himfelf at 
 all with the promife that Herbert had given him of re- 
 ftoring Charles to the throne. The Duke of Nor- 
 mandy indeed was not fo eafy at this breach of faith, 
 but a man muft have a great deal of generofity to 
 fupport an unfortunate and abandon'd Prince with- 
 out any other intereft. The Duke did not think 
 he was oblig'd to expofe himfelf to a dangerous war 
 for Charles's reftoration. Some time after, Rodolpb 
 granted this Prince the revenues of the royal palace of 
 An. 929. Attigni upon the river Aifae, and this was done proba- 
 bly to give fome degree of fatisfadion to the Duke of 
 Normandy. 
 
 Jthelftan King of England, upon the hopes of 
 Charles's reftoration, had already fent back into France 
 Prince Lewis his nephew and this Prince's fon, after 
 having provided againft his falling into the hands of 
 his father's enemies ; but as foon as he heard the news 
 of the accommodation between Herbert and Rodolph^ 
 he fent for him over fea again. 
 
 Death ef Charles did not long enjoy the fmall alleviation of 
 
 Charles t ht ^is captivity, for he died fome months after at Peronne 
 
 where he was then in prifon. The furname of Simple 
 
 which was given this King, fufficiently fliews his cha- 
 
 ra&er, and points out the caufe of his misfortunes. 
 
 By
 
 R OD O L P H. 309 
 
 By his death Rodolph was deliver'd from a great deal of An. 929. 
 uneafinefs , and from a competitor who tho' not very s-^v^> 
 dangerous in himfelf, yet was always to be fcar'd as 
 long as he was in the hands of the Count QtVermandois. 
 Being freed from this incumbrance, he acted with more An. ^o. 
 liberty and authority. He made a terrible (laughter among 
 the Normans upon the Loire, and the defcents of thepy- 
 rates of that nation were left frequent in his reign after- 
 wards. He oblig'd the people of Gafcouyand Provence 
 to give him homage, a duty which many of them had for An. 931. 
 fome years negle&ed to pay as much as they could. 
 
 He took fome pains to put an end to the private 
 wars, which the Lords made upon one another; 
 the beginning of which as it appears to me may be 
 fix'd to the reign of Charles the Simple. The infeoffed 
 Lords look'd upon it afterwards under the third race 
 of our Kings as a right and prerogative of their fiefs, 
 to have this power of making war upon their neigh- 
 bours ; and our Kings for feveral ages endeavour'cj in 
 vain to abolifh this pernicious cuftom. 
 
 The Count of Verrnandois revolted again againft -fla-r 
 dolph, and engag'd on his fide Arnulpb Count of Flan- 
 ders , the King of Germany , and Gilbert Duke of 
 Lorain that Prince's Faffal, but it was to his difadvan- 
 tage. Rodolph took feveral places from him and among 
 others &fas'flRg, of which city he caus'd Artald, a Monk An. 932,, 
 of the abbey of St. Remy^ to be eleded Archbifhop in the 933. 934. 
 room of Herbert's fon, who had been nam'd to that 
 Archbifhoprick fix years before, and was now but in 
 the eleventh year of his age. This affair was the oc- 
 cafion of a great deal of trouble and confufion after- 
 wards. The revolt of the Count of Vermandois con- 
 tinued four years longer, being from time to time in- 
 terrupted by feveral truces. It was put an end to by An. 935*- 
 the mediation of Henry King of Germany and Rodolph 
 II. King of Transjuran Burgundy ; and fome of the 
 towns which had been taken from Herbert were given 
 to him again. 
 
 Rodolph died the year after upon the fifteenth of Ja- in Manufc. 
 nuary, or according to others upon the eleventh of ^ alt .' Em a I * x d 
 July, without leaving any male children. The conti- M Sin' ; 
 nual wars maintain'd generally with fuccefs ; almoft Dipiom. i. z. 
 all the vaflals of the crown, the moft powerful and C : a5< ^ 
 the moft diftant from the centre of the government, An ' 93 
 X 3 oblig'd
 
 " 
 
 3 io the Hi/lory off RANGE. 
 
 An. 936. oblig'dto acknowledge him for their fovereign ; a reign 
 *>~<~v^ of thirty years upon an ufurped throne, which he kept 
 th rf pofTeffion of to the end of his life ; France in peace, 
 notwithftanding fo many uneafy turbulent fpirits, who 
 had been accuitom'd to independency : all thefe things 
 are moft certain evidences of his prudence, his courage, 
 his refblution, and that noble genius which makes great 
 men and heroes. So that tho' we muft neceflarily 
 blame his ambition and ufurpation, yet we cannot help 
 placing him in the number of the moft illuitrious 
 Princes, who have ever govern'd the French monarchy. 
 
 As foon as Rodvlph's death was known in England, 
 Queen Ogiva, Charles the Simple's wife and Lewis her 
 fon, who had retir'd thither, fet the partifans whom 
 they had frill in France on work to get the crown to 
 return into Charlemagne's houfe. fiLtheljlan King of 
 England, the Queen's brother and uncle to Prince 
 Lewis, engag'd William Duke of Normandy to ule 
 his good offices with Hugh the Great and the Count 
 of yermandois in favour of this young Prince. He 
 fucceeded in it ; and Hugh the Great, who as Robert's 
 fon, who had born the title of King of France, and 
 by his great power and merit might have pretended to 
 Fiod.chr. the throne to the exclufion of every one elfe, yet upon 
 * an * 9 3 this occafion prefer'd the honour of difpofing of a crown 
 before that of pollefllng one : and in an alterably of 
 Lords he got it concluded, that Prince Lewis fhould 
 be recall'd and plac'd upon the throne of his an- 
 ceftors. 
 
 Upon thisr embafTadors were fent into England, one 
 
 Return f of whom was IVilliam Archbifhop of Sens. The 
 
 ta^'efi^f P" nce was brou ght back into France. He landed at 
 
 Swfes il tne P ort f Cologne , and was receiv'd at his coming 
 
 Simple. out of the fhip by Hugh the Great at the head of the 
 
 French Lords, who fwore allegiance to him upon the 
 
 fpot; From thence they conducted h'm to Laon, where 
 
 he was crown'd and anointed by the hands of Artald 
 
 Archbifhop of Rbeitns in the prefence of twenty Bi- 
 
 Ihops and a great number of Lords at the end of June 
 
 An. 936. in the year 936.
 
 LEWIS IV, 3 1 1 
 
 An. 936. 
 
 LEWIS IV. Jiirnam'd ULTRA-MARINE. 
 
 LEWIS the fourth of that name, commonly 
 cairdZ,<rztf/j Ultra-marine, becaufe he return'd 
 from England into France to afcend the throne 
 by right of birth, was but fixteen years old when he 
 was recogniz'd King after thirteen years of banifhment. 
 Queen Ogiva his mother remain'd in England, and he 
 was deliver'd up alone to the difcretion or rather the 
 caprice of the great ones, who let him exercife no 
 greater a degree of abfolute government, than his laft 
 predeceffors of the houfe of Charlemagne. 
 
 As Hugh the Great was the perfon to whom he was 
 moft oblig'd for his crown, and as this Lord in qua- 
 lity of Duke of France was the moft powerful in the 
 kingdom, h^relied upon him and made him his mi- 
 nifter of ftate. And during the remainder of this year 
 Hugh had even the title of governor to the King be- 
 caufe of this Prince's youth. 
 
 They march'd together with fome troops' into the 
 duchy of Burgundy, where Hugh furnam'd the Black, 
 brother to the late King Rodolph, feem'd to have a mind 
 to fet up a government of his own, and make himfelf 
 independent ; but as fbon as the army drew near, Bur- 
 gundy fubmitted, and Hugh the Black obtain'd peace 
 upon condition that he Ihould divide Burgundy with 
 Hugh the Great. 
 
 The more the power of this Lord increas'd, the 
 more it feem'd neceflary to keep fair with him : but 
 fome time after the King did a very bold a6tion for a 
 Prince of his age. He declar'd he would no longer be 
 treated as a pupil, nor continue under the government 
 of Hugh the Great, and he fent for Queen Ogiva his 
 mother from England to afiift him with her advice. 
 
 This rclblution was worthy of the young King, ibid. ad. an. 
 but it coft him dear by the troubles which 'it occafion'd 937- 
 in his dominions. Hugh look'd upon himfelf as dif- 
 grac'd ; but without much minding that, his only de- 
 iign was to make himfelf befear'd. He made a league L ea gue ofttst 
 with the Count of Vermandris, who was always ready grt*t 
 to rebel againft his fovereign, and who had a particu- y. 
 X4 ia
 
 3 1 a The Hiflory ^FRANCE. 
 
 An. 937. lar reafon for difcontent ; which was that the King fup- 
 
 V-^V^/ ported Artald Archbifhop of Rheims, v/ho was put in 
 
 the place of Hugh the Count's fon , the election of 
 
 whom to that Archbiihoprick, when he was but five 
 
 years old, was entirely againft the canons. 
 
 The Count was firft in the field, and by private 
 management took Chateau-Thierry, which he had loft 
 in his preceding rebellions. 
 
 The King was under a necefiity of coming to an 
 accommodation with Hugh the Great, who was af- 
 terwards Herbert's mediator to reftore him to the 
 good graces of his Sovereign, but that did not conti- 
 nue. The new enterprifes of this Count oblig'd the 
 King to take up arms again. He took Laon, and 
 gave that county to Odo, Herberts fon, who had left 
 his father, and join'd his army ; but upon fome fufpi- 
 cion he had of him he took it from him fhortly after. 
 Hugh the Great, regain'd by Herbert, made a new 
 league with him. Gilbert, Duke of Lorain join'd 
 them. Herbert engag'd the Duke of Normandy his 
 fon-in-law in his quarrel, and Hugh the Great, whole 
 wife, fitter to the King of England, was dead, having 
 demanded the daughter of Otho, King of Germany, in 
 marriage, obtain'd her, and with her the protection of 
 that Prince againft the King. 
 
 ib'.d. ad an. rfruvlph, Count of Flanders, and Hugh the Black, 
 9S9- Duke of part of Burgundy, came to the King's afilftance, 
 
 An. 939. wno being join'd by his other vailals, march'd to meet 
 the enemy. Several Bifhops whom he took along 
 with him, excommunicated the Duke of Normandy 
 and the Count of Vermandois immediately. The 
 Duke, who was a very religious Prince, was ftruck 
 at this excommunication^; and the Count, tho' much 
 lefs IcrupulouF, was not without apprehenfions of 
 its confequences. This made Hugh the Great, who 
 was now afraid of being abandon'd by his allies, pro- 
 pofe an accommodation to the King, and a truce 
 was concluded on for fomc months. 
 
 During thcfc tran&clions, Gilbert, Duke of Lo- 
 ra:n, revolted from the King of Germany, and put 
 hiinfelf under the dominion of the King of France, 
 who march'd to that fide, and made hiinfelf mafter 
 of aim oil all A If at: a : but the King of Germany hav- 
 ing gain'd a great victory over the rebels to his go- 
 vernment,
 
 LEW is IV. 31* 
 
 i-ernment, and Gilbert, Duke of Lorain, being Hain An. 939. 
 in that battle, he proceeded to reconquer Lorain. ^OTs> 
 
 The King was advanced on that fide, and had mar- 
 ried Gerburga, Duke Gilbert's widow, to fecure him- 
 felf the party he had in that country. But as foon as 
 Qtho appear'd with his troops the people of Lorain 
 return'd to him, and he reconquered this duchy in al- 
 moft as fliort a time as he had loft it. 
 
 He made new alliances with Hugh the Great and An. 940, 
 Herbert. The Duke of Normandy came again into 
 the league. Hugh and Herbert befieged Rheims, and 
 made themfelves mafters of it by the treachery of 
 thofe whom the King had plac'd there to maintain 
 the liege. Archbifhop Artald, to fave his life and his 
 liberty, was forc'd to furrender his Archbifhoprick, 
 and relign it to Hugh, Herbert's fon, from whom it 
 had been taken for the reafons I mentioned above. 
 
 The rebels did not ftop here ; for Otho having en- 
 tred France, and penetrated as far as Attigni, they re- 
 cognix'd him there for their King, and did homage to 
 him, as did alfo Rotgaire, Count of Douay. Hugh 
 the Black was forc'd to do as much out of fear of fee- 
 ing all his lands ruin'd; and the King was in great 
 danger of being dethron'd as his father was, if Henry, 
 Otho's brother, who had been Duke of Lorain, had An. 
 not by his revolt obliged that Prince to withdraw his 
 troops out of France. This accident produc'd a truce 
 between the two Kings. 
 
 The truce was no fooner expired but Hugh the 
 Great and the Count of Fermandois took the field 
 again and befieged Laon. The King march'd to its 
 fuccour ; but being unexpectedly furprized, his army 
 was defeated, and he had like to have been taken him- 
 felf. Lao* however defended itfelf fo well, that the 
 enemy was obliged to raiie the fiege. 
 
 The King, in the extremity he was in, having none 
 l to rely on any longer but the Lords of Aquitain, who 
 had always been faithful to him, had recourfe to the 
 Pope, who was then Stephen the eighth of that name, 
 who fent Bilhop Damafus into France with the title 
 of legate. 
 
 This prelate, according to his orders, a&ed briskly 
 igainft the rebels in favour of the King, and threatned 
 them with excommunication if they did not lay down 
 3 their
 
 ji4 The Hiftory of FRANCE: 
 
 An. 941- their arms, and if they refus'd to pay their Sovereign 
 V^"V->-> tne obedience which they owed him. 
 
 Thefe menaces had their effed the more eafi- 
 ly, becaufe Otbo, King of Germany, out of ge- 
 nerofity and compaflion for a young Prince whom 
 he faw in great danger of loling his crown, left 
 the rebels party, and confented to come to a trea- 
 ty of peace, upon condition that William, Duke of 
 Normandy, for whom he had a great refped, was the 
 Duto. 1. 3. mediator. The Duke willingly took this mediation 
 5i C 942. u P n nim - ^ e immediately got a truce concluded be- 
 tween the King and the rebels, which was to lad 
 from the fifteenth of September to the fifteenth of No- 
 vember ; and afterwards having form'd a plan of the 
 peace, he fent it to the King of Germany. The two 
 Kings agreed upon an interview near the mountains 
 of ftffA- The King of France went thither, and was 
 treated by Otbo wkh all pofllble kindnefs and friend- 
 fhip. The Heads of the rebels came thither likewife, 
 and the accommodation was foon concluded, the 
 King demanding nothing on his fide, but that his 
 fubjeds fhould renew their oath of allegiance to him; 
 which they did, after the King of Germany had re- 
 leas'd them from that which they had taken to him at 
 Attigni. 
 
 Herbert agreed willingly enough to the peace, be- 
 caufe at the fame time that the legate had threatned 
 him with excommunication, the Pope had confirm'd 
 his fon in "the Archbilhoprick of Rheims, and fent him 
 thepall. 
 
 The two Kings parted good friends ; and the King 
 
 of France, that he might acknowledge the obligation 
 
 he lay under to the Duke of Normandy for a peace, 
 
 GuiiLGe- -which was fo neceflary for him, defired he would 
 
 met>1 ' 3> ftand godfather at Laon to the Prince his fon, who 
 
 was born the year before, and was named Lothaire. 
 An- 943- The death of this Duke, who was aflafTmated fbme 
 Dudo. i. 3. t j me after by the orders of Arnulpb, Count of Flan- 
 ders, after a conference held at Peguigny upon the river 
 Sowme, gave occaiion to a great many intrigues and 
 motions in France. He left Richard his fon a very 
 young child his fucceflbr. 
 
 4 The
 
 LEWIS IV. 315 
 
 The King exprefs'd a great deal of grief upon this An. 943. 
 occafion, and going to Roiien, he affur'd the Nor- \^^T^ 
 mans he would leverely revenge their Duke's death ; 
 but befides this he had another defign, which was to 
 fecure the young Duke, and if all circumftances con- 
 curr'd, to drive the Normans out of Normandy. They 
 had fome miftruft of the project of taking away the 
 Duke, and there was an infurredion of the people, 
 in which the King run the risk of his life : but he 
 quieted it by the afTurances he gave them of his good 
 intentions, and of a fpeedy vengeance of the late 
 Duke's death. He knew fo well how to turn the 
 minds of the Normans, that they confented to let him 
 take their Prince and educate him at his own court. 
 
 Some time after, the King taking the young Duke 
 along with him, put himfelf at the head of an army, 
 and advanc'd as far as Laon, as if he was going to 
 lay fiege to Arras, and from thence to ravage all 
 Flanders. 
 
 Count drnulph left no ftone unturn'd to calm this 
 ftorm. He fent embafladors to the King to clear him 
 from the death of the Duke of Normandy ; and they 
 did their duty fo well, that they not only duTuaded 
 him from making war upon their matter, but they re- 
 viv'd his firft thoughts and hopes of driving the Nor- 
 mans out of France, by the offer which they made 
 him of all the Count's forces to arTift him in the exe- 
 cution of that defign. Upon which he found fome 
 pretences to fufpend the Flanders expedition, and con- 
 tinued at Laon, without going any farther. 
 
 Hofmond, governor of the little Prince, div'd into 
 the myitery of this intrigue, and fent advice of it to 
 Roiien to the adminiltrators of that duchy who fuf- 
 pedted it themfelves as foon as they law the Flanders 
 expedition ftopt. They were perfectly convinc'd of it, 
 when they heard that endeavours were us'd underhand 
 to gain fome Norman Lords, and more especially 
 when the King came to Rouen, and plac'd a French 
 governor there, who was Herluln, Count of Pon- 
 thieu. 
 
 The King ailed now with the more opennefs in Fiod. chr. 
 this affair, as he was feconded in it by Hugh the ad . 943- 
 Great, and as he got rid at this time of another man, 
 \vho might have been the molt able of any one to have 
 
 thwarted
 
 3 1 6 The Htflory ^F 
 
 An. 943 thwarted his defigns, I mean Herbert, Count of Ver- 
 \^^C^j rnandois, who died this year. When he was dying 
 Peatk f *e ne was fo Hung with the treafon he had committed 
 vennandois. againft Charles the Simple, that at every moment he 
 figh'd, and repeated thefe words : We -were twelve 
 who betrayed the King. He left behind him feveral 
 children by his wife, fifter to Hugh the Great, name- 
 ly, Albert, Count of Vermandois, Odo or Eudes, 
 Count of Ham and Chateau-Thierry, Robert, Count 
 of T'roye, Herbert, Count of Meaux, and Hugh^ 
 Archbiihop of Rheims. 
 
 Thcfe Lords gave the King not much lefs troin 
 ble than their father had done. He was often 
 oblig'd to take up arms againft them. Hugh the 
 Great fupported them, and afterwards made hrm- 
 felf the mediator of peace. But what difconcerted 
 Uu<!o l. 3. the King the mod, was the efcape of the Duke of 
 An. 944. Normandy, whom Hefmond, his governor, difguis'd 
 in the habit of a groom, carried away one evening 
 upon his fhoulders in a great trufs of hay, and con- 
 vey'd him to Coucy, and from thence to Senlis to 
 Count Bernard, the Duke's uncle by the mother*? 
 fide. 
 
 This Bernard, Count of Senlis, feeing his nephew 
 at liberty, concerted meafures with another Bernard, 
 called the Dane, to defend themfelves againft the King. 
 They engaged Hugh the Great in their defign, and a- 
 greed together that the Normans fhould feem to be 
 very fubmiffive to the King, and that Hugh fhould 
 pretend a mighty seal for his fervice, till they had 
 brought him into fome ftraight, and then they might 
 force him to renounce ablblutely all his pretentious to 
 Normandy: and in the mean time Bernard the Dane 
 fent a man he could truft privately into the North to 
 a Prince called Haigrold, a relation of Duke Richard's, 
 deliring him to come with an army to the affiftance 
 of this Prince. 
 
 Haigrold promifed to do as he was dcfir'd. He 
 nrriv'd fome time- after with a fleet in the mouth of 
 tne river Dii/e in the lower Normandy, and there 
 landed his army, Bernard the Dane gave advice of it 
 to the King with zealous forwardnefs, conjuring him 
 to come with an army, and put himfclf at the head 
 of the Nwman Lords againft this new enemy. The 
 
 King
 
 L E w i s IV. 
 
 King made no delay, but arriv'd a few days after at An. 944- 
 Rouen, with the Count of Pontbieu and a great num- 
 her of troops. 
 
 Haigrold in concert with thofe who betray'd the 
 King, propos'd an interview, to lay before him the 
 feafons which made him come into France. He 
 confented to it, and came with his army up to the 
 river Dive. 
 
 The two armies being in fight of each other , the 
 King and Haigrold advanc'd between, to confer toge- 
 ther : but a quarrel which had been contriv'd by the 
 Normans, happening between fbme foldiers of both 
 parties, and in which the Count of Pontbieu waskill'd, 
 the conference broke up. 
 
 The urprixex>f the French, who expected nothing fo 
 little as to fight, gave the Normans a great advantage, 
 and the King's army was foon routed. Unfortunately 
 for this Prince, his horfe's bridle was cut in the fight, 
 fo that he could not manage him any longer. Hat- mans. 
 grold, who did not lofe light of him, purfued him and FIod - Chr - 
 took him prifoner. ad an - 94 * 
 
 Some hours after, the guards which were put upon 
 him, being defirous of having a lhare in pillaging the 
 baggage of the French army, rambled too far. He 
 took the opportunity of this moment', mounted one 
 of their hories, and made his efcape ; but in his flight 
 he was known by a foldier of Rouen ; and as he had 
 no arms, he was forc'd to furrender himfclf again to 
 him. The foldier however was gain'd by the large 
 promife which the King made him. The bufinefs was 
 to get to Laon ; but Bernard the Dane had given fuch An. 945*, 
 ; good orders, and plac'd fuch ftrong guards at all the 
 paffes, that there was no fafety in keeping that road. 
 So that the foldier thought he could do nothing bet- 
 ter than conduct him as near Rouen, whither they 
 ; would never imagine the King would go, and hide 
 him in an ifland in the Seine, till delpairing to find 
 him they (hould leave off looking for him. 
 
 He continued there fome time, but I know not how 
 it came to pafs, the foldier was fufpe&ed. Bernard 
 the Dane had him taken into cuftody, feiz'd upon his 
 goods, his wife, children, horfes, and all that he had, 
 threatning to confifcate every thing, if he did not dif- 
 cover where the King was hid. The foldierbeing fright- 
 
 ned,
 
 3 1 S The Hiftory of F R A 'N c E.' 
 
 An. 94?. ned, confefs'd all; and the King was retaken and put 
 in prifon again. 
 
 He was not rclcas'd from thence till after feveral ne- 
 gotiations, in which Hugh the Great feem'd always 
 to aft in concert with the Normals. The refult was 
 making the King fwear, that he yielded anew and 
 confirm'd to Richard all that had been yielded to Rollo 
 t. ad his grandfather. Befidcs which feveral lands were grant- 
 .Gemer. erf to him ; and it was ftipulated, that neither he nor 
 bis fucceilbrs fhould owe fervice for all the country 
 to any but God alone. So that all the fubje&ion of 
 the Duke was reduc'd to limple homage. However 
 things were chang'd afterwards as to this particular. 
 
 When all this was done, Haigrold content with 
 having fb glorioufly re-eftablifh'd his relation, went on 
 board his fleet again, and returned into Denmark. 
 
 This treaty was not fign'd upon the river Epte till 
 
 the year after the King was deliver'd out of thecuftody 
 
 All. 946. of the Normans. The Duke had Carloman the King's 
 
 fecond fon for an hoftage, and this little Prince, who 
 
 was then in his cradle, died in this interval. 
 
 What defer'd the conclufion of the treaty, was the 
 treachery of Hugh the Great, who had no fooner taken 
 the King out of his prifon in Normandy, but he put 
 him in another under the guard of Thibaud Count of 
 Chartres, furnam'd in our hiftories the I'rickfter or 
 Cheat ; and this was to oblige this Prince to part with 
 the city of Laon, which was almoft the only ftrong 
 place he had in his dominions, with which he kept 
 the Count of J^ermandois in awe. 
 
 Edmund King of England and Otho King of Ger- 
 many were extremely provok'd -at this proceeding. 
 The firft made powerful inftances with Hugh for the 
 King's liberty, and the other would not fee that Lord, 
 who went as far as Lorain to pay his compliments to 
 Sa'mte Mar- him. But all this produc'd no effect. The King was 
 tbe.t.i.p.24- forc'd to give up Laon; and Hugh the Great gave it 
 to the Count of Chartres, who according to our ge- 
 nealogifts was fon to a Norman Lord nam'd Gerlo, 
 who was related to Rollo or Robert I. Duke of Nor- 
 mandy. 
 
 Hitherto Hugh the Great had pofTefs'd the firft place 
 in France without envy, and the great ones look'd up- 
 on him as their chief without diilurbance ; becaufe in 
 
 labouring
 
 L E \v i s IV. 319 
 
 labouring for his own greatnefs, he took care at the An. 9-46. 
 fame time of that of his friends : but the violence he v.xVX^ 
 had done to the King's perfon in putting him in prifon 
 tp make him give up the city of Laon, fhock'd feveral 
 of them, and made them fear that he had fome higher 
 defigns in view, and that he afpir'd to the crown. 
 
 The marriage of his daughter Emma, whom he e- 
 fpous'dto the Duke of Normandy, tho' neither of them 
 were marriageable, increas'd this fufpicion. The King 
 and the Count of Flanders having heard this news, 
 were very much difturb'd at it, and refolv r d to take 
 their meafures in concert, the Count againft the Duke 
 of Normandy, who was his declar'd and perfonal ene- 
 my, and the King againft Hugh the Great. 
 
 They refolv'd to get Otho King of Germany / into 
 their iiitereft. The Count of Flanders took the nego- 
 tiation upon him. The Queen, Others fitter, wrote pref- 
 fmg letters to him upon this occafion, and the treaty 
 was concluded upon condition that the King of France 
 fhould renounce all his right to the kingdom of Lorain, 
 which for along time had been the fubjedt of difference 
 between the two dates. 
 
 In a fhort time after Otho pafs'd the Rhine and en- Flod. chr. 
 tred France with an hundred thoufand men. The King *Un.$4*. 
 join'd him with his army near Cambray , and they 
 march'd together and befieg'd Rhiems, where Archbi- 
 Ihop Hugh, fon of the late Count of Vermandois and 
 nephew of Hugh the Great, had fhut himfelf up to 
 defend the place ; but being frighted at the numerous 
 army which befieg'd it, he furrendred it by capitulation 
 after a iiege of three days. Archbifhop Art aid, who 
 had been turn'd out from thence fome years before, 
 return'd thither and was re-plac'd in his See by Robert 
 Archbifhop of Treves and Frederick Archbifhop of 
 Mentz.. The taking of this place, and the ravaging of 
 the duchy of France, and of the county about Rouen, 
 were all the confequences of this great armament. 
 
 Otho did not judge it convenient to come into France 
 again the next campaign ; fo there was more equality 
 between the two oppofite parties. They both of them 
 made feveral attempts upon the enemy's fortified places ; 
 but they did not fucceed, and this made them think 
 of peace. Otho was the mediator of it, and a treaty 
 was concluded, which was to laft till after a council
 
 j 20 The Htftory of F R A N c E.^ 
 
 An. 947- was over, which was call'd at Verdun to meet in No- 
 \S*f^ vember, to put an end to the differences between the 
 two Archbilhops of Rheims , which had been for a 
 long time one of the principal caufes of the war. 
 
 This council was held, in which Hugh fon to the 
 Count of Verrnandois loft his caufe ; but he did not 
 fubmit to the fentence , and Marinas Bifhop of Do- 
 marzo fent by Pope Agapetas II. confented, according 
 to the advice of feveral Bifhops, that a national council 
 ftiould be aflembled. 
 
 The legate had it in charge, not only to decide the 
 affair of the two Archbifhops ; but the Pope at the 
 King's defire had likewife order'd him to hear the com - 
 Fiod. chr. plaints of this Prince againft Hugh the Great, and to 
 ad an. 948. proceed againft that Lord by ecclefiaftical cenfures, if 
 he found him blameable, and if he continued to difturb 
 the kingdom. The council was held at Ingelherm near 
 Mentz. The two Kings L ewis and Otbo aflifted at it. 
 The judgment of the council of Verdun given in 
 favour of Archbiihop Artald, and the depolition of 
 Archbifhop Hugh were confirm'd. Hugh the Great 
 was excommunicated, but the fentence was as yet 
 only comminatory; and immediately after, the King 
 affifted by Otho's troops befieg'd Moufon and afterwards 
 Montaigv, which were taken by capitulation after a 
 long rcfiftance. Archbifhop Hugh lately depos'd de- 
 fended the firft, and Tkibaut Count of Chartres the 
 other. 
 
 After thefe two advantages, the Bilhops, who with 
 their vaflals had contributed a great deal to the taking 
 of Montaign, came with their troops before Laon\ 
 and quitting the helmet to take np the mitre, they af- 
 lembled in council in a church near the city dedicated 
 to ^.Vincent. There they excommunicated the Count 
 .of Cbtrtres, who was in pofleffion of Laon, and cited 
 Hugh the Great in their own name and in the name 
 of the Pope's legate to come before them and give an 
 account of all that he had done againft the King and 
 the Bilhops. 
 
 Hitherto the King , fupported by the Bifhops and 
 the Pope and the Lorain troops which Otho had left 
 him, was the ftrongeft, but the Lorainers were tired, 
 and defir'd to be difcharg'd, which could not be re- 
 fus'd them. Then Hugh the Great took the field and 
 
 laid
 
 LEWIS IV. 321 
 
 laid fiege to Soiffons and afterwards to Rouci upon An. 948. 
 the river Aifne. By good fortune he fiicceeded V^V^ 
 in neither. This ill fuccefs made a great number of 
 gentlemen quit his party; and the legate taking advan- 
 tage of the occalion began to a& with yet more au- 
 thority and refolution than he had hitherto done. 
 
 He' held a council atfreves y where, after having ob- 
 ferv'd the ufual formalities, he excommunicated Hugh 
 the Great as a rebel againft his King, and fcr all the 
 other irregularities of which he had been accus'd. 
 After which he return'd to Rome, where the Pope con- 
 firm'd all that had been done at Ingelheim and 71 revet : 
 he excommunicated Hugh the Great over again, and 
 declar'd that this Lord fhould never have abfolution 
 untefs he fubmitted to the King. 
 
 Hugh did not furrender for this. The next year a P^- chr." 
 prodigious deal of devaluation was committed on both ai an ' 54S> * 
 fides. The King and the Count of Flanders made 
 themfelves mafters of the city and caftle of Amiens, 
 There werefome fliort truces, which were illobfervV, 
 till at laft peace was made by the interpolation of the King 
 of Germ/any. It was concluded in the Open field upon . 
 the river Maine. Hugh the Great, in the light of the ' 
 two armies, paid homage to the King, acknowledg'd 
 him anew for his fovereign, and deliver'd up Laon to 
 him. Thus the King return'd into peaceable pofleffion 
 of this place, the lofs of which, together with the dif- 
 ferences between the two Archbilhops of Rkeims^ had 
 been the caufe of the laft war. 
 
 He made ufe of the time of peace to go and fliew 
 himfelf in Aquitain. There he receiv'd a bare cere- 
 monious homage from molt of the Lords, who would 
 not have paid it fo willingly, but becaufe he did not 
 difturb them in their ufurputions. 
 
 One thing which happen'd at this time gave a great . 
 deal of vexation to the King, which was this : Queen An * 
 Ogiva his mother, who could not be young, being 
 fallen in love with Herbert Count of Meaux, got the 
 people belonging to that Count to run away with her 
 from Laox, and married him againft the will of the 
 King her fon. 
 
 This Prince after having reign'd three years longer, 
 .always infulted by Hugh the Great, always plagued 
 \vith a thoufand \ exations which he could not avoid, 
 
 VOL. I. Y and
 
 $ii> TheHtftory 
 
 An. o^i.and for which he could get no fatisfa&ion, died in the 
 \s~\T\j year 9^4, in September, of a fall from his horfe which 
 Theirs happen'd to him as he was hunting a wolf upon the 
 Fbd.'chr. banks of the river Atfne. 
 
 ad tn. 51/4. The condition in which the defcendants of Chark- 
 rnagne for above an age found the kingdom at their 
 coming to the crown requir'd a man of that great 
 Emperor's character to fettle it and rettore order and 
 obedience to it. Some of them had been great Princes 
 enough in a more orderly and quiet realm, and Lewis 
 Ultra-marine would not have been one of the leaft 
 of them. He had courage and policy ; but to raife 
 the royal Majefty, debas'd and trampled under foot as 
 it then was, requir'd fomething more than common 
 EpUt. Lud. abilities. This Prince reign'd but a little above eighteen 
 Tranfmar in y ears? an( } fiv'd b ut tn j rt y three. He had by Queen 
 er r .' Herberga two daughters and five fons. Of the five 
 fons three died young. The eldeft of the other two, 
 whofe name was Lotkalre , was at the moft but be- 
 tween thirteen and fourteen years of age. The young- 
 eft nam'd Charles was not much above a year old. 
 Lothaire fuccccded to his father's kingdom, without 
 the younger brother's having any part of it, contrary 
 &- to tne cu ft m which had to this time been commonly 
 obferv'd under the firft and fecond race, but which 
 W as never after follow'd. The people of Germany 
 had alread Y fet the French the example of this new 
 method, fo advantageous to realms and ftates ; for Otho 
 fuccecded alone to the kingdom of Henry his father, 
 and Henry his younger brother was oblig'd to be con- 
 tented with the title of Duke. 
 
 LOTHAIRE. 
 
 An. 95-4- T T WE VER powerful Hugh the Great was, 
 I I and whatever defire he probably had of bring- 
 JL *A ing the crown into his family again, he durft 
 not undertake it. Firft, becaufe the late King, three 
 years before his death, had wifely taken' care to make 
 2. Lothaire
 
 LOT HA IRE. 323 
 
 i&/Z>7/V^hiseldeftbnhis col league* in the government, An. 95*4. 
 and to have him recognix'd as King of France. Se- v^V^/. 
 condly, becaufe the Lords beyond the Loire were firm- 
 ly attach'd to the royal houfe. Thirdly, becaufe the 
 Queen mother Herberga. was ftrongly fupportcd by 
 Otho King of Germany her brother , and by Bruno 
 Archbifliop of Cologn and Duke of LOTM*, who was 
 alfo her brother. So that Hugh chofe rather to preferve 
 to himfelf the power of a King, than to difpute for 
 the tkle : and when the Queen-mother fent to him to 
 defire his protection after the death of the King her 
 husband, he promis'd it to her, afluring her he would im- 
 mediately have Lothaire proclaimed King of France. 
 
 The ceremony of the coronation was pcrform'd at FloA chr - 
 Rkeims upon the twelfth of November ; and at the jj^i^f** 
 fame time Hugh, as had been promis'd him, was made c^n'd K^ng 
 Duke of Aquitain. He was already Duke of France, f France. 
 Count of Paris and Orleans, and Duke of Burgundy ; 
 and this new duchy, if he had got peaceable poffeffion 
 of it, would have made him matter of almoftall/r<?^. 
 But the title of Duke of Aquitain was for a long time 
 as it were fix'd to the family of the Counts of Poic- 
 tiers. William the fecond of that name, who was 
 depriv'd of it, refented it ftrongly and revolted. 
 
 Next year Hugh carried the King and Queen into 
 Aquitain with an army, to make the Lords of the 
 country pay homage to this Prince, and to put himfelf 
 into pofleffion of the duchy. He befieg'd Poiftiers, An. 95-5*. 
 which he could not take; but as the Count of Poic- 
 tiers was purfuing him upon his retreat, he turn'd 
 gave him battle, and totally routed him. 
 
 He repaft the Loire however without undertaking DM/* </ 
 any thing ; and as he was preparing for a new cam- ^ u h the 
 paign, he died at Dourdan in June the next year. ^ Cr g- 
 
 The kingdom by his death loft a great man com- 
 mendable for his prudence and courage. No one was 
 more eafily comforted than the King, and the Queen 
 his mother. He was a heavy yoke upon them, from 
 which they now faw themselves delivered. He left 
 four legitimate fons behind him, namely, Hugh fur- 
 nam'd Capet, whom he recommended before he died 
 
 * This iflociation is prQ'<J by father Chifiet in his hiftory of the ab- 
 bey sf T*Tnf> page 187. 
 
 y z to
 
 3 24 The Hiflory of F R A N c fcl 
 
 An. 9$tf. to Richard Duke of Normandy, who had for his di- 
 vifion the county of P*r;j and that of Orleans, till 
 in progrefs of time he became Duke of France , and 
 afterwards King. 
 
 The fecond fon of Hugh the Great was Otho , 
 who fucceeded him in the duchy of Burgundy. The 
 two others were Eudes and Henry, who, after the 
 death of Otbo, were likewife fucceffively Dukes of 
 Burgundy. As to the government of Aquitain, it did 
 not continue in his family, but return'd into that of the 
 Counts of Pointers. 
 
 After all, the King gain'd nothing by his death but the 
 advantage of being deliver'd from the fear of feeing himfelf 
 every day upon the point of being oppreft. A great 
 number of his vaflals had more towns and eftates than 
 himfelf, for he was almoft reduc'd to the fingle city 
 of Laon. The only means of re-eftablifhing his power 
 wou'd have been to have feiz'd upon Hugh's territo- 
 ries, and have reunited the county of Paris, that of 
 Orleans and the duchy of Burgundy to his crown ; 
 but the other Lords of the kingdom would all have 
 opposM it. The right of fucceeding, which the Kings 
 his predecefTors had fuffer'd them to ufurp, being a 
 common intereft, it would not have been fafe for him 
 to have flruck at it. So that one of his chief employ- 
 ments during his reign was to be the fpechtor and 
 fometimes the arbiter of many petty wars, often very 
 bloody ones, which all thefe Counts and Lords were 
 continually making upon one another, and that more 
 frequently now than in the preceding King's reigns, 
 under whom thefe difprders began. Sometimes they 
 furprizd a city , fometimes they made themfelves ma- 
 fters of a little town that belonged to their neigh- 
 bour. Sometimes this neighbour, by way of reprilal, 
 fent whole companies of robbers upon the eftates of him 
 who had attack'd him to pillage them. The King himfel f 
 was infulted in the fame manner, and defended him- 
 felf likewife the fame way ; and fometimes took part 
 with one and fometimes with the other. 
 
 The Lords of a lower rank, and, who were alfo 
 vaflals to the more powerful ones, did the lame a- 
 mougft themfelves in proportion to their ftrength. The 
 hiftorical memoirs of this time are full of thefe 
 tirefome accounts of private wars. The only ufe 
 
 of
 
 LOTH A i RE. 325 
 
 of thofe memoirs is to give us a lamentable Idea of the An. 95*6. 
 government, and to make usguefs at the miferies which 
 all thefe little tyrants brought upon the people in all 
 parts of the kingdom. 
 
 What was yet more inconvenient and troublefome 
 to thefe laft Kings of the fecond race, was, that having 
 very few cities and eftates which depended imme- 
 diately upon themfelves, and it being the eftablifli'd 
 cuftom from the beginning of the monarchy, for the 
 royal armies to be made up of none but troops be- 
 longing to the Lords ; thefe Kings lay at their dilcre- 
 tion upon this account, and were often .forced to buy 
 their afliftance at the price of fome city or cattle that 
 flood conveniently for the vaffal whole troops were 
 demanded. Thefe ceflions continually diminifh'd the 
 crown lands. In this condition we have leen Lewis 
 Ultra-marine, and in the feme we find Lothaire his 
 fucceflbr, reduced to have almoft no other cftate where 
 he was mafter, except fome royal palaces and the city 
 of Laon. 
 
 In the mean while the Queen-mother Gerberga, who 
 was a woman of good abilities, and had great views in her 
 head, was impatient at feeing her fon's power confined 
 to f6 narrow a compafs. She confidered in good earned 
 of extending it another way, which would givenojca- 
 loufy to the French Counts and Lords, but would be 
 even a kindnefs to forne of them. It was by getting 
 poflfeffion, if flie could, of the duchy of Normandy, 
 according to the project which the late King had 
 formed. 
 
 Her defign was not to make open war with Duke 
 Richard. She thought of a fhorter method, which was 
 to furpme and feize his perfon. Several traps were 
 laid for him, but he efcaped them all. They came to 
 an open war, which was carried on only by ravages oa 
 both fides, which continued for feveral years. They 
 were carried fo far, that in fome parts of France the 
 country people left their habitations, and all their lands. 
 were uncultivated. 
 
 Some Bifhops met in council, and deputed the Bf- 
 fhop of Chartres to defire peace of Duke Richard, and 
 the King did not oppofe it. Richard hearken'd to the 
 propofals which were made to him, and the peace was, 
 concluded, upon condition that Evreftx fliould be re-. 
 Y 3 (tare*
 
 3 26 The Htftvry of F R A'N c E. 
 
 An. 9^6. ftored to him, which the King had feit'd upon, and 
 
 V^"YX-/ tnat this Prince fhould confirm the poircffion of Nor- 
 mandy to him and his fucceflbrs, agreeably to the other 
 treaties made upon that fubjecl. 
 
 The peace xvas perfectly fettled between the two 
 nations and lafted a long while. It was concluded at 
 a good time for the King, who took the advantage of 
 it, and reunited the county of Flanders to his domi- 
 nions upon the occafion I am going to relate. 
 , Arnutph the fecond of that name, Count of Flan- 
 
 ders, furnam'd the young, had fucceeded his grand- 
 father Arnold called the old , before the peace was 
 made between France and Normandy. The Kingfum- 
 moned theis young Count to do him homage; it is not 
 faid that he refus'd it, but only that he refufed to ac- 
 knowledge the obligation he lay under to furnilh the 
 
 Z>udo. !. 3. Kings of France with troops in time, of war. He was 
 defiroug of putting himfelf upon the fame foot with 
 the Duke of Normandy^ in this particular ; but the 
 King would not fuffer it, and he found himfelf in a 
 condition of forcing him to his duty. 
 
 He entered Flanders at the head of an army, took 
 Arras, Douay, and all the fortified places as far as 
 felf Lis : fo that the Count of Flanders , finding him- 
 
 jpudo. L 3. t k e re d ucec i to me i a fl. ex tremity, begg'd a peace. The 
 Duke of Normandy interceded for him with the King, 
 and this Prince, out of regard to the Duke, gave him 
 Arras again. Hugh Capet, fon of Hugh the Great, was 
 in this expedition. He was much beloved by the King; 
 For tho' he was no lefs ambitious than his father, as he 
 fhewed afterwards, yet he had not his pride and haugh- 
 tiuefs ; but on the contrary afte&ed to Ihew all the fub- 
 miflion, refpect, and affection, that a fubjecl ought; to 
 have for his fovereign. 
 
 An. 566. f The King upon his return from the Flanders^ expe- 
 dition, went to Cologn with Queen Gerberga hisimo-r 
 ther, where they had an interview with Otho King of 
 Germany, who had been crown'd Emperor fomc time 
 before. There the King's marriage was concluded 
 with Emma daughter of Lothaire the Second, King of 
 Italy, who had been dead between fourteen and fifteen 
 years ; and there the Emperor Otho married Adelaida 
 for his fecond wife. This marriage was confummated 
 fcnie months after, 
 
 The
 
 Lo THAI RE. ^ 327 
 
 The reign of Lothaire was afterwards very quiet An. 966- 
 for feveral years ; and it is one of tin's Prince's great V^VN^/ 
 commendations, that he knew how to preferve trail- ^ v ct 
 quillity fo long in a kingdom fo difturb'd as his had JJ'Se^ L ~ 
 hitherto been. But in the year 976. the differences re- 
 lating to Lor am were the occafion of new wars, the 
 confequences of which were very fatal to the houfe of 
 Charlemagne. 
 
 Otho the firft, King of Germany and Emperor, the 
 greateft Prince that had born thefe two titles ever lince 
 Charlemagne, died in the year 973. and had for his fuc- 
 cefTor his foil Otho the fecond, whom in his life-time 
 he had caufed to be crowned King of Germany and 
 Emperor. Bruno, Archbiihop of Cologn and Duke of 
 Lorain, had a long time before deprived Count Ray- 
 nier, call'd in hiftory Raynier the long necked, of the Long! col. 
 county of Haynault, which belonged to the lower 
 Lor am. 
 
 Lambert and Raynier y the two fons of this Count, 
 had fled to the court of France for refuge, and waited 
 there for fpme opportunity of returning into that coun- 
 ty, of which two other Lords, Gamier and Raynold, 
 had been put into pofTeffion by Archbiihop Bruno. 
 
 As foon as Otho the firft was dead, they took the field sigeb. chr. 
 with fome French troops; their two competitors met ad an< 974 * 
 them near Perunne, where there was a bloody battle, 
 in which Gamier and Raynold were defeated and kil- 
 led. The two brothers enter'd Haynault, and plundered 
 all the lower Lorain ; but without gaining any greai 
 conquefts, becaufe Otho the fecond came to the affif- 
 tance of that country. This Prince gave the county 
 of Haynaidt. to two other Lords, one of whom was 
 called Go defray and the other Arnulph. 
 
 Two years after, Lambert and Raynier returned with An. 976.. 
 a greater number of forces into the county of Hay- 
 nault. Charles the King's brother and Hugh Capet 
 were at the head of this army. They beficged MOMS ; Gude- 
 froy and Arnulfh advanced to fuccour the place ; upon 
 wh'ich there was another obftinate battle, in which great 
 numbers were kill'd on both fides. Each party dial- chr. Nang. 
 kne*d the viclory to themfelves, but the fiege was. 
 railed. The war continued, and at laft Lambert and 
 Raynier, lupported by France, got polfelTion again of 
 the coanty of Ha\ 'nauh> 
 
 Y 4 * This
 
 3 a 8 T6e Hiftory of F R A N c E, 
 
 An. 976, This conqueft aftonifh'd and confounded the Empe- 
 
 V^xy^vj ror > an ^ ma de him apprehenfive of worfe confequences 
 
 from the tranquillity which France enjoyed at that time; 
 
 in fhort the Kingrefolv'd in good earned to reconquer 
 
 what had been fo long called the kingdom of Lorai y 
 
 Giabcr.l. i. which had been difmembred from the crown during 
 
 . 3. the civil wars in the laft reigns. 
 
 The Emperor had a great deal of bufinefs upon his 
 hands in Italy, where the Counts and Dukes were not 
 very obedient to him. The tributary nations to the 
 kingdom of Germany on the fide of the Danube gave 
 him alfo much unea{inefs by their frequent revolts, 
 If the King of France had attack'd him at this junc- 
 ture, he would have found himfelf very much embar- 
 rafs'd ; for which reafon he refolved at any rate what- 
 ever to prevent this war, and for that purpofe he took 
 a ftep which was in appearance much againft his ia- 
 tereft, but which in reality was a very fine ftroak of 
 politicks. He offer'd Charles the King's brother the 
 duchy of the .lower Larain, upon condition that he 
 would pay him homage for it, and hold it as depend- 
 ing upon the crown of Germany. 
 
 Othv forefaw very well that Cbarks> who had had 
 no fhare in the fucceffion to the kingdom of France^ 
 wou'd be tempted at the light of fo handfbm a pre- 
 fent ; that the title of vafTal to the kingdom of Ger- 
 many would give him but little difturbance, fince he 
 was only a fubjeft and vafTal to the King his brother 
 with a very fmall revenue for a perfon of his rank, 
 and that he would eafily quit a court where he met with 
 very little regard and a great deal of vexation ; for the 
 An, 977- Queen could not bear him, and he could not bear the 
 Quee^i. 
 
 The Emperor was not miftaken in his conjecture. 
 Charles receiv'd his offer with joy ; but by accepting 
 it he fell out with the King his brother, and render'd 
 himfelf odious to all France-^ for it was with indig- 
 nation that the kingdom few the King's brother make 
 himfelf a vaflal to the King of Germany. 
 
 This mifunderftanding was one of the things which 
 
 theEmperor had in view^hoping by this means,fays the an- 
 
 Sigebertusia dent hiltorian, to deliver himfelf from the continual irfults 
 
 *<>* that Charles offer* 4 kirn, and to oppofe him to the vaft de
 
 LOTHAIRE. 3 29 
 
 figns of the King of "France his brother. But Otho fhortly An. 977. 
 fter had like to have been the Dupe 
 
 after had like to have been the Dupe in this affair ; 
 for Lothaire provoked at this treaty's being made 
 without his knowledge, march'd fuddenly into Lo~ 
 raw, was received at Metz, where a great number of 
 Lords did him homage; and going from thence he 
 came with prodigious fpeed to Aix-la-Chappelle, where 
 he was nqt in the leaft expected. He arrived there chr. 
 when the Emperor was juft going to fit down to ta- 
 ble : they were fo little upon their defence, that the 
 Emperor had only time to make his efcape. The 
 King of France was receiv'd in Aix-la-Chappelle, 
 where he din'd upon what was prepared for the Em- 
 peror. Afterwards he went over all the country, ciaber. I. 
 plundering it, and returned into France. c. 5. 
 
 The Emperor revenged theft ravages with thofe he 
 made in Champaign, which he entered with an army 
 of fixty thoufand men, and came up to Paris, and 
 burnt part of its fuburbs. He continued three days 
 incamp'd within fight of the city ; but having learn'd 
 that Lothaire, Hu^h Capet, and the Duke of Bur- 
 gundy were marching with an army to flop his return, 
 he decamp'd. The King having under him Hugh Ca- 
 pet, and Geoffroy, commonly called Grifegonnelle , 
 Count of Anjou, attack'd his rear at the paflage over n ^ Emp 
 the river Atfne, kill r d him a great many men, and defend by 
 took part of his baggage. He purfued him for three the *& 
 days as far as the forreft of Ardennes : and the Em- 
 peror having got the Meufe between him and the 
 French troops, the campaign ended by the retreat of 
 both armies. 
 
 Next year each one thought of nothing but faving An. 
 his own country, without going upon any enterprife : 
 and afterwards peace was concluded upon thefe con- 
 ditions; that the pofleflion of Loraia fhould remain to 
 the Emperor, but that he fhould acknowledge the right 
 of the crown of Prance over that country, and fhould 
 pofTefs it only as the King's * Incumbent. Otbo dying ^ n> <- 
 in Italy four years alter, the King took upon him to Epifi. G 
 defend; thaj Prince's ion, young Otho tne third of the ki. 
 
 '? In beneficuim. 
 
 name
 
 330 The Hiftory 
 
 An. 984. name againft Henry, Duke of "Bavaria, who aim'd at 
 I^XV^ feizing upon the kingdom of Germany. Lothaire, up- 
 on this account, or under this pretence, made himfelf 
 An. 985-. mailer offorettta. If he had at this juncture refumed 
 the defign of conquering Lorain, he would not have 
 Gerb.epift. had time to have executed it; for he died himfelf 
 74.an.986. foon after at Rheims upon the fecond of MarcJj 
 
 STVcC m the } ear 9^' tjic l ^ Jrty f econ d of his reign, in the 
 thTfre. vigour of his age, for he could not be above forty fix 
 An. 986. years old. 
 
 Duchefne Nothing was a greater glory to this Prince, as I 
 T - * have already observed, than the praife which is given 
 him in his epitaph, of having been able to unite the 
 minds of the French Lords, and to keep them intire- 
 Epift. 74. ly obedient to his orders. The famous Gerbert, Arch- 
 bifhop of Rheims, afterwards of Ravenna, and at laft 
 Pope, as devoted as he was to the Emperors, fpeaks 
 of Lothaire as a Prince diftinguifhed among the Sove- 
 reigns of his time. 
 
 The experience of things paft made this Prince take 
 a cautious ftep, which his father had fet him the 
 example of, and which feveral of his fucceflbrs did 
 not fail to imitate. It was the having his eldeft fon 
 Lewis recogmYd as King during his life-time ; and 
 when he died he recommended him to Hugh Capet, 
 as to him of all the Lords, who was the moft capa- 
 ble of fupporting him by his intereft and power. 
 
 LEWIS V. 
 
 LEWIS the fifth of that name was again flut- 
 ed King by the Lords of France. He could 
 not be then at moft above nineteen years of 
 
 An. 986. 
 
 In codicc 
 
 Gerb. ep. / not be then at moft above nineteen years of 
 age, the King his father not having married Queen 
 Emma till the year 966. 
 
 There was foon a mifunderftanding between the 
 mother and the fon. The many alliances which this 
 
 Princefs 

 
 LEWIS V. m 
 
 Princcfs had with the court of Germany were either An. 986. 
 the caufes or the confluences of it. I mean, that of w'"V N -' 
 two things one was true, either that the King broke 
 with the Queen his mother, bccaufe he. knew fiie kept 
 too much correfpondencc with the court -of Germany, 
 or elfe that ftie feeing herfelf threatned with disfavour 
 and difgrace for other reafons which the hiftorian 
 does not mention, took oare to provide for her aflift- 
 ance from that quarter, in order to fupport herfelf a- 
 gainft her Ion. Adalbert), Archbifhop of Rheims, by 
 nation of Lorain, was very forward in thefe in- 
 trigues, for which he was obliged to quit the king- 
 dom. 
 
 The King march'd, intending to furprifc him at 
 Rheims. Some skirmifhes happened between the King's 
 troops and thofe of the Archbifhop. The city was 
 taken, but the Prelate efcap'd. Charles, Duke of 
 the lower Lorain, who was always a declared enemy 
 to the Queen-mother, did not fail to exafperateLezy/j- 
 againft her. It was upon this occafion that he had it 
 reported, or continued to have it reported, that flie 
 had been too familiar with the Bifhop of Laon. Up- 
 on thefe quarrels the Emperor was juft entring in- 
 to a war with France-, but things were accommo- ^ n <&- 
 dated in a conference which was held at Montfaucon, Death of ' ' 
 near Verdun. Lewis died after a reign of one year K&Z Lev/- 
 and three months. 
 
 It has been thought that he was poifoned, and an 
 hittorian lays it to the charge of Blanche, this Prince's 
 wife, who did not love him, and who had even left Adem. cos. 
 him once, and return'd into Aquitain, from whence 
 flie came. 
 
 This Prince left no children behind him, and was 
 the lalt King of France of the race of Charlemagne, 
 which ended thus, in the three parts of the French em- 
 pire, with three Princes all bearing the name of Lewis; 
 that is, with the Emperor Lewis the fecond of that 
 name in Italy beyond the Rhine ; with Lewis the third 
 of that name, King of Germany, and at laft with 
 Leva's V. of whom I am fpeaking. 
 
 Charles, his uncle, Duke of the lower Lorain, was 
 his heir, and according to nature he fhould have af- 
 fcended the throne after him, He ufed all his endea- 
 vours
 
 352 The Htflory ^/FRANCE: 
 
 An. 987. vours for that purpofe ; but Hugh Capet carried the 
 crown from him, and begun the third line of our 
 Kings after the fecond had continued two hundred 
 and thirty feven years. The manner of his getting 
 the crown, the wars he maintain'd to furmount all 
 the obftacles which he met with in Ib great an under- 
 taking, and all that pafs'd in fo famous a revolu- 
 tion; thefe are particulars which I fhall endeavour 
 to unfold in the fequel of this hiftory. 
 
 End of fa Kings of the Second Race. 
 
 THE 

 
 ( 333 ) 
 THE 
 
 ABRIDGMENT 
 
 OF THE 
 
 Hiftory of FR A N c E. 
 
 The Third Race. 
 HUGH CAPET. 
 
 THE averfionand contempt which theFrettch An. 987 
 had conceived againft Charles, founded up- 
 en his making himfelf a vaflal to the King 
 of Germany ; the hatred of the Queen *, 
 whofe reputation he had blackened with moft outragi- 
 ous detraction; the unexpected death of the young 
 King; the affection of the Lords for Hugh Capet, 
 whole valour and prudence had gain'd him every bo- 
 dy's efteem in the two preceding reigns, were the 
 principal caufes of the raifing this Lord to the throne r *f d ''*" 
 of France, and of the exclufion of the natural heir 
 to the crown. 
 
 * She jf collt4 Emmi, Others sivt her the names / Blandioa, Blanche* 
 tend Conftantia, 
 
 Charles
 
 3 34 The Hiftory of 
 
 An. 987. Charles was very much furprized to learn, that very 
 foon after the death of King Lewis, Hugh had been 
 proclaim'd at Noyon with the confent of moft of the 
 Lords of the kingdom. The difficulty of railing 
 force*, or his flownefs in doing it, gave Hugh time 
 to pafs the Loire, and march againft William IV. 
 Duke of Guyenne, who had at rirft refufed to ac- 
 He defeats knowledge him. He defeated this Duke in battle, 
 tht Duke^ of anc j obijg'd him to do him homage, and fwear alle- 
 incod?Ger- giance to him. 
 
 beni ep. This viclory was a decifive ftroke for Hugh in the 
 c*Adem. fi tuatl ' on f his affairs. He afterwards obtained the 
 ciab. i. a.c. content of the Lords to make his fon Robert a part- 
 i. an. 988. ner with him in the government, and by that means 
 
 to fecure to him the f ucce fli n f the crown. 
 
 In the mean while Charles made his preparations, 
 anc { being enter'd France, he laid liege toZ.*0;.he 
 carr y'd that place, one of the (trongeft there was then 
 in the kingdom; and in it he took prifoners the 
 Queen-mother and Billiop Adalbert), who was like- 
 wife called Afcelin y his moft declared enemies. 
 
 Hugh came and befieged them fome time after : 
 
 Charles defended himlelf like a hero : and after a iiege 
 
 of feveral weeks he put himfelf at the head of almoft 
 
 all the troops he had in the city, and under the walls, 
 
 and attack'd the camp of the befiegers, forced it, and 
 
 Kt is dtfeat- cut Hugh's army in pieces, who had like to have been 
 
 f d ^Charles killed himfelf. He took Montaigu, a ftrongly forti- 
 
 ' fied place, ravaged all the Soiflbnois, and furprized 
 
 Rheims. But what Hugh could not do by open force, 
 
 with regard to Laon, he brought about by ftratagem 
 
 and cunning. 
 
 For fome time the Bifhopof Laon had more liberty 
 allow'd him, and was not fo clofely obferved: he 
 gave Hugh notice of the negligence with which 
 the guard was kept in the place : and upon this ad- 
 vice Hugh took his meafures fo well, that he fur- 
 7/c- f*rpr*.tt prizedjt upon Huly Thursday the fecond of April, in 
 L-.on, ad the night. Prince Charles being lurroimded in his 
 q uarters was ta ^ en p r if on er with his wife, and Ar- 
 nulph, Archbiftiop of Rheims, who, after having be- 
 tray'd Charles to get that Archbifhoprick, came over 
 to this Prince's fide again, and had delivered up his 
 city to him. They were all three carried to Orleans 
 
 and
 
 HUGH CAPET. 335 
 
 and put into dole prifon, where Charles dying fbme An. 988, 
 time after, Hugh Capet rcmain'd the peaceable pofTef- v^-v^ 
 for of the kingdom ; and thus the civil war was fi- 
 niflied at the end of three or four years. 
 
 Hugh Capet, to whom for the future I fhall give 
 the title of King, fince- it was never after contefted, 
 took into confideration how to ftrengthen his govern- 
 ment. Being matter of the duchy of France, of the 
 county of Paris, and that of Orleans, which he had 
 united to the crown in his own perfon, and fecure of 
 the duchy of Burgundy, which his brother Henry pof- 
 fefs'd ; he found himfelf lefs obliged than his prede- 
 ceflbrs to be much afraid of his vaflals. From the 
 beginning of his reign he let them fight with one an- 
 other, efpecially on the other fide of the Loire, with- 
 out troubling himfelf much about it. 
 
 He began upon another affair, and pufti'd it briskly, 
 becaufe he thought the repofe and fecurity of his go- 
 vernment depended much upon it. It was the cano- 
 nical depofition of Arnulph, Archbifliop tfRheims, for 
 treafon and rebellion, in delivering that city to He gen tke 
 Charles's troops. This prelate was King Lotbaire's ^^'fl'^f 
 natural fpn. The King afTembled a council of thirty ^?,.j; ims 
 bifhops in the abbey of St. Bafil near Rheims, in Afla cone, 
 which Arnulph, after having confefs'd his crime, was R" 11 " 1 ^- 
 depofed and fent back to his prifon at Orleans. The An> 99 r - 
 famous Gerbert, who was afterwards Pope, by the 
 name of Sihefter II. was put in his place. 
 
 The Prelates of the council had acted in this more 
 out of complaifance to the King than agreeably to their 
 own fentiments : and Arnulph had a great many par- 
 tifans, who applied themlelves to Pope 'John XV. 
 They touched him in the molt fenfible part, and re- 
 prefented to him that the Biftiops of the council of 
 
 .^ Bafil had gone upon their own authority in ds- 
 a metropolitan, without waiting for the Holy 
 
 The Pope in reality found the thing very wrong : 
 and the King, who in this juncture of coming newly 
 to the government, had no mind to fall out with him, 
 endeavoured in vain to pacify him. He propoled to 
 have an interview with him at Grenoble, which the Ep . 
 Pope refufed. He even fufpended all the Biftiops 
 Who had depofed Arn*lj>h> and faid he would fend a 
 
 legate
 
 $36 TheHtftory of FRANCE.^ 
 
 An. 991 legate to deliverhim out- of prifon, and to aflemblc a 
 
 \S*V**J council at the metropolis of Rheims, in which Gerbert 
 fhould be depofed^, that Arnttlpb might be reftored to 
 his place. 
 
 in cod. Ger- This anfwer frighted the King and the Bifhops. 
 
 beni, & T. Gerbert , the moft celebrated perfon in this affair, did 
 
 5. cone. a ]j t hat he could to hearten and encourage them. He 
 wrote feveral letters to the Bifhops and Abbats againft 
 the Pope, and among them there are Ibme very lharp 
 ones upon the fubjec"h The legate, who was Leo, 
 Abbat of the monaftery of St. Boniface, was no foon- 
 er arriv'd in France but he published the interdict he 
 brought againft the Bilhops. The King, that he might 
 not irritate the Pope, did not oppofe the legate's con- 
 duel fo vigoroufly as Gerbert wifhed. A great deal 
 of time was fpent in negotiations, without coming 
 to a final decifion, becauie the King drew things out 
 into a length on purpofe. 
 
 There was befides another important affair to be 
 managed between the Pope and the King. The young 
 King Robert had married Bertha, daughter of Conrad, 
 King of Burgundy, and widow of Eudes the firft of 
 that name, Count QfChartres, Tours and Blots. There 
 was Ibme relation between her and Robert, tho' the 
 degree was diftant enough. But beiides this Robert 
 had Hood godfather to one of Bertha's children by 
 her firft husband, which had made him contract what 
 we call a fpiritual affinity with her. Thefe were two 
 impediments to the marriage that required a difpenfati-' 
 on, which was not eafily granted at this juncture. 
 
 This incident was a great prejudice to Gcrberfs af- 
 fairs; for the legate having given Queen Adelaida Ro- 
 bert's mother fome hopes of getting the marriage approved 
 
 TbeJlrMi- by tne PP e > brought her off from that prelate's intereit; 
 
 fhop is re- and at laft in a council which was held at Rheims 
 
 Jhred ky the U p On ^ Q fyfr Q f J u ty j n t h e vear pp^ t fo e fentenCC Of 
 
 An' QO-T ^ e Pfi^ on was pronounc'd againll Gerbert, and AT- 
 " ' nulfh was acknowledged as Archbifhop of Rheimf. 
 
 As to Robert's marriage, the legate, who thought he 
 had done enough for the honour of the holy See, in 
 bringing about the deposition of Gerbert, wou'd not 
 enter upon this other atfhir : it was not refumed till 
 after the death of Hugh Capet, from whom the legate 
 could never obtain Arnulptfs liberty, 
 
 This
 
 ROBERT. 3 ? ~ 
 
 This Prince died the following year, which xvas the An. 996 
 tenth of his reign. His management and prudence V^x-yv. 
 Were more conipicuous than his valour ; he afcended J id - fu PP'- 
 the throne and maintained himfelf in it with more ma- nBK'i 
 jefty, authority and power, than many of his prede- c. 12. 
 ceflbrs ; and he placed his pofterity in it, who are ftill ^ at ^ $ . 
 fitting upon it to this day. This tingle action fliews and his eb' 
 us a great man, and the diftance of time has caus'd rag*.. 
 Ibme circumftances to be forgotten, which made more 
 impreflion then upon thole, who were more concern'd 
 for the intereft of Charlemagne than we are at this 
 time. They treated him as an ufurper, and now we 
 give him nothing but the glorious title of Head of the 
 third line of our Kings. This is the effeft of time 
 thus to change our ideas. 
 
 By uniting the duchy of France to the crown, he 
 tftablifhed again the ordinary relidence of our Kings 
 at Paris, where Clows had fix'd it, but where it had 
 not been during all the fecond race, and under the 
 Kings of the firft commonly call'd Do-nothings. 
 
 ROBERT. 
 
 ROBERT at the death of the King his father 
 was between five and fix and twenty years of An 
 age. He was a Prince of a great deal of wit and! vj 
 fenfe, who had had a happy education, which the ftudy 
 of the Belles Lettres, tho' then not much in fafliiori, 
 had cultivated and improved. He was very well made, 
 of a high ftatitre and majeftick port, but had nothing 
 churlifh or proud about him. On horfe-back, on foot, 
 iipon the throne, every where heappear'd a King. He 
 was kind, familiar, pleafing to the peopk, honourable, 
 agreeable in converfation, and yet always more obliging 
 in^his actions than even in his words. But befides all 
 this, he had a great deal of religion and piety. This 
 is the character we have of this Prince from contem- 
 porary authors, or thofe who lived very near that time, 
 It were much to be wjfh'd, that they had given us a 1 
 
 Vn r I T ^ 
 
 , 
 VOL. I. Z 
 
 par
 
 3 35 The Hi/lory of F R A c E. 
 
 An. 996. particular an account of his aclions as his manners : 
 VxV^ but tnere is hardly any reign, the memoirs of which 
 are more trifling 'and lefs exact in their relations, and 
 tipecially in chronology. 
 
 Robert with ib many fine qualities, formed by the 
 hand of the King his father, and already accuft omed to 
 government, knew how to bear the weight of it ; his 
 greated uncalinels came from the ride of Rome. He 
 knew the temper of Gregory the V rt . (ucceffor to 
 John the XV" 1 . his refolution and sea-1 in maintaining 
 the pontifical authority. He did not doubt but this 
 Pope would prefs him to fet Arnulpk Archbifhop of 
 Rheims at liberty, who had been all along kept in pri- 
 ibn, notwithstanding the iejitence of the legate and 
 council, who had reftored him to his archiepifcopal 
 Sec. But he was ftill more concernM as to the bufi- 
 ncfs of his marriage, upon which the legate had pro- 
 nounc'd nothing. 
 
 Some troubleibme affairs, which the Pope at that 
 time had upon his hands at Rome, fufpended the blow 
 Cone. Rom. w hich the King apprehended : but as fbon as thofe af- 
 8 ' f au " s wcre finifli'd, the Pope in a council annulled the 
 Kiog-Vjttai-riagc. And this Prince, not fubmitting to 
 ' the decree of the council, was excommunicated : but 
 riapm* at length by the pcrlualion of Abbo Abbat of the mona- 
 unii'4. Hery of Fleury, he feparated from Bertha, and fhortly 
 after married ConftJania daughter of William Count of 
 Aries. .He M'ajs forc'd alfo, notwithitiwding it was ib 
 much agaiaft his inclination, to releaie Armtlph Arch- 
 bifliop ni-Rhc'rms, who palled from his prifbu of Or- 
 Icti'ns to Hrs arcfiiepitcopal throne. 
 
 This Prince, who hud nothing in view but the quiet 
 and happincls of his fubjects, did not think much oi 
 o:tending the bounds of his dominions : and excepting 
 one occalion, which I fhall mention by and by, he al- 
 ways lived in peace with his neighbours ; but he had 
 lome-vailals, whom it was necefiary to chafhfc, either 
 for their enterprizes which they undertook againft him, 
 or againlt other valfals of the crown. 
 
 An. 999. : E,xtlts the Il d . of that name, Count of Cbartres^Tours^ 
 tfe^iju and -B/o/V, was one of thcfirft who obliged him to take 
 ch*rtns.* up arms. This Count furprited^^^, which belong- 
 thr.Floria. ed to Bttrcard Count of Corbeil : the latter demand cc 
 jultice of the King, who upon the Count's refufal tc 
 
 refton
 
 ROBERT. 339 
 
 teft ore the place march'd and befieged it with his troops An. 999' 
 and thofc of the Duke of Normandy, who was already 
 at war with the Count of Chartres upon the account 
 of the caftle of Dreux. He took it by florin, and 
 hanged a gentleman named Gautier, who deliver'd it 
 up to the Count of Chartres, afterwards the King o- 
 bliged this Count to make peace with the Duke of 
 Normandy. 
 This war, undertaken by the King for the defence 
 
 of one of his vaffols, was fuccecded by another which J ont ^ n - l ' fl 
 
 he entred into for his own fake, occaiioned by the 
 
 death of Henry Duke of Burgundy his uncle and bro- 
 
 ther to Hugh Capet. Henry died without children. 
 
 Otho William, foil of Hexry's wife Gerberga, by a firft An.lOQQ. 
 
 husband, pretended that the Duke had adopted him ; 
 
 and in virtue of that adoption he feized upon feveral places 
 
 in the duchy, which (rood very conveniently for him ; 
 
 for he was "Count of Burgundy, that is of almoft all 
 
 that country which is now call'd Pranche-Comte'. 
 
 This war laited fome years, but at length the King An.iooj". 
 remained matter of the duchy. He put his fecondfon 
 Henry into pofleffion of it, who afterwards yielded it 
 to Robert his younger brother. This Prince Robert was 
 the head of the firft royal branch of the Dukes of 
 Burgundy, which continued for near three hundred and 
 iixty years, till in 1361. this duchy was re-united to 
 the crown by King John, who gave it to Philip his 
 fourth foil. 
 
 Robert was concern'd likewife in the war that was sigeber. ad 
 carried on in the Low-countries , between Baldwin an. 1006. 
 Count of Flanders and Arnnlfb Count of Valenciennes, ^ r J" T 
 from whom Baldwin had taken that city : the King 
 of Germany Saint Henry the ll d . of that name efpoul- 
 ed the caufe of the Count of Valenciennes, who was 
 his vafTal, and the King that of the Count of Flanders 
 for the lame reafon. Henry beficged Valencienm^ 
 and was obliged by the French, the Normans, and 
 the Flemings to raife the fiege. They came to an ac- An. I CO**. 
 commodation the next year, and Henry parted with 
 Valenciennes to the Count of Flanders, upon condition 
 that this Count (hould do him homage for it. 
 
 France enjoyed peace for many years, and the King 
 
 had nothing more important to take care of than fe- 
 
 curing the crown to his poftcrity, It was with this 
 
 Z i view
 
 34O The Hiftory ^FRANCE. 
 
 view that he made Hugh his eldeft fon, 'a Prince of 
 very great hopes, partner with him in the government. 
 Fromthiytime to the yearioi6, nothing that we know 
 ? happened that was confidcrable in matters of war, 
 
 nnment. except the battle of Ponlevoy between the Loire and 
 An.ioiy. the Cher, in which James Count of Anjou gained the 
 
 kb.l.s-c.?. victory over Eudes Count of Chartres, from whom 
 he afterwards took Saurnur. 
 
 Our Kings, fince the ufurpations of thevaflals, often 
 look'd with indifference upon the private wars which 
 arofe among them. They were to them as foreign wars, 
 bccaufe they happened in dominions of which they 
 were no longer maflers. They were even fometimes 
 glad of them* becauie they weaken'd thofe petty Prin- 
 ces, and generally fpeaking they did not intermeddle, 
 but when fbme particular interelt or opportunity of 
 encreafing their authority engaged them to it. But the 
 King three years after this war between the Count of 
 Awjat) and the Count of Chartres, was obliged to 
 take up arms againft the latter upon the following oc- 
 cafion. 
 
 Stephen Count of Troye and Meaux being dead with- 
 out children, the Count of Chartres, who was his 
 
 An.ioip. coufinj feized upon thofe two cities : the King was de- 
 iirous of driving him out of them, probably .to re-unite 
 them to the crown as fiefs depending upon it. We 
 know nothing of the particulars of this war, but it is 
 certain that Eudes continued in polTeflion of thefe two 
 places, and I believe it was from this time that he and 
 his fucceflbrs took the title of Count of Champaign. 
 It is at leaft certain, that this Count Eudes is furnam'd 
 the Cbampenois in our hiftories ; and there feems to be 
 no other reafon for it. 
 
 This war being finifh'd, a religious affair, which might 
 have had its confequences, took up the King's attenti- 
 .c.S. on. It was an abominable herefy, which had Ibine 
 agreement with that of the Mamck<eam in the tenet, 
 and even with the infamies of the Cnofticks in the 
 practice. 
 
 This herefy was introduc'd into the kingdom by an 
 Italian woman, who had art enough to leduce not 
 only many limple people, but likewife a pretty large 
 number of the moft learned amonglt the clergy. The 
 King executed juftice upon it in a ievere manner. He 
 4 had
 
 ROBERT. 34* 
 
 had the ring-leaders of the fe& taken up; they were An.ioip. 
 examined in a council aflembled at Orleans, in which ^ 
 
 he was prefent himfelf. There they were convicted 
 and afterwards condemned to the flames. Several of 
 the like executions were done in the quarters about 
 Touloufe : and by this feverity, which was ufed towards 
 the heads of this execrable faction, it was intirely root- 
 ed out of France ; at leaft it was thought to be fo, 
 till above a hundred years after fome remains of it 
 were flill to be feen, which, as it feems to me, gave 
 birth to the fed of the Albigenfes and afterwards to 
 bloody wars. 
 
 The tranquillity which the King kept up in his domini- 
 ons was a little difturbed by the young King Hugh, 
 who was forced to quit the court thro' the pride and cia. 3.0.9; 
 haughtinefs of Queen Conftantia his mother, an impe- 
 rious woman if ever there was any. He was foon at 
 the head of a number of malecontents, and the King 
 was obliged to march agajnft him with an army. But 
 this disturbance .did not continue; for the King re- 
 claimed the young Prince by mildnefs and good nature. 
 
 The only foreign Prince, who was then powerful 
 enough to attack France, was the Emperor Henry King 
 of Germany, he was naturally valiant and ambitious, 
 and of himfelf intent enough upon his intereft to be a 
 dangerous neighbour : but he moderated thefe two paf- 
 fions by the laws of Chriftianity, of which he was an 
 exacl obferver, infomuch as to merit the title of Saint. 
 The King's inclinations were pretty much the fame : 
 fo that they ajmoft always lived in good correfpon- 
 dencc together. However to make it the more firm 
 and lading, they defired to have an interview with each 
 other the year after the council of Orleans whichljuft 
 nowmention'd. Accordingly it was had upon the Meufe, An. 1023. 
 and in the mod frank and cordial manner in the world, ciab.i. 3.02. 
 For without having any regard to the formalities which s 'g eber - ad 
 had been agreed on, namely, that the two Princes an ' l 
 Ciould come upon the Meufe, each in a boat, andftand 
 at an equal diftance from the two fhores, the Empe- 
 ror pafled the river, and came to the King's lodgings ; interview *<- 
 and the next day the King, to fhew him the like degree '*5" the , thi 
 of confidence, went to fee him in his camp. They JJJ^ 
 treated together of ways and means to confirm and Henry. 
 ftrengthen the peace between the two kingdoms, made 
 Z 3 magnificent
 
 342- The Hiflory <?/" FRANCE. 
 
 An. 1 02 3. magnificent prefents K> each other, and refolvcd to go 
 
 P". 
 
 together to Pavia to make Pope Bennet the VH 
 iign certain articles, which they had agreed on in rcla- 
 An.ioi4. tion to fome contefted rights. But the Pope's death, 
 which happened the next year in February, prevented 
 this journey, and the Emperor himfelf died the fame 
 year in the month of July. 
 
 His death fhewed the efteem the King was in all 
 
 over Europe. The Emperor Henry, who died with- 
 
 out children, had in his laft licknefs engaged the 
 
 rrioft confiderable Lords of Germany to make Conrad 
 
 Duke of Wormes his fuccefTor, who was matched in- 
 
 to his family : but feveral others did not joyn in the 
 
 dcfign ; and the Italians, who were tired with the go- 
 
 Thc empirt it vernment of the Aimxns *, came and offered the em- 
 
 f ff er ' d ', pire and kingdom of Italy to Robert either for himfelf 
 
 JQ* Robert. . . 
 
 tie rtfufcs it. This Prince always preferring his character of mo- 
 deration, did not fuffer himfelf to be tempted by fo hand- 
 fome an offer, becaufe he forefaw that if he accepted 
 of it, he could not avoid a very bloody war which 
 would ruin his fubjecls. But upon this opportunity he 
 propofed to make himfelf mafter of Lorain, which 
 rud been difmcmbrcd from the crown during the trou- 
 bks in the la(l reigns : but he did not fuccecd in it. 
 
 Duthof About this time the King had a lofs which fenfibly 
 
 aftlcted him, his el deft fon King Hugh, a very pro- 
 miling Prince, died in the flower of his age, not being 
 above eight and twenty years old. His death happened 
 
 AM. 1026. upon the i7' h of September, and made room for Henry 
 Robert's fecond fon, whom this Prince refolved im- 
 mediately to make his colleguc in the royal dignity to 
 fccare the fuccetfion to him. 
 
 Epift. Fulb. Theallbciation was actually performed fome months 
 
 after, notwithlranding the intrigues of Queen Conftan- 
 
 tia, who ufed all her efforts to get her third fon Ro- 
 
 bert preferred before Hen,\ ; and, who finding moft of 
 
 * ob ^ rt r the Lords to be againft that wild projecT:, endeavour'd to 
 w/ C " P^riuace the King to aflbciatc neither the one nor the 
 other. This attempt was Hkewile vain, for Prince Henry 
 v/as anointed and crown'dKingof/r^^ in theycar 1027. 
 
 * This name ot Al.n.-.ns begin in this century to be the common ap- 
 of all the peopie of (??->;,.>, and chereibrc I (ball make'no dif- 
 the future to'ute it in fiaeTcnffi 
 
 She
 
 HENRY!. 345 
 
 She took her revenge in miffing no opportunity of An. 1027. 
 xin the un in without f e oer ~~ 
 
 vexing the young King, without fparing Prince Robert, 
 who refuted to favour her palfion. She carried her 
 fpleen fo far that ftie obliged them to ,quit the court, 
 and afterwards to rake up arms. A civil war was Athnar. 
 kindled, and the King was forced to march at the An. 1030. 
 head of an army againft his two fons : but a reconci- 
 liation was brought about by the means of a holy Monk 
 William Abbat of St. Benigne. 
 
 This was the laft memorable thing m Robert's reign, An. 1031. 
 he died at Meltin the year following in the month of Giab. loc.d:. 
 3[*fy, being fixty years of age. He was bewailed by fcjjjjjjk 
 his fubje&s, whofe advantages he had always prefer'd j, n a'j^ 01 " 
 before his own glory. He was a very good Prince Heigaid. in 
 and full of piety. The good works which he employ- * Rob - 
 ed himfelf in, without neglecting his fevcral duties, Death of 
 -and above all his great charity to the poor, gave him %>% Robert. 
 thefurname of devout, and his moderation that of Saint, p^' B vm. 
 He took a voyage to Rome out of devotion, and this was t . 9. Cone. 
 in the firft years of his reign. But he fuftered himfelf chr- CMC. 
 to be too much govern'd by Queen Conftantia his ' * c ' 2 ' 
 \vifc, whom he feared much more than he loved. 
 
 Robert, betides the three fons I have mention'd, had cht. vus 
 likewile a fourth called Odo or Eudes by one of our p 7 j l" ^* 
 ancient hiftorians ; he had likewife two daughters; one 
 of whom is not mentioned in hiftory, the other was 
 Alix or Adela, who married to her fir'ft husband Richard 
 III d . Duke of Normandy, and to her fecond Baldwin 
 {he fifth Count of Flanders. 
 
 H E N R Y I. 
 
 THE Queen -mother Conftantia quitted neither An. 103,1. 
 her deiire nor her hopes of fuccecding one day Frag. Hitt. 
 in her unjult enterprifes, againft King Henry " 
 in favour of Robert his younger brother. Soon after 
 jthe late King's death , (he formed fo large a party, 
 that a great number of towns revolted and declar- 
 ed for her. Eudes Count of Cbattfttg* was one of A ((V;V Wjr , 
 Z 4 . her
 
 The xjng 
 
 Conftantia 
 the ,,een- 
 mthtr. 
 
 3 44 " The Hiftory of P R A N c E. 
 
 An. 1031. h:r moft zealous partilans, and this conlpiracy broke 
 out fo fuddenly, that the king was obliged to make 
 his efcape from Paris, and take ihelter with Robert II. 
 
 e Duke of Normandy. 
 
 This Duke received him with all poffible honour 
 and cordial friendfhip : and prorefted that out of duty, 
 trio' more out of inclination, his perfon, his troops, 
 and all his duchy fliould be at his fervice : and indeed 
 he was of great fervice to him, in employing the re- 
 bels forces by the continual inroads which he made 
 upon their lands ; and in the mean while the King hav- 
 ing gotten a coniiderable army together of his faithful 
 vaifals, retook lome of the places which he had loft, 
 and defeated the Count of Champaign in three skir- 
 miflies. Thefe advantages made fevcral of tho fe, who 
 had engaged with the Queen-mother, quit her party. 
 She was forced to defire peace, which the King grant- 
 ed at the requeft of Foulk Count of Anjou, who was 
 the mediator. She died at Melun the next year ac- 
 cording to fome, and according to others two years 
 after the peace, too late for the quiet of France. 
 
 The King receiv'd his ^ brother Robert into favour, 
 and yielded or confirmed* to him the poflefiion of the 
 .duchy of Burgundy. He afted with more vigour than 
 ever againft the Count of Champaign, and obliged that 
 obftinate vailal to fubmit and abandon the reft of the 
 rebel Lords, fome of whom were forc'd to leave 
 France, and the others to live peaceably there, upon 
 fuch conditions as their fovereign was pleafed to 
 impofe. 
 
 8. The King being become mafter in his dominions by 
 fe many victories, renewed the ancient treaties of peace 
 and alliance with the Emperor Conrad, which had 
 
 ta been made between their predecefTors. To render 
 them more firm, he married Maud this Prince's daugh- 
 Fifcan. ter: and to (hew how much he thought himfelf oblig'd 
 '"""'' tq the Duke of Normandy, he augmented his duchy 
 with "the cities of Gifors, Chaumont, Pontoife, and 
 with all the Vcxin. This was bringing him very near 
 Paris. 13ut the kindnefTes of our ancient Kings were 
 often not fo much regulated by politicks as by their 
 own gerierbfity. 
 
 Ettdes Count of Champaign being engaged in a war 
 
 with $he Emperor Conrad was killed in a battle which 
 
 he 
 
 ike Duke cf
 
 HENRY I. 345 
 
 e loft near Bar in Lorain. His death delivered the An. 1031. 
 King from a dangerous enemy : but he left two fons VX>TV 
 behind him, Thibaud and Stephen, both of them pretty 
 like their father in genius and temper. Stephen was 
 Count of Meaux and Troye, and Thibaud, Count of 
 Chartres and Tours. They gave up their father's pre- 
 tenfions to the kingdom of Burgundy, but this was 
 only to raife new troubles in France. 
 
 Eudes the King's brother was at court, much dif- Eu ^s the 
 contented at living there in a private manner without ' brtt 
 authority and without dominion. He treated under- 
 hand with Stephen and Thibaud. He took the field with 
 them, and committed great ravages in the kingdom. 
 
 The King marchM immediately againft the rebels. 
 He beat them every where, took Eudes, and put him 
 in prifon at Or 'leans: fome time after there were trou- 
 bles in Normandy, of which I muft fay fbmething, be- 
 caufe King Henry could not help concerning himfdf 
 in them. 
 
 Robert II. Duke of Normandy, following the im- 
 pulfes of a piece of devotion that was then very much * 6 * c ' 13 " 
 in faftiion, even among the Princes and great Lords, 
 refolved to go a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. He had 
 no legitimate children, but only a natural fon called 
 William, nine years of age, fb famous afterwards in 
 the hiftories of that time, under the name of I 
 
 by the 
 
 likewife entred into meafures with the King, who gave 
 him his confent, and promifed him to protect the young 
 Prince. 
 
 Thefe precautions were not unneceflary, for Duke 
 Robert died at Nice on his return from his pilgrimage. 
 However, they did not prevent the troubles that had 
 been forefeen : there werefeveral pretenders to Robert's 
 facceffion. The different parties and the private wars, 
 which the Norman Lords made upon one another, 
 put this duchy into a cumbuftion. The young Duke 
 fell out even with the King, but a good underftanding 
 was foon reftored : and fome time after the Duke ob- 
 tained afliftance from the King againft a Lord whofe 
 name was Guy, who founded his pretenfions to the 
 .duchy of 'Normandy, upon his being fon to a daugh- 
 ter
 
 346 The Hiflory 0f F R A N c E^ 
 
 An. 1031 ter of Duke Richard the fecond. The King went fa 
 -'yO perfon to join Duke William: they met the enemy in 
 GuiiLGemet. ^g va u e y o f ) unes between Caen and Argentan, where 
 a bloody battle was fought, in which the King run the 
 risk of his life, being difmounted and thrown to the 
 ground by a Lord called Haymm and furnamed Le- 
 Smsb.1.3 D entH -> a famous Knight of that time. Some French 
 c , 7 . ' Knights placed themfelves before the King, to give 
 him time to mount again , and Haymon being wound^ 
 ed in many places, died upon the foot. The King af- 
 ter the battle was over, out of refpecl to this Lord's 
 courage and bravery, had him interred with a great deal 
 ' of pomp. 
 
 An, 1 046. However, notwithstanding the enemies vigorous re- 
 fiftance, their army was cut in pieces. Guy was wound- 
 ed ; and Duke William having befieged him in Brionxe^ 
 forced him to furrender himfelf, and then banifhed him 
 out of Normandy. 
 
 This vi&ory, which the Duke knew how to make 
 life of, by taking that opportunity to reduce a great 
 many rebel Lords to obedience, gained him a great 
 deal of reputation and authority. Afterwards he a- 
 lifted the King with his troops in the taking of Hcrle, 
 a ftrongly fortified place in Anjou, againft Geoffroy 
 Martel Count of Anjou, who pretended to it. But 
 William having fallen out again with the King for 
 feme reafons not mentioned in Hiftory, foonfawpther 
 enemies rile up againft him, and a new pretender to \ 
 the duchy of Normandy. 
 
 William of Arques, Count of Tello or * T'alou, took 
 up arms, after the King had allured him, that he would 
 fupport him in his enterprise. He was fon of Richard 
 the fecond, Duke of Normandy by his fecond wife, 
 and as fuch claimed the fucccfilon to the late Duke. 
 
 Duke William marched and befieged him in Arques. 
 GuiiLGemet. The King came to his afiiftance, and having forc'd 
 the lines fent a convoy of proviiions into the place 
 which the befieged ftood in need of; but another part 
 of his army fell into an ambufcade and fuftered confi- 
 dcrably. After which he retreated towards Paris. The 
 Count of Talou's provifions being fpent,hewas oblig'd 
 
 * This is the name which at that time was ^iven to part of the coun- 
 try of C'.JCA-, wherein are Dieppe, drams, the city of a aad che country 
 jtJjout ic. 
 
 ta
 
 HENRY I. 34.7 
 
 to furrender, and go to Enftachius Count of R online, An.tO46. 
 where he parted the reft of his life without ever being \~^v-*+J 
 able to obtain his pardon of the Duke. 
 
 As far as appears this vidory put an end to the revolts William 
 of the Duke's fubjefls. There were few mfurrecti- 
 ons of any confequence after this time, and he kept 
 the reins intircly in his own hands. The hcroick fable. 
 qualities which began to fhinc in him, and which fcn- 
 der'd him the molt famous Prince of his time, caufed 
 the blemifh of his birth to be quite forgot. 
 
 Some years paft without William's, having any qua- 
 rels with the French: but in the year 105-4. tne war An.iO54. 
 was renewed by the folicitation of foine Norman 
 Lords, who were difcontented at the Duke's keeping 
 them fo fiddly to their duty. They engaged the King 
 in this war, which was not happy for him. 
 
 He attack 'd Normandy in two places, He was at 
 the head of one of his armies himfclf, and the other 
 was commanded by his brother Eudes, whofe rebellion 
 he had pardoned after having kept him fome time in 
 prifon. William march'd againlt the King, and fent ihtv^^f 
 Koben Count of EH and Roger of Mortimer, with arm 7 " de ' 
 another body to defend the country againft Ettdcs. 
 This Prince came to an engagement in the country of 
 Caux near Mortimer : the battle was very bloody, but 
 the victory fell to the Normans, and ended the war. 
 
 From this time the King never entered Normandy Fragm. de 
 again, as the Duke himfelf informs us in the fragment Guii. Conq. 
 of a piece which is given us by an Englijh author. K . f "J ftor * 
 
 In the year 105-9. tne King finding himfelf in a very AnToco 
 unfettled ftate of health, followed the example of his TVV iv/ 
 prcdeceflbrs, and had his eldeft fon Philip crowned, * * f* 
 who was then but feven years old. The coronation Jf B f" 
 was performed at Rhcims by the Archbifhop Gervafe. conv. Rem. 
 This precaution, which was Mill thought necefiary, was c - 9- Cone, 
 taken at a very proper time; for King Henry died the An. 1060. 
 next year upon the fourth of Auguft at Vitri in Br/V, 
 being the thirtieth year of his reign from the death of 
 his father. 
 
 He feems to have governed his kingdom with au- 
 thority enough, which had for a long time been diffi- 
 cult to do in France. He was a man of temper and 
 valour : fome annals relate of him, that being angry 
 with the Emperor Henry III. who had taken under his 
 
 pro-
 
 348 The Hiftory of F R A N c E? 
 
 An.iGoC- prote&ion Thibaud Count of Champaign a vaflal of 
 the crown, he fcnt this Prince a challenge, like that 
 which Francis the firft lent Charles the fifth to fight 
 him in a duel. The thing came to nothing, and the t\vo 
 ^mperors fhew'd each of them in their time as much 
 wifdom as the two Kings of France did courage. 
 The foundation of St. Martins in the fields, which 
 was then pretty far beyond the walls of Paris, is a 
 monument of Henry's piety. 
 
 PHILIP I. 
 
 An.ic6o. r | ^HE late King Henry, before he died, appointed 
 Baldwin a regent of the kingdom during the minority 
 
 *" of his fon P&ifyi who was Baldwin the fifth 
 
 es re- 
 
 -geat >/ *'e Count of Flanders, furnamed of the ifland, to whom 
 kingdom. he had married his fifter Alix ; and his office of regent 
 Fng. Hift. j s exprefs'd in a cpntemporary author by the title of 
 
 Marquis of France. 
 
 Sigeb.incod. His conduct during his regency juftified the wifdom 
 
 Lipiiano. of Henry's choice of him for that employ. He fub- 
 
 dned the Gafcons, who had prepared for a rebellion. 
 
 Chr. MaUiz. He let the Duke of Guyenne and the Count of Anjou 
 
 **iu. ic6a. fight it out with one another, as nothing but their own 
 
 private intereft was concern'd in the cafe ; The Duke 
 
 of &uyenne after the end of this war, feeing the king- 
 
 dom quiet, march'd with an army of French belonging 
 
 to his duchy, and fome Normans to the afiiftance of 
 
 Jlfonfo the VI'". King of Caftilc, and took Balbajlro 
 
 from the Saracens. 
 
 Four years after a much more important affair cal- 
 
 led for the attention of the regent of France. It was 
 
 the conqueft which William Duke of Normandy made 
 
 of the kingdom of England, which he fubdued with a 
 
 Fragm. <5 luccefs equal to his prudence and valour. S. Edward 
 
 cuii. conq. t ^ e jjj^ of thar name j^ing o f England, had dcclar'd 
 
 him his fuccellbr. Harold Ion of Godwin Earl of 
 
 Kent, notwithstanding this laft will of Edward, had 
 
 .c-'ii- T _ f^ized upon the crown. And during the time that 
 
 ' : H 'ilium was making his preparations for paffing the 
 
 lea,
 
 PHILIP I. 349 
 
 fea, Foulk Count of dnjou furnamed Recbin, Gauthr An.ic6o. 
 Count of Meulan, and Conan Duke of Britanny en- *--v->-' 
 tered upon his territories with fome troops. The re- enr - Hunt - 
 gent of France, who forefaw the confequences of this 
 increafe of power, gave Tofto Harold's brother leave 
 to take all the lliips he cou'd find in the ports of Flan- 
 ders to go over with him into England. This was 
 not in reality for Harold's affiftance. For Tojlo had a 
 mind to get into the throne himfelf ; but he was a 
 new enemy upon Duke William's hands, to whom 
 notwithstanding the King promifed the inveftiture of 
 the duchy of Normandy for his fon Robert, in cafe he 
 fucceeded in his Englijh expedition, which moft people 
 look'dupon as a rafh enterprize. William furmount- 
 ed all thefe obftacles ; and having paffed the fea with 
 a numerous army, and gained a great battle in which 
 Harold was kill'd, he took pofTefTion of the kingdom. An. 1066. 
 
 Tnis conqueft of the Duke of Normandy could not 
 be agreeable to the King of France, who was not fo 
 much affe&ed with the honour of having a King for 
 his vaflal, as with the fear of a vaflal become a 
 King. From this time we always find in hiftory the 
 French joyning with the Scots in raifing difturbances in 
 England; thefe two nations conceiving now that it Sigebertus; 
 was their intereft to keep up a good underftanding a- 
 gainft a ftate, whofe power was become formidable to 
 them. And it was this common intereft which united 
 them fo clofely afterwards, and occafioned fb many 
 treaties of alliance offenlive and defenfive againlt the 
 King of England. 
 
 Whilft the new conqueror was employed in fecur- 
 ing to himfelf the pofleffion of his realm, France had 
 a great lofs in the death of Baldwin the fifth Count of 
 Flanders and regent of the kingdom, which he had 
 governed with a great deal of prudence, application and 
 impartiality. The King was then in the fifteenth year 
 of his age. The death of the Count foon caufed a 
 war in Flanders betwixt his fons, in which the King 
 thought himfelf obliged to be concerned. 
 
 Baldwin left two fons, Baldwin VI. who fuc- Lambert 
 ceeded him in his dominions, and Robert, who after Schifnah. <J 
 feveral adventures came to marry^ G<r/rWe of Saxony, rebus Germ * 
 widow of Florent, Count of Frifia, who governed 
 that county as regent and guardian to her fon Thierry, 
 
 who
 
 55- The Hiftory of FRANCE. 
 
 An. 1 070. who Was as yet very young. It is from hence that 
 
 VXV\> Robert was furnam'd the Frifian. 
 
 Baldwin his brother declared war againft him, and 
 was killed in a battle which he loft. Robert taking 
 advantage of this, entered / -landers with his victo- 
 rious army, and conquered it. Ricbilda, Baldwin's 
 widow, feeing her two young fons, Arnulpb and 
 Bald-Witt, deprived of their dominions, had recourfe 
 to the King of France, who received her at Paris 
 with her children, and march'd fbme time afterwards 
 Into Ftavders, in order to make Robert quit the coun- 
 
 &>*!*?* try; but he was furprircd, and his army cut in pieces, 
 
 2ftta ail< * young Count Arnulph was killed, being between 
 
 Fji&ns. thiitecn and fourteen years of age. 
 
 This ill fucccfs made the King abandon the pro- 
 tection of the Conntcfs Ricbilda and her fon Bald- 
 win. She was obliged to implore help of the Empe- 
 ror Henry IV. and to buy it by yielding Mons to the 
 Bifliop of Liege. 
 
 The King being angry, probably that the young 
 Count of Flanders, who was his vaffal, fhould have 
 rccourle to the Emperor, took RobeYt the Frifiatis 
 iide ; and with the affiftance which he gave him put 
 him into a condition of not fearing Henry. In fliorr, 
 things turned in inch manner, that the Countefs was 
 obliged to come to an accommodation with Robert^ 
 who continued in poiTeflion of the county of Flan- 
 ders. J\hs was rcflorcd to young Baldwin, upon 
 condition that he fhould hold that placets a fief from 
 
 An. 1071. Robert, and as a mefne-fief of the empire. They left 
 him likewise the reft of Haynaxlt, which the Countefs 
 Ricbilda had brought the late Count Baldwin by mar- 
 riage. 
 
 In the mean while William, Duke of Normandy, 
 being become King of England, was continually in 
 motion, palling fometimes from Normandy into Eng- 
 land to fupprefs the rebellions there, fometimes from 
 England into Normandy to obferve the proceedings of 
 his neighbours' and vafials. 
 
 Waimb 1 Foulk, Count of Anjou, Hoel, Duke of Britann\; 
 
 3. orderi- and the Manceaux, who did not like his government, 
 
 r.n viui. k e p t him always uneafy. He punifh'd the latter fevere- 
 ly by the ravages he made in their country with an 
 )L*llijb army which he brought thither, and after- 
 wards
 
 PHILIP I. 351 
 
 he turned againft the Duke of Br bonny, who An. 1076. 
 had refufed to pay him homage, and laid fiege to \^^^ 
 DoL 
 
 The Duke engaged the King of France in his caufe, 
 by declaring that Britanny was a fief immediately de- 
 pending upon the crown, Which Charles the Simple 
 had only yielded by force to Rollo I. Duke of Nor- 
 mandy. The King marched with the Duke to the af- He makes 
 fiftance of Dol, and the King of England was obliged {** $"| f 
 to raife the fiege. He was attack'd in his retreat, loft ^1 ate 
 a great many men and all his baggage ; afterwards a fegt of Dol. 
 treaty of peace was made between the two Kings. An. 1076. 
 Thofe who thought they could penetrate the fartheft order, vital, 
 into myfteries of ftate, fufpe&ed Robert, the King of 1. 4. 
 England's eldeft fon, of being the fecret author of the 
 rebellion of the Manceattx. They faid, that it was he 
 who underhand prevailed upon the Duke of Britanny, 
 the Count of Anjou, and the King of France to act 
 as they did, and that he fet all thele fprings , on work 
 that he might oblige the King his father to yield him 
 the duchy of Normandy, and the county of Maine, 
 and to content himfelf with the kingdom of England, 
 where new troubles were continually raifed as foon 
 as they faw him on the other fide the lea. What is 
 certain, is that the contemporary hiftorians fpcak in 
 general of private leagues between the King of France 
 and this young Prince, who one day fignified his pre- 
 tenfions to his father in a pretty clear manner. He 
 reprefented to him, that before his expedition into 
 England, he had defigned, in cafe that lucceedcd, to 
 give him Normandy., and that he had obtained the 
 King's agreement to this. That with his own con- 
 fent the Barons of Normandy had already done him 
 homage, and he beg'd him to be fo good as to keep 
 his word with him : but he could get no other anfwer, 
 only that it was not his cuftom to pull off his cloatbs be- F raKm ,j e 
 fore, he, was ready to go to bed. Guii.conq. 
 
 Robert, being provoked at this anfwer, fome time Robert tke 
 after made ufe of the pretence of an infult, which he ^o/Eng- 
 faid he had received from his two younger brothers !*# 
 William and Henry, to retire from court; and being ^/IJ*J/,J. 
 followed by fome male-contents, he intended to fcize ther. 1077. 
 upon the caftle of Rouen, but was repulfed. He re- wdfing. in 
 treated into the territories of France, made incurfions 
 
 into
 
 ITt wemdt 
 him in a 
 ffht nitb- 
 *t knowing 
 
 An.ioSi 
 
 Order. L J. 
 
 The Htftory 0f F R A & c E.^ 
 
 An. 1 07^7. into Normandy w r ith fome troops which the King fur- 
 nifh'd him with, and this Prince even made him a pre- 
 fent of Gerberoy, in Beauvoifis for a place of retreat. 
 
 The King of England march'd and befieged him. 
 In a fally that Robert made he unfortunately met the 
 King his father, againft whom, without knowing him, 
 he run his lance, which he had couched, wounded 
 him- in the arm, and knock'd him off his horfe : but 
 as foon as he knew him by his voice, he immediately 
 jump'd to the ground, threw himfelf at his feet, made 
 him mount his own hbrfe, and let him return to his 
 camp. There were upon this occalion a great many 
 people kill'd on the King of England's fide, and Wil- 
 liam his fecond fbn was likewife wounded. Not- 
 wirhftanding this generpus action of Robert, the King 
 could not moderate his anger ; and as he went oft, 
 he gave him his curfe. Afterwards he raifcd the fiege. 
 However two years after, by the mediation of fevcral 
 Lords, both of Normandy and England, and at the 
 defire of the King and Queen of France, he confent- 
 ed to receive Robert into favour. But this reconcilia- 
 tion lafted but a little while ; for this young Prince 
 upon frefh fiibjecb of difcontent or under new pre- 
 tences retired again from court. 
 
 The perfuafion of the King of England, that it was 
 the King of trance who fomented the frequent rebel- 
 lions of his fon, inraged him furioufly againft this 
 Prince ; and if it had not been for the perplexity and 
 trouble which England gave him, and the difcontent 
 of a great many Norman Lords, he would not have 
 been long without revenging it. But af length, in the 
 year 1087, the animofities between the two Kings 
 broke out. Robert rebelled again, and was again re- 
 ceived by the King of France. Ajeft which this King 
 made upon the King of England compleated his 
 rage, and he refolved to make war on him with all 
 fpeed. 
 
 He had been fbme time fick, and kept his bed. 
 The King, as he was joking with his courtiers, faid, 
 that that big man had lain a long while without being 
 delivered. Such a jeft fhould have been defpifed; but 
 William, who was naturally paflionatc, was irritated 
 at it ; and when he was told of it, he faid, Iwillfoonget 
 tut of the ftraw, and will go and frefent fo many lights 
 
 Malmsb.l. 5. 
 
 An.ioS?. 
 
 War tttwten 
 France and 
 England
 
 z. 
 
 ip I. 
 
 fa the King of France, that he Jhall repent of what An. 1087. 
 be has faicL He alluded to the cuftom of the wo- 
 men, who, when they are churched after child-bed, 
 preient a wax candle in the church ; and this he appli- 
 ed to the fiery devastations he intended to make in the 
 territories of France. 
 
 He kept his word but too exactly ; for he came and 
 laid ficge to the 1 city of Mante, after having ravaged 
 all the country about it. He took it and laid it in , 
 afhes, without iparing fo much as the churches. 
 
 The effect of his revenge was fatal to him, and 
 the caufe of his death. For having gone too near the 
 flames, he found himfelf very much incommoded 
 with the heat of the fire; and as he withdrew he 
 fpurred his horfe to make him leap over a ditch, and 
 not fitting firm enough upon his back, the pummel of 
 his faddle gave him fo hard a blow upon his ftomach, 
 that it hurt him, and caufed an abfcefs within his bo- >,,;, g f 
 dy, of which he died at Rouen, whither he had order- William the 
 cd himfelf to be carried. Conqupror. 
 
 Before his death he divided his dominions among 1 
 his three fons ; and notwithstanding Robert's rebellion 
 he did not exclude him from his fucccffion. He 
 gave this Prince the duchy of Normandy, and all his 
 other dominions on this fide the fea: England toH r il- 
 kam : Henry, befides a large fum of money which 
 he left him, was put in poifeflion of the goods and lands 
 of Queen Maud his mother, who died fome time be- 
 fore her husband. 
 
 Thele three Princes were not long without falling 
 out with one another. The King of France was at 
 firfr, only a fpe&ator of their quarrels, and afterwards 
 took part, fometimes with one, fometimes with ano- . 
 ther. Their divillons were as advantageous to France 
 as their union would have been formidable : and Phi- 
 lip's reign would have been very quiet, if an unhappy 
 amour had not dilturb'd the tranquillity of it. The 
 thing made a noife all 6vcr Europe, and was to him 
 the fource of infinite vexation and trouble. 
 
 He had already had three children by Bertha his 
 wife, daughter of Fhrent, Count of- Frifia, name- 
 ly , Lewis Thibaut , who was his fuccelfor , and 
 known in hiftory by the name of Lewis the Big : a 
 'ilaughter named Conftantia, and another ion called 
 
 VOL. I. A a Henrj,
 
 354 The Hiftory of F R A N c E? 
 
 An. 1 092 Henry, who died young. He took a difguft at this 
 
 \*x"Y' N ' Princefs, and repudiated her under pretence of affini- 
 
 order. 1. 8. ty. Afterwards he took by force Bertrade of Mont- 
 
 P. 68 1. f ort f rom p ou /^ Count of Anjou, furnamed Rechin, 
 
 who had married this Lady, after having put away two 
 
 other wives, who were ftill alive. 
 
 An. 1092,. Bertrams contented to the thing, pretending that her 
 ' marriage with the Count of A njou was null ; and as 
 
 the King pretended, that his, which he had contracted 
 with Bertha, was Ib likewife, they married each other, 
 varizepift. At firft many of the French Bifhops oppofcd this 
 YvonisCam. fcandalous marriage i but afterwards the greateft part 
 An. 1 094. O f t h em grew eafy. jz/o, Bifhop of Chartres, fhew'd 
 m "icatt2?~ a great deal of refolution and prudence throughout 
 Condi. this whole affair. Urban II. fat then in St. Peter's 
 **?' cha ^ r ' Hugb) Archbifhop of Lions, by his order at- 
 chronTs. fembled a council at Autun to examine the matter ; 
 Vivi. in which the King's marriage with Bertrade was de- 
 
 clared inceftuous, and this Prince excommunicated. 
 
 The death of Queen Bertha, happening during thefe 
 tranfa&ions, was a circumftance that might have giv- 
 en room for condefcenfion from the Pope. For 
 it does not appear that the nullity of Bertrams mar- 
 riage with the Count of Anjott was called in queftion : 
 but Urban did not judge it proper to give way upon 
 this occafion, apprehending the dangerous confequences 
 of fuch an example. He came into France, and held 
 An.iopf. a council at Clermont in Auvcrgne, in which he ex- 
 communicated the King over again. But this Prince, 
 having given him fome hopes of converlion, the ex- 
 An.ic>96. communication was taken off in another council 
 
 which was held at Nlmes. 
 
 An.iioo. The King not having kept the word he had given 
 ' of feparating from Bertrade, but having even gone Ib 
 Cone. ria. far as to make her be crown'd Queen of France, he 
 was again excommunicated in the council of Poitiers, 
 by the legates of Pafthal II, fucccflbr to Urban, who 
 died before this caufe was quite fmiihed. Thefe re- 
 peated excommunications began to produce very ill 
 effects in the Ibte with regard to this Prince. His 
 vices render'd him odious and contemptible, which he 
 H t ajfodatet perceived very well ; and this determined him to aflb- 
 *" / L CW - ciate his ion Lewis with him in the government, and 
 accordingly he had him crown'd about this time.
 
 PHILIP!. 355 
 
 It appears that this young Prince, who was then An.iicO. 
 between nineteen and twenty years old, but of a fta- 
 ture and maturity much above his age, took the go- 
 vernment of the realm into his hands under the di- 
 rection of his father. The hiltories of this reign men- 
 tion nothing but his exploits, by which feveral bufy 
 troublefome people were kept within, or brought back 
 to their duty, whom the King's excommunication 
 fcem'd to juilify in their want of refpect and obedi-< 
 ence. He was always in the field with a little body 
 of an army, fometimes in the neighbourhood of Pa- 
 ris, fometimes" in Champaign, fometimes beyond the ^'^ 
 Loire. ^ He made himfelf authoritative arbiter of all 
 the differences, upon the account of which the private 
 Lords took up arms againlt one another, and made 
 'em, as much as it was againft their inclination, to 
 ftand to his decifions, by plundering the eitates, and 
 razing the caftles of thofe who refitted. In this man- guger- ia" 
 ner he acted towards Bouchard of Montmorenci, Mat- vie". L U J. 
 the-iv of Beaumont, Ebale of Rouci, 'Thomas of Marie Grof> 
 Lord of Couci, Humbald of St. Severe, and Guy, 
 Count of Rfjcbeford, Lord of Gournai upon the 
 Mare. 
 
 Upon thefe occafions he often fought at the head of 
 his troops, in a manner that gain'd him a great deal of 
 glory and authority, and he defeated 'Thibaut Count 
 of Champaign in battle. This vivacity of the Prince, 
 who was always in action, gave him the lurname of 
 Fighter, becaufe in thefe little wars he was always 
 engaged with the rebels. They gave him alfo the 
 furname of The defender of the Church, becaufe molt of 
 thefe quarrels proceeded from the ufurpations of the 
 Lords over the abbeys and churches, to whom he o- 
 bliged them to reltore what they had taken. 
 
 A11 thefe victories, but more especially the aflbci- 
 ation of Lewis in the government, were dilpleating 
 to Btrtrade. She had already had two fons by Phi- 
 lip, one of whom bore the name of his father, and 
 the other was called Fleury, Her ambition inlpired 
 her with the* defire of feeing the eldeit of her chil- 
 dren placed upon the throne ; and this Was enough to 
 make this wicked woman enter upon a delign of de- Or{Jer Tr 
 itroying Lewis. She made ufe of divers means for 
 this purpofe; the laft was fome poifon which fhe 
 A a 2 caufed
 
 356 The Hiftory of *.&-$ ct. 
 
 An.iico. caufcd to be given him. He had like to have died, 
 Wv**-*' and had not recovered but for fome extraordinary re- 
 medies given him by a foreign phylician, who hap- 
 pened then to be at court. He had all his life af- 
 ter a palenefs in his countenance, which fhewed that 
 his constitution was very much altered. 
 
 After fuch a wicked attempt as this, Philips paffi- 
 on muft have a Change maftery over his mind to hin- 
 der him from breaking intirely with Bertrade, and to 
 fuffer him to continue to faorifice his mod important 
 inter efts to her, as he had done for Ip many years. 
 Tht Ki? re- He was himfclf the mediator of the reconciliation be- 
 tautiits them, tween his fon and Bertrade. He conjur'd him to 
 pardon her ; and to appeafc him he gave him Pontoife^ 
 and all the Vexin to be his own property. Lewis 
 yielded to the inftances of his father, and the folicita- 
 tions of a great number of Lords about him, whom 
 Bertrade employed to obtain her pardon. 
 
 The advantage which was offered him feemcd to 
 him confiderable enough to engage him at leaft to 
 diifemble his hatred, and he promifed to forget all 
 that was paft. In the mean while the Pope came in- 
 to France, and the King began to fear kit he fhould 
 pufh matters as vigoroufly againft him, as he had a- 
 gainft Henry IV. King of Germany, whofe fate was 
 to be at lalt difpoilels'd by his o"wn fon. Bertrade 
 herfelf made ferious reflections upon the dangers to 
 which (he found herfelf expofed, being look'd upon as 
 the only caufe of fo much disturbance and confufion, 
 and become the object of the execration of the whole 
 kingdom by the horrid enterprife fhe had undertaken 
 againft the life of the young King. 
 
 An. 1 105-. Philip and fhe fubmitted to the judgment of fomc 
 Tkc KjHsii Biihops deputed by the Pope, who treated this Prince 
 rf ^ JIT pretty rouchly. They both received abfolution in a 
 
 the extuwimtt- r f * 1 i T r -* *r\ 
 
 uifatim. council held at Parts upon the fecond of December^ 
 after having publickly promifed upon oath to renounce 
 all criminal converfation, and never to fee one ano- 
 ther, but in the prelencc of pcribns vvhofe probity 
 could not be fufpecled. We have no more of this 
 affair in our ancient memoirs, except in a chronicle 
 chr. An<3eg. of Anjou, which gives us good rcafon to believe that Ber~ 
 ^''Mss 1 '" fra< ^ e ' s niarr i ; -ge with the Count of Anjou was declared 
 labb.ci. ' nu ^> ^^ tnat tne King had adifpcnfation granted him
 
 PHILIP!. 357 
 
 to marry her. I muft now return to what paffed in An. 1098. 
 France during the courfe of thefe broils. I begin with VX"Y^O 
 the difpures which Phtlip had with the fons of Willi- 
 am the Conqueror. 
 
 Thefe contefts, which were neither very frequent, Roger, efe 
 nor of very great confequencc, were occafion'd at firlr. Hovcd - ' * 
 by the quarrels which thefe Norman Princes had a- 
 mong themfelves. Robert, Duke of Normandy, hav- 
 ing fallen out with his brother William, King of Eng- 
 land, who took Bray from him, demanded aflntance 
 of the King as his Lord; and this Prince march'd in 
 perfbn, and befieged Argentan, of which William had 
 made himfelf matter fome years before. The garri- 
 fon, which confilred of near two thoufand men, fur- 
 rendred themfelves prifoners of war, without any re- 
 fiftancc. After this expedition the King return'd to 
 Paris; and the war ended -between the two brothers 
 by the proclamation of the holy war. 
 
 The Duke of Normandy, whofe vivacity could not 
 long bear to be at reft, enter'd upon the crufade. He 
 fent and demanded of the King of England- ten thou- 
 fand marks to equip him and raife fome troops ; and 
 for this fum he offered to mortgage his duchy of Nor- 
 mandy to him. The King of England agreed to it; 
 and the peace was concluded. The King of England 
 had already feveral places in Normandy : his brother 
 made him' matter as it were of that duchy by mort- 
 gaging it to him ; and he was look'd upon there as 
 his^ presumptive heir, in cafe this Prince did not re- 
 turn after fo long and dangerous a journey as he had 
 undertaken. Thus the Nvrman Lords were at his 
 difpofal, and all devoted to his will. He laid hold of w a r *;/ 
 this favourable opportunity to make good fome ancient France and 
 pretenfions which the Dukes of Normandy had to the ^'S^** 
 French jSexin, and font to the King of France to de- 
 mand Pontuife, Chaumont, and Mante bcfides to be 
 put into his hands. 
 
 A war broke out upon this occafion, and lafted 
 iwo years. The firft campaign ended in ravages 
 which were committed on both fides. Next year the 
 King of England befieged Chautnont, but could not 
 take it. Some troubles which were raifed in England An. 1098, 
 obliged him to make peace without any other advan- 
 tage than having fortified Gifors, which was afterwards 
 A a 3 the
 
 358 The Htflory of F R A N c E. 
 
 An. 1 098. the arfenal and bulwark of the Englijh and Nor/nans 
 t^x'VN^ againft France. 
 
 Maimsb.1.3. Henry, William^ br other, fucceeded him in the king- 
 dom of England in the year rioo, and had no difpute 
 with Philip. The war was not renew'd between the 
 two crowns till the reign of Lewis the Btg, this 
 . Prince's fucceiTbr. So that all that remains for me 
 to give an account of in Philifs reign, is the famous 
 expedition of the Chriftian Lords for the conqtieft of 
 ."Jerufalem, and all the Holy Land. This is the iirft of 
 the wars againft the Infidels, and k was called by the 
 name of crufade or croifade from the crofs, which 
 was put upon all the colours, and upon the fhoul- 
 ders of thofe who lifted in it. 
 
 c one. clar. It was at the council of Clermont in Auvergne that 
 T. 10. cone. Pope Urban II. who prefided there in perfon, preach- 
 An. 1 095*. ed the crufade to ail Chriftendom, and an innumer- 
 able multitude of pcrfons, of all ftates -ud conditions, 
 T'tfirjlcr*- took the crofs upon them. The Kings were not car- 
 fde. ried away with this fceal, for there were none of them 
 
 in this fifft expedition : but a great number of Princes 
 and Lords, elpecially of France, and the countries de- 
 pending upon that kingdom, entered upon the cruladc. 
 Themoft illuftrious for his birth was Hugh theGreaf, 
 Count of Vermandois, the King's brother, Raymond, 
 Count otTouhufe, commonly called Raymond of St. 
 (riles, Robert II. Count of Flanders, Robert,. Duke of 
 Normandy, Ion of William the Conqueror, Stephen, 
 Count pt Blots sm&Chartres, all vaflals of the crown of 
 France, join'd in this expedition. But of all the Lords 
 who were in the cruladc, he whofc name has been 
 the moit celebrated by the writers of the hiltory of 
 
 thefe wars beyond fea, is the famous Godefroy of Bouil- 
 lon, Duke of the lower Lorain. Euftachixs and5<?/^- 
 IVIK, his two brothers, accompanied him, and an in- 
 finite number of Lords of a lower rank, and Gen- 
 tlemen, animated by the example of thofe I have juft 
 named, followed their banners, or brought under their 
 own a great many of their vafFals and lubje&s. The 
 Pope, that he might keep a good understanding a- 
 mong fo many chiefs of different countries, named 
 Aymar of JMonteil, Bifhop of P)',his legate in the ar- 
 niy, and delegated to him all his authority. 
 
 They
 
 PHILIP I. 359 
 
 They begun their march the following year. The An. 1096. 
 diftance of the countries where they were going to V- 
 make war, and the means of fubfilting upon their 9 rf 
 march were the greateft difficulties that occurr'd in cr^ 
 the execution of this defign ; for befides thofe who rjjh in their 
 went as foldiers, old men, women, children, priefts, marcl> ' 
 monks without number followed the army out of de- 
 votion. So that there were between feven and eight 
 hundred thoufand fouls of all nations who undertook 
 the journey. 
 
 Near three quarters of them perifhed upon the road, 
 or before any considerable enterpme was undertaken; 
 part by ficknefs, part by hunger, and part by the 
 fword ; the people of the countries thro' which they 
 palled, and in which they committed the greateft dif- 
 orders, treating them as enemies, and falling upon 
 them on all fides. But thcfe were nothing for the 
 moft part but a mob of people, and ill arm'd, who 
 had march'd before thro* Hungary and Bulgaria. 
 Thofe who got to Conftantinople obtained fome fhips Guif.Tytius 
 of the Emperor Alexis Comrncmus to pafs into/4//*; j^J'/''** 
 and having engaged very foolifhly in battle with the a V 
 Infidels, were beaten again, and almoft all rnafla- 
 cred. 
 
 The Princes marched with more caution. Hugh Guibert. la, 
 the Great went thro' Italy with Robert Duke of Nor- c> 3 
 wandy, Robert Count of Flanders^ Stephen Count of 
 Chartres, Raymond Count of Touloufe, and Aymar 
 Bifhop of Puy. Bohemund Prince of Tarentum gave 
 'em quarters in his territories till fpring, and then took 
 the crofs himfelf, together with a great number of 
 Norman Lords, who were fettled in Italy. 
 
 Hugh the Great, intending to put himfelf at the 
 head of the crufaders who were gone thro' Hungary^ 
 made no flay in Bohemond's dominions ; but imbark- 
 ing with the few troops he had with him, he fet fail 
 for Durazzo, to go from thence to Conftantinople^ 
 but moft of his fhips were deftroy'd by a ftorm. He 
 had like to have been loft himfelf, and was carried 
 from Durazzo to Conflantimple in a very indifferent 
 condition, and was there handfomely receiv'd by the 
 Emperor. 
 
 Godefroy of Bouillon went thro' Hungary and Bui' 
 
 g*ria. As he obferved exad difcipline in his army, 
 
 A a 4 the
 
 3 6o The H$ory ^FRANCE. 
 
 An. 1 096. the way lay open for him, and he arrived at Conftan- 
 tinople with his troops, who, notwithstanding the fa- 
 tigues of fuch a march, were in good condition. Bo- 
 hemond and the Count of Flanders went by lea as far 
 as Durazzo, and joined him fome time after ; and 
 laiHy Raymond, Count of fwlofffe, having taken his 
 journey by land thro' Dalmatia with the Bifhop of 
 Puy, came likewife within fight of Constantinople. 
 But before there was any rendezvous a great many 
 things had happen'd between Gvdefroy of Bouillon and 
 the Emperor -Alexis. 
 
 When this Prince defired affiftance of the Pope a- 
 gainil the Mahometans, he did not think of fuch a 
 hurly burly as was made all over Europe. He hoped 
 :to have fome troops who wou'd follow his orders, 
 and make part of his army as auxiliaries : but when 
 he faw thirty and forty thqufand men, who were on-r 
 ly the forerunners of other much more numerous ar- 
 mies, commanded by the moft famous captains of the 
 Weil, he began to be afraid of thele fuccours, and 
 .apprehended he fliould no longer be mailer at home 
 when they were all arriv'd. 
 
 He was a politick, cunning, diiFembling Prince, an4 
 after all had good reafon to make fuch fort of reflections. 
 He had been infulted by the Norman Princes of Italy, 
 who had come even into Thrace and attacked him. 
 They had taken from his prcdeceflbrs Apulia, Cala- 
 bria and Sicily ; and fome of thefe Lords, when icrv- 
 ing in the armies of the empire, had formerly project- 
 ed to make themfelves mailers of all Greece. He knew 
 the diforders which the firit armies of the crufaders 
 had committed in Hungary and Bulgaria, and his 
 own eyes faw thofe which the fecond had again com- 
 ." mitted in the ' neighbourhood of Conflantinople. So 
 f,fa tbTJe- that from hence forward he took a refolution which 
 jf f ns of the n e followed always afterwards, not only not to fecond 
 the deiigns of the cruiaders, but to oppofc them as 
 much as he could; and to ufe all forts of methods to 
 deilroy thefe people, who were become as formidable 
 fo him as they were to the Mahometans themfelves. 
 
 He endeavoured to itarve Duke Godefroy's army. 
 Afterwards he came to blows with him : but finding 
 that artirlce and open force were of no fervice to him, 
 heconfcmed to an accommodation. The other Princes 
 
 being
 
 PHILIP I. 361 
 
 .being arrived, mifunderftandings happened again,. An, 1096, 
 and a great many negotiations followed upon \^xvx> 
 'em : but after all they depended upon the Emperor. H . e ' r!atf 
 They muft pafs the ttraights to go and fight the Infi- m ' 
 .dels ; and they could not do this without his fhips. 
 He infiftcd upon one point which they had a great deal 
 of difficulty to grant. It was that they fhould Jwear 
 allegiance to him, and that the cities they fhouid take 
 fhould be reftored to him, as having been difmcmbred 
 from the empire. He would never give up this par- 
 ticular, and they were forc'd at length to comply with 
 it. On his fide he promifed to furmfli them with 
 troops and victuals, to give them the afliftance of his 
 fleet when they had occafion for it, and to allow 
 'em the plunder of the towns, which they fhould ei- 
 ther take by ftorm, or oblige to furrender at difcre- 
 tion. 
 
 The treaty being figned, the troops pafled the Gull. Tyr. 
 .ftraights ; and upon a review of the army on the other ] - * c 2a 
 fide, it appeared that they had a hundred thoufand ca- 
 valry and a much more numerous infantry. 
 
 The firft enterprize was the fiege of Nice in Bithy- Nice in Bi- 
 nia, a city very well fortified, and Sultan Solimari's thynia M 
 ufual place of refidence. It was vigoroufly defended. f c at ^' 3 ' 
 Soliman came to its afliftance, attack'd the camp, and was An' 1097. 
 repulfed with the lofs of four thoufand men. Some 
 time after the place capitulated, and was put into the 
 Emperor's hands. 
 
 A few days after the taking of this town, the army 
 marched to lay fiege to Antmch in Syria, and by that 
 .means to open the way into Palefline. Soliwa*, with 
 an army of above two hundred thoufand horfe, co- 
 vered v/ith the mountains, was always annoying the 
 army of the crufaders. Bohemond, being encamped in 
 ^ valley at fomc diftance from the other troops for the 
 conveniency of forage, was attack'd. He received a great c. n, 13. 14* 
 lofs, and muft have perifhed if he had not been fpeedi- 
 ly fuccoured. JDuke Godefroy^ his two brothers Bal- 
 dvj'in and Euftachius, Hugh the Great, and the Count 
 of Touloufe came and joined him at the head of forty 
 thoufand horfe. Their arrival gave new courage to his 
 troops. The Infidels fled. They purfued 'em tor twd 
 leagues, and made themlelves mafters of their camp, 
 in which they found a great deal of riches, and abun
 
 36i The Hiftory 0f F R A N c E. 
 
 * J */ J 
 
 An. 1 097. dance of provifions. This plunder comforted the ar- 
 my for the lofs they had fuftained, which was four 
 thoufand perfons T as well foldiers as others who fob 
 lowed the camp. 
 
 of The army purfued their march. Several cities fur- 
 tke crnfaden. r ender'd. They fent out two detachments, one un- 
 der Tattered, Bohemond's nephew, and the other un- 
 der Count Baldwin, Godefroy's brother. Tancred 
 made himfelf mafter of almoft all Cilicia, and Bald- 
 lain of a great part of Mesopotamia ; and by thcfe 
 conquefts they facilitated the fiege of Antioch, which ; 
 was undertaken about the middle of Oflober. It 
 lafted till June the next year ; and they would have 
 been obliged to have raifed the fiege, if Bohemond had 
 not kept a correspondence in the place with one of 
 the principal inhabitants named Pyrrhus, who in the 
 An. 1098. night delivered up to him three towers in the quarters 
 where he commanded. There was a great flaughtcr 
 among the Mahometans ; and the place was yielded to 
 Bohemond by the other Lords of the crufade. 
 
 But fcarce were they mafters of it before Corbagat, the 
 Mufulman general, at the head of a more numerous army 
 than had yet appear'd, came and befieged them them- 
 felves, and began with cutting oft' their provifions 
 from 'em. They had no other way to take, but to 
 go out and fight this army, notwithstanding the great 
 jtmthti bat- inequality in numbers. But the necefTity of dying or 
 i^rf An " conc l uerin g fupplied the place of every thing elfe, 
 Corbagat was intirely routed, and they found in his 
 camp provifions eriough to vi&ual both the city and 
 the army. The diftempers, which thejfcarcity had oc- 
 cafion'd, carried off a great many of the crufaders, 
 and among the reft Aymar of Monteil, Bilhop of Pay, 
 the Pope's legate. 
 
 After fo happy a vi&ory, upon which the preferva- 
 tion of the army abfolutely depended, the Lords fent 
 to the Greek Emperor, to fummon him to come and 
 join 'em in perfon, as he had promifed, declaring to him, 
 that if he did not keep his word with them, they would 
 not obferve any of the other articles of the treaty 
 which they had made with him. and which he had al- 
 
 Cpfn TOT- i t_ i 
 
 ture between ready broke in many points. 
 
 the cretin They chofe Hugh the Great, and Baldwin Count 
 ereefiii- ^ *%"**#i to go upon this embalTage. The latter 
 pwr. was
 
 PHILIP I. ' 363 
 
 was deftroyed in the way, without any body's know- An. 1098. 
 ing after what manner. Hugh the Great, after hav- V^V\^ 
 ing run thro' a great many dangers, and cunningly ef- 
 caped a thoufand ambufcades, which the Mahometans 
 had laid for him, arrived at Conftantinople. He laid 
 before the Emperor the bufinefs of his journey, and 
 from thence returned into France. This refolution GuiL Tyr. 
 which he took, for want of having wherewith to fub- L 7- c 
 lift on honourably in the army, where he had no 
 longer any of his own people with him, very much 
 tarnrflicd the glory of the great actions he had done 
 upon all the moll dangerous occafions, in which he 
 had always iignalixed himfelf. 
 
 The Emperor, who miftrufted the Princes, becaufe 
 they had all the reafon in the world to miftruft him, 
 and to be very much diflatisfjed with him, would not 
 go to join 'em in perfon, as they requeued of him. 
 He only font embafladors to 'em, who made great com- 
 plaints at their not giving him Antioch agai n. But the cru- 
 laders did not trouble themfelves much about thefe com- 
 plaints, but a&ed for the future intirely independent 
 of him. 
 
 After the conqueft of Antioch they took their mea- 
 fures for that of Jerufalem, which was the end of all 
 the journey ; and in the execution of this defign they 
 had nothing more to do with the Turks. 
 
 The Sultan of Egypt, from whom the Turks call'd 
 Selgiucids had taken feveral provinces of his domini- 
 ons, was overjoyed at the advantages which the crafa- 
 ders had gain'd over them. He lent to congratulate 
 the Princes, and to defire their friendihip. But he had 
 taken his advantage of the confufion among the Turks, 
 and had march'd with his army, and had taken Jeru- 
 falem and feveral other places about. He had no 
 mind to yield Jerusalem and Paleftine to the Chrifti- 
 ans ; but he offered them the liberty of pafling thro* 
 it to accomplifh their vow, upon condition that not 
 above three hundred at once fhould go into Jerufalem, 
 and that they fhould lay down their arms before they 
 enter'd. 
 
 The Sultan's embafladors were fent back with con- 
 tempt; and they declared to them that the intention 
 of the crufaders was to finilh their pilgrimage all to- 
 gether, and -in fuch a manner as fliould make the Sul- 
 i tan
 
 3 6.4 The Hiftory of F n A N c E. 
 
 An. 1099. tan repent of his conduct with relation to them.. In 
 \^~*f^j fhort, they foon began their march, and went all along 
 by the lea Ihore, attended with a fleet of, Venetians, 
 Genoefe, Flemings, Normans, and Englijh, which fur- 
 niftied them with provifions : and thus they arrived at 
 laft at Jerusalem, The fight of this city filled all the 
 army with joy, and. made them forget their former fa- 
 tigues. The troops were animated with ardor, and 
 prefled the generals to begin the liege immediately; 
 but thefe Lords knew the difficulty of the undertaking 
 better than the foldiers. 
 
 CnH. Tyr. Qf between feven and eight hundred thoufand per- 
 i. 8. c. 4. f ons w j lo came Oll o f Europe, there were not more, 
 than about forty thoufand left in this army, and of 
 this number there were but twenty one thoufand and 
 five hundred fpldiers ; namely, twenty thoufand foot 
 and fifteen hundred horfe, the reft .were defbroyed ei- 
 ther in battles or lieges or bydiftempers. Some had de- 
 ferted, fome continued with Bohemond at dntioch, others 
 in Mefopotamia and Cilicia to guard the places they 
 had taken. On the other hand, there were forty thou- 
 fand men in the city to defend it. The Chriftians were 
 all turned out of it. ~Y\\Q Saracens had filled up all the 
 wells' and citterns about it. There was no wood to be 
 found about the town that was proper to make machines 
 with, whereas the enemy had abundance of it, and the 
 city wanted for nothing. 
 
 j/^o/Jeru- Notwithfhmding all this, Duke Godefroy and the 
 Clem. re ft were r efolv'd to fall glorioufly or accomplifh their 
 vow. They fettled their quarters : every one took his 
 poft about the city, which they could not inveft intire~ 
 ly for want of troops, fb that it remained open on the 
 South lide. 
 
 Five days after it was refolved to make a general 
 afTault upon the outer wall, which was done with fo 
 much vigour that they made themfelves mafters of it; 
 and this brisk attack fo aftonifhed the belieged, that 
 they thought the city would have been taken at the firft 
 alTault, if they had had ladders with which to have ^ 
 fcaled the fecond wall. 
 
 After this firft action, which was a great ftep in the ; 
 
 affair, they work'd with their machines. A Genoefe fleet 
 
 which arrived atjoppa, was of great fcrvice to them, 
 
 not only by ftrengthening the army with the troops 
 
 I they
 
 PHI LI p L 
 
 they brought, but more by the engineers and carpenters An.iooo. 
 they fupplied them with, who were much more skilful V^OfN-^ 
 :han thofe in the camp. 
 
 As foon as the machines were ready, and the roll- 
 ing caftles, which they made ufe of at that time for 
 [terming, were built, they made their attack upon the 
 ivall with paterero's, ballifta's, cattapulta's, and the 
 mattering ram. The afTault laded till night, which the 
 ^efieged employed in repairing their breaches, and the 
 ^efiegers their caftles which were damaged by battering 
 the city. 
 
 The next morning at break of day the afTault was AS*J **e. 
 -enewed, and continued till one a clock in the after- *?" *** *> 
 loon, when the Chriitian army being weary and dif- 
 ?irited with fatigue began to give way. Duke Godefroy 
 perceiving it, cried out with all his might, that the hea- 
 vens declared for them, and that he had juft feen upon 
 he mount of Olivet a horfeman defcending from the 
 :loudswitha buckler all fparkling with lightning, who 
 5y his gefture encouraged him to purfue his viclory : and 
 he Count of Touloufe laid the fame thing at his attack. 
 Whether this were true, or only a piece of artifice 
 the generals, the noife of this vifion went through 
 the army, who believ'd it, and did not doubt but 
 was St. George, who promils'd them victory. It re- 
 ed the courage of the Ibuldiery, and the battle begun 
 ain with more obftinacy than ever, Godefroy having 
 laft gain'd an opportunity of driving his rol ling cattle 
 ain ft the wall, leaped upon it with Count Eujtacbius 
 brother, Let old and Engilbert of Tournay, and fe- 
 al other Lords, and made themfelves mailers of it. 
 ic Duke of Normandy almoft at the fame time forc'd 
 pafTage at his attack. Confuiion and terror filled 
 minds of the befieged ; and thofe, who defended 
 rampart againft the Count of Touloufe, feeing their 
 ople fcampering at a diftancc, took to their heels 
 mfelves. 
 
 The greateft part faved themfelves in a kind of cita- it *^. 
 , which was in the place where Solomon's temple 
 rmerly flood. Tancred purfued them thither, entered 
 th them being followed by his troop, and made fo 
 rrible a flaughter there, that every thing fwam in 
 3od. It is faid that in this place alone there were ten 
 oufand Mahometans llain. It was upon Friday the 
 
 fifteenth
 
 36$ 
 
 An.i99- fifteenth of July in the year 1099. that the city of Je~< 
 rufalem was thus taken, four years after the crufade 
 had been publifti'd in the council of Clermont. By this 
 the mod difficult part of the crufaders vow was ac- 
 complifti'd ; and after they had caufed the maflacre to 
 ceafe, they thought of nothing but paying their devotions, 
 and thanking God for the happy fuccefs of fo hazardous 
 an enterprise. 
 
 The army turn'd all at once from the fury of flaugh- 
 ter to the fentiments of the moft tender piety : and no- 
 thing is more edifying and more moving than the par- 
 ticulars which the hiitory of that time gives us of the 
 works of devotion, which the generals and foldicrs 
 employed themfelves in after the victory. 
 
 The week following the Lords aflembled to elect 
 a King of Jerufalem ; and after fome confutations, 
 the crown was given to Go defray of Bouillon, who had 
 always been diftinguifh'd among all the crufading Lords 
 for his courage and wifdom, his skilfulnefs in war, his 
 probity and piety, his application, his high ftature, ex- 
 traordinary ftrength, and all the qualities that make not 
 only a hero, but a Chriftian hero. 
 
 n,t Maho- He fignalized his reign a few days after by the de- 
 mean army f^ o f t h e Sultan of Egypt, who came to fuccour 
 dtftote . j eru f a l em w ith an army of above four hundred thou-' 
 land men. 
 
 This victory having confirmed his conqueft, the crufa- 
 ding Princes took leave of him. He made himfelf after-: 
 wards matter of a great many places about Jerufalem ; 
 and the Emirs of Ptolemais, Cafarea, Antipatris, and 
 Askalon became tributaries 'to him. Godefroy lived but a 
 year after he was raifed to the throne, and was fucceeded 
 by Baldwin his brother, who, when he took pofTcflion 
 of the crown of Jerufalcm, gave the Earldom of EdeJJa- 
 to Baldwin of Bourg his coufin. 
 
 The., new King had wherewith to miantain himfelf 
 by the arrival of a vaft number of Europeans, moft o 
 whom Vioxz French, who upon the news of Jerufalem's 
 being taken went into PaL'jiine. Hugh the Great and 
 the Count of Blots returned thither. The firft died at 
 farfus, before he could arrive tt. Jerufalem: feveral 
 other Lords followed them, and fignali'i'd their courage 
 in their fervice to the King of Jerusalem, who during 
 a reign divided between good and ill fuccefs in the 
 
 wars
 
 PHILIP I. 3 $7 
 
 wars he maintained againft the Infidels, conquered feve- An. 1099, 
 ral cities with which he made a handfome addition to v^xY^ 
 his dominions. 
 
 Thus was this new kingdom formed iif Paleftine 
 about the end of the reign of Philip I. King of France^ 
 who however was no further concerned in it, than thai 
 he united to his government the county of Bourge^ 
 which Count Herpin fold him to enable him to go to 
 the Holy Land. 
 
 We lhall find in the courfe of the hiftory, that the 
 crufaders were the occalion of many fuch like unions, 
 and for this reafon we may look upon them as the be- 
 ginning of the re-eftablifhment of the power and do- 
 minion of our Kings. 
 
 From the time the peace was made with the King 
 of England in the year 1098. France was free from 
 war, and during the laft years of Philip^ reign the 
 kingdom enjoyed profound tranquillity. He died at "&=< **> </ 
 Melun in the y7 th year of his age in the year 1108. ^-" g Phll 'P- 
 upon the 29 th of July, after having reigned forty eight An - IIO - 
 years by himfelf, and above forty nine, if we reckon 
 from the time that he was crowned at Rheims, during 
 the life-time of King Henry his father. 
 
 This reign has furnifhed hiftory with a pretty copi- Epic. Philip. 
 ous fiibjecr, but in which the Prince was little con- 
 cerned but by his irregularities. However he was not 
 without fome good qualities. He was well made, 
 eloquent, agreeable, moderate, except in his pleafures 
 and amours, to which he facrificed his repofe and the 
 quiet of his realm ; more ready for this reafon to fi- 
 nifli the wars he was engaged in, and in which he was 
 not fuccefsful when he fought in perfon, than to main- 
 tain them with vigour and glory. He was interred in 
 the monaftery of Fleuri, which is at prefent that of 
 St. Bennetot the Loire ; and was fucceededby his fon 
 Lewis the filth of that name, who was furnamcd tht 
 
 LEWI?
 
 368 The Hijlory of FRANCE, 
 
 An. 1 10$. 
 
 VI. furnamed the B i G. 
 
 Orderic.Lii. "W^ EW 1 S the filth, c*\V&Levjis-Thibaut by art 
 T^JC^V : ancient hiftorian, and furnamed the B/, be- 
 Orieans, * ^ caufe of his fhape which grew very thick about 
 Suger.invit, the end of his reign, was at his father's death between 
 Yvo S^' a 'g ht and ninc and twent y yea" of age, being bora in 
 e P . 185. ro8i. 
 
 Tho' he had been crowned King in his fathers life- 
 time, he would be crowned again at Orleans by <fAim- 
 bert Archbilhop of Sens, notwithstanding the oppofi- 
 tion made by Rodolph Archbifhop of Rheims, who pre- 
 tended that the right of crowning the King belonged 
 to him and no one elfe. But Tvo Bifhop of Chartres 
 plainly proved the nullity of this pretence, efpccially 
 when the quiet of the realm required that the King. 
 fhould be crowned at fome other place, 
 
 The reafon why the coronation was not performed 
 at Rkelms, was becaufe Rodolpb after his election had 
 taken pofleffionof his See without waiting for theKing's 
 content, for which reafon this Prince had nominated 
 another Archbifhop called Gervafe. But Rodolph was 
 encouraged to maintain his pretended right by fome 
 difcontented Lords, fome of whom thought of nothing, 
 lefs than excluding Lewis from the crown, or obliging 
 him to part with fome of the royal demefne for their 
 life and fervicc. Eudcs Count of Corbeil, and Philip 
 Count of Marte, a natural fon of the late King and 
 TSertrade his miurefs , were of this number, and had 
 with them Amauri of Montfort the fccond of that 
 name, Bertrams brother, Thomas of Marls Lord of 
 Couci, and Hugh of Puifet in Bcaujje Vifcount of 
 Chartres. 
 HtfMtt The King was obliged to take up arms againft them, 
 
 "** * ' 
 
 iS* an( * W1 ' tjl his a ^ v ^ t y an< ^ u ^ ual diligence brought them 
 to reafon. He took Mante, Muatlheri, Corbeil, and 
 razed the caftle ofPutfet. Thcfe rebellions and expedi- 
 tions happened at ditterent times, and it is difficult to 
 fix the years precifely : but the King had a more pow- 
 erful and formidable enemy upon his hands. 
 
 It
 
 LEWIS VI. 369 
 
 It was Henry King .of England, the youngeft of An.noS. 
 William the Conqueror's three fons, and he who was \ - /~Y" > ^/ 
 the moft like him as to his prudence and ability in go- 
 vernment. The abfence of Robert his elder brother, 
 who was gone to the holy war, gave him the oppor- 
 tunity of feizing the crown of England at the death of 
 King William ^thcir brother. Robert after his return 
 endeavoured in vain to difpute it witii him, he even 
 loft his duchy of Normandy ; for being taken at the 
 battle of Tmcbtbray which he loft, Henr\ put him In 
 prifon, from whence he was never delivered. 
 
 The occafion of the war between the two Kings 
 was the fortrefs of Gifors. This place was upon the 
 frontiers of France and Normandy ; and 'for fome years 
 p.ift it had been agreed that it fhould be fequefter'd in 
 the hands of a Lord called Pagan or Payen, who 
 was to receive into it neither Englifo or Norman, nor 
 French troops ; and in cafe it fhoulH fall into the hands 
 of either of the two Kings, it was ftipulated, that suger.invita 
 the walls fhould be razed within the fpace of forty LudorW 
 days. Grofl5 -- 
 
 Notwithstanding this treaty, Henry feiz'd upon it. 
 The King called upon him in vain to reltore the fe- 
 queftration, or raze the walls of the place : but they 
 agreed to meet upon the river Epte to treat of this mat- 
 ter together. They both came thither with fome troops, 
 but could conclude upon, nothing ; and the King pro- 
 pofed to Henry to end the difference by a duel upon 
 the bridge over the river that feparated the two camps. 
 //<?#ry turn'd his challenge into banter. The King fee- War w/tt 
 ing it would come to a war, made himfelf mafter in the England, 
 night of the bridge and fome fords belonging to the 
 river, and at break of day fell upon the Engtiftj and 
 Normans, who were driven by the French till they 
 got under the walls of Gifors : After this the two ar- 
 mies removed from the river Epte. The King return- 
 ed to Pans , and the King of England to Rotten, to 
 prepare for the war: but at the fame time the Count 
 of Blois and Champaign made a troublefome diverfion 
 in favour of the King of England. 
 
 He was this Prince's nephew by his mother Adelaida, 
 and intirely in his intereft. He quarrelled with the 
 King upon the account of a fie which he pretended 
 belonged to him ; and as foon as he faw the war de- 
 
 V o L. I. B b dared
 
 370 The Hiftory ^/FRANCE. 
 
 An.noS. clared between the two Kings he had the confidence 
 V^-V>^/ to feize upon Puifet, which the King had caufed to 
 be demolifti'd, and to attempt to raife the walls 
 again. 
 
 ^The King was immediately obliged to turn his 
 
 forces againft the Count of Blois. He was feconded 
 
 by Robert Count of Flanders, who beat the Count in 
 
 Several bat- two battles, one near Meatix and the other nearL*/, 
 
 tkt. where the King coming up finiflied his defeat. 
 
 The Count of Blois went on with his work at the 
 fortrefs of Puifet, and the King march'd to hinder 
 them ; upon which a very bloody battle enfued, where- 
 in the King expos'd himfclf as ufual, and had like to 
 have been taken. However hepufhed the Enemy with 
 a great deal of vigour, when a large body of Norman 
 troops appeared, lent by the King of England, which 
 obliged him to retreat with fome diforder. 
 
 He withdrew to the callle of Tottry, where he was 
 inverted with thirteen thouland men under the banners 
 of Guy of Rochefort, Milo of Montlher:, and Hugh 
 of Crecy : but the Lords of his party having rallied 
 their troops, came to his afllftanco, and the enemies 
 retired. 
 
 As he undertook this expedition only to hinder the 
 refortification of Puifet, he was refolved to purfue it 
 to the uttermofl. And having furnilh'd himfelf with 
 machines and all things neceffary for a fiege, he re- 
 turned to that fortreis and belieged it. The Count of 
 Blois came to its afiiftance, and iiirprized a party of the 
 royal army a league off Puifit. The King fuftained' 
 the attack, tho' the Count had an army three times 
 ftronger than his own : but he muft have fallen, if it 
 had not been for Rodolph Count of Vermandois, who 
 was of the royal family. This Lord meeting with 
 the Count of Blois in the fight, run at him with his 
 lance couch'd, and dangeroully wounded him. This 
 blow was the prelervation of the King's army. 
 The Count of Blots's fouldiers feeing him carried oft' 
 all over bloody, loft heart and took to their heels. 
 Puifet lurrendered, and the King had it demolifhed to 
 the very ground. He fortiried Yonville which was a 
 league ort Puifet, and placed a garifon in it to itop 
 the incurfions of the rebels of Beaftje; 
 
 In
 
 LEWIS VI. 3 7 1 
 
 In the mean while the King of England was at Rox- An.noS. 
 en , being content with fending fbme troops to the 
 Count of Blots without acting as yet himfelf; but 
 fome time after he took the field, and beat the French 
 in fome skirmifties without gaining any conqueft how- 
 ever, and afterwards peace was concluded between the Pexeiimade. 
 two Kings. The Count of Blois and the other rebel 
 vafTals were included in it. The principal condi- 
 tion was, that K^illiam the King of Englatufi fon 
 ihould do homage in perfon to the King, a thing 
 which the King of England had many times re- An.no9. 
 fufed to i'ubmit to ; and the King having obtained this 
 important point of the homage , gave up Gifors to 
 him. 
 
 Two years paft without the King's having any war 
 with the neighbouring Princes to his dominions, but 
 not without being often obliged to draw his fword, 
 to reftrain the infolence of his vatfals, all whofe ftudy 
 was how to augment their dominions at the expcnce 
 of their neighbours and eipecially the churches, that is 
 the bifhopricks and abbeys . The Count of Blots rebelled 
 again in the year 1 1 1 1 . but we do not learn the motive ^ n j 1 1 j 
 of his revolt, tho' it is probable he was engaged in it by 
 the King of England. 
 
 The King entred upon his territories with Robert De f eat O f t t, t 
 Count of Flanders, but this expedition did not fuc- tyg't army. 
 ceed. The Count of Bins advanc'd with a much ,* 
 
 more numerous army than that of the King, and de- 
 feated it. In the rout the Count of Flanders^ horfe 
 was thrown down, and the enemy's cavalry went over 
 this Prince's body, which fo bruiled him that he died 
 in a few days after. 
 
 The King in his turn made bufmefs for the King 
 of England, by engaging Foulk the fifth Count of An- 
 jou to refufe him homage for the county of Maine, 
 which he had had of He lie his father-in-law, Lord of 
 that county. He promifed to fupport him, and fome 
 other vaffals of the King of England entered into this 
 confederacy. But the King of England being come 
 over into Normandy, obliged the Count of Anjuu to 
 fitbmit, fubdued his rebel valfals, atid forced the King 
 to make peace. 
 
 Henry King of England carried it with an high hand, 
 
 and ettabliih'd his power more and more by the feveral 
 
 B b i alliances
 
 372 The Hiftory of F R A N c E. 
 
 An. 1 1 13. alliances which he made. He was already father-in - 
 
 V^x-yv^ law to the Emperor : and about this time he got Maud 
 
 one of his daughters married to Conan fon of the 
 
 Guill. Duke of Britanny, and his fon William Adelin to the 
 
 Maimsb.l.j. younger daughter of the Count of Anjou, who declared 
 
 this young Prince his heir to the county of Maine, and 
 
 afterwards delivered it up to Henry in truft, when he 
 
 fet out upon his journey to the Holy Land. 
 
 The more formidable this dangerous enemy became 
 to France, the more the King applied himfelf to find out 
 ways and means to deftroy his power. He had one 
 method before him, which would gain him a great deal 
 of glory if he fucceeded in it. Robert Duke of Nor- 
 rnatid\, whofe duchy the King of England his brother 
 had taken from him, was ftill in prifon. He had a 
 .fon call'd William Clito, then about fourteen or fif- 
 teen years old, who wandred through all the courts 
 of Europe, without being able to procure any remedy 
 T*e iii for his ill fortune or deliverance for his father. The 
 "h'pr'tuGion King was well inclin'd towards him, but found he was 
 wiliiam not ftrong enough to put him in pofleffion of his do- 
 ciiro/cH / minions. He advis'd him to ufe all his endeavours to 
 JftSJT* gain the Count of Anjou w& Baldwin VII. Count of 
 frifonsr. Flanders, and as many as he could of the Lords of 
 Normandy, and promis'd him that then he would open- 
 ly take him under his protection. 
 
 William, or rather thole who follow'd his fortune, 
 did not fail to make ufe of this good difpofition of the 
 King, and they managed matters fo well that the league 
 was made. 
 
 The alliance being concluded, the King, the Count 
 of Anjou, and the Count of Flanders agreed to fall 
 upon Normandy at three different places. The King 
 on the fide of France, the Count of Flanders by the 
 country of Caux, and the Count of Anjou by the 
 Maine. And accordingly they eiitred upon the coun- 
 try, as foon as the King of England had refus'd upon 
 the King's fummons to fet the Duke of Normandy at 
 liberty. 
 
 r*tKi*x <>/ As foon as the armies appear'd upon the frontiers of 
 England at- Normandy, the party which William had form'd there 
 Normandy ro ^ e< Hugh of Gournay, Stephen Count of Aumale, 
 lnrienc.1.12. Henry Count of Eu, Euftacbius of Bretetiil, Riche- 
 *".iii8. rius of rAigle, Renald of Bailleul, Robert of Nc-
 
 LEWIS VI. 373 
 
 bourg, and a great many other Lords and Gentlemen An.uiS. 
 took up arms, amJ'procIaim'd William Clito Duke of \^^T^J 
 Normandy. 
 
 This infiirreHon confounded and aftonifli'd Henry suger.inv'.c 
 much more than all the reft ; but what touch'd him Lud. Groff. 
 the moll to the quick, was, that there was a plot even 
 in his own court againft his perfbn, form'd even by 
 one of his favourites, and in which fome officers of 
 the bed-chamber were concern'd ; fo that he knew no 
 longer whom he could truft himfelf with. 
 
 In the mean while the King of France entred Nor- 
 mandy, and took Andeli, another very important fort 
 upon the river Epte call'd Gue'-Nicaife, and the city of 
 VAigle. The Count of Plunders run over all the coun- 
 try of Caux ravaging it, and went up even to the 
 gates of Rouen, and challenged the King of England 
 to a duel. The Count of Anjou befieg'd Alenpn, 
 forc'd it to (urrender after having repuls'd the King of 
 England and the Count of Champaign, and made him- 
 felt mafter of fome other fortrefles in the country 
 about. Evreax was delivered up to Amauri of Mont- 
 fort. The King of England mate}? & to it immediately, 
 took the city, and burnt it ; but he could not ftorm 
 the caftle. 
 
 So much ill fuccefs did not however make this 
 Prince lofe his courage. He was aflifted by Alan III. 
 Duke of Britanny, and the Count of Champaign's 
 troops being join'd to his and to the Bretons, he 
 found himfelf in a fliort time with a large army at 
 his command. His management, and the good fuccefs 
 which always accompanied his arms, deliver'd him from 
 part of his enemies. He brought off the Count of An- 
 jou from the league by force of money. The Count 
 of Flanders was dangeroufly wounded in a skirmifti 
 which he had near the city of En with the troops of 
 Britanny, and died fome time after. And laftly fome 
 Norman Lords, and fome of the moft considerable 
 perfons among the male-contents were furpriz'd, put 
 into prifon, and obliged to give up their caftles to the 
 King of England. 
 
 This Prince after thele advantages refolv'd to find 
 
 out the King of France and give him battle. The two 
 
 armies met in the plain of Breneville in the Vtxix. They 
 
 came to an engagement, The van and main body of 
 
 B b 3 the
 
 3 74 Tfa Hiflory of F R A N c E. 
 
 8. the King of England's army were defeated; but the 
 French purfuing their victory with more heat than pru- 
 dence, and being in very great diforder, where charg'd 
 fo opportunely by the Laglijh rear, that they were 
 diip..Ts'd in a moment. 
 
 The King being hurried along with thofe that fled, 
 and having been thrown off his horfc, was oblig'd to 
 make his cfcape on foot. 
 
 The King of England gain'd nothing but glory by 
 this battle, for there were but few French kill'd, their 
 flight being as fwift as the attack of them had been brisk 
 and fudden. 
 
 At the time when the war was carrying on with the 
 greatcit eager nefs, Pope Calixftts II. made hirnfelf a 
 
 p!f f . ' mediator of peace between the two Kings. He came 
 into France and reconcii'd them. The King of Eg- 
 
 An.nio. /*</ rcnew'd his homage for Normandy, The places 
 Xii; taken from him were reftor'd to him. The prilbners 
 on both fides were lit at liberty , and William Clito 
 fon of Robert Duke of Normandy remain'd in the con- 
 dition he was in before; but always beloved by the 
 King, who fome years after gave him new marks of 
 his kindnefs and good v\ ill. 
 
 The King of England had his fbn William Adelin 
 again recogniz'd by theAWjaa* Lords for their Duke, 
 but this was but for a little while; for as this young 
 Prince was returning into England after the King his 
 father, with Richard his bro:her Henry's natural fon, 
 and a great number of Lords belonging to their reti- 
 nue, the lliip lie was aboard of unfortunately (truck 
 againft a rock, and every perfon in her was loft. 
 if >.fit Thus Henr\', when he was juft upon the point of 
 
 j(iWo/Eng- tatting the comfort of a peace which he had very much 
 deiir'd, was (truck by the lofs of his family with the 
 greateit forrow that he had ever felt all the reft of his 
 life. 
 
 This lofs was attended with confequences that di- 
 fturb'd the quiet of the King of England's dominions : 
 .and William Cltto fon of Robert Duke of Normandy, 
 feeing that this Prince had now no fbn to fucceed him, 
 found the Norman Lords more difpos'd than ever to 
 rcftore him to the duchy, to which he was the lawful 
 fucccilbr. 
 
 There
 
 L E \v I S VI, 3 75 
 
 There was a new infurrcfiion. Amauri Count of An. 1120. 
 Montfort entred into the confpiracy, as well as Pale- v w x"V\^ 
 ran Count of Meulan, and the Count of Anjou, who A ". e rc ~'^ 
 even married his daughter S\bil to William, and put him * '* J<cl: ' 
 in pofleflion of the county of Maine. About the He nr. Hunc- 
 lame time the King of England married Adelaida daugh- 1.7. 
 ter of the Count of Louvain, in hopes of having a ^ n II2 .i. 
 fucceflbr by her, and immediately went over lea to 
 crufh the revolt in its beginning. 
 
 He feiz'd upon fome of the confederate towns, and 
 among the reft upon Pont-Audemer which belong'd to 
 Valeran Count of Meulan one of the principal chiefs. 
 He compafs'd his end in getting William's marriage 
 with the Count of Anjotfs daughter annull'd by reafon 
 of affinity, and in this manner William, was depriv'd 
 of the county of Maine, and again reduc'd to his firft He i ellilt - 
 fortune. The King made it up to him fome time af- 
 ter by marrying him to Jane the Queen's fifter by the 
 mother's fide, 'giving him Pontoife and all the Vexin, 
 and thereby putting him into a condition of disturbing 
 the King of England. 
 
 In the mean time, the King did not declare openly 
 againft this Prince. He only furnifli'd the Norman Lords 
 underharfd with fome troops ; and the King of 'England t 
 
 always found a great many French in all the places he 
 took from them. He difTembled himfelf, and only caul 1 
 ed fome irruptions to be made into the territories of 
 France. But at length his ufualgood fortune deliver'd 
 him from his perplexity; for in a little battle that hap- 
 pen'd i-\3.rBourg-Terouae (bme leagues from Rouen, 
 Eudes of Borleng, an Englishman and brave captain, Roger c ' e 
 defeated a troop of three hundred men, moft of them Hoved. L i. 
 Lords and Gentlemen, and took the greateft part of the 
 heads of the infurreclion, and by thisdeftroy'd the par- 
 ty which William had in Normandy. 
 
 But the King of England did not flop here. Being 
 perfuaded that William would not have undertaken a 
 new war againft him, if he had not been affured ofaflif- 
 tance from the King of France, he turn'd his venge- 
 ance upon that Prince, and executed it in fuch a man- 
 lier as expos'd the kingdom to one of the greateft 
 dangers it had been in for a long time. 
 
 He engag'd the Emperor Henry V. his father-in-law 
 
 on his fide, who was very angry with the King, for 
 
 B b 4 that
 
 37$ The Hiftory of P R A N c E. 
 
 An. 1 124. that fome years before he had fuffer'd the Pope to pro- 
 nounce in his prefence the fentence of excommunica- 
 ^ on a 8 a ' nl ^ D ' m in a council held at Rheiws. He had 
 from that time refolv'd to make the King repent of it, 
 and had propos'd to himfelf one day to reduce the city 
 Fjance. o f Rb e j ms ( O alhes where he had recciv'd fo mortal an 
 affront. 
 
 ' Ceing therefore footed by the Kilig of England,, 
 he rais'd a formidable army of his fubjecls beyond the 
 Rhine in order to come down upon France. But the 
 danger with which the kingdom was threatned united 
 all minds, and never was there feen more harmony be- 
 tween the King and his vafTals than now to defend 
 frame. All the great vaffals on this fide the Ltore 
 Ipar'd neither pains nor expence for this purpofe. The 
 aw militia, which had been fet up in the preceding reign, 
 a "?l*l did their duty perfectly well ; and when the King came 
 frit m b a :h tp Rheiws, where all the troops were order'd to ren- 
 f&t. dezvous, he found a much more numerous army than 
 
 th?.t of the Emperor. It confined at lead of two hun- 
 dred thouland men, according to the report of Abbat 
 Suger, who was in it, and had at that time a great 
 fliarp in the miniftry. 
 
 The Emperor (truck at this wonderful union of the 
 whole nation, to which there had not been the like 
 lince the time of Gt4fU*aig* 9 did not think proper 
 . to engage on this fide the fivers. ; and taking hold of 
 the pretence of fome. troubles that were rais'd beyond 
 the Rhine, he return'd back again. 
 
 rh. Empertr't ft was upon the occafion of this war, that we meet 
 
 tl^JmtKfc. tne ^ r ^ t ' me W '^ tne King of France** going to St. 
 
 Deny*, and taking the banner of that abbey call'd the 
 
 Oriflamb, and this cuftom continued afterwards till 
 
 the reign of Charles VII. and even beyond it. 
 
 The King of England made fome incurfions in Nor- 
 
 mandy, whilft the Imperial army kept all Champaign 
 
 An. 1 1 if. in awe, but without making any progrcfs. He loft his 
 
 JjjJLj^ fupport by the death of the Emperor, which happen'd 
 
 this year, and he was obliged to make peace with 
 
 frrthce. Too ,happy in having pacified the troubles in 
 
 NurMotid\', which without the great advantage of the 
 
 battle of* Ber^Tercudc 9 would probably have loft 
 
 him all the du: .
 
 LEWIS VI. 377 
 
 William Clito, to whom the King had given the An. 1127. 
 
 Vexin, was always hoping for fome revolution in Nor- 
 mandy, by means of which he might get into poffeffl- 
 on of his patrimony. But the King's kindnefs found 
 out another way to comfort him for his ill fortune: 
 for Charles Count of Flanders having been aflafiinatea 
 without leaving any child behind him, the King had au- 
 thority enough to get the confent of the Flemings, and fb 
 gave him that county. William return'd the Vexin 
 into his hands, of which he had made no advantage but 
 by waiting till it could procure him fomething more 
 confiderable. 
 
 But William did not long enjoy this fignal kindnefs 
 of the King. Thierry of Alface, who had been one 
 of the pretenders to the county of Flanders, declar'd 
 war againft him at the felicitation of the King of Eng- 
 gland. As William was befieging Aloft , he was in an D(atfi 
 attack wounded in his hand with a pike which he w.iiam 
 fnatch'd from a foldier; and it being gangreen'd, he ciito. ,; 
 died of it fome days after. As Thierry had the af- 
 feftions of mo'ft of the Flemings, and was fupported 
 by the King of England and the 1 Count of Champaign, 
 the King was oblig'd to acknowledge him, and receive H , 
 
 his homage for the county of Flanders. 1. ' 
 
 About this time the King, after the example of his m Kmg 
 predeceflbrs, had his eldeft fon Philip crown'd at J0W**" his 
 Rheims, and continued as he had hitherto done, to 
 punifh his lay-vaffals, who feized upon the goods 
 of the church, or rebelled againft him. Of this num- 
 ber were IVUliam Count of Auvergne, Thomas of 
 Marie, Lord of Couci, Stephen of Garlande, who was 
 afterwards Bifliop of Paris, and Amauri of Montfort. 
 
 The King in one of thefe expeditions was wounded 
 in the thigh with a ftone fhot out of a Paterero from 
 the walls of the caftle of Livri, which he was be- 
 fieging, and which he caufed to be laid level with the 
 ground after he had taken it. 
 
 The death of young Philip, which happened by an Death t 
 accident two years after his coronation, gave a great young X 
 deal of grief to the King his father, who twelve days He *jJ* 
 after had his fecond fon Lewis crown'd by Pope /*- 
 nocent II. who was then in France. 
 
 During the three following years nothing pafTed that 
 was very memorable, at feast nothing is mention'd in 
 
 hiftory,
 
 37* The Hijlory of F RAN c E; 
 
 An. 1135*. hiftory, only it is faid in general, that Lewis fruftrated 
 a11 thc i }1 delign.s which the King of England form'd 
 him - 
 
 In the year 1135'. the King was feized with a flux, 
 which brought him to death's door. Before he re- 
 ceived the Viaticum, he called his fon to him ; and 
 drawing the royal ring oft' his finger, he gave it to 
 him, telling him that with that ring he inverted him 
 with the kingdom, which he renounced himfelf and 
 religned to him. He recovered however of this fick- 
 nefs ; but a weaknefs continued upon him, which did 
 not allow him to have any hopes of living long. But 
 in the mean time he received a piece of news, which 
 could not but give him a great deal of pleafure. 
 Suger. in As he was one day at Betifi, three leagues from 
 CwC Compiegne^ fome envoys came from William Duke 
 of Guyenne, who acquainted him that this Duke had 
 made his will, in which he declared Elenor, his eldeft 
 An. 1 1 37. daughter, heirefs of all his dominions, upon condition 
 that fhc Ihould marry young King Lc-wis^ who Ihould 
 then have them as her dowry, and that afterwards he 
 let out upon a pilgrimage to St. James in Galicia. 
 
 The envoys, either before their departure, or upon 
 the .road, heard of the news of the Duke of Guyenne^s 
 death, -and that he had confirmed his will before he 
 died. They communicated all this to the King, who 
 by Ib happy an alliance reunited to the crown the du- 
 chy of.Guyewtc, that is a great part of the countries 
 beyond the Lmre, Poitou^ Gafrogne, Bifeay^ and fe- 
 voral other territories as far as t.he Pyrcnean moun- 
 tains. 
 
 Mtrriw of , Such advantageous offers being accepted without any 
 theyui deliberation, the young King fct out with a magnifi- 
 cent equipage, and the ceremony of marriage was per- 
 fcrm'd at Baurdtaux. 
 
 Tht Kingi ] n the mean while the great heats which happen'd 
 this year had a mighty erfed upon the King's health, 
 and he died at Paris upon the firft of Aitgujl, accord- 
 ing to others upon the fourth, being about fixty years 
 of age, his thoughts being employ'd upon goodnefs, 
 and his actions engag'd in the excrcife of fervent pie- 
 ty, dopriv'd of the comfort of feeing the King his fon 
 again, but offering this laft facrificc to God with re- 
 fiction.
 
 LEWIS VI. 579 
 
 He was generally regretted. His goodnefs, his An.ii37. 
 behaviour full of fincerity and fweetnefs, his zeal ^^v^^ 
 for juftice, and his. care to hinder the oppreffion of the Uii < h " r *3"* 
 people and the churches, merited that his fubjects 
 ftould honour his funeral with their tears. If to a 
 ftrong mind, which hated trifling and debauchery, as 
 he was endued with from his youth, if to his activi- 
 ty, courage, inclination to do good, his application to 
 government, and fmcere piety, he had join'd a little 
 more politicks, more knowledge of his true intereft, 
 or more eagernefs in advancing it, he would have e- 
 qualled the moft iljuftrious of his predecefTors, and 
 would have been in nothing inferior to Henry King 
 of England, who was a Prince of the greateft eftcem 
 of his time, and who excel'd him in nothing but that 
 art, without which a Prince may be a good King, but 
 will never pafs for a great man. 
 
 He left at his death, befides Lewis his fucceffor, His children 
 five Ions and a daughter, namely, Hugh, who was at 
 firft a Monk of Cfair-vaux, afterwards Bifhop oi" 
 JBeauvais, and at laft Archbifhop of Rheims:, Ro- 
 bert, head of the royal branch of the Counts of 
 Dreiix; Peter Lord of Court enai , Philip Archdea- 
 con of the church of Paris, who being nominated 
 Bifhop of that city, yielded that great place to Peter 
 Lombard, known by the name of Mafter of the Sen- 
 tences ; Hugh, of whom hiftory tells us nothing parti- 
 cular; and Conftantia, who married to her firft husband 
 Euftachitts Count of Boulogne, and to her fecond 
 Raymond V. Count of Touloufe, Duke of Narbonne, 
 and Marquifs of Provence. Queen Adelaida, fome 
 tirne after the King's death was married again to Mat- 
 thew of Montmorency, High Conftable of France. 
 
 L E vr LS
 
 The Hiftory ^FRANCE: 
 LEWIS VII. furnamed the Y o u N G. 
 
 An,ii37- 
 v^nr^ 
 
 Ch. Mauri- 
 niacenfe. 
 
 France 
 
 Gwl *ar In 
 the Englifh 
 
 Hoger. de 
 Hovcd.l.i. 
 
 LEW 'IS VII. furnamed the Young, todiflinguifli 
 him from his father, with whom he reigned 
 fome time, judged his prefence at Paris ne- 
 ceflary to prevent the feditions which would probably 
 happen at this time upon the beginning of a new reign. 
 He left the Queen to proiecute her journey at leifure, 
 and went before. 
 
 As foon as he came to Paris he called an affembly 
 of the Lords and Bifhops ; and without being crown- 
 ed again as his predeceflbr was, he confulted with 
 them upon meafures to be taken for the fafety and 
 tranquillity of the (late, in which there had not been 
 feen for a long time fo much peace and quiet as there 
 was in the beginning of this reign. 
 
 What contributed moftly to it was the troubles that 
 were in the neighbouring dominions to France, efpe- 
 cially thofe in Normandy and England, caufed by the 
 death of King Henry. This Prince died at the end 
 of the year 1135-, and lived a year after his brother 
 Robert, Duke of Normandy, who died in prifon. 
 
 Stephen Count of Eologne, Henry's nephew by 
 his mother, went over in all hafte into England^ and 
 feiied upon the kingdom without troubling himfclf 
 how that Prince had difpofed of it by will, who had 
 made JMaud, his daughter, and Geoffroy Plantagenet 
 Count of /Jnjoa, that Princcfs's fecond husband, heirs 
 to his dominions. 
 
 After having confirmed his authority in England 
 he reralTed into Normandy of which he made Ettfla- 
 r&4fj his fon Duke, with the confent of the King 
 of France, who inverted him with this duchy, ana 
 married his filter Conftantia to him. 
 
 In the mean while the Count of Anjou, and the 
 Emprefs his wife, made themfelves mafters of all the 
 places they could take in Normandy, efpecially thofe 
 which were neareft the county of Maine, and ufed all 
 their endeavours to raife their party in England. This 
 kindled a fierce civil war on both fides the fea, whichi 
 lafted a long time, and which was, as I faid, the caufe 
 3 <*
 
 LEWIS VII. 381 
 
 of the tranquillity of France, during the firft years of An. 1137. 
 King Lewis the Young. V-'Vx-/ 
 
 Gaucher of Montgeai having endeavoured to difturb 
 it by fome attempt which he made upon this Prince's 
 fubje&s, was immediately punifhed for it by the de- Gefta Lud. 
 molition of his fortrefs. 
 
 But in the year 1142. the King declared warAn.ii42. 
 with Thibaut, Count of Champaign, for three rea- The Q a 
 fons. The firft was, becaufe he had given fandu- d ^" t 
 ary in his dominions to Peter de la Chaflre, Arch- cLm of 
 bifhop eled of Bourges, whom the King wou'd not champaign, 
 own, becaufe his election was without his con- 
 fent. The fecond was, becaufe the Count at 
 Rome oppofed the marriage of Pernelle the Queen's 
 fifter, to Radulph Count of Vermandois. Radulph, 
 to marry this Princefs, under pretence of affinity, re- 
 pudiated his firft wife, who, according to fome, was 
 nearly related to the Count of Champaign, and ac- 
 cording to others, his own daughter. The third rea- 
 fon was, becaufe they knew or fufpe&ed that he treat- 
 ed with the Count of Soijfons, the Count of Flanders, 
 and even the Count of fcrmandois, to make them 
 rife againft the King. 
 
 This Prince entered upon the Count of Champaign's 
 territories, put all to fire and fword, took and pillag- 
 ed Vitri in Pontois, and thirteen hundred perfons who 
 had taken refuge in a church periflied miferably there 
 under its ruins, after it had been fet on fire. A thing 
 which afterwards gave the King fo much forrow, that 
 he not only came to an accommodation with Pope 
 Celeftme II. Innocent IPs. fucceflbr, by acknowledg- 
 ing Peter de la Chaflre for Archbifhop of Bourges, 
 and being reconcil'd to the Count of Champaign; but An. 1143. 
 likewife he refolved from that time to go in perfon to 9 h . r M f 
 the afliftance of the Chriftians in Palejline, to expiate m 
 this fin, and- he performed his refolution three years 
 after. This expedition was the moft famous adventure 
 of Lewis VII.'s reign, and he haftened the execution 
 of it upon the bad news he received from the Holy 
 Land, at the time he was making his preparations. 
 
 The Chriftians, by their conquefts fince the firft Gull. T y r. 
 crufade, in the fpace of forty years, had formed four J -i* ** 
 considerable ftates in thofe countries; namely, the 
 county of Edeffa, that of Tripoli, the principality of
 
 S 82 The Hiftory of F R AN c E.' 
 
 An. 1143. Antiock, and the kingdom of Jerafalem. The coun- 
 VXVV ty of Edejffa comprehended the country that lay upon 
 the Euphrates. The county of Tripoli and the prin- 
 cipality of Antioch were extended all along the fea 
 of Phoenicia ; and the kingdom of Jerufalem was 
 bounded by thefe three dominions, and byldumea on 
 the fide of Egypt. Jojfelin of Cottrtenai, the fecond 
 State iff*- of that name, was Count of Edeffa. Raymond of 
 leftine. Poi&iers, the Queen of France's uncle, was Prince of 
 Antioch. Raymond, great grandfon of Raymond of 
 St. G/'/w, Count of 'fmbrnfe, who was in the firft 
 crufade, pofTefs'd the county of Tripoli ; and Bald- 
 win III. the kingdom of Jerusalem. 
 
 If thefe Princes had continued firmly united, they 
 would have been invincible, and able to have pulled 
 down the dominion of the Mahometans in AJia. But 
 divifions arofe among them, and Sanguin Sultan of 
 Aleppo , and afterwards his ion Noradin, a man en- 
 dowed with all the qualities of a conqueror, took the 
 advantage of them. EdcJJa and fomc other cities were 
 taken from theChriftians. Fottlk Count of Anjou died 
 in the year 1142,, and left the crown ofjerufaiem to 
 his fon Baldwin III. of that name, thirteen years of 
 age, under the regency of Queen Molifante. This 
 . was the iituation of the affairs of the Chriftians in 
 
 ' Afia in the year 1145". A young King without expe- 
 rience upon the throne of Jcrztfalem ; one of the 
 four principal Princes deprived of the beft part of 
 his dominions ; thofe of the three others lying open 
 by the taking of Edejfa, and having very near 'em a 
 young conqueror determined to pufh his conquefts, 
 and very capable of doing it : this obliged the King 
 of Jerufalem and the Prince of Antioch to fend em- 
 bafladors into Europe to defire immediate fuccour 
 from the Chrillian Princes, and engage them in a new 
 
 crulade. 
 
 A mv crtt- They found the King of France in a very favour- 
 *- able difpoiition. St. Bernard preached the crufade 
 
 with wonderful fuccefs over the kingdom ; and go- 
 ing into Germany by Pope Eugenitts the Third's or- 
 ders, he engaged the Emperor Conrad the Third to 
 take the crofs likewife. 
 
 This crufade caufed no lefs flir in Ettrops than the firft. 
 A prodigious number of French and German Lords 
 
 lifted
 
 LEWIS VII. 
 
 lifted themfelves under the banners of the two Princes, An. 1143. 
 each of which had a very fine army under his command. V^\^-s-/ 
 
 Notwithttanding the experience they had had of the 
 jealouiy and perfidioufnefs of the Greeks in the firft odo de Di- 
 crafade, they refolved to go by land to Conftantino- gjj- Tw 
 fie, and take the fame road that Godefroy of Bouillon \^', c , \y, 
 had done before. The Emperor in concert with the 
 King fet out firft at Eafter in the year 1147. His ar- An. 1147. 
 my confided of above one hundred thoufand fighting 
 men, among whom there were feventy thouland cui- 
 raffiers on horfeback. He arrived upon the frontiers of The Empmr 
 the empire ; and as he advanced towards Conftantinople, Con ^ r " 
 he began to perceive the ill intentions of the Greeks. /conE- 
 
 The Emperor of Con/lantinople at that time was t'mopie. 
 Manuel Commenius, fon of the Emperor John Com- 
 menius, and grandfon of Alexis, who had ufed the 
 firft crufaders fo indifferently. He was a Prince 
 who had fome good qualities ; but his prudence and Nicec. 1. . 
 politicks degenerated into trick and treachery, efpeci- 
 ally with regard to the crufaders. The rough beha- 
 viour of the Germans might have been fome excufe 
 for him, if he had not puflied things fo far, and if, 
 after they were come into dfia, he had dropt his de- 
 fign of deftroying them. 
 
 The Germans march' d as far as Philipopoli, a city Nicet. 1. 1~ 
 in Thrace, without having any difference with the 
 Greeks. But as they went out of that country, the 
 latter having fallen upon fome foldiers belonging to 
 the rear, who were itragling, a great battle would 
 have enfued, if Michael Bifhop of Pbtlipopoli had 
 not pacified the generals. The army arrived at laft at 
 Confiantinople. 
 
 Tho' the two Emperors were brothers-in-law, the in- Gefia Lui 
 terview was pretty cold on both fides. There were VIL c , I0 - 
 fome fhips ready to tranfport the German army to the o- f^'tZ **~ 
 ther fide of the Straights. There was fome conteft up- t* Emfc- 
 on this article, for the Emperor had agreed with the rori * 
 King of France to wait for him on this fide the Straights ; 
 but Conrad, either apprehending they would cut off his 
 provifions, or in hopes of having the firft honour of the 
 expedition, refolved to pafs into Afia, and a few days cu'J. Tyr. 
 after he march'd crofs Btthynia towards Lycaonia. l ' l6 ' c ' a *' 
 
 Whilft the Imperial army advanced towards Con- oc'o de Di- 
 ftantinople, the King of 'France began his march, after ' Ioi ' J " 
 
 having
 
 3 84 The Hiftory of PR A N c E. 
 
 An. 1 1 47. having named SugerAbbzt of St. Deny* regent of the 
 kingdom, and that not only by the confent, but like- 
 w at tl ? e " 1 ^ ant re queft of a numerous aflembly of 
 Lords, 'Biftops, and Abbats. He was a man equally 
 Suger diftinguiflied in the monarchy for his virtue, and in 
 rfe *" the Ding's council for his prudence; of a fuperior 
 2L. ' genius fupported with a vaft capacity, had a prodigi- 
 ous memory, quick and lively parts, could exprefs 
 himfelf handfomely and eafily, tho' unprepared, upon 
 all forts of affairs^ and was well experienced in go- 
 vernment, in which he had had a great (hare under the 
 preceding reign. 
 
 odo dc Di- The King palled the Rhine at Wormcs, and the Da- 
 gilol.a. nu be at Rati shone : he arrived happily m Hungary, 
 mtrS; 1 '' w . nere tne King, whofe name was Geifa, omitted no- 
 thing to teftify his affe&ion, friendfhip, and refpeft for 
 him, and furnifhed him with provifions in abundance : 
 but the cafe was altered, when they came within the 
 Emperor of Conjiantinople^ territories. As foon as the 
 army entered upon them, there were nothing but am- 
 bufcades on all fides, nothing but complaints of the 
 Emperor's officers upon the leaft difbrders which the 
 French foldiers committed. They extorted unreafon- 
 able fums of money of them for their proviiions, and 
 oppreffed them upon every occafion, and all this at the 
 fame time that the Greek Emperor wrote to the King, 
 and the Emprefs to the Queen, a thouland handfbm 
 things, lent 'em a thoufand proteftations of friendfhip, 
 and fignified to them by their envoys the impatience they 
 were in to embrace them. 
 
 ED. Lud ad T he King thought it would be prudent in him to 
 
 suger. ' diflemble, by keeping himfelf confhntly on his guard ; 
 
 and he came at length within light of Conftantinople in 
 
 the beginning of Odober. Manuel received him with 
 
 1. all pofljble marks of honour, and in a quite different 
 
 manner than he had received Conrad. They conferred 
 
 together in that capital, and the King, to fliew this Prince 
 
 the confidence he placed in him, entered the city feveral 
 
 times attended only with fome Lords of his army. 
 
 Manuel was very impatient to fee the French 
 the other fide the Straights. But having found- 
 ed the King upon that head, he learned that this 
 Prince's defign was to wait on this fide for fome 
 troops, who had imbarked in Apulia, and were to 
 
 come
 
 LEWIS VII. 
 
 cbrtc to him by the way of Durazzo. This cha- An. 1147, 
 grin'd him, and he had recourfl- to artifice. He ^ave 
 private orders to the commiffioners of the provihons 
 to raife the price of them, and fometimes to let the 
 camp be in want of them : and afterwards he b"- 
 thought himfelf of publifhing news of the mighty 
 victories which the Germans had gain'd over the Ma- 
 hometans, and the great booty they had taken from 
 them. Thefe reports were fpread in fuch a manner, 
 with fo many circumftances, and the accounts of 
 them were fo probable, that they were look'd upon as 
 certain by the French army. 
 
 They had the efteft which Manuel defigned. The Ttt F/e^h 
 French burn'd with defire to fignalize themfclves, and JJ^Sfh 
 envyed the Germans the glory they took from them. 
 The common foldiers, hearing every moment of the 
 rich booty of the pillaged cities, thought there would 
 be nothing left in Afia, if they did not rriakd hafte to 
 go thither ; and moft of them appeared more vext at 
 the King's delay than the Greeks themfelves. So that ' 
 this Prince, being continually folicited to depart, by the 
 moft considerable perfons in the army, refolved to 
 pafs the Straights ; and (hips were immediately ready 
 to tranfport him. 
 
 The army was no fooner pafs'd, but Manuel pull'd 
 off the mask ; and upon the occafion of forne diforders 
 which the French foldiers committed upon the lands of 
 the empire, they ftop'd the provitions which were de- 
 frgn'd for the camp. The army muft neceffarily have 
 fpent the beft part of their magazines on the other fide 
 the Straights j and it was not till after a great many 
 negotiations, fatisfacb'ons, and petitions that they could 
 obtain frefh provilions. Among other things which 
 were required of them, there was one which gave the 
 King a great deal of trouble, but which neceffity o- 
 bliged him to grant. It Was, that the Lords of the ar- . 
 my fhould do homage to the Emperor, as thofe of 
 the firft crufade had done. But nothing confounded 
 the troops more than the fatal news they learnt of the 
 German army, quite different from what the Greeks 
 had malicioufly reported : for this was their unhappy 
 fate. 
 
 The Emperor Conrad, trufting to the conduct of Gu J L T y r i, 
 the guides whom he had taken rrom the Greeks, was * ' Ct ** 
 Vo^, II. G c betray'd
 
 The Hiftory 0f FRANCE.' 
 
 odo de Di- 
 ogiio. 1. j. 
 
 386 
 
 An. 1 147. betray'd by them, and left in the mountains upon the 
 l^XV^ roa d to Lycaonia, at a time when his provifions be- 
 gun to fail him ; and not knowing which way to turn 
 himfelf, ill fortune would have it that he took a road 
 which engaged him in the deferts on the fide of Cap- 
 padocia. The Mahometans, being informed of this by 
 the Greeks, came to invert his camp, into which they 
 Dtfut of continually difcharged whole loads of arrows, and then 
 rfc^impena ret j re( j^ w i t hout ever (landing their ground. So that the 
 German cavalry, whole horfes were all harafs'd, and 
 mod of them unfliod, could never reach them. Thefe 
 redouble'd vollies killed him fo many men and horfes, 
 that he was obliged to turn back. The Mahometans 
 purfued him without giving him any refpite: fo that 
 Icarce a tenth part of his numerous army was in a 
 condition, I do not fay of fighting, but of flying. 
 
 The Emperor, who was himfelf wounded with 
 two arrows, efcap'd with thefe miferable remains of his 
 army, leaving all his baggage, and all his fick and 
 wounded to the difcredon of the Infidels, and with 
 a thoufand troubles and dangers got to Nice, whither 
 the French army had march'd. This defeat happen'din 
 the month of November in the year 1 147. 
 
 Such was the unhappy fate of one of the fineft ar- 
 mies that had almoft ever been feen, and which alone 
 was capable of conquering all the Eaft : but that required 
 not only courage in the general, but likewife prudence 
 equal at lead to the treachery of the Greeks. 
 
 Conrad and the King had a meeting, and nothing 
 was more moving than the interview between thefe 
 two Princes. Tears accompanied their embraces, the 
 King Offering the Emperor with ardent afte&ion all 
 that could comfort him under his misfortunes, and 
 the Emperor exprefling his joy at finding a refuge in 
 fo generous a Prince. 
 
 They refolvcd to continue their journey together. 
 But many perfons belonging to the two armies, and 
 cfpccially the Imperial, having loft their equipages, and 
 falling fhort or money, dciired leave to retire ; and 
 they returned into their own country by the way of 
 ConJ^antinuple, whercthc people heard with malicious 
 pleafure the relation which they gave of their fad ad- 
 ventures. 
 
 interview be- 
 
 Guil. Tyr. 
 c> *3- 
 
 The
 
 LEW is VII. 
 
 The King, by the advice of the Emperor who An. 1147. 
 join'd him, took his rout by the fea fide, and the 
 troops arrived at Smyrna, and afterwards at Ephefus, 
 without any ill accident. 
 
 The Emperor, finding he had but few fbldiers re- 
 maining, fell into a profound melancholy, and thought 
 it was not agreeable to his dignity to be as it were in 
 the retinue and pay of the King of France. So he re- 
 folved to leave him. He embark 'd near Epheftft, and ^ 
 returned to Conftantimple, where Manuel, who fear'd 
 him no longer, receiv'd him much handfomer than 
 the firft time he had feen him. He kept him till the 
 beginning of the fpring, to fend him from thence to' J 
 "Jerusalem, where he had a mind to accomplifh his 
 vow. 
 
 The King continued his march, and to avoid the 
 difficulty of pafling over rivers in the mouth of them, 
 went up again into the inland country. He took 
 provifions for feveral days, advanced towards Laodi- 
 (ea, a city in Lydia, and encamp' d in the beginning 
 of the year 1148. upon the banks of theMeartder. An.-ii/f 
 
 It was there that the Mahometans waited for the oJo. 1. 6. 
 French army to deftroy it, as they had done the Ger- 
 man, becaufe the paflage over this river was very dif- 
 ficult on the account of its depth^ and the height of 
 its banks. They had two armies, one on one fide the 
 river, and another on the contrary fhore. The firft, 
 which the King had behind him, entirely cut off all 
 provifions from him, and the fecond oppofcd his paf- 
 iage, which notwithstanding itwasabfolutely neceflary 
 to effecl, or elfe refolve to perifh with hunger. 
 
 But happily for them they found a ford, tho' a 
 very difficult one. They refolved to make ule of it, 
 whatever it coft them, and to pafs the river in 
 fight of the enemy's two armies. The King divided 
 his troops into two bodies, and placed at the head of 
 his van Henry fon of the Count of Champaign, Thi- 
 erry of Alfatia Count of Flanders, and William 
 Count of Macon, and himfelf took the command of 
 the rear. 
 
 As foon as the firft of the French troops approach- 
 ed the river, the Mahometans run to the other bank 
 with their ufual cries, continually difcharging vollies 
 of arrows, which ourfoldiers covered with their buck - 
 C c i lers
 
 388 The Hiftory of F R AN c E. 
 
 An.ii4S. lers fuflaincd with a great deal of firmnefs and refotu- 
 i^/^n^ tion, advancing fword in hand, fome by the ford, ami 
 
 others by fwimming. 
 
 The Frerch The tnrce generals came firft to land, and having im- 
 army ?aff'i mediately formed fome ranks of horfe, they frighted ,the 
 the Meander. Infidels, with 'their intrepidity, and the fury with ^yhich 
 they broke thro' their rlrlV.trpppsj. whom, they .made 
 to .give way and fly in diibrder.-, The French .-.troops, 
 who had a free paflage after 'the firiVaflauJt, '>being 
 foon encreafed on the 'other fide of the. river,, pur- 
 fued the .enemy briskly, .even, as far us their camp, 
 attack'd'.it, took it by ftorm, made a great daugh- 
 ter there, took a great many prilbners, and a great 
 deal of very rich booty, and found a great quantity 
 of provifTons. 
 
 The moment that the van entered the river, the 
 enemy on this fide attack'd the rear, where the 
 King was. He fuftained their firft discharge, for 
 which they were well prcpar'd, and immediately 
 march' d upon them "fword in hand. They Hood 
 no better than the others. Thofe who were with- 
 in . reach, were taken or cut in pieces, and . the 
 reft fa.ved themfdves in the narrow paflages of the 
 mountains. The King did "not think, proper to pur- 
 iue them, having b'y this .overthrow gain'd what he 
 defigncd, vvhic'h 'v.'is.'a free paflage over the river, 
 which, ho croflod immediately without any trouble. 
 ; After having encamp'd that night upon the_bank of 
 the Meander, they left it the next day, and came to 
 Laodicea, . where they took provifions. They conti- 
 nued their inarch towards Pamphylia to gain Cilicia, 
 arid^thcri Ant-'mcb in Syria and the^ neighbouring coun- 
 fiyj; where the Chrilfian Princes of the firft cruftde 
 had'fix^d their government. But this rout, to which 
 vtilpur had fo happily opened the way, became very 
 fatal tp. the French army b'y the imprudence of one of 
 the generals. 
 
 Gr "c!Tof ^ was Geujfroy of Rxfrcaa, Lord Poitevin's, day- 'to 
 Geoff'oy of ^^ n the van-guard ; for the great Lords of the ar- 
 Rancon, vkt my took their comiriands by turns'" v He received or- 
 ^ ers u P^ a ^-' s departing from -Laodicea to gain a high 
 -mouht.iin \vhich.was in the'wuv, to encamp upon 
 the top of it, and 'wait there for., the 'rear which 
 the King brought along with him as ufual, and which 
 
 rrarch'd
 
 LEWIS VII. 389 
 
 inarchM more flowly by.reafon of the baggage. This An.ii4S" 
 . Lord, being come to the place in very good time, con- V w x^y~x^ 
 lulted with the Count of Murienne, if it would not 
 be proper to pufli farther, and go down into the plain be- 
 yond, where they fliould find forage in grc.it abundance. 
 Moil were of this opinion, and they march'd thither. 
 
 The Mahometans, who were always very vigilant, 
 .took advantage of this imprudent Itep, march'd as. fait 
 as they could, and made themfelves matters of the top 
 ..of the mountain, and fo ported themlelves between the 
 .van and the rear. The King was Very much furprifed, 
 when' he w as entered into the defiles, and faw all the 
 paflages above filled with enemies, and the top of 
 ''thofe defiles on the fide of the mountain pofTefied by 
 their army. 
 
 He had Icarce time to look about him, before he was 
 attack'd on all fides ; the Infidels (hooting a vaft .num- 
 ber of arrows from above, and thofe, who met him 
 charging fword in hand with much more refalu- 
 tion than ufual. Whatever efforts were made, it Defeat of tt,t 
 was impoffible to defend themfelve.s. The enemies at French nar - 
 their eafe pickM out thofe they had a mind to ki) 1 . The 
 baggage itopt up the paffagc, and the troops which went 
 betbre could receive no affiftance from the reft : they 
 were all cut. in ( pieces. In this extremity the grcateft 
 part of the rear ' that remain'd took to their heels, 
 fbme turning bat k arid others getting by chance into by- 
 paths in order to gain the plain, where the van-guard 
 was already encamp'd without knowing any thing that 
 had^happca'd. . 
 
 i he -King however being refolved to die fought 
 Hill at the head of fome Lords and Gentlemai, who 
 were -got together about him : he no longer took any 
 care of himfelf, and had no hopes of prelervation, but 
 in the ni^ht . which was approaching. Being left al- 
 moft. alone in the_dark, he got up upon a tree loaded 
 as he was with his arms, and from theacc to the top 
 of a rock. .Some Mahometans attack'd him there n-eK^ng't 
 with arrows, others got up into the tree in order to JjJ^ 
 come at the' rock. His arms were proof agaiuft the ar- 
 rows, and he made To good ufe of his fwoid, cutting 
 off the head or arms of all thofe, who appro-icu'd him, 
 or who endeavoured to get upon the rock, that at lalt 
 they left him not knowing it was the King. 
 
 C c 3 The
 
 3 90 T&e Hiftory ^/FRANCE. 
 
 An. 1 148. The Monk Odo of Dciiil, who was the King's fe- 
 *^y*^~' cretary, had received orders from him during the right 
 pdo. l. 6. t o find out fome way in the mountain, to go and ad- 
 vife the van-guard of the Mate of affairs. He was fo 
 happy as to find one that led to the plain. He ar- 
 rived at the camp, and gave an account of the difafter 
 of the rear and the King's danger. When the general 
 and the Count of Morienne learnt this dreadful news, 
 they were mad with themfelves at the fault they had 
 committed. They immediately made the beft troops 
 of the few they had, to take their arms, advanc'd to- 
 wards the mountain, and came thither in the night. 
 
 T\\z Mahometans after having plunder'd the baggage, 
 and got their prifoners together, were already retired. 
 
 After their retreat the King hearing fome people paf- 
 ng by at the foot of the rock, where he ftill flayed, 
 and discovering that they were French^ call'd them and 
 
 made himfelf known to them. It was to them mat- 
 ter of great joy in their' misfortune to meet with their 
 Prince, whom they thought dead ; and one of them 
 gave him his horfe. When they had with a good deal 
 of trouble got out of the defile which was filled with 
 dead men and horfes, they march'd towards the plain 
 and met the troops of the van-guards, who having found 
 the. King again return'd to the camp , leaving all the 
 reft. 
 
 The arrival of this Prince took off a good deal of 
 the confternation, and had like to have made the Queen 
 die for joy, who had already mourned for him fup- 
 pofinghim to be dead. But the final 1 number of thofe 
 that were there fhewcd the grcatnefs of the lofs. In 
 fhort almoft all werekill'd or taken. The braveft and 
 moft diftinguifh'd perfons in the roar were deftroy'd : 
 they reckon'd up forty Lords of confequence, who 
 bad loft their lives. The army were fo full of fury 
 at Gaffroy of Rancon for this lofs, of which he had 
 been the caufe, that the foldiers loudly demanded that 
 he fhould be hanged. But the Count of Mvrienne, 
 who was himfelf concern'd in the fault, begged his par- 
 don and obtained it. 
 
 The coiifequences of the defeat were no lefs dread- 
 
 ful thatl thC Cietl<at kfelf ' ThC g reatcft P art f the 
 
 baggage was loft as well as the provisions which they 
 hadjuftgot at Laodicea^ and that fame day their bread 
 
 fail'd
 
 LEWIS VII. 391 
 
 fail'd them. It was twelve days march to Attdia, a An. 1148. 
 maritime and the capital city of Pampbylia, where they v^VN^ 
 hop'd to be fnpplied. During this time they were odo. 1. 7. 
 forc'd to leek for victuals, and get it by their fword & L 8. 
 or elle by dint of money ; and it was -a great piece 
 of good fortune to the army, that the King's treafure 
 was with the van-guard in the journey over the moun- 
 tain of Laodlcea. During this march they were often 
 forced to engage with the Infidels, and the neceflity 
 of conquering or dying made the Ibldiers find ftrength 
 enough, as weak as they were, to beat them back. 
 
 The King flay'd a pretty long time at Attalia, where 
 the Greeks conipleated the poverty of the foldiers by 
 the dearnefs of provifions. They promis'd to furnilh 
 him with fhips at his expence to tranlport his army to 
 the territories of the principality of Anttocb : but they 
 brought him but very few, and thole very little ones, 
 and the price was exceffive. They put him in hopes 
 of a great many more ; but as they did not appear, 
 the foldiers of themfelves lent a deputation to the King, 
 to defire him to embark immediately with his Nobility 
 on board thofe which he had, and to tell him that they 
 would attempt the journey by land and joyn him at 
 Anttocb \ that they chofe rather to fall by the fword 
 of the Mahometans, than die with hunger by the ava- 
 rice of the Greeks : that they knew very well he could 
 do no more for them than he had done ; that he would 
 leave them to Providence, nnd that they (hould have at 
 leaft the comfort of dying with their arms in their 
 hands for the love of Jefus Chrift. 
 
 The King being grieved to a great degree, but not able Ti-eKjn? f<- s 
 to find out any expedient in fo prcffing a neceflity, into the p- 
 confented to their deh're; but not without taking all the ^" 
 mesliires which prudence and his goodnefs could fag- 
 geft to him. He gave them two Lords to command 
 them, who were willing to facrifice themlelvcs in lb 
 dangerous an employ, namely, Thierry of Alfatia Count 
 of Flanders, and Archambaud of "Bourbon. He had a 
 great deal of money diftributcd among the Ibldiers. 
 He treated with the governor of Attalia to furnilh 
 them with guides and a large guard to carry them as 
 far as 'farfus, which was tne frontier town in the.prin- 
 cipality of Antioch. For this he gave him five hun- 
 dred marks. He had as many hofies bought as could 
 C c 4 be
 
 3 9 i 3T&* Hiflory ^/"FRANCE. 
 
 An 1148. be got f> mount feveral Gentlemen, who could not 
 
 wv* > -''' k ave room in the (hips ; and made the governor pro- 
 
 ri.n upon oath, that he would receive all the iick 
 
 ..is cicy, and allow them to ftay there till they 
 
 le to bear the fea and come to Antiocb. After 
 
 ., 5 taken all thefe precautions, he embark'd, and 
 
 Ep. 59. inter arrived on the nineteenth of March, after a very d?.n- 
 
 , gerous. voyage of three weeks, at the port, of St. Si- 
 
 -.1 in the mouth of Oruntes five leagues below An- 
 
 He was received by Raymond Prince of Anttoch, the 
 Queen's uncle, with all the honours due to royal Ma- 
 jefty and the King of France, and began to breathe a 
 liule artor the danger and extream fatigues of a year's 
 journey, during which he was never lick. As to the 
 troops which flayed at Attalia, they all perifhed, part by 
 hunger, part by ficknefs, part by the treachery of the 
 Greeks, and part by the fword of the Infidels. The 
 Count of Wanders and Archambaud of Bourbon, hav- 
 ing made an attempt in vain to go with them, were 
 obliged to return to Attalia ; and as they deipaircd of 
 iTicceeding, becaufe the Turks had with whole armies 
 made themielves mafters of all the paifes, they em- 
 bark'd on board a fhip, and came to the King at An- 
 tioch. 
 
 After their departure four thoufand of thefe unhappy 
 wretches thus abandoned ventured again, but they were 
 hem'd in by the Mahometans, who offer 'd to receive 
 them among their, if they would come over to their 
 religion ; and there were three thousand, who accepted 
 of this condition rather than be carryed into flavery ; fo 
 true it is, that along mifery is more infupportable than 
 death itlelf, and that a courage, which is proof againtr, 
 the greateft dangers, cannot always anfwerfor its per- 
 feverance in a lories of misfortunes. 
 
 Thus was aimed all this numerous army deftroyed 
 by little and little, in as deplorable a manner as that 
 of the Germans which had gone before it; and the ad- 
 vice and' predictions of the Eifhop of Langres were 
 but too well juftified by fad experience, who was of 
 opinion that Cdnftantimffe fhould be attack'd before 
 any thiiig elfe was done. A precaution, without which 
 the propos'd defign could never fucceed, and which 
 t.'ie perridioumefs of the Greeks, then fufficiently 
 
 known,
 
 LEWIS VII. 3 9 J 
 
 known, feem'd to render lawful and abfolutely ne- An. 1148. 
 ceffary. V^^Y\> 
 
 After all, the French Nobility, who came to Antiocb 
 with the King being again equip'd, found themfelves 
 numerous enough to cart terror into the dominions of 
 the Infidels ; but the King's infelicity was not confin'd 
 to the preceding misfortunes. 
 
 The Queen was a Priucefs very well made, full of Gefta Lud. 
 wit and charms, fhe pleafed the Prince of tntiocb, and c< lf - 
 this Prince knew likewife that he was agreeable to her. 
 The King, to hinder things from proceeding any fur- Guiii. Tyr. 
 ther, left Antioch, and was forc'd to make ufe of lira- 1 l6 - c - 2 ? 
 tagem to tjet away the Queen and oblige her to follow 
 him. He went with his troops to Jerufalem, where 
 King Baldwin the third very much wifhed for him, 
 that he might make ufe of his troops againft the Sultans 
 his neighbours. The Emperor Conrad came thither like- 
 wife from Conftantinople with fome remains of his troops. 
 There they reiblved to befiege Damas, which was accord- ___, 
 ingly done; but thro' jealoufy and treachery of fome Chri- '' <<* '. 
 ftian Lords of the country this enterprise didjiot fucceed. 
 
 This new misfortune dilheartened the two Princes, 
 who had already performed their devotions at Jerufa- 
 lem, and accomplished the vow of their pilgrimage. 
 Conrad embark'd again on board the Emperor of Con- 
 ftantinople's (hips, and after having had an interview with 
 that Prince in Achaia, return'd by fea into Germany, 
 where he died two or three years after. The King, 
 having flayed fome time longer at Jernfalem and in 
 Syria, embark'd likewife, and arrived at the end of July 
 in Calabria. From thence he went to Rome, where The tyg ar- 
 he faw the Pope, and at lad returned into his own r es l 
 kingdom with a great deal of Vexation and trouble, France - 
 and without any other glory than having attempted fo An. 1149. 
 dangerous an enterprise, which could not have been at- 
 tended with worfe fuccefs. 
 
 When he arrived in France, he found the kingdom in Vita sug-:r. 
 the tranquillity in which the wife conduct and fteady ma- 
 nagement of Abbar Sager had maintained it. It was this 
 that gave this great man the glorious title of father of his 
 country. 
 
 During the expedition to the Holy Land, Stephen Continuation \ 
 Count of Bohgne , brother to the Count of Cham" l^-^ or . 
 paign, had kept conftant'pofleffion of the kingdom of ^J^ M ~ 
 
 jLngltlKd, Er, gland.
 
 394- The Hiftory of f R A N c E, 
 
 An. 1 1 p. England, notwithstanding all the efforts 
 \^^T^ Maud and Geoffroy Count of Anjou. The King after 
 his return was forhetimes on one fide, fometimes on 
 the other, and at laft he declared for Geojfrov Count 
 GeftaLud. of Aajou, whom he aflifted ag.;inft Stephen^ and to 
 c. 18. whom he gave the inveftiture of Normandy for Henry 
 his fon, upon condition that he fhould yield the Nor- 
 man Vexin to France. 
 
 Death of A fliort time after Geoff roy died, and in his will de- 
 Ge<.ffroy clared Henry his ion heir to all his dominions, and 
 oHo- left G eo ff r0 y am j William his two other fons bit a 
 very fmall (hare in thefucceflion. However he a^ cd 
 a claufe, namely, that if Henry could compafr his end 
 in getting himfelf recognised King of England^ he 
 fhould give up Anjou. to Geoffrov. 
 
 The death of Abbat Suger, which happeu'd a year 
 or two after, was of more confequence to Frame, 
 than that of the Count of /Jnjott^ becaufe he h-id hi- 
 therto by his intereft and advice hindered the King 
 from taking a ftcp which was attended with great in- 
 conveniences to the kingdom in his own reign, and 
 yet more in the reigns of his fucceflbrs. 
 
 The King it The King had been always dillatisfied with Queen 
 Avert- 'd from Eleanor ever fince what had happen'd at Antiocb. He 
 refolvcd from that time to be divorced upon the ac- 
 count of affinity. Abbat Suger had dilTuaded him from 
 it. But as foo'n as he was dead, the King refumed 
 his former refolution. The affinity was indeed prov'd ; 
 and as the two parties were both confenting, the thing 
 was foon concluded. The Queen had brought the 
 King Aquitain in dowry, and he was under a necef- 
 lity of returning; it to her again. 
 
 She was no looacf free but ihe married Henry Duke 
 f Nonnands, thus disinheriting by the contract of 
 Henry Da' e marriage two dauehtcrs which fhe had had by the 
 / N . r - King. 
 
 An i if. ^ he ncws ^ th ^ s P rec iP Itatc< ^ rnarriage (for it was 
 ' but iix weeks after the divorce) being come to this 
 Prince, he was very much vext at it. HJ began too 
 late to repent of his imprudence. He con(idered the 
 conlequenccs of it, and thought in good earned of 
 means to prevent them, by taking all poflible meafures 
 to bring down the pride and power of Henry,
 
 LEWIS VII. 395 
 
 The duchy of Guyenne being added to that of Nor- An. up. 
 r/iandv, and to the counties of Anjon and Maine, ren- 
 dcrecT this young Prince equally formidable to the 
 King of France and the King of England. All thefe 
 dominions, which made a great part of France, were 
 contiguous to one another, and he took care to keep 
 up a friendly correspondence with the Duke of Br/'- 
 tanny, who in the taft war had given him fome troops. 
 He had a genius capable of making ufe of thefe ad- 
 vantages ; for he was couragious, active, and politick. 
 Jt was upon thefe confiderations that the two Kings 
 agreed to attack him immediately. They engaged in 
 their alliance Thibaud Count of Blots, Chartres, and gamfl Henry. 
 Ckateaudun, one of the fons of Thibaud Count of 
 Champaign, who died fome time before, and even 
 Geoffroy Henry's brother, who was very much diflatif- 
 fied at his (hare in the fucceflion, for he had nothing 
 but Chinon, Loudun, and Mirebeau. They promised 
 one another not to lay down their arms, till they had 
 deprived Henry not only of Normandy, but like wile 
 of Anjou w\&'Guyenne. 
 
 The league broke out, \vhenHeary was at Barfleur An. 1153. 
 in the lower Normandy ]\ift. going vr&o England, where 
 he was always making war upon Stephen. The King 
 begun the campaign with the taking of Nenfmar- 
 eke, a fqrtrefs between Gournai and Gifors , which 
 Henry haci referved to himfelf when he yielded the Nor- 
 man Vexin to the King. 
 
 Henry, quitting his defign of going into England, 
 went to the pjace where he was moil wanted, and 
 covered the higher Normandy. He did this with fo 
 much art and fuccefs, that he was prais'd for it even 
 by his enemies, whofe army durll undertake nothing 
 in the fight of his. He did more; for about the end 
 of Augufl, when the French army was broke up, he 
 march'd with fo much diligence into Anjon, that he 
 furprifed his brother there, and difperled all the rebels, 
 who adhered to him. 
 
 After having extricated himfelf out of fo great a Gefh - Lud - 
 danger, he managed fo cunningly with the King, that 
 this Prince againft all the rules of good policy granted 
 him a truce, during which he went into England, in An. 1 15*4 
 the month of January. There he carried on the war &***"<* 
 
 i-ii .n^j-^i-i i/ir- 1 Henry and 
 
 briskly agamft Stephen, who in the mean time lott-t- Stephen^* 
 
 JlachiUS, c/ England.
 
 3 9.6 The Hi/lory ^FRANCE. 
 
 An. 1 1 5-4. flachius his fon whom he had declared his heir. This 
 
 tkZfY^J accident determined him to make. peace,, finding the 
 
 Englijh very much tired with. the. war. which had fo 
 
 Her.r. Hun:, long wafted the whole kingdom," The principal con- 
 
 * 8 - dition or" the treaty was,: that. Stephen fhould adopt 
 
 Henr\, and declare him his fuccefibr, .keeping the crown 
 
 himfelf during his Life. 
 
 chr. Nang. This peace and the adoption of Henry very, much 
 confounded and ditturb'd the King. , However when 
 the truce, was expir'd, he opened the campaign with 
 f the taking of Vernun: but the death of Stephen King 
 ^ ^ n S^ an ^ wnic h happened foon after, and the coro- 
 nation of Henry , who became the peaceable pofleflbr 
 of that kingdom, increafed his uneaiinefs, and made 
 him ready to hearken to the proposals of peace which 
 t{ ?e new King made him. It was concluded upon con- 
 dition that Neufmarche and Vernon fliould be rettor'd 
 to ilenry, that this Prince fliould give the King two 
 thouland marks to defray theexpences of the war, and 
 that he fnould pay him homage again. 
 
 Roger de Henry rcpais'd the lea with the 'title and equipage of 
 
 Wwed. a King, and came to do this homage which fliould 
 
 An. 1 1 5* 5*. have made him tremble that received it. He did it for 
 
 "^nvhndtkes Norynandy, Guyenne, Poituu, Anjou^ T'auratne, Maine, 
 
 t.<c c i(hi ko- that is for great part of the kingdom of which, bating 
 
 n- 1 * 1 ' this ceremony, he was look'd upon as- the abfolute 
 
 matter. This was the eticct of the fatal .divorce from 
 
 Queen Eleanor. 
 
 Mariana.; The 'King, who had. no male children, .refolved to 
 i.ii.c. a. marry again to have an heir to his crown; , and ac- 
 cordingly he married CouftaxtLi, whom fame call'd 
 Elizabeth, daughter ofdlfbovfo the eighth King of Leon 
 and C<ijiile. 
 
 An. 1 157. In the^mean while the power of England increas'd 
 every day*. Thierry of Alj\itia took a new journey to 
 jerufajewi an J put into .//iviry's hands and cutlody his 
 county of Flanders -and all his other dominions, and 
 trufted his fon 'Philip to his care, who, tho' very young, 
 was married the year before to Elizabeth daughter of 
 Radulph Count of ^ennandois^ who died ibni-j years 
 before ; and hcireis to that county : fo that v. . 
 ^Y r ^ at t ^ lc ^-' n S ^ E-vg^xd at this time kept trance 
 inverted ask were almoft on all tides. He obliged the 
 Count of Bluis to return him Amb-jife and fomc otner de- 
 
 me'fnes
 
 LEWIS VII. 397 
 
 ttiefhes which he pretended had been ufurp'd from his An. r 15*7. 
 predeceflbrs. And Geoffroy his brother being dead, he V^Vx/ 
 carried the war into Britanny, where he made Conan 
 of Richem.ond to yield him the city and county f An.iifS. 
 Nantes, .and did not leave him peaceable pofTeflbr of 
 BritaMxy, till after he had made him protnife to give 
 Cunftantia his daughter to Geoffroy his third fbn, and 
 to fecure the fucccffion of that 'duchy to him. 
 
 Before this, expedition/ he had an interview with the i nt ervem ie-' 
 King upon .the- river-.^, and had concluded a mar- twmthe 
 riage between- Henry his eldeft fon, and Margaret the t:v &' 
 King's eldeft daug'hter by.-, the'fccond venter. The 
 Princefs was carried into. Normandy to be educated 
 there by Robert of Neubourg -till -(he was grown to be 
 marriageable. 
 
 Notwithftanding this alliance the peace did not laft 
 long between the two Kings:, they had from time 
 to time fome differences and occafions. of quarrel. 
 They took up arms, and foon after they came to an 
 accommodation ; but generally fpeaking it was not to 
 the advantage of the King of France. This Prince 
 had his turn, and knew how to make ufe of an acci- 
 dent to chagrin the King of England. This was the An.n6-. 
 bufmefs of Thomas Becket Archbifhop of Canterbury^ 
 who, having by his extraordinary retblution drawn up- 
 on himfelf a fevere pjrfecution from the King of Eng- 
 land, took refuge in France^ and was there much bet- fa n6* 
 tcr received by the King than Henry defir'd. 
 
 This affair, which .ended in the murder of the ho- Murder of 
 ly Prelate in his own church , gave Henry a great ^cl 
 deal of trouble for leven years, which it 1 ailed. He bury! 
 was always . apprehenfive. of .excommunications, and 
 interdicts, .and of 'toe difturbarices which _both might 
 caufe .in- his dominions/ The. King o:.Fra;:ce made 
 ufe of the occafion, not. only .to chagrin him by the 
 protection he afforded the Archbifliop, and the hand- 
 ibme treatment' he gave- him; but. likewife to bring 
 down the- pride of this Prince, . who w.as forc'd to 
 keep fair with him, and diiTe-irible his-refejntinent upon 
 certain occaiions,. to h.ive.rccourfe to his mediation, 
 and to defire peace of him.. For during this interval 
 there were grounds for a rupture, and beiides .the re- 
 treat of the Archbifliop of Canterbury into Frxzftj fe- 
 veral other things contributed to it. 
 
 i The
 
 TheHiftory 
 
 The family of the Counts of Champaign had been 
 ftrong in the interefts of the Kings of England, and the 
 union of thefe two powers was very inconvenient and 
 prejudicial to France, which was almoft never attack'd 
 by one , but it was likewife immediately by the other. 
 For which reafon the King thought it a piece of good 
 politicks to get the Princes of the houfe of Champaign 
 attached to himfelf. 
 
 Conftantia of Caftile his fecond wife died in 1 160. 
 without leaving any fon. A Ihort time after he mar- 
 ried Adelaida daughter of Thibaud Count of Cham- 
 paign lately dead, and filter to Henry Count of Troyeand 
 Champaign, and of Thibaud Count of Chartres and 
 Blois. So that thefe Counts were at the fame time 
 the Kings brothers and fons-in-law. 
 
 Upon the occaiion of this fecond marriage, which 
 was celebrated at the time that the Archbifhop of Can- 
 terbury's affair gave the King of England the greatetl 
 difturbance, the King did a thing which could not but 
 vex that Prince very much. He gave the Count of 
 Blois the dignity of grand Senefchal of France, which 
 Robert de had been always pofTefTed by the Counts of Anjou, and 
 Monte. which the King of England by virtue of that title pre- 
 tended belonged to him. He hoped he would havebe- 
 ftowed it upon Henry his eldefl ion, the more becaufe 
 this young Prince had married Margaret of France. 
 The King by thefe marriages and kind favours com- 
 parted his end in making the Princes of the houfe of 
 Champaign well affected to him. 
 
 The King of England would not at another time fb 
 quietly have fuffered the Count of Blots to have been 
 gratified at his own expence. Bat he had no mind to 
 make war with France, whilft that with the Archbi- 
 fhop of Canterbury lafted. He was however forced 
 to take up arms for two other reafons almoft as in- 
 con fidcrable ns this. 
 
 He had laid a tax in his county of Touraine upon 
 all goods and chattels belonging both to laicks and 
 eccleliafticks, for the aflifrance of the Chriftians in Pa- 
 Icftine. The King, who had done the fame in his do- 
 minion, pretended that "fouraine being a fief of the 
 crown, the money that was raifed there ought to be 
 put into his hands, to be fent with his into" Palefline 
 in his name; but this the King of England would not 
 agree to. The
 
 LEWIS VII. 399 
 
 The other difference was upon the account of William An. 1 167. 
 the feventh Count ofAuuergne. This Count had been de- 
 prived of his country by William the old his uncle : and to 
 maintain his right he cited him to the tribunal of the King 
 of England, their immediate Lord as Duke of Guyenne. 
 But as Auvergne was a mefne-fief of the crown, the old 
 Count infifted that the affair fliould be determined by the 
 King of France, afld this Prince received his petition not- 
 withftanding the oppofition of the King of England, who 
 maintafn'd that the Count otAuvergne could not iiie in 
 the court of France, unlcfs herefufed to do him juftice. 
 The two Kings had an interview in \hzVexin, and con- 
 ferred upon thefe two points ; but they could not agree, 
 and fo the war begun. 
 
 The French entred Normandy, and ravaged between War 
 Pacy and Mante. The King of England furpris'd 
 Cbauwont in the Vexin, burnt it with the magazines of 
 arms and provifions which the King had there, and 
 pillaged all the neighbourhood. The King was reveng- 
 ed upon Gue-Saint Nicaife and Andely which he laid 
 in afhes. Thefe ravages did not continue long, but 
 ended in a truce which was to laft till Eafter the next 
 year. 
 
 During the truce the King made an alliance with 
 Eudes, who called himfclf Duke of Britanny, becaufc 
 he had had the title of governor of that country from 
 the Duchefs Bertha his wife, who had a fon by her 
 firft husband called Conan. This Prince obliged his 
 father-in-law to return him the duchy again. The King 
 of England fecnred to him the poffeffion of it by the 
 great affiftance which he gave him : but this was upon one 
 condition, namely, that Conftantia, Conors only daugh- 
 ter, fhould marry Geoffroyythe King of England's third 
 fon, and have the duchy of Britanny for her dowry ; 
 and this was executed when Geoffroy and Conftantia 
 were at age. Eudes had been forc'd to content him- 
 felf with fome demefncs in Britanny, and he was re- 
 joyced at having fuch a fupport as the King of France, 
 upon which to raife his party again. 
 
 Some Lords beyond the Loire, namely, the Count 
 of la Marchc, the Count of Avgonleme, Aymery of 
 Lufignan, and feveral other difaffcaed perfons to Henry 
 entered into the alliance with them, and with the King, 
 to put themfelves under the dominion of France. They 
 
 were
 
 Robert de 
 Home. 
 
 ep. z63. 
 
 Robert dc 
 Monte. 
 
 400 The Hiftory of F R A N c E. 
 
 An.n68. were to take up arms as foon as the war begun again 
 This would have been a troublefom diverfion for the 
 King of England: but this vigilant Prince was advis'd 
 of all thefe treaties, notwithftanding the caution they 
 had taken to keep them fecret; and before the truce 
 was expir'd, he prevented thete Lords and kept them 
 under. Afterwards he came to meet the King between 
 Mante and Pacy, as had been agreed. They treated 
 of peace, but nothing but a truce was made, the King 
 defiring the Briton and Poite-vin Lords fhould be com- 
 prehended in the treaty, and the King of England be- 
 ing abfolutely refolved to refufe it : the War begun 
 Joan salisb. aeain. They came to negotiations again ; at laft the 
 King of England was obliged to yield, and that he 
 might obtain peace agreed to all that the King dcfircd. 
 The Lords, who had entered into the confederacy 
 with the King, obtained their pardon. This Prince 
 on his fide confented to the reunion of the office of 
 grand Senefchal to the title of Count of Anjou; and 
 young Henry of England performed the duties of the 
 place at Paris by ferving the King at table the fol- 
 An.n6o. lowing year upon the feaft of the Purification. 
 
 In the mean while the King of England, finding him- 
 felf threatned again with the^ cenfures of the church for 
 continuing hisprofecution of the Archbifhop of Canter- 
 bury, took the lame precaution that Philip the firft had 
 taken in France in the like cafe. He had his fon Henry 
 declared King of England, and to (hew that he was no 
 Hift.quadri- longer King, he himfelf ferved this young Prince at table 
 partita 6. 2. ^ cr t h c ce remony of the coronation was over. 
 Roger de This coronation was performed at Weftminfter up 
 Hoved. ^ on the third of June, when Margaret of France the 
 An. 1 1 70. young King's Ipoufe was in Normandy; fb that con- 
 trary to Cuftom flie was not crowned at the fame 
 time with her husband. This was a particular fancy 
 in the King of England, who intended by this to vex 
 the King of France, becaufe he knew this Prince as 
 well as the Queen continued to folicit the Pope againft 
 him in favour of the Archbifhop of Canterbury. 
 
 The King apprehended the motive of this conduct ; 
 and had no fooner heard the news of the coronation, 
 but he cntcr'd Normandy with an army to revenge the 
 injury which had been done his daughter. Henry fur- 
 prill-d at this irruption, which he did not expect, for 
 
 he
 
 LEWIS VII. 401 
 
 he did not think that the King would have fo imme- An. 1170. 
 diately enter'd upon a war, came over fea in all hafte, 
 and defired the King would be fo kind as to have a 
 conference with him. They faw one another at a place, 
 which the Englijh hiflorians call Vendune. Henry pro- v.-ndonU, 
 tefted to the King, that the neceflity of his affairs had' 
 obliged him to get his fon crown'd immediately, that 
 Margaret flio'.ild be crowned without delay, and that 
 it ftiould not be put off for any longer time than was 
 neceflary to make preparations for it. The King was 
 contented with this fatisfaclion, and peace was fettled 
 again. The King of England did not perform his pro- 
 mife fo foon. The reconciliation of the Archbifhop 
 of Canterbury with the King of England was brought 
 about this fame year ; but the Holy Prelate had not Robert d. 
 been three months in his church, before he was afiaifinat- Monte, 
 ed by four villains upon this fentence which came from 
 Henry in his anger : /> it pojjlhle then that among fo 
 
 freat a number of people whom I have loaded with my 
 ountiej^ there Jhould not one perfon be found to revenge 
 me of a prieft who diflurbs my dominions ? 
 
 This aflafiination, tho' probably committed againft 
 Henry's intention, threw him into greater perplexi- 
 ties than before, and gave the Pope an opportunity of 
 making his authority in England 'and that of the Ecclefia- 
 fticks itronger than ever, which this Prince had always 
 defigned to weaken as much as poflible. 
 
 The King of England, after having appealed thefe trou- 
 bles, was not long without feeing new ones raifed, and 
 thofe more dangerous than the preceding. Young 
 King Henry, a Prince of much the fame character 
 with that of his father, not content with his title of 
 King without any authority, treated fecretly with the 
 King of France his father-in-law to oblige the King of 
 England to give him at leaft Normandy to govern ; rbr 
 he faw there was little probability he would grant it 
 upon his fingle asking for it. He got fome partifans 
 in the feveral dominions depending upon the crown of 
 England, and engaged the Counts of Bologne, Blots, 
 and Flanders to promife they would fupport him in 
 cafe he fhould have occafion for their afliftance. 
 
 Having taken all thefe meafures, he made the pro- 
 
 pofal to the King his father relating to Normandy ; and 
 
 upon his refufal, which he did not much doubt, he got 
 
 Vo L. I. D d away
 
 402 The Hiftory of FRANCE. 
 
 An.1170. away from court, and took fhelter m France. This with 
 v/V"O drawing himfclf was the (ignal agreed on by a vaft number 
 Roger Je of Lords of Normandy, Anjou, l\laine,Britann\, and even 
 Hoved. part. Qf n ^ an ^ who ro g. at the f ame t j me | n ^5 favour. 
 
 The rebellion of the young King was an example 
 to his other brothers. Richard, who had the title of 
 Duke of Guyenne, and Geoffrov, who was declared 
 Duke of Britaany, but who had neither of them any 
 more power in thole countries than their elder brother 
 had in England, thought this was a good and favour- 
 able opportunity of obtaining fome authority there, 
 ieaffu m.idc and came heartily into the league. Queen Eleanor 
 
 b their motncr > wno was then w ' th tnem in Guyennej 
 
 being difcontented probably at the coldnefs of her hus- 
 band whofe love wandered el few here, far from dif- 
 luading them from the rebellion , engaged in it her 
 lelf ; and laftly the King of France openly took thefe 
 Princes under his protection, upon pretence that Mar- 
 garet his daughter, the young King's wife, was not 
 treated as a Queen by her father-in-law. 
 
 The King of England ready to be attack'd on all 
 fides, and abandoned by his own family, was ftrange- 
 ly uneafy. He had nothing to truft to but the great 
 treaiure he had taken care to amafs and lecure. He 
 made uic of it to keep fome Lords and governors of 
 fortified places true to their allegiance which they owed 
 him, and to raife an army of foreigners, not daring 
 to truft his own fubje&s. 
 
 He hired twenty thoufand Brabanfons, by which 
 
 Hoved. part rame were mcant f omc f ort o f banditti made up of fo 
 veral nations, who for fome time had run about France 
 and the neighbouring countries in companies, ravaging, 
 plundering, burning, killing indifferently every where. 
 This was the iliift that the King of England was 
 forc'd to make, and without it he would have been 
 obliged to have delivered himfclf up to his enemies. 
 
 An.1173- Philip Count of Flanders entered firft upon ation t 
 snd took dumale and Neufchatel, whilft the King of 
 France and young Henry belieged f^ernettil in Perche^ 
 a city at that' time very ftrong and divided as it were 
 into three pa/ts, the greatelt of which, where the prin- 
 cipal attack was made, was called the Grand Towv. 
 'I 'his part 'was taken and pillaged; but as foon as the 
 King of England appeared with his armv it was for- 
 fakai. The
 
 L E w.i s VII. 403 
 
 The prefence of this Prince in Nyrmandy ftopp'd the An. 1173. 
 progrefs of the league. He gained conquefts in his \^^\^^J 
 turn. He took Dol in Britanny , after one of his 
 generals had cut a large body of rebel Britons in 
 pieces ; and thefe two happy accidents made almoft 
 all Britanny return to their obedience. He took like- 
 wife Vendorae in the winter-time. On the other hand 
 IPilliamKmg of Scot land, having declared for the league, 
 entered England and made terrible defolations there. 
 It was a great matter, that the King of England was 
 not crufhed at firrt, and that he did fo much by his 
 prudence and diligence, as to divide the advantages as 
 well as difadvantages of this firft compaign with his 
 enemies. But the defeat and taking of the King of 
 Scotland was a mortal blow to the league and the pre- 
 Icrvation of Henry. He was obliged to the Earl of 
 York for this victory, who gain'd it in the beginning of 
 the fecond campaign. This fo difconccrred the rebels An. 1 1 74.' 
 in England^ that in lefs than a month all was obedient 
 and quiet. 
 
 From thence this Prince came over into Normandy 
 in all hafte, and march'd (trait to Rouen, which the King 
 of France was befieging, and made him raife the fiege. 
 Afterwards he marched into Poitou, where he pufhed 
 Richard his fon fo hard, that he obliged him to come 
 and throw himfelf at his feet. At length Henry ob- 
 tained the peace hedefired, but it was made upon fuch 
 conditions as he feems to have given himfelf to his 
 enemies. 
 
 Thus was this war finifhed, happily and glorioufly for P 
 the King of England:, a war, whole beginnings gave him th . 
 no reafon to expedt any thing but what was dif- ^ 
 mal and fatal : but it is in fuch dangerous fituations 
 as thefe, that great Princes fliew themielves to be tru- 
 ly great ; and it was in this that all Henry's prudence, 
 retolution, intrepidity, activity, prefence of mind, and 
 all his other great qualities (hone brighter than ever, 
 and kept him in a throne of which he was juft upon 
 the point of being difpoffeffed. 
 
 The fear which the King of England had of falling 
 again into the extremity he had been in, and the little 
 advantage which the King of France had gained by the 
 powerful league he had form'd againft him, made them 
 afterwards avoid coming to a war j fo that when any 
 D d 2, differences
 
 40* Yhe Htflory of F R A N c E. 
 
 An. 1 1 74. differences happened between them, they willingly re- 
 V^V\^ fer'd them to mediators. The peace, which I have jutt 
 been fpeaking of, lafted all the reft of Lewis's reign, 
 that is fix years. 
 
 An. 1 1 79. This Prince in the year 1179. refolv'd, after the ex- 
 Ro>rtde ample of his predeceflbrs, to have Philip his only fon, 
 n^Ktn r tnen r ' lirteen years of age, crown'd in his life-time. 
 , data hit But whilft preparations were making for this auguft 
 Pniiip. ceremony, the young Prince fell ill of a very dange- 
 rous diftemper. The King, who was ftruck with fear 
 and confternation, made a vow that he would go to 
 the tomb of St. Thomas of Canterbury, whom the great 
 miracles perform'd there had caufed to be canonized. 
 He defired leave of the King of England to do this, 
 who willingly- granted it. He was heard, and Philip 
 his fbn recovered his health; but upon his return, as he 
 was coming towards St. Dennys, he was ftruck with 
 a ftrong fit of an apoplexy, out of which he recovered 
 however, but it left him with a palfey on all the right 
 fide of his body. 
 
 This accident made him haften his fon's coronation, 
 v/hich was performed upon the feftival of All-Saints ; 
 and a fhort time after Philip married Isabella daughter 
 of Baldwin Count of Havnault. 
 
 An.iiSo. The King did not long'enjoy the pleafure of feeing 
 
 The fyi's his fon upon the throne. He died at Paris upon the 
 
 death. eighteenth of September in the following year 1180. 
 
 being about fixty years of age, after he had reigned 
 
 forty three years, one month, and feventeen days from 
 
 the death of his father. He was buried in the abbey 
 
 Sanus-por- ofBarbeauor * Sain-Port, which he had founded near 
 
 ws - Melun. 
 
 He was a very good Prince, but of an indifferent 
 genius ; eafily and willingly engaging himfelf in great en- 
 terprizcs, but neither fteady, happy, nor conftant enough 
 in the execution of them ; brave when he found him- 
 felf in danger, but fo fearful as to avoid coming into 
 it at the expence of his glory ; naturally a little weak 
 in his behaviour and conauft. It was nothing but the 
 fear of the King of England that made him become 
 politick and that was too late. The lofs of Guyennc 
 and fo many fine dominions beyond the Loire, which 
 he fuffered to fall into that Prince's hands, was a mor- 
 tal wound to France, which (he did not recover for 
 
 feveral
 
 PHILIP AUGUSTUS. 405 
 
 feveral ages. He had always a much larger (hare of An.iiSc- 
 the attention and love than efteem of his fubjec~ts. He 
 was humane, temperate, liberal, but his reigning vir- 
 tue was piety : infomuch that fome hiftorical monu- 
 ments give him the furname of Pious. So that if we 
 do not place this Prince in the number of our greateft 
 Kings, yet we owe him at leaft the juftice of reckon- 
 ing him among the moft chriiiian and moft truly vir- 
 tupus. 
 
 PHILIP AUGUSTUS. 
 
 PHILIP from his birth was look'd on by the Rigor4. 
 French as a prefent from -heaven, becaufe the 
 King his father, having had only daughters by his 
 two firft wives, obtain'd him at laft of God by his 
 alms and prayers. This Prince was the fruit of his 
 marriage with Adelaida, of Champaign, and from that 
 time he had the furname of God's gift. 
 
 Towards the end of the King his father's life, tho' 
 he was but then in the fifteenth year of his age, he 
 Jiibdued fome of his vaffals in Berry, on the fide of * 
 
 Lyons, and Champaign. He entered with fome troops 
 upon their territories, and obliged them to ask pardon 
 of him. 
 
 In the firft year of his reign he banifli'd the Jews pirji atii 
 out of all his dominions, confifcated their goods, and f/* y** 
 difcharg'd all their debtors from their debts, to make *&* 
 them amends for the exceflive ufuries which they had 
 laid upon them. He caufed an exacl: account to be 
 taken of the hereticks, who for fome time had very 
 much multiplied in France. He purged the towns 
 belonging to his demefne of them; and if all his vaf- 
 fals had imitated him , we fhould not have fcen thefe 
 heretieks under the name of Alhigenfes, fome years af- 
 ter maintaining their falfe tenets with their arms in 
 their hands againft whole armies of Catholick Princes, 
 and putting ib many provinces beyond the Loire into 
 confulion. 
 
 D d 3 He
 
 406 
 
 An. 1 1 So. 
 
 GuiL Brit. 
 
 1. 2. 
 
 Anonymu 
 
 Hovcd. 
 
 Ixir!f*cs *nt 
 rebeilioM tf 
 the <jl*een- 
 mathtr. 
 Ph';!ipp.l. I 
 The King 
 ch*p!fes the 
 rebf.'s. 
 Ar.onvmus 
 Aquiuncu 
 
 Hoved. 
 
 The Hijlory ^/FRANCE. 
 
 He begun with the affiftance of his minifters to 
 form a more regular and fettled plan and fyftem of 
 government, than his prcdeccflbrs fince Hugh Capet 
 had hitherto done. He followed it, and we find him 
 during the courfe of his reign making the moft of the 
 advantages he gained in war, of his treaties of peace, of his 
 marriages, of the very untowardnefs of his vaflals, and 
 X3f the leagues of his neighbours. He made ufc of them 
 to augment his own power and authority, to extend the 
 limits of his empire, and to reunite to his crown fe- 
 veral confiderable territories, which had been difmem- 
 bered from ir. 
 
 The government of the Prince and regency of the 
 kingdom was given to Philip Count Q? Flanders, who 
 married the King to his niece Elizabeth daughter of 
 Baldwin Count of Ha\nauh ; and as he had no chil- 
 dren, he fecured to him for her dowry the fuccefliou 
 of the weftern part of Flanders , which was pretty 
 near the lame with what is fince called the county of 
 drtois, which joyns to the county of Vermandois, 
 which fhould have been united to the crown after the 
 death of the Countefs of Flanders daughter of Radulph 
 Count of Vermandois, and was a great addition to the 
 French dominions. 
 
 Tiiis marriage was concluded without acquainting 
 the Queen-motncr Adel-atda with it. She was angry 
 at this, as well as at her being excluded the regency, 
 and retired from court to the eftates of fome Lords 
 1 of the houfe of Champaign her brothers. She did not 
 (top there ; but engaged rhefe Lords with her in a re- 
 bellion, and relied upon the King of England. 
 . The King without delay march'd and attack'd Ste- 
 phen Count of Sancerre^Gn& of the Queen's brothers, 
 who hud taken "up arms the firit. He took Chaflillun 
 from him and raz'd ir. From thence he went to Ba~ 
 faume to receive Elizabeth of Haynault. The mar- 
 riage was celebrated there, and fome weeks after he 
 was crowned again at St. Denys with his fpoufe. 
 
 In the mean while the two Kings of England pafled 
 the fea, and having joined the Counts of B/ois and San- 
 ferre, appear'd upon the frontiers of Normandy with an 
 army, ui ider pretence of defending an oppreilea Queen. 
 
 The King and the Count of Flanders advanced to- 
 wards them with their troops. .Th^ good order and 
 
 difpo-
 
 PHILIP AUGUSTUS. 407 
 
 difpofition of their army made the King of EtgJa#J An.iiSo. 
 confent to a conference which was Held between v^- v ~ v ^' 
 Trie and Gifors. An accommodation was made con- 
 trary to the inclination of the Count of Flanders, 
 who apprehended what happened afterwards, that the 
 Queen-mother would fupplant him, if once fhe was 
 thoroughly reconcil'd to the King. 
 
 This Prince confented to let the Queen his mother TkeKin^re- 
 return, and to put her in pofTeflion of all the reve- */**<> ** 
 n ues of the territories which Ihe had for her dowry, 
 as fbon as King Lewis was expired; for he was yet 
 alive, and died a month or two after ; but it was up- 
 on condition that fhe fhould let him have all the 
 caftles or fortreiTes built upon thofe fame territories. 
 
 Some days after the King's death which made no 
 change in affairs, *'///> and the King of /#</ met a- 
 gain between Trie andGifors, and there renewed the treaty 
 of Tvry, made fome years before in the prefence of the 
 Cardinal of St. CfoJoFonntf, legate of the holy See- In 
 thefe conferences the King of England conceived fuch 
 an efteem of the young King, that he carefully culti- 
 vated his friendfhip for forne years after. But the 
 Queen-mother's return to court, and the authority 
 which fhe knew how to take upon her, foon after 
 raifed Philip a new enemy. 
 
 It was the Count of / 'landers himfelf, who being Hffit&u 
 chagrin'd at feeing his intereft leflen by the increafe th *retcis. 
 of the Queen's, made life of fome frivolous pretences 
 to rife againft the King his Lord and pupil. He en- 
 gaged on his fide feveral vaffals of the crown, of 
 whom Hugh Duke of Burgundy was the molt pow- 
 erful. But what furprized the King moft, was that 
 his three uncles, namely the Cardinal, Archbifhop of Monac 
 Rheirns, the Count of Blois, and Count of Sancerre, 
 brothers to the Queen - mother , declared for this 
 party. 
 
 The King, in this confpiracy of his vaflals, not 
 daring to truft himfelf with leveral Lords of his 
 court, did what the King of England had done in 
 the like cafe. He took the Brabanpons into his pay, phin p . i. 
 and made an army out of them. He gave up to their 
 difcretion the territories of the Count of Sancerre, 
 where they got a good deal of booty. From thence 
 he carried them into Burgundy, where he took Chat Ulan 
 D d 4 upou
 
 408 The Htftory ^ 
 
 An. 1 1 So. upon the &/W<Yand made Eudes^ the Duke of Bar- 
 gundfs fon, prifoner. The taking of this young 
 Prince obliged the Duke his father to make peace 
 with the King. 
 
 The party being weakened by this reconciliation of 
 Hoved. the Duke of Burgundy refolved upon an accommo- 
 dation, which was brought about by the mediation of 
 the King of England: but a confiderablc piece of in- 
 tereft foon after renew'd the war between the King 
 and the Count of Flanders. 
 
 Elizabeth Countcfs of Flanders dying without chil- 
 dren, the county of Vermandois, which Ihe had 
 brought .the Count her husband by marriage, ought to 
 have" been united to the crown. The Count pretend- 
 ed, that the late King had made a ceffion of it to him. 
 The King maintained that this cefllon was not made 
 to laft for ever, and that betides he was then a mi- 
 nor. Both fides run to their arms, and the Count 
 of Flanders took the field firft. 
 
 He attack'd Corbie, Senlis, and fome other places, 
 and was repulfcd, He went back again to Flanders, 
 and the King haying got his army together followed 
 him. But as he could not reach him, he refolved to 
 befiege Amiens ; but before that, it was neccflary to 
 make himfelf matter of the caftle of Boves, the ruins 
 of which are to be feen at this day a league and an 
 half off that place. He carried it by affault ; and the 
 garriion, part of which was retire^ into Donjon, was 
 yery much prefled, when the Count of Flanders re- 
 turned again, and appeared in fight of the camp, 
 threatnihg to give battle. But feeing the King deter- 
 mined to fight him, he retired in the night, and repafs'd 
 nt Cmnt f tj lc Somme. He wrote from his camp to the Cardi- 
 S-fjSjp" nal of Rbetms, and the Count of B/ois, defiring them 
 King. to bring about his accommodation with the King. 
 They obtained a truce, and afterwards a peace, upon 
 condition that the Count of Flanders fhould come and 
 ask pardon of the King for his rebellion, and yield to 
 Moved de ijim the county of pratap<jois t dmiens, and the 
 county of Savcerre, The King contented, that he 
 ihould keep Perot-ne, and Si. Qucntin, making a de- 
 claration, in which he flionld acknowledge he held 
 them only by agreement, and that the King (hquld be 
 free to rake them acain when he thought proper, pay- 
 ing
 
 PHILIP Au G u s T u s. 
 
 ing him twenty thoufand livres. It was not owing 
 to young Henry of England, that France did not fall 
 out again with the King his father: but the death of An. 1183. 
 this young Prince put an end to all his uneafinefs. *f e r d '_ de 
 The two Kings had an interview between Trie and Gi- 
 fors, where the article relating to the dowry of Marga- 
 ret of France, young Henry's widow, was fettled. The 
 King of England fome time after did homage to the 
 King for the dominions he held, depending upon the 
 crown of France ; a ceremony which he could never 
 be brought to before ; but the untowardnefs of his two 
 other fons Richard and Geoffroy, who gave him not 
 much lefs trouble than Henry had done as long as he 
 lived, made him refufe no longer to pay this juft duty. 
 
 The King took the opportunity of this peace to root R-,g rd. de 
 out of his realm apnblick peft, which ravaged it on all 
 fides, I mean thofe companies of villains who were call- 
 ed by the name of Brabanpons, whom I have already 
 mentioned. They were then pillaging Berry and 
 duvergne. The King fent an army againft them. 
 They were defeated , and in feveral battles loft be- Monac. Aa- 
 tween ten and twelve thoufand men. They were dif- tiffiodor -; 
 perfed, but not entirely exterminated, for we fhall 
 meet with them in the fequel, fighting under the ban- 
 ners of the two crowns. 
 
 It was at this time that the King had the ftreets of An. 1184. 
 Paris paved, and built walls round the wood of Pin- An:ii8f. 
 cennes. He was obliged to take up arms from time An. 1186. 
 to time againft the Count of Flanders and the Duke of An. 1187. 
 Burgundy whom he fubdued. Excepting this, France The Ki n 
 continued quiet till the year 1187, when the two Kings ^r7/,/p a . 
 fell out again. r ; s , an d 
 
 The caufes of this rupture were the King of Eng- bulldi vMt 
 land's delaying the marriage of his fon Richard, who iSrfvia- 
 was become prefumptive heir to his crown, with Alix cennes. 
 of France ; Richard's refufing homage for the county R s er - dc 
 of Poitou and Guyenne, and the tuition of the young Gu^Neub. 
 Duchefs of Britanny, daughter of Geoffroy the King of J. j.'c. 7. 
 England's third fon. 
 
 The death of Geoffroy, which happen'd at this time, 
 occafion'd this difference. The King of England, as 
 grandfather to the Duchefs and immediate Lord of 
 Britanny, pretended to this guardianfhip ; and the King 
 as Lord paramount maintained that it belonged to him. 
 
 There
 
 410 The Hiftory of FRANCE. 
 
 An. 1187. There happen'd Jikewife fome quarrels between the 
 
 VnT^ King's vaflals and thofe of the King of England, in 
 
 which thefe two Princes concerned themfelves. But 
 
 there was not fo much wanting to animate 'em againft 
 
 one another. 
 
 Cardinal Ofiavian, whom Pope Urban III. had fent 
 into England upon another occafion, , endeavour'd in 
 vain to bring 'em to an accommodation ; and Philip 
 entred Berry, where he took Iffoudun and Grajjai, 
 and befieged Chateauroux, where the King of England?? 
 two fons Richard and 'John were (hut up. Henry came 
 with fuccours, and Philip met him at the head of his 
 army. They were juft ready to engage; but the Pope's 
 legates managed fo effe&ually, that' a truce was con- 
 cluded for two years. The King kept the places he 
 had taken, and the differences were referred to the 
 judgment of an affembly of the Lords of France which 
 was never held. 
 
 After the conclufion of this truce, Richard the King 
 of England* fon gave his father a great deal of trou- 
 ble and vexation. He withdrew in difcontent to the 
 court of France, and look'd for a great deal of intrea- 
 RigorJ. ty to bring him back to his duty. The King on the 
 An nS8. contrar y was fuU of joy upon the birth of a fon, who 
 He hat a "was born on the third of September, and was called 
 /. *.r, Lewis. He gave God a fignal teftimony of his thank - 
 fulnefs by the refolution he took of going to the affift- 
 Ht dtfipu ance of the Chriftians in the Holy Land, whofe af- 
 trmftdc. f a j rs were then in a deplorable condition through the 
 civil wars that were kindled among them, and the con- 
 quefts of the famous Saladin who had made himfelf 
 matter of the dominions which the Chriltian Princes 
 poffefs'd in that country. 
 
 The King publifh'd his defign in the year 1188, but 
 he did not execute it till two years after, upon the ac- 
 count of feveral accidents, fome of which might have 
 made this project entirely mifcarry. 
 
 Gsil. Nenb. It was thought at firft that all obflaclcs were remov- 
 !. ;. c. 25. e( j by the p ru dence of William Archbifhop of Tyre . 
 who being arrived in France gave the two Kings fo 
 moving an account of the misfortunes of Paleftim, 
 that he engaged 'em to put off the dccilion of their 
 own differences to another time, and each of 'em take 
 the crofs in his hand. Richard of England had already 
 
 4 taken
 
 PHIL IP AUG USTUS. 411 
 
 taken it of himfclf, and a vaft number of Lords of An.nSS. 
 
 both nations and the Low Countries imitated the ex- - 
 
 ample of thefe Princes ; but the extravagancy and fu- 
 
 rioufnefs of Richard of England had like to have over- 
 
 turned all. 
 
 ' He declared war with Raymond V. Count of 'Tou- 
 
 hufe upon very trifling occafions, and entered upon 
 
 his dominions, where he made himfelf mafter of Moif- 
 
 fac and fome other places. The King immediately 
 
 took up the defence of his vaflal, and marching into 
 
 "Berry took Chateaxroux , Buzencaisj Argentvn, and Roger.de 
 
 Leoroux. He laid Mount Richard in. afhes, and took Hoved - 
 
 feveral cities and fortrefles in Auvergnc. 
 
 The King of England crofs'd the fea in hafte, to War btt 
 make a diverfion upon the frontiers of Normandy. The * e ""A 
 King march'd to that fide. He took Vendbmc as he 
 went along. The King of England burnt Dreux, and 
 Richard entring Berry ill ufed the Nobility who had 
 declared for the King. 
 
 However notwithftanding all thefe hoftiiities, peace Richard i*. 
 was talk'd of, and even the two Kings met twice to- '*? 
 
 gether ; but at the fecond interview the King of Eng- *f^ /J5~ 
 land was perfectly convinced of what he already fuf- t ker. ' 
 pedted, that his fon Richi.rd kept private correlpon- 
 dence with the King of France. For the propofals 
 which the King made, were moftly for Richard's ad- 
 vantage, and tended to fet him free from any depen- 
 dence upon his father. 
 
 Henry was mortally angry at him, but things did An. 1189. 
 not continue there. The bufinefs was already agreed 
 on. A great numbers of Lords of Normandy, Guy- 
 enne, Anjou and Britanny rebelled in favour of the 
 fbn againft the father; ami Henry had nothing better 
 fo truft to upon this Hidden infurre&ion than- the 
 good offices of John Cardinal of Anagnia, the Pope's 
 legate in France, who omitted nothing to bring about 
 the reconciliation between the two Kings. But Phi- 
 . Up finding the Cardinal very, partial, and feeing the 
 King of England did not a& with fincerity enough, 
 broke off the conference : or rather it was ended by 
 Richard's paflion, who put his hand to his fword to 
 run the Cardinal thro', upon his threatning the King Matth - Pa - 
 to lay a interdict upon, all his dominions. Jr ' Htn * 
 
 After
 
 412 The Htflory ^F 
 
 An. 1 1 89. After this open rupture, the King with Richard put 
 
 t^V^ himfelf at the head of his army ; and having taken fe- 
 
 veral places, befieged the King of England in Mans. 
 
 He took the city by ftorm, and the King of England 
 
 Rogtr de made his efcape with feven hundred men. He rode 
 
 n^jgig ^ to Alenfon without (lopping. The King followed 
 
 England him, and would have hemm'd him in, if he had not 
 
 STiS? been obl 'S ed to have !? one abo ut upon account of a 
 
 river which was' not fordable. He returned back and 
 
 made himfelf mafter of the tower of Mans, whither 
 
 fome Englijh had retired. He gain'd feveral other 
 
 conquefts ; and turning towards fours, he took the 
 
 place by fcalado. 
 
 We ifftrs the The King of England, finding himfelf pufh'd to the 
 
 nche X utmou N nad nothing left to do but to offer the King 
 
 $tM. Carte Blanche. Among other conditions, all very 
 
 difadvantagious, it was concluded that Alix of France 
 
 fhould be put into the hands of one of the fivePerfons 
 
 whom Richard fhould name, that this Prince might 
 
 marry her after his return from the Holy Land, and 
 
 that the two Kings and Richard fhould meet again in 
 
 the middle of Lent next year 1190, at Vc^elai with 
 
 their troops ready to march for Paleftine. 
 
 The King of England demanded a fight of the lift 
 
 of Lords who had aflbciated againll him in favour of 
 
 Richard, whom by the treaty he was to pardon. It 
 
 was fhewed him; and he Was infinitely furpriz'd to 
 
 fee John his fecond fon among them. He could not 
 
 help fhewing his grief, and he laicl his curfe upon his 
 
 two fons, which he would never revoke. 
 
 th , fkg He retired to Chinon, where thro 1 vexation he fell into 
 
 ^J/Eng- a violent fever, of which he died in a few days. He 
 
 tod. was a great Prince, but an unhappy father. 
 
 This death might have raifed great obftacles againft 
 the crulade ; for Richard** intereft with regard to the 
 King of France was quite different from what it was 
 before : but the fincere defire both thefe Princes had 
 of performing their vow made them agree; and after 
 having given the neceflary orders for the government 
 of their dominions, they fet out with their troops for 
 Vezelai. The King committed the tuition of his fon 
 Lewis, and the Regency of the kingdom to the Queen 
 his mother Adelaide of Champaign, and William,Ctt~ 
 dinal Archbifhop of Rheimi, his uncle, Adelaides bro- 
 3 ther,
 
 PHILIP AUGU STUS." 415" 
 
 ther, and had this choice ratified by the moil confider- An. 1190. 
 able Lords of the kingdom. 
 
 The two armies being join'd, they march'd together 
 to Lyons. The King embark'd at Genoa, and Ri- 
 chard King of England at Marseille. The rendez- 
 vous was appointed at Mejfina, where they arrived 
 the one after the other. 
 
 The feafbn being advanced, the two armies win- 
 ter'd in Sicily, and during their (lay, there was fome 
 mifunderftandin^s between the two Kings, and upon 
 fome occasions they were very near coming to 
 blows. 
 
 Philip, before he fet out, had a mind to make Ri- 
 chard ratify his promife of marrying Alix of France, 
 and fent the Count of Flanders to him for this pur- 
 pofe. The King of England anfwered, that he was 
 refolved to live in good terms with the King of France, 
 but that he defired him not to fpeak any more of this 
 marriage to him, that he had very ftrong reafons a- 
 gainil it, and that he conjured him not to force him 
 to explain himfelf. 
 
 This was hinting at more than he faid, and the re- 
 ports which had been fpread of the late King Henry's. 
 familiarity with this Princefs, made Philip eanly com- 
 prehend what he meant. But not thinking that there 
 were any evident proofs againft his lifter's behaviour 
 and honour, he infilled ftill upon the marriage, and 
 would not give up that point. 
 
 Then the King of England told him plainly, that 
 his father Henry had had a child by Alix, that he had 
 witnefTes of it, whofe teftimony could not be fufpec}- 
 ed, and he named them to him. 
 
 When Philip heard them he was but too well con- 
 vinced of the truth of the fa&. He agreed that this 
 affair fhould be ended without any more noife, and 
 that the King of England fhould marry elfe where.' 
 
 Richard on his fide promifed the King, that imme- 
 diately after their return from Palejline he would reftore 
 to him Gifors, and the other places, which he had hi- 
 therto kept, as bein<; thj Princefs's dowry ; and feveral 
 other differences were made up. 
 
 The King fet fail upon the 30 th of March, and af-'An.Ilpr. 
 ter a happy voyage arrived in two and twenty days 
 within fight of Acre, otherwife called Ptolemais, which 
 
 Guy
 
 414 The Hiftory ^ 
 
 An. 1191. Guy ^ of Lujignan, King of Jerufalem, was then bc- 
 V^*Y"N^ fieging, and which the Mahometans for three years had 
 oblthiately defended for Saladin. The King of Eng- 
 land fet forwards fifteen days after the King, and was 
 longer upon the fea, but at laft he arrived likewife in 
 *fe/Acre. the port of Acre ; and now there was nothing to do 
 but to pufli the fiege. 
 
 The King of France after his arrival had already very 
 much advanced the works, and even made a breach in the 
 wall : but according to one of the articles, the ailault 
 was not to be made till after the two Kings had 
 joined their troops. For this reafon the King defer- 
 red the aflault till the King of England arrived. This 
 fidelity deferved ibme return from Richard, but equi- 
 ty and reafon did not always govern the haughty and 
 quarrel fome temper of that Prince. 
 
 A mifunderftanding happened between the two 
 Kings on account of the difpute between Guy of Lu- 
 fignan and Conrad Marquiis of Montferrat, relating 
 to the crown of Jerufalem. Guy of Lulignan was 
 King of Jerusalem only by Sybil his wife, who died 
 before Acre ; and the Marquiis of Montferrat having 
 married Melifattte, Sybil's lifter, pretended that the 
 crown belonged to him in right of his wife. He had 
 the King of France in his intereft, and had angred Hi" 
 chard by refilling him entrance into the city of Tyre, 
 of which he had made himfelf mafter during the 
 troubles of Paleftine. This was enough to make Ri- 
 chard join with Guy of Lufignan. 
 
 At firft they diffembled on both fides ; but nothing 
 was concerted in relation to attacking the place ; and 
 the two Kings were taken violently ill. This canted 
 a great deal of uneaiinefs in the camp ; but it produced 
 the reconciliation of the two Princes, who agreed to 
 put off the difpute about the crown of Jerusalem till 
 after the fiege was over; and as foon as they were re- 
 cover'd they refolved in good eameft to itorm the 
 place. 
 
 The two Kings attack'd by turns ; and it was a- 
 greed, when one made an allault with his troops, 
 the other Ihould guard the lines againft Saladin, who 
 was with an army within fhot of the camp, ready to 
 attack it during the affault. The French made the 
 firll and were repulfed. Albcric Clement, to whom 
 
 our
 
 PHILIP AUGUSTUS. 415 
 
 bur modern hiftorians give the title of Marefchal of An. 1191. 
 France *, and our ancient hiftorian only the title of V^W 
 Marefchal of the King of France, was killed in the 
 attack. 
 
 In the mean time they undermined a tower, called 
 the curfed Tower, the fall of which made fuch an 
 opening in the place, that feveral battalions might enter 
 abreaft. But they chofe rather to have the place by ca- 
 pitulation than ftorm it. They gave the five Emirs, who 
 commanded in the city, to underftand that they might 
 fend a deputation to the two Kings and capitulate. 
 
 Meftoc and Caracas, two of the five Emirs, came to Roger de 
 the camp. And as feveral propofals were made them, Hoved. 
 which were not fo hard upon them as they were advan- 
 tagious to the Chriftians of Pale/line, theydefired leave 
 to go to Saladin's camp to prevail with him to agree 
 to them. Salad'm rejeded them : the Emirs return'd 
 to the town ; and the next night Saladin attack'd the 
 camp, at the fame time that the Emirs made a furious 
 lally. The Sultan and Emirs were repulfed. 
 
 They made a new aflault upon the place, which 
 was again bravely fuftain'd. At laft a frefh mine 
 being fprung, and the place being no lefs open to 
 the attack of the Englijh than the French, the E- 
 mirs made a fignal of capitulation : the Marquifs of 
 Montferrat was fent into the town to receive the pro- 
 pofals, and the capitulation was concluded on the surrender of 
 twelfth of July upon the following conditions. J'^ ** 
 
 Firft, that the city fhould be lurrender'd, and that 
 the Mahometans fhould not be allowed to carry any 
 thing out of it. Secondly, that five hundred Chriftian 
 flaves who were in it fhould be fet at liberty. Third- 
 ly, that the holy crofs, which had been taken by the 
 Infidels feveral years before, fhould be returned to the 
 Chriftians. Fourthly, that a thoufand other Chriftian 
 flaves fhould be releafed, and over and above, that a- 
 mongfl all thofe who were in llavery throughout the 
 whole extent of Saladix's Empire, the two Kings 
 might chufe two hundred Gentlemen who fhould 
 have their liberty. Fifthly, that they fhould pay the 
 two Kings for the charge of the fiege two hundred 
 
 f See the larger hiflory upon thii point of criticifm. 
 
 thoufand
 
 416 The Hiftory ^FRANCE.' 
 
 An. 1 191. thoufand befants of gold. Sixthly, that the garriibn 
 V^-y->^ Ihould remain prifoners till the treaty was intirely ex- 
 ecuted ; and that in cafe all the articles were not 
 performed in the fpace of forty days, they fhould 
 be at the difcretion of the two Princes, who might if 
 they pleated put them all to the fword. 
 
 As foon as they were matters of the place, they re- 
 pair'd and new confecrated the churches, which had 
 ferv'd for a long time the Mahometans for mofques. 
 The two Kings divided the town between them, and 
 Drogo of Merlon kept guard upon that part which 
 belonged to the King of France. 
 
 After this noble conqueft, the Chriltian Princes of 
 Paleftine, as well as the Mahometan Princes, were 
 full of expectations of what was to be done with the 
 crulading troops : for the year was no farther advanc* 
 ed than July. All depended upon the two Kings : but 
 they were not kept long in fufpenfe; for ten days af- 
 ter the place was taken, the King of France declared 
 he was refolved to return over fea, leaving how- 
 ever the greateft part of his troops in Palejline. The 
 diftemper, with which he had been feiz'd, had left him 
 extremely weak, and was attended with fome acci- 
 dents which eave fufpicion of his being poifoned. 
 This joyned to the difcontent the King of England 
 had given him, and the little appearance he faw of 
 continuing the war in concert with that Prince, made 
 him take the rcfolution of returning to his domini- 
 ons. 
 
 There cannot be more contradiction than there is 
 between the Englijh and French hiftorians with regard 
 to the behaviour of thefe two Princes to one another. 
 According to the Englijh, Philip was always in the 
 wrong. According to the French, Richard was tne 
 caufe of all the confufion. Fro n whence we may 
 ealily lee that neither of them were equitable. But 
 Philip. 1. 4- be that as it will, Philip fet out, and declared Eudes 
 of Burgundy, general of the troops he left in Pale- 
 jline, to the number often thoufand infantry, and five 
 hundred horfe, who were to be paid for three years 
 out of the royal treafury. 
 
 Hf/d The King of England, before Philip departed, cn- 
 
 Tf* %i'f gaged him to promife upon oath that he would under- 
 '",7' '' ''* ta ^ e not ^' n 3g a ' n ft his dominions during his abfence, 
 " *" ww ~ and
 
 PHILIP AUGU s TUS. 417 
 
 and when they feparated they gave each other great An. 1191. 
 marks of afteclion and eftcem. The King embark'd 
 at Tyre upon the third of Auguft, and landed fafely in 
 Apulia. He paft thro' Rome, where Pope Celcftine 
 III. received him with great honours. ' From thence 
 he went to France, where he arrived about Chriftmas. 
 
 The King of England continued a year longer in 
 Palejline, and the jealoufy he had of his brother John Ri chard, */- 
 and the King of France made him haften his return. As '$%* 
 he cane through the dominions of Leopold of Auftria, the Duke of 
 whom he had affronted at the fiege of Acre, he was Auftria. 
 taken by that Duke, and put into the Emperor Henry 
 VI.'s hands. This Prince, who was Philip's friend, 
 gave him notice of ft in a letter, as a piece of news 
 that could not but be pleating to him. 
 
 He reiblved in fiiort to make his advantage of this 
 opportunity. He enter'd into an alliance with the 
 King of Denmark by marrying his fifter Ingelburga. 
 But what he endeavoured at' with the greateft applica- 
 tion, was to gain John, the King of England's bro- 
 ther. He promifed to alfift him in getting his bro- 
 ther's kingdom, upon certain conditions advantageous 
 to France. 
 
 The treaty was no fooner concluded but Job* did 
 homage to the King for all the dominions belonging Ro fr - d 
 to the crown of England on this iide the fea, and for Hoved * 
 England it felf, as fome laid at that time. He went 
 immediately into England; and having fpread a report j ohn , R-,_ 
 that Richard was dead in prifon, he demanded to be chard's bro- 
 recognized as King : but moft of the Lords continued jjr^* 1 ,? 
 loyal, and he could only make himfelf matter of En^S. 
 fome caftles. \ 
 
 The King on his fide fent into Germany, to declare 
 to Richard, that he acknowledged him no longer for Guil.Neub. 
 his vafTal, and prefs'd the Emperor to put him into 
 his hands, He fent to William, the Senefchal of Nor- 
 mandy, to deliver up the Princefs Alix, who was kept 
 in the cattle of Rouen, and to reftore to him Gifors, 
 and the counties of Eu and Aumale. The Senefchal 
 anfwered, that having recciv'dno orders from the King 
 his matter upon thefe heads, he would not give up 
 What was committed to his truft. But the King hav- 
 ing entered Normandy with an ar'my, made the gover- 
 nor of Gifors furrender the place to him. He took 
 
 Vo L. I. E e
 
 4 r -S The Hiftory of P R AN c E. 
 
 An. 1191. Neaufle, Aitmale, JE, Neuchatel, and fome other 
 places, and came before Rouen, threatning the inhabi- 
 tants to put them all to the fword if they made the 
 
 * leaftrefiftance. 
 
 Rigord. The citizens, frighted at thefe menaces, were ready 
 
 Ro^er de to f urre ndcr, when the Earl of Lcicefter got into the 
 place and encouraged them. The King, who had no- 
 thing with him to carry on a liege of this importance, 
 retired, and went and took the fortrefles of Pacy and 
 ATV, which made no rcliftancc. 
 
 Beyond the Loire, Raymond Count of T'oubufir, 
 the Count of Perigord, and a great many Lords of 
 thole parts rofe in favour of the King, and made fome 
 inroads upon the etiates of thofe who continued faith- 
 ful to the King of England. But he who command- 
 ed in that country in his name, fupportcd by the af- 
 fiftance which Sancbo VI. King of Navarre, Richard's 
 father-in-law gave him, oppofed this infurredion, and 
 laid the country wafte as far as the walls of Tou- 
 loufe. 
 
 In the mean while the King of England's minifters, 
 Queen Eleanor his mother, Gautier Archbifhop of 
 Rouen, and the Pope ufed their endeavours with the 
 Emperor to obtain Richard's deliverance. Several 
 Princes of Germany efpoufed his interert, and he him- 
 felf fent William 'Bifliop of /y, his Chancellor, to 
 the King, conjuring him to lay no obftacle in the 
 way. He even contented that he (hould keep all the 
 places he had taken fiuce his return from Palcflinc, 
 if he thought he could retain 'em with juftice, pro- 
 tefting that he referred himielf to his own confcience. 
 This offer, and fome others which Richard added, 
 made the King no longer oppofe his releafment. A 
 new treaty was made. As loon as it was concluded, 
 Queen Eleanor, Richard's mother, went into Germa- 
 ny ; and the Emperor, having received holtages for 
 the ranfom he demanded for this Prince, fet him at 
 Tht Kig liberty upon the feaft of the Purification. 
 it^^ff Richard fet out immediately for England, after a 
 c*t pfpri- year, fix months, and three days imprifonment, befides 
 
 /<- the little time he was in the EJuke of A^t(lrt^^ hands. 
 
 All that I have here related upon this fubjccl happen- 
 ed between the end of the year 1192, and the be- 
 ginning of i j 94. 
 
 Confi-
 
 PHIL IP AUGUSTUS. 4*9 
 
 Considering Richard's character, we cannot well An. 1194- 
 fuppofe he would heartily forgive the K ing of France for ^"v>-^ 
 a captivity, the length of which at leaf! was .occafloned 
 by the contrivance of that Prince. Nor did Philip 
 expect it; for as.foon as he 'knew that Richard had 
 concluded his treaty with the Emperor, he wrote to 
 John in thefe words. Take care of your felf, the De~ 
 vil is unchain* d: which made him immediately leave 
 England and come into France. 
 
 A fhort time after the King received a letter from 
 Germany, figned by the Emperor, and a great number 
 of Princes of the Empire, in which they fent him word, 
 not in the way of arequeilbutacommand, thathemuit 
 reilore to the King of England all the places he had 
 taken from him; and that if he did not, he fhould 
 have them all for his enemies. The King was very 
 much furprized at the conduct and alteration of the 
 Emperor towards him, but was not much frighted at 
 it, knowing very well that all thefe Princes were moved 
 only by force of money, and that the King of Eng- 
 land had not much to .give them at that time. But 
 judging by this .ttep that this Prince did not ftand firm 
 to the Idt treaty, he entered Narmandy in February, 
 where he took Evreux, which he gave to John of 
 England, keeping the caftle for himfelf. He took 
 likewi&.Newbffyrg, Vaudreuil, and feveral fortieses 
 'upon that frontier, and returned into France. 
 
 Richard in the mean while landed at Sandwich up- *?' atr \ v '\ 
 on the thirteenth of March, and was received with ; " En ' a 
 great joy by his fubjects. The Archbifhop of Can- 
 terbury, at the hend of the Bifhops had already pro- 
 nounced the fentence of excommunication again ft 
 John for his rebellion, and all the places and for- 
 trefles which he had in the kingdom did not hold out 
 long after Ri chard's arrival. 
 
 This Prince having ftay'd only fix weeks in Eng- H f ? cfi '"" 
 land, went into Normandy with an army which he 
 tranfported in a hundred fail of fliips. He landed at 
 Barfleur, and march'd to ISerncuil in Perche, which 
 the King of France had befieged eighteen days. 
 
 During thefe tranfactions, John of England, who 
 correfponded privately with his brother, refolved to 
 purchafe his pardon by a moft flagrant piece of trea- 
 chery. He liirpriicd the ciftle of Evreux\ and all 
 E e a the
 
 426 The Htfloryaf FRANCE. 
 
 An.ii94. the French who were in that fortrcfs and the city he 
 V-'V^ put to the fword. The King, upon hearing this news,, 
 went privately from the camp before Verneuil with 
 fome tioops, and in his turn furprized the Englip iri 
 Evieitx. He caufed all of that natron who were 
 there to be killed, treated the citizens who did not ef- 
 cape in the fame manner, and fet fire to the four cor- 
 ners of the town. 
 
 He go* This hafty piece of revenge made him lofe Ver- 
 
 fe >y*t/!i neti'tl. During his abfence a panick terror fprcad thro* 
 
 his camp, occafion'd by the King of England's being 
 
 Roper, de f near them. The troops fled, leaving their machines 
 
 Hoved. and baggage behind them. Richard being advifed of 
 
 this confusion fell upon them, and enter'd Vernettil, 
 
 which was upon the point of being taken, the breach 
 
 beim; already made in the wall. 
 
 He went from thence to Montmirail, which the 
 JWanfcaux and Angevin* were bcfieging ; but he found 
 the place taken and deftroy'd. Afterwards he pafsM 
 the Loire, carried Loches by aflault, and made him- 
 lelf mailer of fome other places. 
 
 Peace began to be talk'd of, and a truce was negoti- 
 ated, but the parties could not agree. Some little places 
 Philip. L j. \vcre taken by both fides j and Richard having charged 
 the King's rear between Chateaudun and Vendome de- 
 feated it. The King foon had his revenge: he feH^ 
 upon the Englifo who were bcfieging the cattle of 
 fSaudreu':!, cut them in pieces, took feveral prifoners, 
 and remain'd mailer of the machines and baggage. Thfe 
 viciflitude of good and bad fuccefs gave room to the 
 Pope's legate in France, and the Abbat of Cittaux to 
 make a new attempt towards bringing the two Kings 
 to a truce. They Succeeded : the truce was conclud- 
 ed. Each King continued in pofleffion of what he 
 x miu it had, and both promiled to refer their differences to an 
 *** arbitration. 
 
 This truce did not laft to the end of its term, which 
 was the feftival of AH Saints in the following year. 
 Hoftilities were committed on both fides, the two par- 
 ties acoifing each other of having broken the truce, 
 The advice which the King had of a league negotiat- 
 ing between the Emperor and the King of England a- 
 gaintl France, determined him to declare to this Frince, 
 th;rt he look'd upon the truce as broken. HoiHHcics 
 
 were
 
 PHIL IP AUGUSTUS. 421 
 
 Were renewed with more vigour than ever: but the A 11.1194- 
 siews which brought the defeat of Afobonfo the VIII' 1 ' \~s~V^J 
 King of Caftik by the Saracens of Africa, made the Ro?er. d 
 .two Kings .think again of Peace for die good of Ghri- Hoved - 
 ftendom. They had an interview, in which a treaty was 
 projected, and upon this occalion Alix of France the 
 King's filter, who has been fo often mentioned, was 
 .delivered to him again. He married her afterwards to 
 the Count of Pontthiett. 
 
 This was all the confequence of that interview. T " e *% " 
 The two Kings could not agree, and the King of re> 
 England went and laid liege to Arques. Philip march'd 
 to its aififtance. He beat up fome of the enemy's 
 quarters, and terror running thro' the camp of the 
 Englifa they left the fiege in great difordcr. The 
 King went to Dieppe, which he took without any op- 
 pofitlon, and burnt the ftiips that he found in the port. 
 Upon this occafion he made ufc of wild-fire, which 
 he had probably learnt the art of making in Paleftine, 
 or at leaft which he provided himfelf with before he 
 came from thence. But if he brought the fecret with 
 him into h'rance, it was loft afterwards. As he re- 
 turned from this expedition, the King of England pre- 
 pared an ambufcade for him in a wood near which he 
 was to pafs, and killed feveral Ibldiers belonging to 
 his rear. 
 
 At the fame time a company of Rraban$ons, which 
 Richard had taken into his pay, furprized Iffoudun. 
 This brought the war into that part of the country. 
 The King came thither firft, took the city, and befieg'd 
 the caftle ; Richard cajfrieto its afliilance, and encampM 
 very near the King. It was not doubted but they would 
 have come to a battle, and yet this circumftance, con- 
 trary to all expectation, produced a peace. 
 
 The two Kings had a conference together ; and tho* 
 nothing was agreed on as yet, the King of England 
 did homage to the King for the duchy of Normandy 
 and the counties of Poitou and Anjou. In the month An. 
 of December a truce was concluded, and the two An. 1196. 
 Kings promifed to meet at Louviers the month after. 
 They did fo, and peace was made according to the 
 project which was put in writing between Char oft and 
 
 E c 3 This
 
 422 The Htftory ^FRANCE. 
 
 An. 1 196. This peace did not laft long, fo great was the an- 
 
 \^sy~\J tipathy between the two Princes. The King of 'England 
 
 was the caufe of the rupture by his opprelfion of the 
 
 Lord of 1/ierz.on in Berry, the King's valTal, whom 
 
 J7,v~ he ufe<1 in > and whoi " e caftle he m '<?. -P^^> with- 
 'algord!'"' out demanding fatisfadion took it himfelf by force, 
 he befieged /Inmate which kept him fix weeks, and 
 gave Richard time to return from Berry, to feize up- 
 on Nonancourt which was yielded to him for money, 
 and to come to the fuccour of the place befieged. He 
 attack'd the King's camp, but was vigoroufly repulfed, 
 and the town was forc'd to furrender. Philip after- 
 wards retook Nonancourt, but loft Gamache. 
 
 On the other hand the Count of Tottloufe and the 
 
 Guil. Neub. Britons gave the King of England fome trouble. The 
 
 i.j.c. 18,15. Count would not ratify the treaty of Lonviers, in 
 
 which he was comprehended ; and the Britons rcfus'd 
 
 Richard the guardianfhip of his nephew Arthur Duke 
 
 of Britanny, being enraged at him for fdzing upon 
 
 Conftantia the Duke's mother at a conference he pro- 
 
 pofed to her, and they had applied to France for pro- 
 
 tedion. But Richard's Braban$ons obliged Arthur to 
 
 Caflei. Hj/?. renounce the protection of that court , and Richard 
 
 / the Counts came to a reconciliation with the Count of Touloufe 
 
 )U e< by marrying his filler to him, to whom he gave the 
 
 county of Agen for her dowry. So that he was now 
 
 in a condition to unite all his forces againft France. 
 
 Guil Neub. He did more yet, for he brought over to his intcreft 
 
 1. f.c.ji. Baldwin the ninth Count of Flanders, and his nephew 
 
 juii. Arm. ^ ) u ] ce O f Britawny, and by force of money he 
 
 gained the Lords of the houfe of Champaign, Reynold 
 
 of Dammartin Count of Bohgne, and ievcral other 
 
 vaflals of the crown. 
 
 An. 1 1 97. And now Richard thought himfelf fo much matter 
 x of his enemy, that he look'd upon the taking Paris as 
 
 a thing that could not fail, inlbmuch that he divided 
 the neighbouring lands beforehand amongft the allies, 
 and even the ftteets of this capital which he promis'd 
 to give them in fief; but his fuccefs fell very far fhort 
 of his expectations. 
 
 R'ubaril feii'd upon feveral fortrefTes in Auvergne 
 imd Berry. He took Dangu upon the frontiers of 
 the Norman Vcxiv, but the King retook it fhortly af- 
 ter, In July a skirniiili liappeiicd which was memo- 
 rable
 
 PHILIP AUGUSTUS. -423 
 
 rable for the intrepidity that Philip fhewed. He was come An. 
 
 out of Mante to go toGifors, accompanied only with O^ 
 
 two hundred horfe. He met in the road very near Gifors v^p'* > 
 
 the King of England followed by fifteen hundred tre f' d!t y- 
 
 men, by troops of "his vafTals, and a great number of 
 
 Brabanfons. The Lord of Mauvoijin advifed him to 
 
 return, coniidering the inequality of the enemies forces 
 
 and his own. Upon this propofal the King looking 
 
 with indignation on him who made it ; I, fays he, go Gull. Arm. 
 
 back, and fly from the fight of the King of England'*. 
 
 I'll not do it. Whoever has a mind, let him follow 
 
 me, and \vith me either die or conquer glorioufly. 
 
 Then marching furioufly upon the enemies iquadrons, 
 
 he broke thro' them with his own ; and throwing down 
 
 all that came before him, he got to Gifors by one of 
 
 the moft happy pieces of prefumption that was ever leen, 
 
 but could not hinder the Englijh from taking leveral 
 
 of his people prifoners. 
 
 But what difquieted the King more than all the reft, cuii. Neub: 
 was what palled in Flanders. Baldwin committed ! 5- c. 31. 
 great ravages there upon the territories of France. He 
 had taken St. Omers, dyre, Douay, and was then be- 
 lieging Arras. The King upon this news march'd to 
 that tide with an army. The Count raifed the fiege 
 to go and fortify himfelf in his own dominions. The 
 King followed him with more heat than caution, leav- 
 ing feveral rivers behind him without guarding the 
 bridges. The Count of Flanders took poileliion of 
 them, broke them, by this means cut off his provisions, 
 and made his retreat very dangerous. The King, find- The Kin* ; a 
 ing himfelf in fo great danger, thought that without *v. 
 (landing too much upon the point of honour, it would 
 be prudent in him to make the firft advances towards 
 a reconciliation with the Count. They came to an 
 accommodation ; and the Count, from being this Prince's 
 enemy, became tiie mediator between him and the King 
 of England: a truce was concluded for a year; but at Roger <fe 
 the end of that term the war broke out with more vio- Hoved. 
 lence than before. 
 
 The King was beaten by Richard m two fights, one An.npS. 
 near l-'ernon, and the other between Mante and Gifors. 
 He had like to have been killed in this fecond over- izej^ f ia 
 throw, for when he was upon the bridge of Gifors **&<* *&**. 
 over the river Epte t followed by the running crowd 
 E e 4 whom
 
 4^4 
 
 An. 1 1 98. whom the Englijh clofely perfued, the bridge broke. 
 ^^V"^ The King fell into the river, and would have been 
 drown'd, as many others were, if he had not had im- 
 mediate affiftance. 
 
 An.H99. Pope Innocent III. lately raifed to the chair of St. 
 Pct-r, beheld with a great deal of grief thefe two 
 Princes thus exafpcratcd againft each other. He fcnt 
 Cardinal Peter of Capaa into France to reconcile 
 them, and he found them pretty well difpofed to hearken 
 to him. At length he got them to conclude a truce 
 for five years. A fhort time after he propofed to them 
 to make a lading peace, and after having conferred 
 witji them he drew up a plan of it. Richard put off 
 examining it till after a journey he was to take into 
 Poitox. But 'he never return'd, for he loft his life 
 there in the manner I am going to relate. 
 
 Ay mar Vifcount of Limoges had found a rich trea- 
 fure in his territories. He prcfented part of it to 
 Richard, who would have the whole, pretending it 
 belonged to him as Lord Paramount. The Vifcount 
 refus'd it. And upon this Richard march'd and be^ 
 fieged the c.iftle of Chains, which belonged to the Vif- 
 count. 
 
 Ab he was taking a nearer view of it, attended by 
 Marcadc head of the Brabanfons, an archer belonging 
 to the garrifon, called Bertrand of Gourdon, let fly an 
 arrow that Itruck him in the arm. The wound dan- 
 gerous of itfelf became mortal thro* the ignorance of 
 the furgeon. 
 
 Rithard however ordered the caftle to be ftormed, 
 and it was carried. He commanded that all thofe 
 iii ould be hanged, who were taken in it; except him, 
 who had wounded him, referring him probably, fays 
 theEngliJb hirtorian, for fome fevcrer punilliment. 
 
 When at the end of fome days his recovery was de- 
 fpaired of, he fent for Goxrdon to come to him, and 
 fpoke thus to him : Wretch, what have I done to thee 
 t'> make thee kill me ? What have you done to me ! 
 calmly replyed Gourdon t /'// tell you-, Tou hare killed 
 my father and my two brothers -with your oiun hand, 
 and you intended to hang me. I am now in your 
 power : you may be revenged of me as you. pleafe. I 
 am ready to fuffer the Jaarpefl torments, provided I 
 may bavf the fltafun of hearing that you die by my 
 
 TV #* f 
 England 
 
 Roger de 
 Hovei
 
 PHILIP AUGUSTUS. 
 
 band, you, who have done fo much mi f chief in !a$ 
 world. 
 
 Upon Gourdons, fpeaking in this manner, he was loaded 
 with chains . But Richard commanded them to be taken 
 off, and only faid thefe two words to him : friend, 
 I forgive you my death. He order'd him to be fet at 
 liberty, and gave him a fum of money with leave to 
 go where he pleafed : but he* was feized without the 
 King's knowledge by Marcadc, who had him flead 
 alive, and afterwards hanged as foon as the Prince 
 expired. 
 
 Richard died of his wound upon the fixth of April. *?* 
 This laft aft of Chriftian generofity towards him, who c A 
 had been the caufe of his death, was in its kind the 
 nobleft of his life, and capable of obtaining God's mer- 
 cy for the great fins he had been guilty of. Impurity, 
 .cruelty, avarice and ambition were the faults which 
 the hiltorians of his own nation, who have been the 
 moft favourable to him, reproach him with. His cou- 
 rage and intrepidity, gave him the furname of Heart of 
 a Lion. He had joyned to that a great deal of expe- 
 rience and skill in war, and there is fome reafon to 
 doubt at lead whether without his death the reign of 
 Philip Auguftus would have been fo glorious and vic- 
 torious as it was afterwards ; fo true it is, that parti- 
 cular circumfhmces and junctures contribute no left 
 to the making of heroes than their virtues them- 
 felves. 
 
 When Richard^ died, he declared his brother John 
 heir to his dominions, and his fucceflbr to the crown 
 of England. Arthur Duke of Britavny his nephew 
 feiz'd upon Anjou, Tourain, Maine, and the Nobility 
 of thofe countries recognized him for their Lord , as 
 rcprefenting Geoffroy, his father Richard's younger bro- 
 ther, but elder than John. Conftantia his mother put 
 herfclf and him under Philip's protection ; and to 
 fhew what confidence flic placed in him, flie fent this 
 young Prince to him to be educated with Prince 
 Lewis. 
 
 The King, after Richards death, not thinking him- 
 felf any longer obliged to keep the truce, feized upon }g h 
 Evreux and all the county, traverft Normandy, ravag- Engla 
 ing it as far as Mans, and placed French governours 
 in all the cities and fortrefies of Maine, Anjov, and 
 'J'ourain. On
 
 The Hiftory ^FRANCE. 
 
 On the other hand the new King of England, afiiir- 
 ed by the Count of Flanders, took Mam and raz'd its 
 walls. The war was carried on with various fuccefs. 
 
 The Cardinal of Capua, obtain'd a ceflation of anus 
 for fome months. But he had another affair to treat 
 about with the King, which was no lefs difficult to ma- 
 nage than this. 
 
 3*K- I faid, that in 1193. tne King married Ingelburga^ 
 ^"mir. el- ^ er to Canute King of Denmark. This Princefs was 
 fiS^r. nj:e " beautiful, and a woman of a great deal of honour. 
 Notwithstanding this, the day after his marriage Philip 
 refolv'd to be divorc'd from her. The true reafon of 
 this behaviour was never known, and it feem'd fo fur- 
 prizing, that among the people it was afcribed to fome 
 Rigord. witchcraft. The King had recourfe to the ufual pre- 
 Guil. Neub. tence> w hich was affinity withiri the prohibited degree. 
 Pope Celefline III. named commilTioners to examine in- 
 to the faia. They gave judgment in favour of the 
 King, and the marriage was declar'd null by the Arch- 
 bifhop of Rheims. 
 
 The King of Denmark complained of this to the 
 
 Pope, but things remained in fulpence till the year 
 
 Seme tail her 1196, when the King married Agnes daughter of Ber r 
 
 Mai y- tbold II. Duke of bobemia and Merania. The King 
 
 of Denmark being exafperatcd at this new affront, 
 
 made more preffing inftanccs upon this affair, and gave 
 
 his miniilers an ample confutation of the genealogy by 
 
 which they had endeavoured to prove the affinity of 
 
 Philip witn Ingelbtirga. 
 
 The Pope fent two legates into France to examine 
 ^is mattcr oyer a g a ' n i but the difficulties which they 
 found, or pretended to rind in fo nice a point, hinder'd 
 them from determining any thing. Innocent III. who 
 fucceeded Celeftine two years after, was abfolutely re- 
 folv'd that the thing fhould be thoroughly enquired into, 
 being pcrfuaded that ralie declarations had been fent from 
 France to Rome . The matter was examined in France 
 in feveral councils, in which the King loft his caufe; 
 and upon his refuting to fubmttta the judgment of the 
 council held at Vienne, an interdict was laid on his 
 dominions, and obfrrved in fcvcral diocefTcs. 
 MO .-I,IK The King, being very much chagrined and embarrafs'd, 
 demanded time and a new examination, and obtain'd 
 it. A council met at tirij/btts, where the cafe was ar-
 
 PHILIP AUGUSTUS. 427 
 
 gued by the King of Denmark's Lawyers andthofe of An. 1199. 
 the Kin of France: But when this Prince found that V>*w> 
 
 matters went againft him, he fent to the legates and 
 council to tell them, that they might fpare themfelves " 
 the pains of a long examination, for that he had taken 
 the Queen again, and acknowledged her for his wife. 
 Thus, adds our hiilorian, did the King deliver himfelf 
 out of the hands of the Romans, without fubmitting to 
 their judgment. 
 
 During the courfe of this negotiation, fome others Monachus 
 of importance were tranlacted. The Count of Flanders Aquicin#. 
 came to a reconciliation with the King-, and yielded to S^'"^ 
 
 _,-, , . . + t i M.O, de Phi- 
 
 him occidental France, that is, the places which at -pre- lippeAu- 
 fent make the county o? Artois, excepting Aife and S. gu'te. 
 Omer, and a few other places. This canton of Flan- 
 ders was then creeled into a county , and the King 
 made his fon Lewis the rlrft Count of it. 
 
 This peace was fucceeded by that which was made ^ n I2OO 
 with the King -of England. It was concluded on the Peuehmadt 
 twenty fecond of May between Gaillon and AndelL '<* Eng- 
 One of the articles was the marriage of Prince Lewis land * 
 of France with "Blanche of Caftile daughter of Alphonfu 
 VIII. and niece to the King of England. The young 
 Prince, who was then but thirteen years old, married 
 her the day after the treaty was figned. 
 
 For a long time there had been no peace made be- 
 tween France and England that fcem'd fo firm as -this. 
 It was entered into with a particular examination of 
 each party's pretenfions. All things were fettled in a 
 pretty clear manner, and as far as was poflible, every 
 thing was obviated that could create any mifunderftand- 
 ing between the two Kings. It was the King of Eng- 
 land, who gave occaiion or at lead pretence for the 
 rupture. 
 
 Isabella daughter of Aymar Count of Angouleme had New fads of 
 been promifed in marriage to Hugh the Brown Count *"" 
 of la Marcbe, and this Count had even married her in 
 private, deferring to do it in the face of the church till 
 fhe was 'grown to be marriageable. But notwithftand- R 0g er de 
 ing this engagement, the Count of Angouleme, rinding Hoved. 
 the King of England was paffionately in love with his 
 daughter, gave her to him, and this Prince married her. 
 The Count of la Marche highly refented this affront ; 
 and as he was powerful and in a league with the great- 
 
 eft
 
 42S TheHt/lory 
 
 An.iioi. eft Lords beyond theL0/r<r,hegain'dthem to hisinrereft 
 without much trouble, and fome of them rofc in arms 
 againft the King of England. But the fpeedy arrival 
 of this Prince in Normandy with an army difperfed 
 them. 
 
 He refolved to take the advantage of their confter- 
 nation, and cited feveral of them to anfwer for many 
 acls of difloyalty which he fatd they had been guilty of 
 towards him and his predeceflbr. They had applied to 
 the Court of France, that they might be judged by the 
 King as the fovereign of the King of England as well 
 as of themfelves. Thefe fort of requefts were always well 
 received by the courts of France, which gladly made 
 ule of all opportunities of making the Kings of Eng- 
 land fenfible of their dependence upon the crown. 
 However, as mefne-valTals had no right to come be- 
 fore the tribunal of the Lord Paramount, but in cafe 
 their immediate Lord denied them juftice, the King 
 only answered them, that he would take care of their 
 concerns ; and he wrote to the King of England, ex- 
 horting him not to moleft them, but to hear their grie- 
 vances. 
 
 The King of England promifcd he would; but when 
 they defired fafe conduces, he refufed to grant them, 
 and he ufed fo many delays, that the King, to make 
 himfelf obeyed, took the field, and feiz'd upon fcveral 
 'forts and to\yns upon the frontiers of Normandy. 
 
 An.ilCi. In the mean while Arthur Duke of Bntanny find- 
 ing a war would break out, refolved to make his ad- 
 vantage of it. He entered into an alliance with the 
 difcontentcd Lords, and defired the King would be fo 
 good in cafe of a rupture, as to ftand by his right to 
 the fucceflion of the late King of England, as being 
 fon of Geoffroy elder brother to this Prince.' This he 
 had no difficulty to obtain, and the King even made 
 him a Knight with his own hand. 
 * War being thus declared, the Duke of Bri fanny befieged 
 s ' Mirebeau with a few troops. The King of England 
 attack'd him, defeated him, and took him prilbner. 
 He put him into the caftle of Fala'ife, and afterwards 
 
 Matth. Paris, had him carried to the caftle of Rouen. Soon after we 
 
 hear of the young Duke's death, concerning which 
 
 the hiftorians differ in their accounts. Some fay that 
 
 he was poifoned, others that John ilabb'd him with 
 
 3 Ms
 
 PHILIP AUGUSTUS. 
 
 his own hand: and the Englifh authors themfelves fay An. 1202. 
 enough to leave no doubt of his dying a violent deatli V^YN-> 
 either by the hand or the order of the King of England. ^ re a hur ^ f 
 
 The thing appeared fo odious, that from that time ^ by Kr- 
 this Prince was abhorred by the people and moil of da / the 
 the great Lords, feveral of whom forfook him and put ^^ En * 
 themfelves under the King of France ; and fome others,, 
 tho' they continued to profeis themfelves of his party, 
 only waited for a favourable opportunity of leaving 
 him. 
 
 The Duchefs Conjlantia Duke Arthur's mother be- 
 ing exceedingly grieved, demanded juftice of the King, 
 who promifed fhe fhould have it. He cited King John Rigori' 
 to the court of Peers ; and he not appearing was by a Guil - Arm - 
 folernn fentence declared attainted and convicted of the 
 crime of parricide, and of that of rebellion againft the 
 King his Lord, deprived and forfeited of the right he- 
 had to all the territories, lordfhips, and fiefs depend- 
 ing upon and owing homage to the crown of Frace y 
 which were all conriTcated. 
 
 The King taking advantage of this juncture, began 
 to put the fentence in execution ; and with the alfif- 
 tance of the Britons and Poitevins took (everal places 
 beyond the Loire. The Count of Alexfon fubmitted 
 to him, with all the places of which he was mafter. 
 But the King having fent away his troops, John came 
 all of a fudden with his, and laid fiege to Alen$on. 
 He was not there long, before the King having Ipee- 
 dily got together a little body of an army, obliged him 
 to give over his enterprise with the lofs of his machines 
 and baggage. 
 
 From thence 'the King march'd and took Conches, Cmyufit of 
 Andeli, and Vattdreuil, whilft John endeavoured to th^g'f 
 make diverllons in different places, not one of which England, 
 fucceeded, for he quitted all his enterprises, as foon 
 as the French appeared. 
 
 In the mean while the King refolved upon execut- 
 ing a defign which had been a long time in his mind. 
 It was the fiege of Chateau Gaitlard. We may fee 
 the ruins of this fortrefs upon the bank of the^/we, 
 feven leagues above Rouen; and there is enough of it 
 remaining to Ihew us, that it was for its fituation one 
 of the urongeft places at that time in Europe, 
 
 He
 
 45 The Htflory 
 
 An. 12,03. He^attack'd it in the year 1203. and changed the 
 V^VV-/ fiege into a blockade during the winter, and returning 
 An-izcxf to it in the fpring, took it by dorm. This was the 
 beginning of the conqueft of almoft all Nortnandy, 
 which was the confequence of the taking this important 
 place., Falaife, Evreux, Se'ez, Bayeux, Caetr^ Movt. 
 Sf. Michael, and feveral other places of the Lower 
 Normandy coft him nothing almoft but the trouble 
 Of preferring himfelf before their walls. Rouen de- 
 . fended itfelf a long time; but "the citizens find- 
 ing King Jok was returned into England, and de- 
 ipairing of all faccour, furrendred likewife; and by. 
 the lame treaty of capitulation Arques and Vernenil 
 fubmitted. 
 
 Afterwards the King having divided his army into 
 two parts, gave one to William of Roches, Senefchal 
 of Maine, who took Angers and feveraJ other places. 
 And this Prince with the other part of his troops con- 
 quered 'Tours, Poitiers, and Louden. Rochslle, Lochcs, 
 and Chinon refufed to furrender; and as the ieafon 
 was adv.anc'd, the 'King contented himfelf with form- 
 ing blockades before the two laft. 
 
 An.nor. ^ e t00 ^ bottl f them ^ c ^ e P em ' n g or ' the next 
 ' campaign. But fome time after he was obliged to 
 turn to the iide of'Britaxny againii Gu\ of Thoiiars, 
 father-in-law to the late Duke Arthur, who bore the 
 title of Duke of Britanny by his marriage with Con- 
 flantia that Duke's mother. He kept this title and the 
 poffeffion of Britanny, tho' Conftantia was dead. He 
 apprehended, that when the King had made himfelf 
 entire mafter of all the dominions which the Englijh 
 poflefs'd on this fide the lea, he would take this 
 duchy from him, to which he had no other right 
 than what the title of husband to the late Duchefs 
 
 r M A, ave him. For which realbn he treated with the King 
 
 Guu.Arm. o _ f D 
 
 of England, who was glad ot having fuch a refource 
 in the revolution which had lately happened. 
 
 The King being advifed of the treaty, furprized this 
 Duke by entering fuddenly into Britanny, took 
 Nantes from him, and obliged him to defire peace. 
 But he was no fooner come to Paris , but he learn'd 
 that the King of England was landed at Rochelle with 
 fome troops. As foon as this Prince appeared in 
 France, a great many Lords of Poitou joined him, 
 3 aad
 
 PH.IL IP AUGU s T us. 43* 
 
 and among, others Aymeri of Tours, brother to the An.nof. 
 Duke of Britaany , and Senefchal of Poitou. The V.xYN' 
 King of England^ allifted by theft Lords, took An- 
 gers, and laid wade the lands of the Nobility who 
 had not yet abandoned the party of France. 
 
 Philip was not long before he palled ^the Loire .^ An.no6. 
 He ravaged all the territories of the Vifcount of 
 Tonars in the fight of the King of England, who was 
 encamp'd at Tutors himfelf, but never durft come in- 
 to the field. Peace was talk'd of, and a truce was At-nueit- 
 made for two years, at the end of which the war be- rjA? 
 gun again. The French took Parthenat, and fome ca- J^Srfro- 
 ftles which were demoliflied. The Englifo and the Lords, ?x a p u d DU- 
 of Poitou who had, rifen were beaten ; and Hugh of chefne. 
 Tours, the Vifcount's brother, Henry of Lujignan, An. 1205. 
 and fome others were taken, and fent to Paris to Rl ord - 
 the King. 
 
 A new truce was made, during which Pope Inno- 
 cent III. had a crufade of a new kind preach'd in 
 France with the King's confent. It was not againft 
 the Mahometans, but againft the hereticks called Alhi- Crnfadet- 
 genfes, whofe errors had infected all Langttedoc, and /*< Ai " 
 who had at their head Raymond Count of Touhufe the en ' 
 fixth of that name. 
 
 This herefy was nothing but a revival of the errors 
 of the old Manichieavs, with a mixture of other blaf- 
 phcmies. It begun to fpread in the reign of King Ro- 
 bert, who thought he had extinguilhed it in its birth 
 by the feverity which he ufed towards the princi- 
 pal chiefs ; but when a herefy has once begun to take 
 footing in a kingdom, it is difficult to exterminate it. 
 It broke out again in the reign of Lewis the young, 
 and afterwards made fo great a progreft, that they 
 were obliged to have recourfe to the mott violent re- 
 medies. 
 
 Philip Auguftus very much approv'd the Pope's de- 
 fign; and tho' he had great jealoufies of the King of 
 England, and the Emperor Otho IV, he promifed him GuiL-Bric' 
 fifteen thoufand men, and gave all his fubje<5ts leave 1. 8. 
 to lift themfelves under this crufade. 
 
 The Count of Touloufe being very much alarmed, Gail, de Po- 
 caire to the King, whofe vaiFal he was; but he met d) . Lauren - 
 with no other anfwer, only that he advifed him to be c "' c ' r 
 more fubmiflive to the Pope's judgment. He had re- 
 courfe
 
 432 
 
 An.i2.oS. 
 
 t. 
 
 Guil; Brit. 
 1.8. 
 
 Auteur A- 
 nonyme 
 chez Catel 
 J' Hiftoire 
 des Comtes 
 deTouloufe. 
 Simon of 
 Monrtbrc 
 effffedper- 
 fetnalMef 
 opai'.f. the 
 Albigenfes. 
 
 The Hiflory 
 
 courfe to the Emperor, who received him no better, 
 out of the horror he had at his adherence to herefy, 
 and alfo the diflblute and fcandalous life which he 
 for a long time had led. 
 
 The Count not knowing which way to turn hini- 
 felf, and finding the army of the crufaders was ren- 
 dezvoufed, fubmitted to all that the Pope's legate de- 
 fired of him, delivered up to him feveral fortrefTes a$ 
 a fecurity for his word, and received abfolution 
 at St. Giles, with all the ceremonies then ufed, 
 when it was given to excommunicated hereticks. He 
 defired the crofs, and to be put upon the lift of the 
 crufaders, which was granted him. 
 
 By this means he faved his lands from the ravages 
 of the crufading army ; but he did not fave thofe of 
 feveral Lords, his vallals or friends, who being as 
 much corrupted and infatuated with herefy, but more 
 proud and haughty than he, could not bring them- 
 felves to fubmit fo blindly to the orders of the 
 Pope. 
 
 It was againft thefe, after peace was granted to the 
 Count of C iouloufe 1 that the crufaders were to turn 
 their efforts. 
 
 TheVifcounts of Befiers and Carcaffunne were at- 
 tack'd : Befiers was carried by fcalado. All in it was put 
 to fire and fword ; and we are afTured that near thirty 
 thoufand perfons were loft in it. Carcaffonne was taken 
 by capitulation, or, as fome have written, it was aban- 
 don'd by the inhabitants, who made their elcape thro* 
 fiibterraneous paflages which they were acquainted 
 with. 
 
 It was at this time that the crufaders elected a per- 
 petual chief to command the catholick troops, and the 
 choice fell upon Simon Count of Montfort^ who at 
 firft refufed this honour, and would not accept it at 
 laft, till after an ablblute command laid upon him in 
 the name of God, and by the authority of the Pope, 
 by Arttulfh Amauri, Abbat of Citeaux, legate of the 
 holy Sec. 
 
 They could not have made a better choice. Simon 
 was the head of the illuftrious houfe of Montfort- 
 rA-mauri, a great foldier, lively, a&ive, intrepid, 
 wife, and happy in his enterprifes ; and what raifed 
 the merit of his other virtues was that he was as dt- 
 ftinguiilicd for his piety as for all the reft. He
 
 PHILIP AUGUSTUS 
 
 He pcrfe&ly anfwered the opinion which was conceiv- An. 1208- 
 cd of him. He conquered feveral places, cities and ca- S-XV^ 
 ftles ; for this country was full of fortrelles. But that 
 in which his art and skill appeared the moft during 
 the whole courfe of this war, was in removing by 
 his prudence, and the talent he had of gaining hearts, 
 the inconveniencies with which the command he had 
 accepted was attended. The moft troublefome was 
 that the cruladers by virtue of their vow were only 
 obliged- to forty days fervice, at the end of which 
 they were allowed to return home. From hence it 
 came to pafs, that Montfort was fometimes at the 
 head of between fifty and fixty thoufand men, and 
 ten days after had not fix thoufand left ; that the he- 
 reticks chofe this time to retake the forts which he had 
 taken from them ; and that as he was almoft every 
 day changing his troops, he had fcarce time to know 
 'em and employ them in any important expedition. In 
 this manner about the year 1210. he loft in a very An.iiip. 
 fhort time for want of troops near forty towns and 
 fortrcfTes, and he had no more places of confideration 
 left than Albi, CarcajJ'onne^ Pamiers, and five caftles; 
 till the Countefs his wife having brought him fome 
 affiftance he gain'd Ibme new conquefts this fame year. 
 What fupported him was the ftrici union between him 
 and the legates, and the affe&ion which the Count of 
 Touloufe ftill had for the hereticks: an affection which, 
 notwithstanding his difiimulation, he difcovered buc 
 too much, This determined the legates to take all 
 they could from him, and they refolved at laft to de- 
 prive him of all his dominions, and put Montfort in 
 pofleflion of them, defpairing without this of being 
 able to dcftroy the herefy. 
 
 The greateft obftacle they met with in this dcfign 
 was, that Peter II. King of Arragon was in the intereit 
 of the Count of Touloufe, who had married Ivs lifter. 
 
 This Prince above all took it very ill, that the cm- 
 faders had made themfelves mafters of Carca/onu^ 
 which was a fief depending upon him, and that they 
 had difpofiefled the Vifcount his vaflal. 
 
 However the King of Arragon, who was a good 
 catholick, being offended at the infatuation and extra- 
 vagance of the Count of Touloufe, who upon every 
 occafion violated his word that he had given to the 
 legates of the holy $ee, fccmcd to bs gained by Mont* 
 . Ff /**
 
 434- The Hiftory tf F R AN c E. 
 
 An. 1 2 10. fort fo far as to conferit that Carcaffowte tfiould be 
 \^^Y>U given to him, and he receiv'd his homage for that place. 
 He even married his daughter to James, this Lord's 
 TheKjrief eldeft fon. But they were were much furprifed, when 
 lIS> tne king of Arragon a Ihort time after treated about 
 the iturtf the marriage of his fifter with the Count of Touloufe's 
 
 '"*f"* d*"? ^ on ' an< * c ^ e Ie 6 ates > as wel1 as Montfort, began to fuf- 
 
 e ' pec} him more than ever. 
 
 petrusVaL During thefc tranfa&ions a confiderable body of 
 Cemay. crufaders came up, which Momtfort employed in tak- 
 ing the fortrefs of Cabaret, and afterwards Lavanr y 
 which furrender'd at difcretion. He hanged Aymeri 
 of Montreal, who had got into the place to defend it, 
 becaufe it belonged to Giralda his fitter an obftinate 
 heretick, and made fome other examples, fevere e- 
 nough to ftrike terror into the partisans of the hcrefy. 
 The taking of Lavaur was followed by that of C*- 
 fiel-naudari and feveral ether places which belonged 
 to the Count of Tonlotfe. 
 
 Ibid. c. no. Afterwards Montfort befieged fouloufa but could 
 not take it, not having troops enough to hinder fuc* 
 cours from continually coming to it. NotwitMtand- 
 ing this difgrace, Cabors furrendred to him; but be- 
 **^* r ing almoft entirely forfook by the crufaders, after they 
 had finiihed the time of their fervice, and left almolt 
 alone > he loft great part of the places he had taken. 
 
 He retired to Cajlel^nandari^ and was inverted in it 
 by the Count of Touloufe, who at length pulled off 
 the mask. Montfort had but five hundred men in the 
 garrifon. He abandon'd the lower town, into which 
 the burghers received the Count of Teuluufe, and (hut 
 himfelf up in the caille. 
 
 After all he faw very well, that if he was not fuc- 
 eoured he rnuft perifii. For which reafon he fent out 
 Guy of Levi, who was called the Marfhal of the 
 Faith, becaufe he commanded the Catholick troops 
 under Moutfort, and ordered him to get together all 
 the troops he could, and make an attempt upon the 
 enemy's camp. 
 
 Levi being departed found all the country either revolt- 
 $d or in a confternation, and returned without any 
 troops. Montfurt fent him back again with Matthew 
 of marli to the fide of Narbon and Lavaur, where 
 they got fome foldiers together, with whom they 
 c.me pack towards Cafhl-naHdari. 
 
 When
 
 PHIL IP AUGUSTUS. 435 
 
 When they were pretty near, Montfort fent forty An.iiii. 
 Gentlemen out of his garfifon to 'em, and advifed ^XY"^ 
 'em that the Count of Foix was gone from the camp 
 with a large body to hem them in. The Count of 
 Foix. who refblved not to mifs his blow, was after- 
 wards join'd byfomemore troops from his camp, and 
 ranged 'cm at fome diftance from the caftlc, from 
 whence the field of battle could be feen. 
 
 The AWigenfes were thirty to one. But Le-oi and -Battle of 
 Marli were not at all difmayed, and without deli- caftei-nau- 
 berating long march'd up to the enemy. They fell daru 
 with fo much fury upon a large fquadron of horfe, 
 which made the body of the Count of Foix's army, 
 that they routed it ; and the reft of the troops being 
 frighted at this bold aclion took to their heels without 
 ftriking a ftroke. 
 
 In the mean while the Count of Montfort Tallied 
 out with the beft part of his garrifon in order to join 
 Levi; but the Albigenfes were fb foon defeated, that 
 they were already difperfed when he came up, and he 
 had nothing to do but to fall upon the infantry, which 
 Was running as faft as they could,and was all cut in pieces. 
 
 He flayed fbme time upon the field, for fear the 
 Count of Toulouft fhould come up with fome frefli 
 troops and attack Levi; and after having rallied all 
 his men, he return'd with triumph into the caftlc. 
 
 This afiiftance and the defeat of the Count of 
 Foix obliged the Count of Totthitfe to raife the fiege. 
 And Montfort having got a new army of cruladers 
 gain'd fb many conquefts this campaign, that next 
 year the Count of Touloufe had no more places left A 11.1211. 
 but his capital and Montaban. Then Montfort by Cap. 6 + . 
 right of conqueft, and with the confent of the le- 
 gates, joined to the title of Vifcoiint of Carcnffonne 
 and Befiers, which he had obtained from the K'iii^ of 
 Arragm, that of Lord of Albi aiid^^^/, and divided 
 among fome French Lords the caftles and ellatcs of 
 leveral heretick Lords which he confifcated. 
 
 He began to aft as Lord of all the country, and Cap. 6?, 
 called a large afTembly of Prelates arrd Barons at Pa- 
 miers, in which leveral regulations we're made for the 
 refetling of the ftate and religion. 
 
 The Count of Toulutife, feeing his affairs quite ruiii- cap. 66. 
 ed, threw himfclf into the arms of the Kin 
 F f z
 
 t 4 tf The Hiftory of F R A N C'E." 
 
 An.iin, gon, and begged his afliftance, or at leaft his mediation 
 ,V~V' S - / with the legates and the Count of Montfort for feme 
 terms of accommodation. The King of Arragon, 
 \vho had juft gained a great victory over the Saracens 
 in Spaix, in which it is faid he killed a hundred thou- 
 land of thofe infidels, was in great efleem with the 
 Pope. He lent embafladors to him to Ipeak in favour 
 of the Count of 'Toulonfe, and they performed their 
 commillion perfectly well. 
 
 They perfuaded the Pope that the Albigenfes were 
 entirely fubdued ; that the Counts of Foix and Com- 
 minges, and Gajlo of Beam were ready to fubmit, pro- 
 vided they might have their eftates again ; and that the 
 war was continued only for the fake of the Count of 
 Motttfort, who thought of getting himfelf a dominion 
 in that country at the expence of thofe whom he had 
 difpolfefs'd ; that affairs were in fuch a fituation, that 
 there was no longer occafion for foldiers, but only 
 miflionaries to inftruct the people ; and that as foon 
 Cap. 70. as the troops were gone, the country would be fet- 
 tled again in. peace and tranquillity. 
 
 The Pope was impos'd upon by thefe fpecious ar- 
 guments, fo far as to revoke the indulgence of the cru- 
 Jade. But the Biflhop of Camminges and two of the 
 legates went immediately to Rome, undeceived the 
 Pope, and made it appear to him that religion was 
 loft in the country of 'fouloufe, and the neighbouring 
 countries, if the troops were withdrawn. 
 
 The Pope, who lov'd religion fincerely, being in- 
 form'd of the truth, wrote to the King of Arragon, 
 reproving him for his infincerity, and betraying the 
 caufe of the church in favour of hereticks. He or- 
 dered that the war fhould be continued with more 
 vigour than before, and that in all things the advice 
 and orders of the Archbifhop of Narbon fhould be 
 followed, to whom he confirm'd the title of his le- 
 gate. 
 
 In the mean while this unlucky accident had dif- 
 concerted all the Count of Moutj fcr/'s affairs. He 
 hardly received any afliltancc from France, as well by 
 reafon of the revocation of the crufade, as upon the 
 account of the war which the King of England and 
 the Emperor had declared againft tne King ; and this 
 Prince, for thefe two reafons, would not let his fon
 
 PHILIP AUGUSTUS. 437 
 
 is perform the vow he had made of marching at An. 1212. 
 the head of an army againft t\\e/llbigefes. WY"s> 
 
 On the other hand the King of Arr.tgon was pre- 
 paring a great army to affift the Count of T'ouloufe ; 
 and a fhort time 'after having pafs'd the Pyrenean 
 mountains, he laid fiege to Muret, three leagues from An. 12 13, 
 T'oulou^e. 
 
 The Count of Montfort march'd thither with nine 
 hundred men. Thefe were all he could get together 
 to oppofe an arm'y of one hundred thoufand, com- 
 manded by a Prince of very great repute in war. 
 
 I know not whether hiftory affords us a more furprif- 
 ing event than this that delivered Montfort from fo 
 formidable an enemy. He prepared not for a fally but 
 a battle. He went out at the head of this handful of 
 men he had with him, which he divided into three lit- 
 tle bodies. The enemy's army was ranged in three 
 lines, and the Generals fuffered him to come near, in- 
 tending to furround him. He charged that fide where "Battle of 
 the King of Arragon was, and broke through the firft Murec. 
 line ; and that Prince, who was in the fecond, ad- 
 vancing to beat him back, was immediately killed up" Cap. 73. 
 on the fpot. The noife of his death running thro* 
 the lines, this numerous army thought no longer of 
 fighting, but ran on all fides as faft as they could. 
 The Count purfued them ; and if contemporary hiflo- 
 rians may be credited, there were at leaft feventeen 
 thoufandilain. Montfort on his fide had but one Knight 
 killed and a few foldiers. This great vitory was 
 gained upon the twelfth of September. 
 
 After fuch an expedition as this, if Montfort had had 
 an army, nothing could have oppofed him; but he 
 could fcarce brine fifteen hundred men together. He 
 contented himfelf therefore with ravaging the lands of 
 the Count of Foix, and the country about Narbon^ 
 Touloufe, and Montpellter, which were fo far from 
 fubmitting, that they were more obftinately bent than 
 ever to refill him. But at laft the arrival of Cardinal 
 of Ben^vettt in Langufdoc from the Pope, and the ap- 
 proach of a numerous army of cruladers made the 
 Count of Foix, the Count of Commivge^ and Gafto 
 of Beam more tradable. They fubmitted ; and after 
 having given the Cardinal fome of their fortrefles by 
 way of fecurity, he reconciled them to the church. 
 F f 3 The
 
 43 * The lliftory 
 
 An. 1 21 3. The inhabitants of Touloufe begged quarter likewife, 
 \^XY^V an d having delivered up to the Cardinal the caftle of 
 
 which was as it were the citadel of Toulottfe, 
 they obtained their pardon. 
 
 The Count of Montfort employed the new army 
 of cruladers againft the other yaflals of the Count of 
 TouloHfe, and the Gentlemen who kept to his party 
 in Que.-cy, Rofiergne andPerigord. He raz'd moft of 
 the fortrefles which he took, and only kept thofe 
 which might be an awe to the country, in which he 
 put French garrifons. 
 
 After this fuccefsful campaign, and the negotiations 
 
 - of the Cardinal of Benevent, which made the Catho- 
 licks matters of the Count of Touloufe\ dominions, 
 
 Cernayc.8i, a great affembly of Prelates, Abbats, and Barons was 
 held in December at Mcntpellier^ in which they deli- 
 berated upon the choice of a perfou, to whom they 
 fhould commit the care and command of the county 
 of fouhttfe. The Count of Montfort was chofen 
 unanimoufly; but this was not all. They prefled the 
 Cardinal to declare the Count of Toulonfe had for- 
 feited his dominions, and to give the inveftiture of 
 them to Montfort. 
 
 The Cardinal anfwered, that this was above his 
 power, and that he muft have new orders from the 
 Pope before he could do any thing of this importance. 
 Girard Archbiihop of Arabrun was fent to Rome for 
 this purpofe. The Pope confirmed the election of 
 Montfort to the command of the county of 7o*/o#/>, 
 and to receive the revenues of it. But with regard to 
 the inveftiture, he deferred conlidering upon it till the 
 general council of Lateran was ailembled, which he had 
 
 - called to meet in this year 1115-. 
 
 This was the ftate of affairs in thcfe parts, when 
 Philip Augujlas permitted his fon Lewis to go thither 
 to accomplifh the vow he had made three years before 
 of taking the crofs. But before I fpeak of this ex- 
 pedition I muft relume the feries of affairs relating to 
 frastce lince the year 1209, where I left them to enter 
 upon the fubjec} of the crulade againft the Albigenfes^ 
 which hitherto was not fo much a war of the King 
 of France, as a war of the French people. Thefe ex- 
 peditions were performed with the permiffion, but 
 ot by the order of the Sovereign. 
 
 -i Ever
 
 P H i L i P A u G u s r u s, 439 
 
 Ever fince the truce concluded in the year 1208. An. 12,13. 
 cctween Philip /titgiiftus and 'John King of England, v^^wy 
 there rmd been feveral times ground for a rapture be- R 'g rd > 
 tween the two Kings : but they fufpcnded their refent- 
 ments, Philip that he might not hinder the deftrucliori 
 of the Albigenfes, and John by reafon of the trouble* 
 fome affairs he had upon his hands% 
 
 John was at war with Scotland. There were feeds j/arth. Parii 
 of rebellion in Ireland and IVales. The Englifo No* in J ozn ' 
 bility were difcontented, and the interdict which the 
 Pope had laid \\yQ\\Exgland, on the account of Cardinal 
 Stephen Langton, whom John would not acknow- 
 ledge for Archbifhop of Canterbury, perplex'd him 
 very much. As he forcfaw very well, that fooaer or 
 later he fhould be attacked by France, he took care to 
 make allies in the mean time, and brought over to his 
 intereft the Emperor Of ha IV. who was of himfelf 
 very well difpos'd to enter into a league with him 
 againll the King: for P,W//>.had oppos'd his election, Roger de 
 and had even been his competitor for fome time. Hove<i ' 
 Since the election of Of ho he had fupported Frederic 
 King of Sicily, who rofe againft Otho to dethrone 
 him. Thele were the reafons why Otbi fo willingly 
 took part with the King of England againft France. 
 
 In the mean while the Pope being exafperated at March. Park, 
 the King of England's contempt of tne interdict, tho' 
 the Bifhops and people obferved it exaftly, loft no 
 time in taking advantage of the general diicontcnt of 
 the kingdom. He pronounced the ientence of dcpo- 
 fition againft him, declared the throne vacant; and 
 wrote to the King of France, defiring him to take up- 
 on him the care of revenging the injuries done to 
 the church, to enter England, to drive John out of the 
 kingdom, and unite that realm to the crown of France. 
 He publifhed a crulade for this purpofe. 
 
 He granted the fame indulgences as were allowed 
 ta thofe who lifted for the fervice of the Holy Land, 
 and immediatuly diipatch'd a legate a latere, whole 
 name was Pandnlfhus, to haften the execution of his 
 fentence. 
 
 When this news came into England, it was receiv- 
 ed there with joy, and the report ran that the Lords 
 had fent privately to the Kine of France, to afliire 
 him that he might come boldly into England ; and 
 F f 4 that
 
 440 the Hiftory of P R A N c E. 
 
 An. 1 113. that as foon as heappear'd, every body would declare 
 for him. 
 
 Philip thought himfelf obliged not to let fo 'noble 
 an opportunity flip of augmenting his power, being in 
 hopes of at leaft fending the Englijh entirely out of 
 France. He called an affembly of his vafials, Bifhops 
 and Lords to Soijfons, and propos'd this expedition to 
 them. They all approved of it, excepting Ferrand 
 Count of Flanders, who refufed to enter into this war, 
 unlefs the King would put him in poflefiion of Aire 
 and St. Omers , which made part of the county of 
 Artois, 
 
 The Count's claiming Aire and St. Omers were on- 
 ly a pretence to break with the King. The King of 
 England had already gain'd him to his fide by the ma- 
 nagement of Renald of Dammar tin Count of Boulogne, 
 a man of a quarrelfome and dangerous fpirit, if ever 
 there was any; who being fufpecied by the King had 
 made his efcape into England. 
 
 The King ipent a year in making his preparations, 
 and at laft got a fleet together in the Seine confiding of 
 Snd. " Seventeen hundred fhips of all fizes. The rendezvous 
 Mth. Paris, was appointed at the port of Boulogne, and the army 
 which was to go on board was a very fine one. The 
 King of England on his fide prepared to oppole fuch 
 a ttrrible aflault. Heequipt a numerous fleet, and got 
 an army together of fixty thoufand men : fupportcd 
 with fb many troops , there was nothing that could 
 over-power him, if he could have relied upon the fi- 
 delity of his Generals : but feveral of them were in a 
 plot to deftroy him; and he muft have funk, if he had 
 not luckily hit upon another contrivance. 
 
 Pandulphus the legate was a man of temper and an 
 enemy to violent meafures : and the Pope at his per- 
 00 had tn- f u afion had given him full power to accommodate the 
 f*ff ttfr- >n affairs f England, provided he took care to maintain 
 frsfi. the authoriry of the holy See, and the liberty of the 
 
 ecclefiafticks of the kingdom. 
 
 After he had put all things in France in motion for 
 the war, he went over into England, under pretence 
 of feeing himfelf the deplorable condition, to which 
 it was faid at Jiome the church of that kingdom wa* 
 reduced. 
 
 H
 
 PHILIP AUGUSTUS. 44* 
 
 He had an interview with King John at Dover, and An. 12,1 3. 
 knew fo well how to reprefent to him the extreme danger V^OP^ 
 he was in of lofing his crown, that he engaged him to 
 fubmit to all that the i^ope defircd of him; and in anaf- 
 fembly of Lords which was held at the fame place 
 upon theMunttay after Afcenfion-day, he declared that 
 he would fubmlt to every thing that the legate would 
 be pleafed to prefcribe to him. He made a publick de- 
 claration, by which according to the fentctice of the 
 Pope he refigned his crown into his hands, and pro- 
 mifed to pay him faithful allegiance for it, impofing the 
 lame obligation upon his fucceflbrs. He did it upon 
 the fpot, and the form began in thefe words : / John, The *Meit 
 by the grace of God King o/England andLordof Ireland, ,'?<*< W* 
 from this time forth and for ever, will be faithful to %* 
 God, to St. Peter, to the church of Rome, and to Pope Brienne.voi. 
 Innocent my Lord , and to his fuccejjors lawfully 2 7. 
 chofen. 
 
 After this ceremony, the legate return'd into France, 
 and told the King that there was now no occafi- 
 on for making war upon the King of England; and 
 that this Prince having fubmitted to the church, he 
 defired he would disband his troops , afluring him 
 that the Pope would take it very ill, if he proceeded 
 any farther, and attack'd a kingdom which he ought 
 to look upon as a fief of the Roman church. The 
 King, being equally furprifed and provoked at fuch 
 difcourie, anfwer'd the legate after a great many re- 
 proaches, that he would fee what he had to do, and 
 that at this juncture he would take fuch mcafurcs as 
 he fhould think proper. 
 
 He determined in fhort to purfue his defig^ns. He Rigor* * 
 ordered his fleet to fail out of the Seine, and it arrived 
 fafely at Boulogne, where the troops were to embark, 
 but before he crolFed the fea, he thought it would 
 be belt to put the Count of Flanders out of a capaci- 
 ty of hurting him. He entered Flanders therefore, took 
 Caffel, Tfres, Bruges, and all the places there about, 
 and laid fiege to Ghent. His fleet continually coafted 
 along the lide of his army. Part of it came with- 
 in the port of Damme two leagues from Bruges ; and 
 the reft of the (hips which were much the greatcft nun> 
 her, not having room to ride there, remain'd in the canal 
 and at fea. 
 
 In
 
 442 The Hiftory of F R AN c E. 
 
 An. 1 21 3. In the mean while the Etiglijh fleet put to fea. It 
 confided of five hundred fail, and was joyned by that 
 of the Count of Flanders. The Count and the Eglijh 
 Generals learn'd that mod of the Soldiers, whom the 
 King had left in his fhips, were gone afhore to feek 
 for plunder; they did not lofe this opportunity, but 
 came and fell upon the French fleet which they (ur- 
 
 Rigord. prized. They took three hundred (hips, mod of them 
 ^ )ps ^ b^en -fall f ammunition ; above a hundred 
 . others in endeavouring to get away were either ftrand- 
 ed or burnt by theEftgfiJh and Flemings*. They came 
 afterwards with all their fleet to block up the remain- 
 der of the Kings which was fliut up in the canal and port 
 of Damme, and they landed in order to attack the port 
 and fet fire to the (hips. 
 
 The King being advifed of this diforder, raifed the 
 fiege of Ghent, and march'd in great hafte with part of 
 his troops to drive back the enemy. He furpris'd 
 them, routed them, and there were near two thousand 
 men killed or drowned. This advantage was fome 
 fmall comfort to the King, who faw his fleet loft and 
 his defign of. going intoEag/W frustrated, for the ene- 
 my continued to block up the port of Damme. And 
 the King having no hopes of faving the reft of his 
 fhips, ordered them to be unloaded and afterwards 
 burnt, that they might not fall into the hands of the 
 Englijh. He fet fire to the town of Damme, and re- 
 turn'd to Ghent to befiege it again : but the citizens de- 
 firing quarter, the King contented himfelf with the ho- 
 ftages which they gave him. He took fbme likewife 
 from Tpres, and Bruges, and return'd them to them 
 
 cull frir. again for a fum of money. Some days after Lijle 
 
 ! ?. revolted, upon which the King returned back and laid 
 
 k in afhes. He left Caff I likewife after having half 
 ruined it, and preferved none but Douay. Thus ended 
 this campaign of the year 1213, whofe fuccefs did 
 not anfwer the preparations, of which the legate was 
 the only canfe. His condu& gained him a great 
 deal of honour at Rome, and made him very odious in 
 France, 
 
 The King of England having refolved to carry the 
 War into France cowards the Loire, whilft the Count 
 of Flanders employed the French in the Low-countries, 
 landed at Rocbeile in the beginning of Lent the year 
 
 fol-
 
 PHILIP AUG USTUS. 445 
 
 following, and having gained the principal Lords of An.ni4. 
 Poitou to his party , entered Anjou, made himfelf ma- 
 fler of Angers, and feaed upon fome other places of 
 lefs confideration. Thefe advantages of the King of 
 England's were not of long continuance. The King lent 
 Prince Lewis his fon to this fide with Henry Clement 
 Morefchal of France at the head of an army. The 
 Prince march'd directly to an important fortrefs called 
 Roche le Maine which the King of England was be- 
 fieging. The fiegc was rais'd upon his approach, and 
 great part of the Englijh army defeated in their retreat. 
 Angers was taken and raz'd, and the King of England 
 loft all the conquefts he had gain'd : but it was not on 
 this fide, that the enemy had refolved to make their 
 greateft effort. 
 
 The Emperor Otho came with an army into the 
 Low-countries, where he was joined by the Englijh Guil - Brit> 
 troops which had landed there, by thofe of the Count I0- 
 of Flanders, of the Duke of Lorain, of the Count of 
 Holland, and of feveral vaffals of the empire : and 
 Vhen all thefe troops were united together, he found 
 himfelf at the head of one hundred and fifty thoufand 
 men. 
 
 Philip Auguftus, by reafon of the diverfion in Anjojt, 
 had not above fifty thoufand. Being refolved however 
 not to avoid a battle, he advanced towards the enemy, 
 and all his aim was to draw them into an open country, 
 to give room to the French cavalry which was very 
 numerous to fight with the greater advantage. 
 
 After feveral marches and countermarches on both 
 fides, one Sunday, being the twenty feventh of July^ 
 the King having "made his army file off by the bridge 
 of Bouvixes which lies pretty near at an equal diftance 
 from T'ournay and Lijle, was furprifed to fee the Em- 
 peror's army come up in battle array, for that Prince 
 had made a motion according to which he feemed to 
 have been gone another way. The King immediately 
 drew up his troops, and fent orders to thofe who had 
 paifed the bridge of TSouvtms to march back without 
 delay. 
 
 The furprize, the inequality of the forces, the di- 
 ftance of the troops, who had already part the bridge 
 otBouvines, were great diladvantages to the King; but 
 be furmounted them all by his own valour and the skill 
 
 of
 
 444 The Hiftory of F R A N t E.^ 
 
 An.i2i4 of the Chevalier Guarin nominated to the Bifhoprick 
 \*sy^ of Scntis\ for it appears that it was this Lord who 
 drew up the troops in Battalia, and gave the orders of 
 this day. 
 
 rhe batt ie t f The King having put himfelf at the head of the main 
 Bouvines. body, received the attack of the Germans, who were 
 much fuperior to him in number, and gave the troops 
 who had patted the bridge time to return. Part of them 
 joyned him ; but they had no fooner taken the poft 
 appointed for them, but they were charged and routed 
 by the German infantry, which ut that time was the beft 
 in Europe. 
 
 It was then that the King's life was in great danger. 
 A German battalion advanced towards him, broke thro* 
 his troop, and furrounded him on all fides. He de- 
 fended himfelf a. long time fword in hand, tho' he had 
 but a fmall number of Gentlemen about his perfon, 
 and killed feveral of the enemy with his own hand. 
 Tnt K[*n in Galon of Montigni carried the royal flandard ; and 
 <i*nger. * railing himfelf, upon his ftirrups, he waved it up and 
 down without ceafing as a fignal of the danger the 
 King was in, who was now reduced to the lad extre- 
 mity. They attack'd no body almoft but him. They 
 aimed their blows at him on all fides, which his ma- 
 nagement, hisftrength, and the goodnefs of his armour 
 happily warded off, till a German foldier with one of 
 thofe fhort javelins which the old French made ufe otj 
 which had two hooks on each fide of the point, ftruck 
 at his throat upon the extremity of his armour. A kind 
 of collar, which the King had underneath, broke the 
 blow and prevented the wound. But the hooks being 
 engaged betwixt thecuirafs, and that part of the helmet 
 that comes under the chin, the foldier drew with all 
 his force, pulled the King off his horfe, and laid him 
 upon the ground. 
 
 Rigord, The King had the prefence of mind and ftrength to rife 
 
 up again immediately, but could not get free from the. 
 foldier. The Emperor, who was near the place, came 
 thither in hafte to run him thro' ; and the King had 
 been killed without doubt, if at the moment of his 
 fall fome Lords and Gentlemen had not made their 
 way with their fwords, thro' every thing that offered 
 to flop them, and opened a paflage to him. The fol- 
 dier, either killed or driven away, let go his hold : there 
 * ' , they
 
 PHIL IP AUGUSTUS^ 445 
 
 they fought with prodigious fury. A Gentleman, whofe An.i 214. 
 name was Pete r Tri/lan, leap'd nimbly from his horfe, 
 and gave it to the King; and William of Barres com- 
 ing up with a new reinforcement charged the enemy 
 fo furioufly, that he obliged them to give way. The 
 French pufhed them in their turn, and followed them 
 fo briskly that they put them into diforder and foon to 
 flight. The Emperor was no lefs in danger than the 
 King. He received feveral blows upon his armour, 
 and William of Barres laid hold of his body, but he 
 got away from him. 
 
 The battle was fought with the fame obftinacy by 
 the left and right wings ; and viclory, after having hung 
 a long time doubtful, fell at laft to the French there as 
 well as in the main body of the army. 
 
 The moft faithful hiftorians content themfelves with 
 telling us in general, that a great flaughter was made 
 of the enemy, but have not let down the number of 
 the flain, nor of the prifbners on either fide. The 
 Count of Flanders and the Count of Boulogne were 
 taken, and the King was extremely rejoyced at it, be- 
 caufe they were the perfons who had had the greateft 
 hand in forming the league againft France. Philip 
 Auguftufs triumph began as foon as he returned in- 
 to his kingdom, the people running out from all parts 
 to meet him with acclamations and fhouts of joy. 
 
 When he made his entry into P^m, the object which 
 after him drew the eyes of the fpe&ators the moft, 
 was the Count of Flanders, who appear'd there in a 
 kind of open litter expos'd to the taunts and feoffs of the 
 people. They knew, that according to the divifion of 
 France, which the enemy had made before the battle 
 of Bouvines, he was to have Paris for part of his 
 lot. It was laid, that the old Countefs of Flanders, the 
 Count's aunt, having confulted the demons upon the 
 fuccefs of the battle, the magician anfwered, that the 
 King of France fhould be thrown to the ground in the 
 fight, that he fhould be troden under foot by horfes, 
 that he fhould have no burial, and that the Count of 
 Flanders fhould be received in Paris in great pomp. 
 This prediction which was probably made too late, 
 was verified in a very different fenfe from that it was 
 taken ia. 
 
 The
 
 446 The Hiftory ^FRANCE." 
 
 An. 1 21 4. The King, after this fevere piece of mortification, 
 Vx^V^V had him fhut up in a tower called the new tower, with- 
 out the walls of Paris ; from whence he was not re- 
 leafed till the reign of St. Lewis, after the death of 
 this Prince and his fucceflbr, notwithstanding the in- 
 ftanccs and offers which the Gountefs of Flandc rs made 
 for the delivery of her husband. 
 
 Ta'n treftytf The King afterwards march'd with an army into 
 twee h in the Poitou, where all fubniitted. The King ot : Exglaxd 
 
 was t !? en ** ^ art ^ ene " verv much embarrafs'd, and not 
 knowing what to go upon with fafety ; but at the dc- 
 
 ,/Brienne. fire of Cardinal Robert of Corptt he obtain'd a truce 
 for five years. 
 
 Pjmis Vail. The King having thus by his victories fettled peace 
 
 Ceraay. an( j tranquillity in his kingdom, Le-wis his fon had no 
 more obftacles to hinder him from performing the TOW 
 he had made of ferving the church by going forty days 
 againft the Albigenfes. 
 
 Expeditita of This Prince came into Languedoc at the head of an 
 
 Lewis the army, but he met with no enemy in the field. It was 
 not 'however perfe&ly unferviceable, for he made ufe 
 f Jt to oblige Norton and Toulouje to execute what they 
 refus'd to do, which was the pulling down their walls, 
 that for the future they might not be a retreat to the 
 Albigenfes. After which the Count of Montfort fent 
 his brother Guy to take pofTelfion as from him and in 
 his name of the city of 'Touioufe. 
 
 An. 1 21 5 1 . This was the only thing, tho' an important one, 
 which Lewis performed in his forty days expediti- 
 on. He returned to Paris, where they wanted him 
 to treat upon an enterprize of much more confe- 
 quence. The bufmefs was no lefs than the crown of 
 England, which was offered him upon the following 
 occafion. 
 
 Matth Paris ^ ne -E*?^ 7 na d confpired again againft their King. 
 
 in jam. He was forced to take refuge in the ifle of Wight ; 
 and after his flight they had depofed him from his 
 throne. It was after this depoiition that they fent to 
 offer the crown to Prince Lewis. 
 
 Philip Auguftus, after having received the hoftages 
 which he demanded for the fecurity of his fon, and 
 taken all the neceflary precaution that an affair of this 
 importance requir'd, accepted of the offer of the EH- 
 glijh : but as the Pope, with whom he had no mind 
 
 tc
 
 PHILIP AUGUSTUS. 447 
 
 to fall out, had declared for the King of England, the An. 1215". 
 refolution which he took, and which he always after- 
 wards kept to, was to feparatehis intereft from that of 
 his fon, to fcem not to enter into his defigns, and to 
 pretend even to oppofe them upon ibme occafions. 
 
 During thefe tranfa&ions , Gallo the Pope's legate 
 came to the court of France which was then at Lyons, 
 to delire the King in his Holinefs's name not to let his 
 fon go into England, and to exhort him on the con- 
 trary to take upon him the defence of King John out 
 of love to the holy See, to which that King was a 
 vailal. There were upon this occafion very finart re- 
 prefentations made both to the King and Prince Lewis. 
 But the legate could obtain nothing ; and the Prince, 
 whofe army waited for him at Calais, fet out in order An. 
 to embark. He arrived with part of his troops and He arr 
 fleet which a {torm had difperfed, and landed at Tbanet En s !aixL 
 between Sandwich and the Thames upon the twenty 
 third of May. He march'd directly to the King of Eng- 
 land, who was encamp'd near Dover with an army 
 much (honker than his. John confidered whether he 
 fhould ftand him ; but being afraid of being betrayed 
 by his troops he retired to Winchefter. 
 
 After this retreat of the King of England, Prince 
 Lewis hardly met with any refiftance, and moft of the 
 towns fubmitted to him, except Dover in which John 
 had left a ftrong garrifon under the command of Hubert 
 of Bourg. In ftiort he was proclaimed at London King We 
 of England with the acclamations of the people. He c!a ' i 
 went from thence upon the fourth of June, and march'd ^ Engan 
 more into the heart of the kingdom, and except fome 
 fortreiTes which he durft not undertake to ftonn, he 
 was received every where. 
 
 The King of Scotland himfelf did him homage. 
 The dcfertkm was almoft general in John's army, and 
 the Fleming foldiers, who were part of it, went over 
 fea again. The liege of Dover was refolved upon, 
 but they were forced to raife it thro' the vigorous re- 
 fiitance of Hubert of Bourg. That of Windfw fuc- 
 ceeded no better. John took the opportunity while Matth. Paris- 
 
 the troops were engaged in thefe two -ficges, to ravage 
 
 {he estates of fome Lords. But excepting this, every 
 
 thing that Prince Lews did fucceeded. 
 
 In
 
 44-S The Htflory ^/FRANCE. 
 
 An. 1 1 1 6. In the mean time this Prince's envoys at Rome endea- 
 voured in vain to juilify their matter's conduct to the 
 ~"*rf7~ PP C< ^ e P ronoun c e d the fentence of excommunica- 
 y t!on a g a inft him. And as he always thought that Phi- 
 lip Auguftus was engaged in the fame defign with his 
 Ion, he refolved to excommunicate him too, and ac- 
 cordingly fent orders ro the Archbifhop of Sens and 
 his fuffragans to excommunicate him as being an abettor 
 of the rebellion in England. But for all this, feveral 
 Bifhops met in council at Melun, and declared that 
 notwithftanding the Pope's letter, the King ftiould not 
 be look'd upon as an excommunicate. 
 
 The death of this Pope, which happened a fhort 
 time after, deprived King John of a powerful and zea- 
 lous protector; but this Prince died himfelf three 
 months after of a furfeit in the North of Eng- 
 
 Matth. Paris, land. We hardly meet with any one of a worfe cha- 
 racter than him in hiftory. He had a foncalled//e#ry 
 nine years old, whom he declared heir to his domini- 
 ons, and he wrote a circular letter to the Lords, in 
 which he conftituted them the young Prince's guar- 
 dians. 
 
 Nothing feemed more likely to fecure the crown to 
 Lewis than the death of his rival, and yet this contri- 
 buted the moft to make him iofe it. The management 
 of Cardinal Gallo the Pope's legate, the intereft of the 
 Earl of Pembroke Marflial of the kingdom, who had 
 always followed the late King's party, the jealoufy of 
 the Englijh againft fome French Lords to whom Prince 
 Lewis had given governments, and companion for a 
 young orphan Prince, made a great alteration in mens 
 minds; and from that time the people began to be 
 more uneafy than before at the Pope's excommunica- 
 tion of thole who adhered to Lewis, and to make a 
 point of confcience of that which till then they had 
 defpifed. 
 
 In Ihort an aflembly of Bifliops, Lords, and Abbats 
 met at Gloucejler with the legate at the head of them, 
 in which it was refolved to recognize Henry as King. 
 He was crowned there, and afterwards did homage 
 for his kingdom to the holy See, before the le- 
 
 M.mh. Paris gate. The Earl of Pembroke was declared regent 
 ^ the kingdom, and excommunications were repeated 
 every Sunday againft Prince Lewis and his adherents^ 
 
 The
 
 PHILIPAUGUSTUS. 449 
 
 The young King's party increafed every day, and was An.l2i7 
 at laft fo ftrong as to oblige the Prince to grant him a v^-v-O* 
 truce till Eafter. 
 
 The true motives of this truce on Lewis's fide were Rt^timin 
 firft, becaufe Pope Honorius the third, Innocent's fuc- fj'f 
 ceflbr, followed the example of his predecefTor with ^4 
 regard to the affairs of England; and in the fecond Henry. 
 place, becaufe this Prince having for a l n ri ' me re ' 
 ceivcd no fuccours of men or money from Prance re- 
 folved to take a journey thither. He did fo, and this 
 promoted the ruin of his affairs; for during his abfence 
 they corrupted feveral of his partisans, and arnons^ 
 others William fon of the Earl of Pembroke, whole 
 example was followed by a great many Lords. 
 
 This Prince however did not lofe his courage. Af- 
 ter having got feme money and railed fome troops,' 
 he returned into England, and reliev'd Mottntforretl, 
 which the Earl of Pembroke after the end of the truce 
 had befieged, went to London where his prefence was 
 necelFary, and ordered fiege to be laid to Lincoln by 
 the bed part of his troops. But the Earl of Pembroke, 
 having march'd . to its affiftance, furprized the French 
 army, and routed it with a great daughter, efpecially 
 of the infantry. 
 
 This defeat reduced Lewis to the laft extremity. Some 
 iiiccours which were fent him from France were 
 beaten upon the lea. After which the Earl of Pem- 
 broke block'd him up in London in fuch a manner as 
 that he could not efcape. 
 
 The Prince being (hut up in a town in the power 
 of the citizens whom he could not truft, and feeing 
 no appearance of being aflifted,'fent to the legate and 
 Earl marfiial, to tell them that he was willing to fur- 
 render the place, provided he could fecure himfelf and 
 his people, and do it upon fuch conditions as he might 
 accept without difhonour. 
 
 The legate and the madhal had a regard for r, e . v ; s 
 Prance, and had entertain'd a friendihip and efteem for obii 
 Lewis. They oppofed in council thole who were for "? 
 pufhing things to the utmoft ; and in an interview, which 
 both of them had with him out of the town upon the 
 banks of the Thames , they concluded a treaty; the 
 chief conditions of which were, that the Prince fhould 
 furrender the city, that he fhould refer himfelf to the 
 
 VOL. I. Gg judgment
 
 450 
 
 An. i ii 7- judgment of the Pope, that he ihonld ufe all his interef! 
 
 v**V*-' with the King his Father to get the King of England 
 
 Matth. Paris. re ftored to all his rights beyond fea, that himfelf when 
 
 he came to the throne fhould do him juftice upon that 
 
 head, and that the legate fhould abfolve the Prince and 
 
 all his people from their excommunication. 
 
 This lafV article was executed immediately, and a 
 terwards they embraced one another as if there had never 
 been any difference between them. Lewis return'd into 
 London, and put the town into the King of England's 
 hands. He borrowed of fome citizens five thouland 
 pounds ftcrling to defray the expences of his journey, and 
 Ht r f tnn t* with a fafe conduct from the Earl of Pembroke, Earl mar- 
 prmce. foil, he returned to France in the month of September. 
 
 This was the fucccfs of the Englijb expedition, 
 which mifcarried only thro' the apprehenfion of the 
 cenfures of Rome. This was the only reafon that hin- 
 der' d Philip Atiguftus from aflifling his fbn with all 
 his forces. If he had done it, the legate's management 
 would have figuified nothing, and the Englijb Nobility, 
 having been too far engaged to have gone back, would 
 have been obliged to have Hood by the matter they had 
 chofen. 
 
 Hoftilities ceafed between the two nations, and they 
 continued to obferve die truce which had been made 
 for five years before the infurre&ion of the Englijb 
 againft the late King : but as foon as it was expired, the 
 King lent his fon to attack Rochelle, of which he made 
 r/- trtaty it bW mafter. It was returned to the Englijh by a new 
 in "Ibe Kirk's treaty of truce. Lewis, after he came back from Rochelle, 
 library i the made a new expedition againft the Albigenfes, whom the 
 *?ss / death f simon Count of Mwtfwt had reanimated. 
 Br'ienne. ' ' Pope Innocent III. in the council of Lateran had 
 Guii.de po- declared the Count of Touloufe's dominions forfeited, 
 Jio Laur - c - and nominated Montfort Count of 7'ouloujle. They 
 Svrmary of na ^ nly rcfcrved for young Raymond, the Count of Tou- 
 thf Hij-.vry f loufe's Ion, the demefnes which belonged to his houfe in 
 fesf^Sr^ P rovence -> provided that the holy See ihould for the future 
 ," truffF be fatisfied with his conduct ; and even thefe demefnes 
 r/charues. were entrufted in the Count of Montfort's hands. 
 Montfort de- This Lord had no fooner received the news, but he 
 came to the court ff raMC c to demand the invcftiture 
 of the county of 7'ouloufe. The King granted it him 
 at Rlektn, and he was now at the height of his wiflies, 
 
 maftcf
 
 PH i L IP AUG us T us. 451 
 
 mafter of a pretty large dominion, and fufficiently re- An. 121 7. 
 warded for the 2eal he had fhewn for thecatholick re- t^-ys^ 
 ligion; but as foon as he was digirfied with the title of 
 Count of Touloufe, he feem'd to draw upon himfelf 
 the ill fortune which had for a long time attended it. 
 
 While he was at the court of trance, young Ra\- Gull <ie PO- 
 Kiond feiz'd upon all the fortrefles of Provence, which ^ Laur ' c ' 
 belonged to Count Raymond his father, and afterwards 
 took the cattle of Beaucaire in fight of the Count of 
 Montfort. Touloufe revolted, and after having been 
 punilhed, took 'up arms again. The old Count of 
 Touloufe returned thither, and entrenched himCelf there, 
 notwithftanding the breaches which Prince Lewis had 
 made in the walls, and for nine months held out a 
 fiege againft Montfort. 
 
 The day after the feaft of S. John Baptift in the E ? . Honor, 
 year 1118. the befieged made a brisk fally at two PapzadPhii. 
 places. Montfort was hearing Mafs at .that moment. An' 121 3 
 He came out immediately, and put himfelf at the head 
 of fome troops to defend his machines, which were 
 of the laft importance to him to preferve, becaufe he 
 had already brought them as far as the edge of the 
 ditch. He drove the enemy back, tho' he was expos'd 
 to a terrible ftorm of ftones and arrows, which were 
 fhot from above the Rampart* One of thefe ftones 
 thrown by a mangonel ftruck him upon the head, and 
 knockt him down, and at the lame time his buckler 
 falling out of his hand, he was wounded with five ar- 
 rows, and expired immediately. 
 
 Thus died the famous and valiant Simon Count of DeitflBf s - 
 Montfort, the hero of his age, and one of thofe extra- m on / 
 ordinary men, to whom very few can be equalled or Momforc. 
 even compared. 
 
 His death was the prefervation of the befieged, and 
 raifed the hopes of old Count Raymond. The fiege 
 was raifed. Amattri of Mont fort Simon's fon, tho' An. 1222.- 
 very valiant, had neither the reputation, nor authority, nor 
 merit of his father, and could not preferve his con- 
 quefts. The King fupported himatfirft, and even fent 
 Prince Lewis to his affiftance. This Prince tookMar- 
 tnande ; but the forty days of fcrvice being over, the 
 crufaders returned home. Sometime after the old 
 Count of Touloufe died : his fon, more, beloved and lefs 
 wicked than him, brought over to his party many of 
 G g 2 tjhe
 
 4.5^ The Hiftory O/FRAN cfc. 
 
 An.i2,2,z. the Nobility of the County of Touloufe, and retook 
 \^>^T^J almoft all his dominions from Amauri. 
 An.12,2,3- This was the (late of things, 1 when in the year 12,2,3* 
 Gu^Brit Pb'fy Augufttis was feixed with a quartan ague, which 
 1. 13. ri turned to a continual fever, of which he died at Mante^ 
 be*t'h of where he was holding an alTembly of the Barons and 
 * AU ~ P relates f h' s kingdom. His death-happened upon the 
 fourteenth of July, after he had reigned forty three 
 years, eight months, and fourteen days. He was about 
 fifty eight years of age, being born at Paris in the 
 year 1165-, or according to others in 1166. 
 KttiaraBer. He was without contradiction the greateft Prince that 
 had fat on the throne pf France fince Charlemagne. 
 Courage, prudence, application to the enlarging, fe- 
 curing, adorning, and polifhing his dominions,- virtues, 
 the union of which form'd the idea of a great King, 
 met all together in his perfon. Till his time, the 
 Kings of France had been lefs powerful than fome of 
 their fubjefts, to fo narrow a compafs were the royal 
 dememes reduced. But fince him, the royal power has 
 always encreafed, in proportion as the number of fuc- 
 ceffors to thofe ancient ufurpers under the name of 
 Fcitdataries has diminilhed. The conqueft of Norman- 
 dy, Maine,Anjou, Touraiae,Poitou, was there-eftablifhing 
 of the royal authority ; and moft of thofe great vailals, 
 who, excepting homage, aded like fovereigns themfelves, 
 were forced to lay afide a great deal of their pride. 
 Theacquiiition of the counties of Auvergne and A rtois, 
 Picardy, and leveral towns and lands in Berry, were 
 Trttfvrt of the fruits of his politicks and management. He en- 
 larged the compafs of Paris, and had it paved and a- 
 uii. Brit domed in feveral parts. He very much improved the 
 art of war in France by the care he took of getting a 
 great number of good engineers, and incouraging them 
 with large rewards ; and nothing contributed more to his 
 conquefts and to the taking of the ftrongeft places from 
 the Englijh. This Prince's piety and religion appeared 
 from the avcrfion he always had to the enemies of the 
 church. He gave no quarter to the hereticks. He made 
 war upon the Albigenfes, and it was upon the fame mo- 
 tive that he went beyond fea in perfon againft the./kfo- 
 Lo/netans. 
 
 Rigord. The. greateft part of the legacies he left were in fa- 
 
 JSfJ.'o. vour of that part of defulated Chriftcndom. It was a 
 401. cuftom
 
 PHILIP AUGUSTUS. 453 
 
 euftom at that time with the Kings of France to give An. 1223. 
 
 the comedians the cloths they would wear no more; 
 
 he abolifhed this cuftom and ordered his to be given 
 
 to the poor. We find by a monument of that time, 
 
 that he carried his devotion fo far, that once he de- 
 
 figned to retire to the monaftery of C/0y, and if it 
 
 had not been for the Abbat he would have taken the 
 
 habit upon him. He was a favourer of the polite arts, 
 
 and the univerfity of Paris flourifhed very much in his 
 
 reign. 
 
 A natural fon named Peter Chariot, whom he had 
 during his divorce from Ingelburga of Denmark, and 
 who was afterwards Bifhop of Noyon, (hews that 
 with regard to continence he was not without re- 
 proach. 
 
 Philip was of a midling fize, handfome in the face, Rigord. 
 except two little webs he had hi one of his eyes. He Guil - B 
 was very genteel in his carriage; he always Ipokevery ' 9 ' 
 juftly, cxprefs'd himlelf with a good deal of agreeable- 
 nefs, wit and vivacity, and laid a great deal in a few 
 words. He loved his fubje&s, and was beloved by 
 them. I do not find that the name of Auguftus, with 
 which he is dignified in hiftory, was ever given him 
 in his life time. The hiflorian, who writes his life, Rigord. in 
 takes fome pains to juftify himlelf upon this article, 
 and to prevent his readers from objecting to the novel* 
 ty of the title \vhich he gives him : but he deferved it, 
 and it is with juftice that the modern hiftorians have 
 followed this example. 
 
 Bdides Lewis who fucceeded to the crown, Philip 
 Auguftus had likewife a fon by Agnes of Merania of 
 the fame name with himfelf, who was Count of Bou- 
 logne by right of his wife Maud, only daughter of Re- 
 nald Count Dammartin and Boulogne. 
 
 He had likewife by the fame Agnes a daughter named 
 Mary r who married to her firlt husband Philip Count 
 of Haynault and Marquis of Na-mur, and to her fc- ; 
 cond Henry the fourth Duke of Bralwt and thelowei 
 
 G g 3
 
 454 Tfo Hiftory of F R AN c i. 
 
 All.1223- 
 
 w 
 
 LEWIS VIII. 
 
 E may fay, that Lewis the eighth, who had 
 fignalized himfelf fo much in the reign of the 
 King his father, recommended himfelf no lefs 
 during his own, which however was too fhort to give the 
 good qualities he was endowed with time to thine out 
 with all the luftre they would have had, if he had reign'd 
 longer. 
 
 GeQa. Lud. He was thirty fix years of age when he came to 
 vui. the throne, and was crowned upon the eighth of Au- 
 JjJJJjJjf g u ft - Henry the third King of England, who ought to 
 MM*. Paris' have been at the coronation as being a vafTal to the 
 is Hen. in. crown, did not think proper to perform this duty ei- 
 ther by himfelf or by proxy. He fent the Archbifriop 
 of Canterbury to him to demand the reftitution of Nor- 
 mandy, and all the places which Philip Auguftus had 
 conquered, pretending that this Prince had engaged in 
 the treaty of London, before he went out of England^ 
 to reftore them to him as foon as he came to the throne. 
 This was the compliment he made him, inftead of fend- 
 ing an excufe as he ought to have done for being ab- 
 fent from the coronation. 
 
 Lewis anfwered, that he had a juft title to the ppf- 
 feflion of Normandy, and the other dominions which 
 the King his father had taken from the Englifo ; not 
 only by right of war, but likewife as he was fovereign 
 over his rebel vafFils, and that he was ready to main- 
 tain it before the tribunal of Peers, if the King of Eng- 
 land would appear there. That befides the King of 
 England had broke the treaty ^London himfelf; firft, 
 in that he had not reftored the ancient laws of England, 
 nor abolifhed the abufes introduced by his predeceffors, 
 as had been agreed by that treaty. Secondly, in that 
 he had demanded large ranfoms for the French prifon-t 
 crs expreffly contrary to one of the articles ; and that, 
 by thefe important and notorious infractions, he had- 
 himfelf releafed him from his engagements. 
 
 The EmbafTador return' d with this anfwer; and it 
 was cafily forfeen, that as foon as the truce made be- 
 tween the two nations for four years was expired, 
 
 the
 
 LEWIS VIII. 45 5 
 
 the war woulc! break out again with more heat than 
 ever. 
 
 Pope Honor jut the third ufed all his endeavours in 
 rain to get a new truce concluded, and immediately 
 after the feaft of Eafter, at which time the truce end- 
 ed, hostilities began again. The King renewed the 
 treaties of alliance with the empire, and gained the 
 greateft Lords beyond the Loire to his fide, who, ac- 
 cording as their intereft required, joined fometimes 
 with one of the Kings, and fometimes with the other. 
 
 After having taken thefe precautions, he publiflied Hi 
 again the conmcation which the late King had made "F thrKl 
 of all the fiefs depending upon the crown, which had / En 2 Iand - 
 till then belonged to the Kings of England. This was 
 declaring pretty openly, that he was not for peace. 
 
 In (hort he took the field with an army in Jufy, and An. 1224 
 befieged Niort. Savary of Manleon, for want of lac- Gefta Lud - 
 cours, fiirrendered the place by capitulation. St. John Vlllt 
 <P Angela fubrnitted without refiftance, after which the 
 King laid fiege to RocMle. 
 
 The fame Savory of Mauleon defended it with more 
 valour than he had Niort ; but his mon.ey failing him, 
 he was again obliged to furrender. He went over into 
 England, where thzEngliJh who had defended RocMle 
 under him did him very ill offices, and there was an in- 
 tention to make him anfwer for the ill fuccefs of this 
 campaign. 
 
 Being informed that they refolved to feize him, he 
 made his efcape, and threw himfelf at the King of 
 France's feet, who received him with joy, promifed to 
 protect him, and put him into poireflion of all his lands, 
 for which this Lord did him homage. 
 
 Almoft all the native Englijh that were in France H 
 had thrown themfelves into Roche lie to defend it, and 
 by the capitulation they were obliged to retire into 
 England: fo that the inhabitants of the country, find- 
 ing themfelves abandoned, fubrnitted to the King. The 
 Count of Perigord, the Vifcount of Limoges, and fe- 
 veral other Lords beyond the Loire fworc allegiance to 
 him. There were none but the Gafoms on the other 
 fide of the Garonne, who refuled to take the Oath, 
 and Bourdeanx fttll continued faithful to its ancient 
 matter. 
 
 G All
 
 456 The Hiftory <?/ FRANCE. 
 
 An. 1 224- All thefe lofTes rouz'd the Englijh, and united them 
 VxV^-' among themfelves in a refolution to defend what they 
 had remaining beyond fea. They fet out a fleet under 
 the management of the Earl of Salisbury, and under 
 the command of Richard the King of England's younger 
 brother, to whom that Prince gave the title of Count 
 of Poitou. Upon the arrival of the fleet, feveral Lords 
 of the country came and offer'd their fervices to Richard. 
 The Earl of Salisbury r , taking advantage of this good 
 difpofition, befieeed Reals, and took it, as well as Ber- 
 gerac and St. Macaire. The Count of la. Marche 
 march'd by the King's orders to the afliftance of Reole, 
 but was furprized and defeated. The French on their 
 fide took fome fortreflcs. This was all that happen'd 
 during this campaign, after which a truce was made 
 for three years. The example of the Lords, who re- 
 turn'd to their obedience to the King of England, did 
 not hinder the Vifcount of Tours from declaring for 
 the King of France. He yielded to him all his. for- 
 tified places, and did him homage for them. 
 An. 1225". The King of England, notwithstanding the factions 
 Matth. Paris. w hich difturbed his kingdom, was not without thoughts 
 of going into Gafcogtte the next fpring; but having 
 learn'd that the Pope's legate had engaged the King of 
 Hem*tei*r France to turn his anns'againft the Albigenfes, he took 
 Sgenfes. courage again, and did not crofs the fea. The King's 
 going to war with the Albigenfes was much more pious 
 than politick ; for if he had not taken this Hep, it would 
 have been difficult for the Ltiglijb to have long pre- 
 ferved the little that was left them on this fide the 
 fen. 
 
 EP- Amal. Ever fince the death of Philip Auguftus, Count Amau- 
 r ^ Motor*'* affairs rew worfe and worfe inLan- 
 
 ffairs gr 
 
 dju'c. 34. guedoc. The King at the perfiiafion of the : Cardinal 
 of St. Angela accepted the offer which this Lord had 
 made the late King, of yielding to him all his right to 
 the county of Toulouse, and he was promifed in re- 
 quital the office of conftable of France as foon as va- 
 cant, which was performed by St. Lewis. 
 
 An.i22<T, The King having therefore taken the crofs in the 
 year 1 226. went upon performing his vow ; but he 
 did not enter upon a6Hon till he had received aflurances 
 from the King of Arragon, that he would not Support 
 the Albigenfes m any manner. The army took the 
 
 rout
 
 LEWIS VIII. 457 
 
 rout oLyot for the conveniency of the carriages and An. 
 equipages, and went down the Rhone as far as Avig- \~^ 
 non. The inhabitants of this place, who had been al- 
 ways ftrongly attach'd to the Counts of Touloufe, and 
 fearing be fides that the foldiers would plunder them, 
 refufed the King the liberty of paffing thro' their city, 
 at leaft unlefs he would come with a few attendants. 
 
 The King being provok'd at this propofal, from which H, t 
 the deputies of the town would not depart, befieged ***/* 
 Avignon. This fiege took him up a longtime, but at Av 
 laft the King took it and m'd the walls. 
 
 In the mean while the approach of the army had of 
 itfelf made feveral fortrefTes, which held out for the 
 Count of Touloufe, furrender ; and Peter Archbifhop 
 of Narbon, whom the King had fent into Langttedoc y 
 managed fo well that all the Eaftern part of that pro- 
 vince, between Avignon and Touloufe , as far as the 
 gates of that capital, fubmitted. The city of CarcaJ- 
 Jbnne fent their keys to the King during the fiege of 
 Avignon ; and even Roger Count of /<?/>, and Ber- 
 nard Count of Comminges, who were always devoted 
 to the Counts of Touloufe, came to the camp to defire 
 peace. 
 
 After the taking of Avignon, the King accompanied Guii. <fe P 
 with the legate enter'd Languedoc, came to Beziers and dl c> > 6 ' 
 Carcaffonne, and went from thence to Pamiers and La- 
 vaur, and afterwards to Alb:. He made Imbert ofBeaujett 
 commander over all that country, and left him (bme 
 troops to defend it, waiting for the next campaign, when 
 he refolved to fmilh his- conquefts. 
 
 He afterwards return'd towards Paris by the way 
 of Auvergne, but was obliged to (top at Montpenfier^ 
 finding himfelf very much troubled with a diljemper 
 which he had kept fecret to this time, and which put 
 him into great danger. 
 
 It was upon this occafion that this Prince (hewed 
 himfelf to be a true Chriftian. Whatever this diftcm- 
 per was, for the nature of it is not mentioned, thephy- 
 ficians propofed a remedy to him which was forbidden 
 by the laws of God ; and notwithstanding his refufing 
 to make life of it, yet they took care to lay a young Ibid, 
 woman by him while he was alleep. 
 
 When he waked, he called for a Gentleman of the Atbnfli 
 bed-chamber, feat the young woman away, and pro- 
 
 nounccd
 
 45 the Hiflory of F R AN c E; 
 
 An. 1 2 26. nounced this noble fentence: that it was better to <//>, 
 v^xV^ than fave bis life by a mortal fin. The contemporary 
 author who gives us an account of this faft, fays, 
 that he had it from Archambald of Boxrbwt's own 
 mouth , who was a great confidant of the King's. 
 This example, which ought never to be forgotten by 
 thole whom God has inverted with fbvcreign power, 
 is as worthy of being imitated as admired. 
 Ms dt*tk. A few days after this great Prince died the moft no- 
 ble death that a chriftian King could wilh for ; a 
 martyr to chaftity, and his fword drawn in defence of 
 religion againft herefy. This happened upon Sunday 
 in the o&ave of All-Saints, after having reigned three 
 years, three months, and twenty four days, and in the 
 fortieth year of his age. 
 
 Some of our hiftorians have been to blame ingivfng 
 him no other character, than that he was the Ibn 
 of one great King and the father of another. This 
 idea is as falfe as ft is injurious to the memory of this 
 Prince. This needs no other proof than to recollect 
 ivhst he did before, and after the death of the King his 
 father ; the defeat of the King of England in Anjou^ 
 and the fpeedy reduction of all the places whicft the 
 enemy had taken on that fide before he came thither ; 
 his expedition and conqueft of England^ which he mam- 
 rained a whole year, notwithftanding the opposition ancf 
 fecret management of the legate, and his wanting thole 
 fuccours which he might reafonably have expefted from 
 the King his rather ; the efteem which he gained among 
 the Exglijh Nobility, which even thofe of the adverte 
 party could not help entertaining of him, and which 
 engaged them to grant him an honourable capitulation; 
 the furname of Lyon which was given him on account 
 of his valour ; the continual victories which he gained 
 during the three years of his reign : all thele particu- 
 lars leave no room to doubt but that if he had lived, as 
 he had already made fo great aprogrefs, he would foon 
 have driven the Englijh out of France, and rooted hc^ 
 refy out of Lauguedoc. We fee nothing in all this but 
 what is noble, nothing but what fuppofes this Prince 
 to be endowed with all the qualities of a hero and a 
 jreat King. 
 
 LEWIS
 
 T 
 
 LEWIS IX. 459 
 
 An. 12 16. 
 
 LEWIS IX. 
 
 H E Prince, whofe hiftory I am going to write, 
 had all the qualities of ap hero, courage, 
 
 He form'd 
 
 intrepidity, and greatnefs of mind. 
 great projeSs. He commanded numerous armies, even 
 beyond the feas. He lignalized his valour upon a 
 thoufand occafions : but what raifes him above the com- 
 mon rank of thofe great men, is, that his own glory 
 was never the motive to his great enterprises. His re- 
 ligion, his ieal for the glory of God and the e;ood of 
 his realm, fupplied in him the place of the ftrongeft 
 ambition, and made him, fho' not a prophane, yet a 
 perfectly chriftian hero. 
 
 He was but twelve years old when he came to the 
 crown. Queen Blanche of C aft He, his mother, was 
 named regent of the kingdom, according to the raft 
 will of the late King, and he was anointed and crown- 
 ed at Rbeims by James of Bafoche Bifllop of Sot/on^ 
 fuffragan to the Archbifhoprick of Rhetnts which was 
 then vacant. 
 
 His reign during his minority was difturbed with a 
 great many troubles. Peter of Dreux Count of Br:- 
 tatmy by his wife, Hvgh of Lufignan Count of la, 
 Marche, who after the death of King John had mar- 
 ried Ifabftla Queen of Evgla/td^ mother to Henry now 
 reigning, and T'htbaud Count of Champaign made an 
 infurre&ion fhortfy after the King's coronation. The 
 Queen regent, whofe prudence, management, rciblu- 
 tion, and courage were the continual preservation of 
 the kingdom during the youth of her fon, was very 
 diligent upon this occalion. She march'd with the 
 King at the head of an army againft the Count of 
 CbatnpaigH, prevented him, furprized him, and obliged ^ n 
 him to lay down his arms, and take refuge in the cle- 
 mency of his fovereign. 
 
 The rebel party being very much weakened by the Nang 
 return of the Count of Champaign to the King's obe- J^ ftt 
 dience, this Prince march'd ugainft the two other chiefs 
 beyond the Lire. He found them better prepared 1 than 
 the Count of Ck&ntaign, burthry madeno cthernfc of 
 
 this
 
 460 The Hijhry of F R AN c E." 
 
 An j 2.2,7. this advantage than to obtain peace upon better condi- 
 V-o>r^-> tions. Thefe firft motion werefo fpeedily fupprefied, 
 that it difconcerted Henry King of England, who had 
 already prepared to make his advantage .of them, and 
 he was forced to make a truce ; for which end he em- 
 ployed the mediation of Pope Gregory IX. 
 Lebn. *. in Matters being thus pacified/ the Queen regent renew'd 
 eod. Diplom. fa anc j en t treaties of alliance between France and the 
 empire , and the Emperor Frederick the fccond and 
 //i?#ryKing of the Romans promifed to make no league 
 with England againft France, She fet f errand Count 
 of Flanders at liberty, who had been kept in prifon 
 ever fince the battle of Bouvines, and he was for the 
 future faithful to the King. 
 
 jomviilei.a. In the mean while the faction was contriving new 
 N - an sLud. d efi g ns - The y engaged Philip Count of Boulogne 
 the King's uncle on their fide, by promifing to have 
 him declared regent of the kingdom in the room of 
 the Queen-mother. Meafures were taken to feize up- 
 on the King in the road from Orleans to Paris; but 
 he was advifcd of it by the Count of Champaign, and 
 MS.chron'.- went to the caftle tfMontlhery. ThePariJians, being 
 Thw. M informed of the danger the King was in, came in a 
 body like an army to take him from thence, and 
 An. 1 2,28. brought him to Paris, giving him a thoufand teftimo- 
 nies of their aifeHon and regard for his perfon. A 
 fhort time after the Count of Champaign was himfelf 
 corrupted by the Counts of Boulogne and Britanny ; 
 and entered into a confpiracy juft like that I mention- 
 ed before. The plot was very well laid : the Count of 
 Britanny rebelPd openly. He plainly forefaWthat the 
 King would march immediately againft him : but he had a 
 private underftanding with the general officers of the royal 
 'troops, who were to deliver him up to him. And this 
 Prince would with great difficulty have efcap'd, if it had 
 not been for the inconftancy of the Count of Champaign, 
 or rather the fingular providence of God which watch'd 
 over his royal perfon to preferve it. The Count was ftung 
 NangiiB in with remorfc of confcience for the crime he was going to 
 vit. s.Lud. comm j t? discovered the treafon to the King, and came 
 himfelf to his affiftance with three hundred Knights, who 
 with their retinue made a pretty confiderable body. 
 
 The Count of Britanny, who expected nothing lefs 
 than this, found himfelf fo engaged that he could nos 
 
 avoid
 
 LEWIS IX. 
 
 fcvoid being taken. He came and threw himfelf at the 
 King's feet ; and by means of the Count of Cham- 
 paign, to whom they were forced to be complaifent 
 at this juncture, he obtained his pardon again. 
 
 Notwithftanding the continual perplexities which the 
 uneafinefs of the great men of the kingdom gave the 
 Queen regent, (he brought about another important af- 
 fair, the fmifhing of which would have been glorious, 
 even tho' the kingdom had been perfectly quiet and 
 eafy. ' She pufhed the Albigenfts to the utmoft by the 
 troops with which (he furnifhed Imbert of Beaujex, and 
 obliged Raymond Count of Toaloufe to defire quarter and 
 fubmit to the moft rigorous orders of the church. They G U IL Je PO- 
 came to a negotiation, and it was concluded upon fuch di La r - c - 
 terms, t\&X.WtUuon of ' Puy-Laurettt chaplain to the ^' * 9 ' 
 Count ofT'ouloufe, when he is relating this fat, fays, 
 that if this Couat had been made a prifoner of war by 
 the King, one of the conditions of the treaty, he made 
 with the Queen regent, would have been equal to the 
 largeft ranfom that could have been demanded of him. 
 
 Among feveral articles of this treaty which were 
 very difhonourable and difadvantagious to the Count, 
 there were two of them very glorious and ferviceable 
 to the realm. The firft was that the Count fhould 
 marry his daughter Jane, then nine years of age, to 
 Alpbcnfo one of the King's brothers. Thefecond, that 
 his whole fucceflion fhould come after his death to his 
 daughter, and Alphonfo her husband and their pofterity, 
 without going to any other of his heirs, not even the 
 heirs of his daughter, except thofe fhe fhould have by 
 Alphonfo. That is, that in cale fhe fhould have no 
 children by this marriage, the county of Tou/oafe fhould 
 revert to the crown, which accordingly happsn'd after 
 the death of Jane and Alphonfu. 
 
 All this was executed in the third year of the mino- 1 
 rity of the young King, to the great honour of the 
 Queen regent, and the confufion of the faction, who, 
 no Conger daring to attack the King, refolved to turn 
 their arms againft T'hibaud Count of Champaign, in re- 
 venge for his having twice deliver'd this Prince rrom their 
 .hands. . . 
 
 The Counts of Britanny^ la Marcbe, and E^ihgne 
 were always at the head of the party : but amongft 
 the Lords who were in league together againft the Count 
 
 of
 
 462 The Hiftory of F a. AN c E.' 
 
 An. 1 22,5. of Champaign there were fbme, who, making their an- 
 
 VxV^^ ger againft him give way to their hatred and jealcmfy of 
 the Queen regent, propofed a way to deftroy her which 
 they thought infallible. It was to corrupt this Lord and 
 bring him off from her intereft, becaufe he was thro' the 
 greatnefs of his power her principle fupport, and would 
 be the moft dangerous and formidable enemy they 
 could raife againft her, on account of the fituation of 
 his dominions in the middle of the kingdo m. 
 
 joinviile l.*. To this purpofe it was necefTary to renew the old allian^- 
 ces he had with the Count of Britanny. The expedient 
 which was thought upon was to marry Tolande the Gount 
 of Brit03t*y*l daughter to the Count of Champaign. The 
 propofal w'as made him, and Thibaud readily hearken'd to 
 it : after fome negotiations the bufinefs was conclud- 
 ed, and the day fix'd for bringing the young Princefs to 
 the monaftery offal-Secret near Chateau-Thierry, where 
 the ceremony of marriage was to be performed. The 
 Count of Britanny fet out to be prefent at it himfelf 
 with all the relations of both families. 
 
 This bufinefs had been kept very fecret, and the 
 King had known nothing of it, if it had not been for 
 the preparations that were made for its execution. He 
 forelaw the confequences of it ; and upon the firft advice 
 he had of it, he difpatched Godfrey of la Chappelle grand 
 Pantler of France to Thibaud. This Lord executed his 
 commhTion with fo much fuccefs, that he made him al- 
 ter his refolution ; and notwithstanding the buiinefs was 
 fo far advanced, he engaged him to withdraw his pro- 
 mife which he had given the Count of Britanny. 
 
 This change put that Count and his partisans into a 
 fury againft the Count of Champaign. They renewed 
 their refolution of making war againft him with the 
 utmoft vigor : but to give it forre colour of juftice, 
 they agreed to declare themfelves fupporters of thepre- 
 tenfions of Alice Queen of Cyprus to the county of 
 Champaign, the poiieffion of which that Princefs difput- 
 ed with Thibaud. 
 
 The Count of Boulogne entered Champaign at the 
 head of an army, and put all tofireandfword. Count 
 Thibaud had recourfe to the King as his fovereign. 
 
 ^ a ?? ius L ' n This Prince fent orders immediately to the confederate 
 
 ' Lords to depart forthwith out of Champaign ; and upon 
 
 their refufal to do it, he march'd againft them with the 
 
 2 troops
 
 LEWIS IX. 46? 
 
 troops he had raifed as foon as he faw this war com- An. 1228. 
 Ing on. The prefence of this Prince which they be- 
 gan to dread, notwithstanding his youth, as yet, difcon- 
 certed them. They gave him to underftand that they 
 did not pretend to draw their fword againft the'r fovt- 
 reign, and propofed that the difference between the 
 Queen of Cyprus, and the Count of Champaign fhoifld 
 be adjufted by a treaty. He anfwered that before every j - inv i'jei.z- 
 thing elfe they muft depart out of the territories of the 
 Count of Champaign. As he march'd along with his 
 troops, they retired, and he followed them as far as 
 Langres which belonged to the Count of Nevers. 
 
 What probably contributed a great deal to this forc'd 
 fefpecl:, which they pretended to (hew their fovereign, 
 was the diverfion which the Count of Flanders at the Chr< And* 
 folicitation of the Queen regent made in the county of 
 Boulogne, the Count of which was forced to quit the 
 camp of the confederates to go and defend his territo- 
 ries. He was exhorted at the fame time to return to 
 his duty. He wrote to the King with abundance of 
 fiibmiflion, and upon receiving alfurances of pardon 
 he came to court. 
 
 As to the difference between the Queen of Cyprus i nve nt. *s 
 and the Count of Champaign, the King decided it af- Char:, t. i 
 terwards, to the Count's advantage. He continued in 
 poffeffion of his dominions, upon condition of paying 
 a fum of money to the Queen of Cyprus. As he'had 
 not cafh by him to pay off this fum, he got it of the 
 King*, yielding to him the counties of B lots, Chartre^ 
 Sancerre, and theVifcounty of Chateau-Dun. Thus 
 the King by this treaty made a great advantage of a 
 war, which he had all the reafon in the world to dread. 
 But it did not end here. 
 
 The Count of Britanny, the author of the rebellion, 
 and the 'riioft intriguing of any who were concerned 
 in it, omitted nothing to bring Henry King of Eng- 
 land to fccond his ill defigns. The irrefolution of this 
 Prince was theprefcrvation of 'France at the time of the 
 laft conlpiracy. It was attributed to Robert of Bourg 
 his favourite, whom fome fufpected of being bought 
 \viih the Queen regent's money. He could not how- 
 
 * The afl of this fale is given us by DH Can*c in his ebfervaiiom upon 
 fte hiftory of St. Ltw* by JtinvMe. 
 
 ever
 
 The Hiftwy of. t RANG El 
 
 An. 1228. ever prevent the King of England from fending fome 
 
 V^xyX-' Troops into Britanny : but they did not come thither 
 
 till after the league was broke, and the Count of Bri- 
 
 tanny only made a few incurfions during the winter. 
 
 Letters of the He was cited to appear at Melun before the court 
 
 Smy. JS~ f P eers > anc * u P on Ws refufing to come, he was de- 
 
 DU cange's clared deprived of the advantages which the King had 
 
 notes t>on allowed him by the treaty of Vendome after his firft 
 
 joinviiJep. ,. e b e iijpn, and in particular of what he had granted him 
 
 in Anjou. 
 
 An.i 2.2,9. After this citation the King left Paris with the Queen 
 regent, and befieged the caftle of Belefme, a very ftrong 
 place, which was put into the Count's hands by the 
 treaty otVendome. They took it and that of iiaye- 
 Pefnel, notwithstanding the rigour of the winter. But 
 Matth. Paris.the Count of Britawty was not difheartened. He went 
 over into England, and engaged Henry at laft to de- 
 clare openly for him. As foon as he returned over 
 fea, he publifhed a manifefto f, in which he declared that 
 he no longer acknowledged the King for his Lord.. 
 
 His raflmefs did not continue unpunifhed. The King 
 
 attack'd Angers, and took it after a fiege of forty days* 
 
 He might have pufhed his conquefts farther ; but the 
 
 private wars, which his vaflals made upon -one another, 
 
 obliged him to disband his army which was made up 
 
 Trufan (f of troops belonging to thefe Lords. During this time 
 
 rc^/char- ^ Q ueen rc gent had a negotiation with the Count of 
 
 SOL 16. ta Marche, one of the moft powerful of the rebels, 
 
 and concluded a treaty with him atC////o; and a little 
 
 after brought over to the King's fide Raymond the 
 
 new Vifcount of Tours in an interview which fhe had 
 
 with him at the bridge of Ce. 
 
 An. 1 2.30. In the mean time Henry King of England landed at 
 Wa::h. Paris. St. Malo with his army; and the Count of Britanny 
 having given him entrance into all his towns, he en- 
 camp'd under Nantes. The King advanced as far as 
 Angers, and went from thence to beficge Ancenis. Se- 
 veral Breton Lords, who did not like to fee the Engltjh 
 '.in Britanny, came and did him * homage. 
 
 -f This aft is given us by Du Cangt in his obfervacions upon Jeinwl- 
 le's hiftory. 
 
 * The a3s of thefe homages are given us by Vigmer in his treatife of 
 Ijlile 'Britain, apd in the treafare of royal Chartres. Laytt. 'Britanny, 
 
 L The
 
 LEWIS IX: 
 
 The King, as we fee by the a6ts of thefe homages, 
 had held an afTembly of Lords and French prelates, in 
 which the Count of Britanny had been by way of pu- 1 
 nifhment for his rebellion declared , deprived of the 
 county of Britanny^ which he poirefied only as guar- 
 dian to his foil John and his daughter Tolande, to whom 
 this county belonged by right of their mother. 
 
 The fiege of Ancenis was Hill carried on, and the 
 place was taken. Oudon and Chantoceaux were 1 ike- 
 wife ftormed without any oppofition from the Ettglijb*. 
 Jt was fatd that the King of England came into Bri- Match. Parisi 
 tanny only to divert himlelf. There were every day re- 
 joicings and feafts at Nantes^ whillt the French were 
 at the gates and ravaged the country. This inactivity 
 was likewife attributed to Robert of Bourg, who was 
 m'll faid to be the Queen regent's pejifionary, and they 
 pretended they had a new proof of it, in the manner 
 of his receiving the offer which fome Lords of Nor- 
 mandy made him of railing a revolt in that province. 
 He fpoke of this project to the King of England as a 
 chimaera^ and it coll thefc Lords the confiscation of 
 their eftates, as foon as the King was advifcd of their 
 plot. 
 
 The feafon being already advanc'd, and diftempers 
 being got into the Evglijb army, Henry carried it into 
 Gafcogne to receive homage from his fnbjects there; 
 He brought it back to Nantes thro' Poitou, where he 
 took the little town of Mirebeau by aiFault. He gave 
 fome troops to the Count of Britaxny, who during 
 the winter took Chateau Gontier, and burnt Pontorfon 
 \\\Nvrmandy\ and being rcimbark'd he landed at Portf- 
 moutb in Oduber, having been at a large expcnce in 
 vain, and loft a great many foldiers and noblemen by 
 ficknefs. 
 
 Whilft the King otJLngland was in Gafcogne^ the 
 Queen regent made herfelf arbiter between the Lords^ 
 who were at war with one another. She reconciled 
 them, and they all promifed her to be faithful to the 
 King. 
 
 The next year the King of E#/Wfecmcd to have An. 123*, 
 
 a mind to make a new att9mpt upon France , but he 
 
 could not crofs the lea for want of money ; and 
 
 Pope' Gregory IX. who preach'd a crufade, got a 
 
 VOL. I. ' H h "truee
 
 466 
 
 The Hijlfity (^FRANCE. 
 
 t! * truce concluded in July for three years between the 
 * two crowns, at St. Aubin a caftle in the diocefe of 
 Rheints. 
 
 And now France began to breathe a little after fo 
 much cohfufion caufed by the civil wars, and the Queen 
 regent omitted nothing to fettle the kingdom in peace 
 
 An.1133- and tranquillity. Before the end of the truce, the 
 King being nineteen years of age , fhe thought of 
 marrying him. She made the propofal to Raymond: 
 Berenger Count of Provence for Margaret his eldeft 
 daughter. The Count accepted this. honour with joy. 
 
 An.1234- The King married the Princefs at Sens, and had her 
 crown'd there by the Archbifhop. 
 
 In the mean while the Count of Britanny was ex- 
 treamly uneafy. The truce was going to expire ; and 
 the King of England had fo much bufinefs on his hands 
 occaiioned by the difturbances caufed by the great 
 men of his kingdom, that he could not fupport him in 
 his rebellions. He had no other remedy left but the 
 King's mercy. He begg'd he would be ib good as to 
 receive fomepropofals which he hop'd he would ap- 
 prove of. They conlifted in giving him Carte Blan- 
 che, provided he would let him have time to get oft" 
 with honour from the engagements he had made with 
 the King of England. Alter having obtained his con- 
 fent, hecrofs'dthe fea, and made application to Henry 
 for an army able to oppofe the King of France. He 
 forefaw very well that he fhould be refufed, knowing 
 that this Prince was in no condition of equipping a 
 fleet. 
 
 He declared then, that fince he was abandoned, he 
 would go and take fome meafures to prevent his utter 
 ruin, and departed from England leaving Henry very 
 
 Matih. Par'u. angry with him. As foon as he was return'd into 
 Britanny, he came and threw himfelf at the King's 
 feet with a rope about his neck, deiiring mercy, con- 
 feifmg that he was a traytor, and declaring that he 
 gave up to him all his dominions and his own perfoa 
 to be punifhed as he fhould think fit. 
 
 Invent Jes The King, being touched with the poftureof humi- 
 
 Wtainy ** ^ at i a ne & w h * m in > ma ^ e n!S J u ft refentment yield 
 
 * The at of the convention! for fcis truce is given IU by Vifnitr ia his 
 {fea.il? of Uttle "Britain. 
 
 to
 
 L E w is IX. 467 
 
 to companion, arid contented himfelf with obliging An. 12,34. 
 him to deliver up fbme rbftreiles for a time, with de- 
 priviiig him of the advantages which he allow'd him 
 in the treaty of Vendume, and with making him en- 
 gage to ierve five years in Paleflhic nt his own cx- 
 peuce. 
 
 This reducing of the Count of Britanw to his obe- 
 dience was a ftep of the lalt confequence towards 
 ettablifhing the authority of the young King : the vigour 
 with which he had acted againft him kept the other 
 great vaflals of the crown in awe; but he was no left 
 careful to prevent the occafions of thefe kinds of re^ 
 volts, than he was diligent in fuppreffing them. 
 
 The alliances which the vaflals made by marriages 
 with the enemies of the kingdom, and efpccially with 
 the Englijb, gave ground to them. Our Kings in the 1 
 treaties which they made with thefe Lords generally 
 put in this claufe, that neither the vafial nor any of 
 his family fhould contract marriage with foreigners 
 without their (the King's) confent. And it was by vir- 
 tue of luch a claufe, that the King hindered itttiib* 
 Count QfPonthieu from marrying Jane the King of #* 
 /Atid's eldeft daughter T and Simon Mentfort Earl of 
 Leicefter, who was fettled in England, from marry- 
 ing 'Jane Countefs of Flanders, and afterwards Maud 
 the Count of Boulogne's widow. His threatening the invent, des 
 Count of Ponthieu, and the Connteffes of Flanders ? hart - '* 
 and Boulogne with confifcating their fiefs, if they did ' 
 not defift from fuch negotiations, hindered them from 
 proceeding any further. 
 
 We fee by this management that the young Prince 
 had made a proficiency in the art of governing, by the 
 good inftrudtions which the Queen his mother had 
 given him. This Princefs gave up the title of regent 
 of the kingdom as foonas the King was one and twenty 
 years old compleat, which was upon the twenty fifth 
 of April in the year 1136. The government was not An.ni 
 altered upon this account in any relpecr, and the Queen- 
 mother had no lefs a fhare in it than before. The 
 good nature and gratitude of her fon prefer; ed he n'n 
 as much efteem, as her title of regent had given her 
 authority. He departed in no particular from her views 
 and the maxims flie had followed; and as long as fhe 
 lived, the truft he hadrepofed in her never di.ninifhed. 
 H hz 1 he
 
 468 We Hiflory of P R AN CE: 
 
 An, 1 236. The firft important affair that he had upon his hands, 
 ^/V^ after having entered upon the government of the king- 
 dom, was occalioned by Thibaud Count of Cham- 
 paign, whofe natural inconftancy would not luifer him 
 to be long at reft. He was come to the throne of 
 Navarre by the death of Sancho King of Navarre, whofe 
 nephew he was by his mother's fide. He found great 
 fums of money in this Prince's exchequer, and being 
 proud of his riches and the increafe of his powef, 
 he thought himfelf lefs obliged than ever to pay any 
 regard to the King. 
 
 Albr: Chr. He refolved not to ftand to the ceffion he had made 
 of the counties of Chartres and Blots, and the other 
 fiefs about which he had treated with the King to come 
 to an accommodation with the Queen of Cyprus ; and 
 in order to carry on the war which he faw was break- 
 ing out he married his daughter Blanche to John fon 
 and heir to the Count of Britanny, and treated with 
 the Count and Countefs of la 'Marcbe. The King 
 was advifed of this, before the Count was in a con- 
 dition to defend himfelf in Brie and Champaign, and 
 got an army together at the wood of Vincennes in or- 
 der to march into thofe Provinces. The Count had 
 recourfe to Pope Gregory IX. and reprefented to him 
 that according to the privilege that belonged to thole 
 who had taken the crofs, he could not be attack'd. 
 Epift.Grfg. Upon which the Pope wrote immediately to the King, 
 to put him in mind of the cenfures pronounced againft 
 thofe, who fhould make war upon the crufading Prin- 
 ces. The King, who knew what he could do incon- 
 fcience upon this occaiion, had no regard to the Pope's 
 letters, who was wrong informed of the King of Na- 
 varre\ ill dcfigns ; and he was juft ready to take the field, 
 when the King of Navarre refolved at laft upon fub- 
 miffion. 
 
 The King, who was always inclined to clemen- 
 cy,, provided his authority did not fuller, anfwercd that 
 he was ready to receive the King of Navarre's fub- 
 miflion. upon thefe conditions. Firft, that he fhould 
 renounce his unjuft pretenlions to the counties of 
 Chartres and Bins, and to the other demefncs he had 
 yielded to him by a folemn treaty. Secondly, that 
 to give fecurity for his loyalty he fhould immediately 
 put fomc of his towns 'into his hands. Thirdly, 
 I that
 
 L E w i s IX. 469 
 
 that he fhould perform his vow of going to the holy An. 12,36' 
 Land as foon as might be : and fourthly, that he fhould \^C*~* 
 not fet foot in France for feven years. 
 
 The King of Navarre's envoy confented to all, and 
 this Prince came a few days after to wait upon the 
 King, to whom he delivered up Bray upon the Seine 
 and Montereau Faut Tonne. This was the effedl: of 
 his difloyalty and imprudence ; and he had orders foon 
 after to leave the court. However important this affair 
 might be, the King of Navarre made a fong upon it ; 
 for he had a great talent that way , and nothing was 
 more common then than the King of Navarre's ballads. 
 
 It was about this time that the King run a great Nangiusl 
 risk of his life from Vieux of la Montagne, who, to 
 prevent the crufade with which the Mahometans of 
 AJia, were threatned, fent fome aflaflins to kill this 
 Prince. The providence of God preferved him from 
 it, and this vilible protection of heaven was a new 
 motive to make him redouble his piety and fervor. He Nangius in 
 gave a proof of them fometime after by redeeming at ' Lu ' 
 his own expence our Lord's crown of thorns and fome 
 other relicks, which were carried in proceflion from 
 Vincennes to Parts. The King followed them upon 
 his bare feet, as well as the Princes his brothers. All 
 thefe holy relicks were afterwards placed in the holy 
 chapel , where they are kept at this day as one of the 
 richeft treafures in the world. 
 
 The King, having fettled his realm in tranquillity by 
 his refolution and prudence, would have been very 
 glad to have feen it likewife reftored to the church, 
 which was very much difturbed by the differences be- 
 tween Frederick the fecond and the Popes. The ani- 
 mofity was then higher than ever between the two 
 parties, each of which deiired to have the King on his fide. 
 
 The King renewed the ancient treaties with him, Treafuntf 
 which had been made between the empire and chamestiW 
 France: but Pope Gregory IX. thought he had found fp^d 
 out an infallible way of bringing the King into his in- the year. 
 tcreft. He wrote a letter to him from Anagnia dated 
 upon the io th of Odober, and in the third year of his 
 pontificate, and fent it to him by 'James Cardinal of 
 Paleftine. In it he deiired his affiibnce and protection 
 againft the perfecutors of the church. But the Cardi- 
 nal brought another letter which was to be read in 
 H h 3 the
 
 Tke Hiftory of FRANCE. 
 
 An. i Z39- the afTcmbly of the Lords of France. In this letter he faid 
 he had deprived FrcJ:r:ck of the empire, that he had 
 chofen Robert the Kind's brother in his place to put the 
 Imperial crown upon hi< head, and conjured him to 
 accept of fo nobje a prefent that he might put himfelf 
 into a condition of punifhing afterwards the innumera- 
 ble crimes which Fredrick had committed. 
 
 Thefe letters h.ia not the effect which the Pope de- 
 fired. The Preach Lords anfwered him in a very dif- 
 agreeable manner, and called his attempt to depole an 
 Lmperor a rafh and mad action. The King however, 
 that he might not vex the Pope too much, allowed 
 feis confutes againft Frederick to be published in his 
 34- kingdom, and fo did the King of A?^in his.. Some 
 ' letters trom the Emperor to the two Kings (hew that 
 they interefted themfelves in procuring his reconciliation 
 to the holy See ; and it is very probable that they were 
 the perfons, who propofed the expedient of a general 
 council, to which the two parties fhould refer them- 
 felves. The Emperor confented to it at rirft, and the 
 Pope called it. 
 
 J ' 'us in** frcdcruk changed his refolution afterwards, and de- 
 ' fired the King to forbid the French Bifhops going to 
 Rome. The Cardinal of Paleftine prayed the King 
 from the Pope to do the contrary. The refolution 
 which he took was to leave the Bifhops at their liber- 
 An.i24i. ty to do what they fhould judge proper. Some fet 
 out upon their journey, but it was to their difad van- 
 tage; for Henry the fcmperor's natural fon meeting 
 them upon the lea of Pifa, took them and fent them 
 prifoners into feveral fortrefles of dpulia. There 
 were fome Italian and Englijh prelates in the fhips, 
 who were treated in the fame manner. 
 
 This happened almoft at the fame time that the King 
 and Frederick had like to have come to a rupture, upon 
 the accounts of the war which the Counts of Provence 
 and Touluufe carried on againft each other, the Emperor 
 declaring for the Count otTouloafe, and the King for 
 the Count of Provence his father-in-law. The affair 
 was accommodated, for the Emperor's bufinels w r as 
 not to quarrel with the King at this time. But theim- 
 prifonment of the French prelates, who were taken 
 upon t'~? (ca, was a newfubjeclof difcontent between 
 the two Princes, Some Crwrt letters were written on 
 
 both
 
 LE w i s IX. 471 
 
 both fides: but at laft the Emperor being afraid left An. 12.41. 
 the King Ihould declare for the Pope againft him, the V-^^\-/ 
 Bifhops were releafed. A P ud Pett - 
 
 This was the ftate of affairs when Gregory DC djed. ** 
 Celeflin the fourth fucceeded him , and lived t>ut Nangiu* in 
 eighteen days after his being railed to the pontifical chron - 
 throne, which was vacant twenty months till Innocent 
 the fourth was elected. It was under this Pope's pon- 
 tificate that the greateft Struggles happened between the 
 Emperor and the holy See. I fhall touch upon them 
 at the time when they happened, and mention thofe 
 circumftances in which France was concerned. 
 
 The King being fix and twenty years of age had 
 raifed the royal authority pretty near as high as his fa- 
 ther and grandfather had carried it ; i^it it was impof- 
 fible for Henry King of Eugland to behold the prolpe- 
 rity of this Prince and be eafy. The Count of Ton- 
 bttfe and the Count of la Marche, and the Countefs 
 of la Marche his mother, more than either of them, 
 were all difpofed to back his jealoufy. He made a new 
 alliance with them. He hop'd to engage in the defign 
 James King of Arragon^ who poffefled Mmtfellier and 
 fome other demefnes in thofc parts, and compaffed his 
 end in bringing into the league the Count of Pro- 
 vence himielf, for all he was the King's father-in-law, 
 and notwithstanding the late obligation he had to him 
 for his affiftance againft the Count of Touloufe and the 
 Emperor. 
 
 The better to cement this league, they projected to 
 marry into one another's families; but their projects did 
 not fucceed upon the account of fome crofs accidents, 
 and in particular the death of Pope Gregory IX. whom 
 they were loliciting for the difpeniations neceilary for 
 thefe marriages. 
 
 The Count of la Marche was the firft who pulled off 
 the mask upon the following occafion. The King, ac- 
 cording to the will of the King his father , gave his 
 brothers the eftates which were left them, as foon 
 as the age of one and twenty qualified them for pof- 
 lefTion. In the year iz38. he inverted Robert with the 
 county of Artois, and in the year 13.41. he put his NangSmJa 
 other brother Alpbonfo into pofleflion of the counties d ' 
 
 ofPoitou yb&AHi-ergne, and of all the countries which 
 the Count of T(>nlwf< had yielded {o him by the 
 H h 4 treaty
 
 47- The Hiftoty ^FRANCE.' 
 
 An. 1241. treaty of Parts. All this was tranfa&ed at 
 V_^V\-^ where the King kept his court for this ceremony. 
 ch7rT ?"i -Afterwards he carried the new Count of Poitou to 
 FMcDft VI- Poitiers, where the Count of la Marche was obliged, 
 Verfelmrw. with the other vaflals, to do him homage. 
 
 The Countefs his wife being acquainted with it re- 
 proached him with bafenefs and cowardice, and per- 
 fuaded him to Ihew fome difTatisfa&ion at leaft, in 
 order to retrieve the falfe ftep he had taken , con- 
 trary to the engagements he had entered into with the 
 King of England. 
 
 He did fo ; and putting himfelf at the head of fome 
 troops, he march'd as far as the gates of Poitiers. So 
 that the King himfelf, who had but very few- people 
 with him, was-$bliged to fhut himfelf up in the town 
 four days without daring to ftir out. 
 
 He was no fooner returned to Paris, but the Count 
 of Li Marche came to Poitiers well attended, and car- 
 ried his infolence fo high as to reproach and threaten 
 fclatth.Paris. the Count of Poitou \ and having declared to him that 
 he would never do him homage, he mounted a horfe 
 which was there ready for him, and went out of the 
 town. 
 
 He fent immediately into England to claim Henrys 
 promife, which he had given him of coming into France 
 as foon as poflible. He fent him word that he need 
 not trouble himfelf fo much about bringing troops 
 as a great deal of money with him ; that at his arrival 
 'he ftiould find an army ready for him, and willing to 
 obey his orders, being fecure of the Count of 'Totdoufe, 
 the King of Arrngon, the King of Navarre, and all 
 the Nobility of Poitou and Gafcogne, who only wait- 
 ed for his arrival to declare againft the King of 
 France. 
 
 The King of England, who waited with impatience 
 for the Count to do fomething to begin the war, re- 
 ceived this news with joy. He granted the envoy all 
 that his mafter defired, and promifed him to be ready 
 to crofs the fea at the feaft of Rafter. He called his 
 parliament for this purpcne, laid before them the ad- 
 Vantages the nation would gain by the war with France, 
 ?nd demanded money for the preparations which were 
 fo be made. He met wi:h a great deal of opposition 
 to his defign in moft of the members of parliament.
 
 L E w i s IX. 47* 
 
 ?nd money was refufed him. He was extreamly an An. 12,41. 
 gry at it, but did not alter his refolution. He had fill'd \^V**J 
 his exchequer by other means with a view to this war, 
 and had raifed money other ways. 
 
 In the mean while the King, after the infult made An. 1242,- 
 upon his brother the Count of Poitiers by the Count 
 of la Mar eke, forefaw very well that it muft come to 
 a war, and the difficulties which Henry's parliament 
 put him to having given him time to prepare himfelf, 
 he came into Pottou with a fine army in April, and re- 
 view'd it near Ckinon. 
 
 He afterwards laidwaftc part of the territories of the Nangius i 
 Count of la Marche,, and took a great many places from geftis Lud. 
 him. The Count, to hinder the French from penetrat- 
 ing any further, ravaged his own lands himfelf, burnt 
 the forage and provifions, pluck'd up the vines, ftop'd 
 the wells, and poifoned thofe which he left open. 
 
 This way of defending himfelf, by ruining his own 
 country, was part of the punifhment beforehand which 
 the Count of la Marchc dcfcrved for his rebellion ; 
 but the Queen his wife did not flop here. She carri- 
 ed her fury fo far as to attempt the poifoning of the 
 King. They who were charged with the execution of 
 fo horrid an enterprize were taken, and all that he gained 
 was the infamy of having defigned it. 
 
 During thefe tranfa&ions, the King of England ar- 
 rived with his fleet in the port of Royan; and after 
 fome negotiations, which were only toamufetheKing, 
 he declared war againft him. The King was then be- 
 iieging Fontcnai. He went on with it ; and notwithr 
 ftanding the ftrength of the place, he obliged the go- 
 vernor to furrender at difcretion. This governor was 
 one of the fons of the Count of la Marche. The 
 King was advifed to hang him and fome of the offi- 
 cers in order to ftrike terror into the rebels : but he 
 would not confent to it, faying, that the Count of la, 
 Marched fon was excufable, as he acted only by his 
 father's order. And therefore he only fent them all 
 into the prifons of Paris. 
 
 The King's goodnefs, join'd to the vigour with 
 which he carried on his enterprize, made feveral for- 
 trefTes fqbmit to him without ifaying to be attacked. 
 He kept the beft of them and raz'd the reft : he open- Nanghu ;* 
 cd a way a> far as to the Charente, and advanced efti' s Lud. 
 
 ( O Guyart. &c.
 
 474* The Htflory ^FRANCE. 
 
 An.H4J.to Taillcbourg, a place fituated on this fide of that 
 
 V^v^v^ river. 
 
 The King of England had ported himfelf over a- 
 gainft that town on the other fide of the river, which 
 in this place is not broad but very deep. He was maf- 
 ter of the bridge and of the fort at the end of the 
 bridge on his fide. The King had a defign to pafs 
 the river and ftorm the bridge, and was adually difpof- 
 ing tnings for this purpofe ; but he was prevented by 
 the aracnr of his coops. 
 
 The King of Evglsnd having made a motion with 
 his army, to remove it only two bow fhots from the 
 bank of the river, they thought he was making a re- 
 treat. Being thus perfuaded fome French officers at 
 the head of five hundred men attack'd the bridge. 
 Others palTed the river in boats to get behind the ene- 
 my. The Englijh fuftained the attack of the bridge 
 with refolution. The King came up ; and finding their 
 
 joinville. bufinefs begun he pufhed it on : his prefence and ex- 
 ample revived the ardour of his people which began 
 to cool. He advanced himfelf fword in hand ; and 
 throwing himfelf into the heat of the battle followed 
 by feveral Lords, he drove the *///& from the bridge, 
 and made himfelf mafter of it. 
 
 Danger did but increafe by this advantage, for the 
 King being mafter of but very little ground, and his 
 foldiers coming up but in a row, he found himfelf 
 oxpofed to the whole army of the enemy with a very 
 imalt troop of his own behind him ; but the lame 
 courage, which gained the firft fuccefs, fupplyed the 
 place of numbers. They made ihe Englijh fall back : 
 molt of the troops pafTed the river either over the 
 bridge or in boats, and ranged themfelves in order as 
 they came over. In fhort the Englijh, who had 
 no time given them to recover their firft fright, took 
 to their heels. They purfued them clofely as far as 
 Zaintes, and feveral trench being mixed among them 
 entered the place with them, and were made prifon- 
 
 NJC-. loco ers - This couragious a&ion happened upon the vigil 
 
 ai, *' of St. Magdalen. 
 
 The King of England had taken another rout ; and 
 having but very few people with him, could not pro- 
 bably haveefcaped being hemmed in. Count Richard 
 his brother faved him, by refolving immediately to 
 
 come
 
 L E w I S IX. 47 5 
 
 come to the King. He knew he was loved and cfteem- 
 ed by this Prince, on the account of the good ofr}ccs 
 he had done feveral French Lords in the expccition to 
 Palejlme. He threw off his helmet and cuirafs, an<J 
 advanced towards the French army with nothing but a 
 cane in his hand, and delired to fpeak with the Count 
 of /Jrtois. 
 
 The Count being come, and having received him 
 with a great deal of civility, he defired him to carry 
 him to the King, who treated him with abundance of 
 affe&ion. He begged him to grant a ceflarion of arms 
 for the reft of that day and till the day following. 
 The King being always inclined to peace granted it 
 him, and when he took his leave of him laid thus : 
 My Lord, night brings counfel, pray give the King of Match.Cari*. 
 England a good piece of ad-vice, and fee that he follows 
 it. The King meant that he fhould advife Henry to 
 defift from protecting the factions ; but Richard apply- 
 ed it to the prefent urgency, and refolved immediately 
 to fecure the King his brother's perfon; He rode to- 
 ward the place where he was, and having acquainted 
 him with the ceflktion of arms, which he had obtain'd 
 tor the reft of that day and all the night, he brought 
 him to Zaintes. 
 
 He found there the Count of la Marche, whom he ibii 
 bitterly rcproach'd, and ask'dhimin a rage where were 
 the Count of Touloxfe, the King of Arragon, the King 
 of Navarre, the King of Cajiite, and all thofe nume- 
 rous troops who were to crufh the King of France ? 
 And this converfatipn only fervedto fet them at greater 
 variance. 
 
 The next morning there was a battle more bloody 
 than the former. The Count of la Marche, without 
 confultir.gtheKingof England, went out with a party 
 of his troops, and fell upon the King's foragers. The Gnii!. G-:T. 
 officer who commanded the forage immediately gave N 
 advice of it to the camp. They fent affiftanceto him : = 
 theKingof/W, wifely diffembling his refentmenr, 
 fent likewife fuccours to the Count of la March:.-, 
 and went out himfelf to fupport him. The King on 
 his fide march'd too, and by infcnfible degrees the ac- 
 tion became general. 
 
 They fought upon a piece of ground very improper 
 for a battle, furrounded with vineyards and full of 
 
 narrow
 
 47<5 The Hiftory of FR AN CE^ 
 
 An. 1 242. narow lanes, in which it was impofiible for them to Ipread 
 V^OT^ themfelves. So that it was rather a great number of 
 little combats, which were fought feparately than one 
 battle. The victory was doubtful for a long time; 
 but the King, who was prefent every where, gave or- 
 ders with fo much prudence^ that the enemy fell back 
 on all fides, and were driven as far as the walls of 
 Xaintes, where the King of England faved himfelf. 
 
 This fecond victory of the King's reduced the ene- 
 my to the laft extremity. The Count of la Marche 
 thought of nothing now but making his peace, and ob- 
 tained it by the mediation of the Count of Britamty, 
 upon the conditions which the King was pleafetf to 
 prefcribe him * ; one of which was, that the King 
 Ihould keep all the places he had taken from him. 
 Match. Paris. This treaty was made without the knowledge of 
 the Kin of England, who was informed of it by 
 Count Richard his brother, and knew at the lame 
 time that Xaintes was to be inveftcd the night follow^ 
 ing by the French army in concert with the inhabitants 
 themfelves. He was juft fi ting down to table, but 
 this affair was fo prcffmg, that he mounted his horfe 
 immediately. He was followed by thofe who were 
 the moft ready to go, and ordered the reft to follow 
 him to Blaye, whither he was going. He rode this 
 journey which was twenty leagues almoftwithout bait- 
 ing. The army followed (haggling without provilions 
 and victuals. The baggage was left behind, and the 
 King of England loft his chapel which was very rich, 
 and feveral other coftly moveables. 
 
 ing himfelf ill after he had rode fome leagues, ^ 
 proceeded no further. Henry, not thinking himfelf fafe 
 at Blaye, went to Buurdeaux, and fo got the Garonne 
 between the French and him. The other places which 
 belonged to the King of England in thofe Parts fur- 
 rendered without refinance, except Montauban and fome 
 caftles in the neighbouring country. 
 
 * D* Canft gives us the a& of this treaty in his obfervations upon 
 Joiavilic't hiilory, j>. 42. 
 
 The
 
 L E W I S IX. 477 
 
 The year was no farther advanced than the month An. 1242. 
 of Auguft, and the confternation was fo great among V^OTV 
 the Engltjh, that the King of England was afraid for 
 Gafcogne. There came advice to him from all parts 
 that the King was juft upon marching to that fide. 
 And it is true, he did confider whether he fhould or 
 no, but the excefllve heats had caufed fo much ficknefs 
 and mortality in the army, that it was very much 
 weakened. Near fourfcore Lords carrying banners 
 had died, and above twenty thoufand foldiers. The 
 King himfelf was not very well; and it^was chiefly 
 this laft reafon that made his council receive the pro- 
 pofals of the King of England, with whom they made 
 not a peace but only a truce for five years. 
 
 Henry continued fometime in Gafcogne, and made 
 the people there recognize his fon Prince Edward for 
 their Lord, tho' he was then but three years old. 
 Thus ended this year 1242. fo glorious and fortu- 
 nate for France, which fliews that a holy King may 
 be not only valiant, but likewife a conqueror, provided 
 that the injuftice of his enemies furniihes him with op- 
 portunities of gaining conquefts, which in all other 
 cafes are forbidden by virtue and juftice. 
 
 After hav ing fubdued the Euglijb and the Count of la 
 Marcbe, there remained yet for the King to bring the 
 Count of Touloufe to reafon, which was no difficult 
 matter ; for while he was betraying the King, and bufy 
 about the league I have mentioned, he was himfelf be- An.i243 
 trayed by his own vaflals, who, after having engaged Guii. detvt 
 him in this troublefome affair, forfook him. This hin- dl Laur> 
 dered him from joyning the Count of la Marcbc, and 
 broke the meafures of the King of Arragon. 
 
 A detachment which the King fent out againft the 
 Count of Touloufe made him halten to defire his par- 
 don. He obtained it ; and was obliged to confirm the 
 treaty of Paris again, and to deliver up to the King 
 as he had before fome fortrefles for the fecurity of his 
 word. This Count, to fhew the King his fincerity in 
 returning to the obedience he owed him, put the Em- 
 peror krederick's letters into his hands, in which that 
 Prince exhorted him to continue in his rebellion. Jt 
 is difficult to difcover the motives which prevailed up- 
 on Frederick to act in this manner, lince the King had 
 always refafed to draw his fword againft him, not-
 
 The Hiflory off a AX CE'. 
 
 An. 1 24}. tvithftanding the great advantages which were offei-ed 
 VxV^ n * m to engage him to do it. But the point was, there 
 was always as much difference between Frederick's 
 politicks and thole of St. LCJJ .-V, ;is there was between 
 the characters of the two perlbns. Both were great 
 Princes, but according to very dinxTC~nt idea* of great- 
 nefs. 
 
 Notwithstanding the truce agreed on between France 
 and England, hoftilities were ttill committed. Henrv, 
 when the King was gone, retook Ibme eaftles, and 
 on the other hand the Count of Br:taxy and the pri- 
 vateers of Calais chafed the Engltjh (hips. But at laft 
 new conferences were held at BourJuaue^ in which 
 the truce was confirmed : the King continued in pol- 
 ieffion of all his conqueils ; Henr\ rdtored to him the 
 callleshehad taken fmce the end of the laft champaign, 
 and obliged himfelf to pay him rive thoufand pounds 
 iterling in five years. He returned afterwards into 
 England very much chagrined at his ill fortune in an 
 cnterprize which had coft him a great deal of money, 
 and which could not haVe been attended with worie 
 fuccefs. 
 
 The King after having difpatched the confpiracy of fo 
 many dangerous enemies, and fettled peace in his king- 
 dom, laboured with application to reftore it to the 
 church. He had a great hand in haftening the election 
 of a Pope, which the Cardinals had been eighteen 
 months about ; but at laft they chofe Cardinal Sinibald 
 of the houfe of Ftefco, who took the name of Innocent 
 the fourth. 
 
 This Pope and the Emperor Frederick, after fome 
 reciprocal civilities, were not long without falling out ; 
 (b oppolite were the interefts and pretenfions of the 
 Popes and the Emperors at that time. The King us'd 
 his utmoft endeavours, but in vain, to bring them to a 
 reconciliation. The Pope was forced to go out of 
 Italy, and he defign'd to take refuge in France ; but the 
 King, after having advifed with his council, refufed to 
 Mr:>. Parit receive him there. The Kings of England and Arragon 
 aded in the fame manner, and the Pope was obliged 
 to ftay at Lyons , which was not then united to the 
 crown of France. It was held of the empire, as I 
 have already obferved in another place ; but in fuch a 
 manner notwithftanding, that the Archbilhop was the 
 i Lord
 
 Lfi wis IX. 479 
 
 Lord of it, and the Emperors for a long time had no An. 1243. 
 authority over it. v./y"^ 
 
 This year the King had a young Prince born, who Nangius. 
 was named Lewis ; this was his firft fon. The joy 
 of the whole kingdom at this birth was fometime after 
 turned into forrow by the King's being feteed with a 
 dangerous fit of ficknefs which brought him to the 
 brink of the grave. It was even doubted for fome 
 moments whether he was not expired. They put upon Manh. Pans- 
 his bed the peice of the true crofs, and the other relicks 
 which they had had of the Emperor Baldwin. He reco- 
 vered immediately from his infenfibility ; and the thing 
 Was look'd upon by all thofe that were prefent as a 
 miraculous effeft of thofe facred monuments of our 
 Saviour's paffion. 
 
 The firft words which the King uttered at that time An.i24f. 
 were to defire William Bifhop of Paris , who was 
 prefent , that he might take the crofs upon him, and 
 make a vow to travel beyond fea. He recovered, and 
 fome time after upon the occafion of the Queen-mo- 
 ther, and the Bifhop' s oppofing his going upon the cru- 
 fade, he renewed his vow. They faw very well by 
 this, that he was unfhaken in his refolution ; but he 
 did not execute his defign ib loon, the preparations for 
 an expedition of this importance, and other affair s mak- 
 ing him defer his departure for two years and a half. 
 He defired the Pope to fend miflionariGS to preach the 
 crufade in his kingdom, and applyed himfelf during 
 that interval to put France in a condition of being able 
 to bear his abfence. 
 
 In the mean while the Pope called a general council 
 at Lyons. He propofed two things by this council. 
 The firft was to unite the chriftian Princes againft the 
 Infidels ; and the iecond to get the Emperor Frederick 
 depofed, if he did not fubmit to the holy See. 
 
 1 hey began with this laft point. The Emperor's 
 embnflador was admitted into the council to maintain 
 his matter's caufe. He fpoke at feveral times ; but the 
 Pope himfelf undertook to refute him, calling all that 
 he advanced falfity, and all that he offered from the 
 Emperor artifice. 
 
 As the embaflador eafily perceived the ill difpofition 
 . of the council with regard to Frederick, he defired 
 time toadvife him of the ftate of things, promifing that 
 
 this
 
 480 The Hiftory of F R Ttt c . 
 
 An.1145 1 * this Prince would come to the council himfelf atu! 
 y^-'Y*^ i ye an account of his behaviour. 
 
 The Pope would hearken to nothing ; and the coun- 
 cil was ready to proceed to the condemnation and de- 
 pofition of Frederick, when the French and JLnglijh 
 embafladors oppofed it, faying, that they could not 
 reafbnably refute fome delay , in order to give this 
 Prince time to come and defend himfelf before the 
 council. 
 
 The Pope had too much filtered in not difpleafing 
 the two crowns to reject this demand; for which 
 reafbn, upon the prefiing inftances of the embalfodorsf 
 a fulpenfion was granted for two weeks. One of the 
 Emperor's agents went to h.im. Frederick tent him 
 back with this anfwcr; that it was a,difhonour to the 
 Imperial, majefty to oblige an Emperor to appear before 
 a council, and that he would not come. 
 
 The Pope knew perfectly well how to take advan- 
 tage of this behaviour of the Emperor. It drew a great 
 many people from him, who before were favourable 
 to him. The Engtiflj above all were offended at it. 
 He was called refractory and a rebel to the church j 
 and a man, who would fubmit to no other law but 
 his own will and paifion. 
 
 The Pope feeing their minds in the difpofition he 
 wifhed for, held a new felTion, and having again fet 
 forth all his grievances and Frederick's contumacy, he 
 concluded that it was neccflaryto proceed to judgment 
 immediately. 
 
 The Emperor's embaflador, to ward off this blow, 
 protefted againft all their proceedings ; and in the name 
 of his matter appealed to a more folemn and a more 
 general council than this, in which were wanting a 
 great many Bifliops of Chriflcndom, who were neither 
 there in perfonnor by proxy, anymore than the envoys 
 of fcveral Princes. 
 
 Ex Rpgeflo The Pope replyed ; and after having fpoken a 
 Vatican, in- great deal upon the nullity of this appeal, he pro- 
 aec. JV. nounced fentence, by which he declared Frederick de- 
 prived of the empire and all his dominions, forbidding 
 all the faithful to acknowledge him for the future as 
 Emperor or King, and abfolving all the fubje&s of the 
 empire, and his other dominions from the oath of al- 
 legiance which they had taken to him, &Y<
 
 L E w is IX. 431 
 
 The embaflador being quite confounded, and fee- AIM Mr 
 ing the Cardinals ready to put out their wax candles, 
 which they held lighted according to the cuftom ufed 
 in the pronouncing of excommunications, cryed out 
 in thcfe words of a prayer of the church : day, a 
 day of wrath, a day of calamity and mifcry, and with- 
 drew. 
 
 . Frederick was at Turin when he heard this news. 
 We may eafily imagine the inward ftruggles it pro- 
 duced in the mind of fo proud a Prince as this. Be- 
 ing a little calmed, he ordered the Imperial crown to 
 be brought him ; and putting it upon his head he faid 
 partly in anger and partly in jc(r: Here u this crown uu. Paris 
 which they would take from me. I have it as yet, and 
 there Jbatl be a good deal of blood fpilt before I part 
 with it; 
 
 This menace had but too much effect; \s(A Frederick^, i. apud 
 to prevent the imprefiion which the publication of the PetdeyineuJ 
 fentence againft him might make upon the courts of. 
 Europe, wrote a circular letter to all the Princes, lay- 
 ing before them the confluences of this aclion. 
 
 Belides this circular letter, he w r rotea particular one ibid.ep-s. 
 to the King of France, in which belides repeating the 
 principal things that related to the common intereft of 
 all ibvcrcigris, not to furfer Popes to dare thus to at- 
 tack cro'wh'd heads, he reprcfentcd to him the nullity 
 of the proceedings againft him, and deiircd him to re- 
 member the ftrid alliance there had been fo long be- 
 tween the Emperors of his houfe and the Kings of 
 France, conjuring him not to fupport the Pope or his 
 legates, nor to allow any of the prelates or ecclefia- 
 tticks of his kingdom, who might have this title of le- 
 gate, to do any thing in prejudice to his intcrcft. 
 
 We fee another letter of Frederick's to St. Le-wif i nv:n t. d 
 upon the fame fubjccr, which was brought by Peter chart, t. 5. 
 de Viaeis his chancellor, in which he made the King CJo:dlin Bu!V 
 judge, with the lay Peers and Nobility of France, of the 
 jurtice of his caufe , and delired him not to let the 
 Pope have any alTifiance out of his kingdom, and 
 ordered to enter upon the war in the holy Land , 
 either in prefon or by his fon Conrad, whether the 
 King went thither himfelf, or whether he only icEt (uc- 
 cours. 
 
 VOL, r II We
 
 432 The Htftory 
 
 An. 1 14 5*. We do not know the particulars of the King's an- 
 
 V^V*^ fwers to thefe letters : we can only tell by the tefti- 
 
 chr. Abb._ many of a contemporary author, that he did not at all ap- 
 
 Vo&gol 4" prove or ~ the Pope's conduct upon this occafion : and 
 
 as he likewise very much disapproved of Frederick"* 
 
 pafiionate behaviour, he did not concern himfelf then 
 
 in this affair. The refpecl which he had for the Pope, 
 
 and on the other hand the intereft he had in refufing 
 
 to juitify thefc dcpofitions of fovereigns, made him. 
 
 continue neuter. 
 
 E P . iS.tpud He entered much more willingly into the defigns 
 Petr.de and regulations of the council relating to the holy war, 
 Vineis ' and at his return from Chin-, where he endeavoured again 
 Mattb.raris. in vain to bring the Pope to a better temper with Fre- 
 derick, he engaged feveral French Lords to take the 
 crofs. But befidcs the crufade which was at that time 
 the chief thing he had in view, he had another affair to 
 manage of great importance to the kingdom and the 
 
 royal "family. 
 
 ^ The Count of Provence had affifted at the council 
 o'f Lyons, and died after his return to his dominions. 
 When the King heard the news of his death, he or- 
 dered foine troops to march towards Provence to feize 
 upon it as belonging to the Queen his wife, the Count's 
 cideft daughter, and by confequence his heirefs : but it 
 was found that the Count had made a will, in which 
 he declared Beatrix his youngeft daughter heirefs to his 
 dominions. 
 
 The Count of 7'oulonfc was to marry Beatrix, as 
 had been agreed with the Count of Provence, but a 
 difpenTation for affinity was wanting, which the Pope 
 had given them hopes of, tho'itwasnot come. There 
 were two administrators of the county of Provence, 
 one named Albere and the other Romee, a famous man 
 in the hiftory of that province for his wifdom and im- 
 partiality in the^ management of his mailer's affairs* 
 They had no mind to have the Count of Toukufe for 
 their matter, and made a fecret propo&l to marry Eea~ 
 trix to Charles the King's youngeft brother. This was 
 readily received by the court of France, and the affair 
 was concluded^ while the adminiftrators amufed the 
 Count of Touloufe with the hopes of this marriage; 
 and the Queen of France, the Queen of England, and 
 Hheir fifter Santia, wife to Richard of England, made 
 
 ifltfreft
 
 L E \vis IX. 485 
 
 iutereft fecretly with the Pope to hinder him from grant- An: 1245-4 
 ing the difpenfation. V >~'V > ' 
 
 The Count of Toxlottfc was fo perfnaded that the 
 thing would be concluded as foon ?.s he had got the 
 diipenfation, that he fent a Gentleman from his court 
 to the Queen of France to ask her confent, and defirc 
 Ihe wouki be fo good as to allow him the honour of 
 being her brother-in-law ; but the envoy met Charles 
 upon the road going to marry Beatrix. He returned 
 back and carried this news to his matter, who finding 
 himfelf cheated in this manner, had like to have died 
 with vexation. Charles married Beatrix in thd begin- 
 ning of the year 1246. He was recognized Count of An. 1246^ 
 Provence, and put in pofTeffion of all the towns. 
 
 By this marriage Provence, which had been ufurped 
 from the crown after the death of Lewis the Stammerer, 
 and had been feparated from it ever lince, returned to 
 the royal family of France about three hundred years 
 after that reparation. The fame year the King made 
 the new Count of Provence a Knight at Melun, in- 
 verted him with the counties of Anjott and Maine, a- G "yt p. ; 
 figned him a confiderable penfioii out of his exche- 139 ' 
 quer, and by this means made him a powerful 
 Prince. 
 
 It was not fo much to increafe his dominions, as 
 to fecure them that Lewis thus pra&ifcd fomedmes the 
 art of politicks, tho' always without going beyond the 
 bounds of equity. But nothing made him forget his 
 defign of the holy war, to which he had fo folemnly 
 engaged himfelf before God. 
 
 In the year before this in Auguft the Pope at his de- NangiuiSn 
 fire fent Cardinal Eudes of Chateeaireux Blfhop ot Oeftis LMd>1 
 Ttifcjilnm into Francs with the title of legate to preach 
 the crumde. Soon after his arrival in the beginning of 
 O&ober the King held a parliament at Paris, that is a 
 great affembly of Bifhops, Abbats, Lords, and the 
 principal Nobility of France, in which the legate began 
 to execute his miffion. 
 
 He discharged it with fuccefs. Moft of the Princes 
 took the crofs, arid this example could not but befol- 
 low'd by the Nobility and people. The King's three 
 brother*, /tlpboxfi Count of Pottiers, Robert Count Nangiu*. 
 of Aftois, vxd Char Its whom I (hall call for the future J invlU *- 
 I i z Count
 
 The Hijtory ^/FRANCE. 
 
 An. 1146. Count of Anjvu, were the firft who iignalizcd then 
 V^-V" > -' 7cal upon this occafion. Peter Count of Britanny and 
 "John his Ion, Hugh Duke of Burgundy, William of 
 Dampierre Count of Flanders and <7y his brother, //#& 
 of Lufignan .Count of A* Marche and ///& theBroww 
 his fon, the Counts of Dreux, Bar, Soi/bns, Retel, 
 fcndome, Montfort, and a great number of other Lords 
 .of the kingdom lifted thcmfdves. Several prelates 
 likewife joined in this expedition, namely, the Arch- 
 bifhops of Rbe'tms and Bourpes, the Bi(hops of Beau- 
 vjis, Laon, and Orleans ; and the multitude of people, 
 that prefcnted thcmfelves for the cruladc, was fo great, 
 that they had nothing to do but to pick out the ableit 
 of them. 
 
 The King by carrying with him Peter Gount of 
 Britanny, and Hugh Count of la. Marche, took from 
 the kingdom the two men who were the moft capable 
 of difturbing it during his abfencc. There were no 
 others of that character but the Count of Tonhufe, 
 who had not as yet rcfolved which way he would ad. 
 He determined at laft to go, and the King lent him 
 money to make his preparations ; but not being able to 
 fmifh them, by the time the King was ready, he got 
 him to content that he fhould defer his departure till 
 the year following. 
 
 An. 124$- After three years fpent in preparations, in the year 
 1248. the King was ready to let OUL He went to 
 St. Denis to take the Oriflamb. He declared Queen 
 Blanche his mother regent, giving her full power to 
 acl as. fhe pleafed, but delired the Count of Poitiers 
 would itay with her u year to aliift her with his ad- 
 vice and authority in the beginning of her regency. 
 
 The Queen was abiblutely relolved to follow the 
 King her husband. The Countcifes of Anjou and Ar- 
 z*is were of the fame mind ; but the Countefs of Ar- 
 z<ns being big with child, and too near her lying in at 
 the time of the embarkation, they would not Jet her 
 go upon the Tea in that condition. She returned to 
 Paris, and took the journey the year after with the 
 Count of Poitiers. 
 
 Ktngiiw m They fet fail on the twenty feventh of AugJl to- 
 
 H-ft.Lud. wards the ifle of Cyprus, where the King had laid up 
 
 iy ' large magazines ; and they arrived in three weeks ap . 
 
 the port of Limeffon which lies on the Eaflern part of 
 
 thajfland. At
 
 LEW i sIX. 485 
 
 At the time that the King entered upon the defign An. 1248' 
 of the crufade, the affairs of the Chriftians mPalefttne s-"v^-' 
 were in a very bad condition ; and the chriftian Ihites 
 which (till fubfilled, owed their prefervation to nothing 
 but the civil wars among the Mahometans. There 
 were Hill in Paleftine and Syria four principalities potfef- 
 fcd by the Chriftians, who came originally from Europe : 
 namely, that of Acre QtPtoleraah in which the Veneti- 
 ans, Gcnoefe, Pifaxs, and fome others had each their quar- 
 ters which belonged to them, that of Tripoli, that of 
 Tyre, and that of Antioch , without mentioning fome 
 other Lordfhips, depending for themoft part upon theft 
 four principalities. But all this was inverted and fur- 
 rounded on all fides by the Mahometans , the moft 
 powerful of whom was Meleck Sala Sultan of Eg\pt ' : 
 this was the flate of the Chriltians, when the King St. 
 Lewis arrived in Cyprus. 
 
 Being in this ifiand, it was in his choice to attack 
 the Mahometan! either in Paleftine or Egypt. This 
 Prince after having accommodated feveral differences 
 between the chriftian Lords during his ftay in Cyprus^ 
 determined to carry the war into Egypt , and lent to 
 declare againft the Sultan. 
 
 The lofs which he had had of a great many Nobi- 
 lity and foldicrs by the difeafe which had infected his 
 troops, was partly repaired by the arrival of a confidcr- 
 able number of cruladcrs, who could not come from 
 France with the great fleet. The molt considerable re- Mat:h Parij ^ 
 inforcement was brought by William of Salisbury, fur- 
 named the Lung-Sword, who landed in Cyprus with 
 two hundred Englifo Knights. 
 
 The King's fleet conlifted of eighteen hundred fail 
 as well large as fniall ; and there were (n the army 
 twelve thoufand eight hundred French, Englijh, and 
 Cypriot Knights. The fleet let out from the port of An. 1149 
 Limejpjn upon the Wednesday after the feaft of Afcen- 
 fion ; but a violent ftorm obliged the King to (land in 
 for the fame port, with part of the flijps. The reft 
 were difpcrfed ; ib that the King found himfelf with 
 only feven hundred Knights about him, not knowing 
 what was become of the remainder. 
 
 He put to fea again upon Trinity Sund.i\\ and met Wil- 
 liam of Ville-Hard'Jttin Prince of the Miirla and Duke of 
 Burgundy, who having wintered in the M r >rc& joyned his 
 I i 3 fquadron
 
 4-86 The Hifwy ^/FRANCE. 
 
 An. 1 249. fquadron to this Prince's. This comforted the King; 
 
 V.xV^> a little,, but did not remove his unealincfs for the reft 
 
 of his fleet. He arrived in four days within light of 
 
 Darniete and call anchor pretty near the fhoar, where 
 
 the AJahometavs waited for him well prepared. 
 
 Befides a numerous fleet which rode in the mouth 
 of the arm of the A 7 / A; which went up to Daraiete, an 
 innummixe army of horfe and foot was rang'd in or- 
 der of battle upon the fca fhoar. The Sultan of Egypt^ 
 tho' he was (ick, was at the head of them. This was 
 the fight that jfirft prefented itfelf to the eyes of the cru- 
 fuders ; and they were obliged to encounter this army 
 if they would run the risk of a defcent. That they 
 were refolved to do \ fo that there was nothing to 
 confider upon, but whether they ftiould attempt it be- 
 fore the arrival of the reft of the fleet. 
 
 The fear of a dorm riling in a place where they had 
 no port to fhehcr them, and fome other reafons, deter-? 
 mined the King not to put off the defcent. 
 
 At break or day the troops were ordered into the 
 flit ihips and fhallops, John of Tblin Count of Jaffe 
 Nanpj--:*. had his poft to the left. The King went to the right 
 Jomviie. accompanied with the Princes his brothers and the Car- 
 dinal Legate, who carried a very high crofs himfelf ta 
 animate the foldiers by that light. Count Erard of 
 Brieuae, the Lord of Joivville^ zndRaJdwa of Rbeims 
 were placed in the center. 
 
 The enemy appeared upon the fea fhore pretty near 
 In the fame order as the day before ; but the Sultan was 
 not there , becawfe his ficknefs being much increafed, 
 he had order'd himfelf to be carried to a houfe of plea- 
 fure a league above Damiete. 
 
 The boats of the center where the Lord of Joixville 
 was went fafter than the reft. He landed with his people 
 Qver againlt a body of fix thouland Mahomet horfe, 
 cowards whom they marched. The horfe came upop, 
 the gallop, as if they would ride over t,hem; but they 
 without any furprize cover'd themielves with their 
 bucklers, and halted ; and preienting the point of their 
 . lances, which were much longer then than they were 
 afterwards, they made as it were a kind of rampar^ 
 behind which the battalions, formed themfclvcs as the 
 foldiers came up. The Saracens wondered to fee them 
 \ycll difpofedj and durft not undertake to, bi;eakthem, 
 
 but
 
 L E w i s IX. 437 
 
 but wheeled about without coming to an engagement. An. 1249. 
 But they were much more aftoniflicd, when atrcr mort V^/'V'V-' 
 of the troops' of this body were landed, they law all 
 this infantry march (trait towards them to fall upon 
 them. Then they turned their horfcs, and fled without 
 (hiking a ftroke. 
 
 Things were pretty much in the lame condition in 
 the left where the Count of Jaffe landed. The boats 
 to the right, where the King was, landed the laft about 
 a crofs-bow (hot off of Joiwvilie's body. The loldiers 
 in the (hip, where the Orifla)b was, leapt out upon 
 the ground. The King feeing that banner upon the 
 bank could not contain hiinfelf, but threw himfdf in- 
 to the fea (word in hand, notwithstanding the endea- 
 vours which the legate ufed to (top him, and the Knights 
 of his Troop did the fame. As fooii as they were 
 come to land, he formed his battalion. He advanced 
 towards the enemy who were before him, but hardly 
 (tood at all. All the enemy's army dilpcried, leav- 
 ing fomc (lain upon the phce, of the number of 
 whom were the Governor of Damitte and two other 
 Emirs. 
 
 The enemy's fleet performed no better than their 
 army. It failed up the Nile again with precipitation, 
 and they could not overtake it. The King fix'd his 
 camp upon the fea fhore. Next day he landed all the 
 horfes and machines, and the Mahometans did not 
 make the lead motion to oppofe them. 
 
 The report which was fpread of the Sultan's death, 
 tho' it was falfe, threw them into fuch a terror, 
 that the inhabitants and garrifon of Damiete aban- 
 doned the place after having fet fire to it. The 
 King being informed of this, march'd thither immedi- 
 ately. He entered without refiftance, and extinguiflied 
 the fire; and contrary to all hopes and expectation s t 
 he found himfelf maiter of one of the ftrongcft cities 
 in the Eaft upon the firft Sunday after Trinity. 
 
 The King full of pious and religious fentiments, Add; r. ad 
 made his entry not with the pomp and oftentation of 
 a conqueror, but with the humility of a truly chfifti- 
 an Prince, returning humble and iincere thanks to 
 God for his victory. He made his entry m the way 
 of a procefllon upon his bare feet with the Queen, the 
 Princes his brothers, the King of Cyprus^ atid aM the 
 I i 4 Lprds
 
 488 The Hiftory of PR A#CE. 
 
 An. 1 249. Lords of the army, preceded by the legate, the patri- 
 v^v"vj arch of Jerusalem, the Bifhops and all the clergy of 
 Nang.uj. the camp. They went in this manner to* the principal 
 mosk, which the legate purified and confecrated with 
 the ufual ceremonies of the church, ,and which he de- 
 dicated under the name of the mother of God. 
 
 It had been to be withed that thefe fentiments of piety 
 which appeared in all the crufaders, had been as con- 
 ftant in them as they always were in the King himfclf. 
 Bat whilft they flayed at Damiete, for the falling of 
 the Nile which was then overflowed, and for thclhrps 
 which had been difperfcd by theftorm, moft of which 
 arrived fafely one after another, the troops gave them- 
 felves up to the moft excefiive debauches, and molt 
 outragious violences, notwithstanding the orders of the 
 King, who was not always fo exaclly obeyed as he 
 wiih'd and deferred . 
 
 The King continued in the camp of Damicte till 
 the month of October, waiting for the arrival of Al- 
 phvfo of Poitiers, of whofe departure from France he 
 had been infornvd. This Prince arrived at the end of 
 Oftober with the Countefs his wife, the Countcls of 
 Artois, and the Arrier-baii of France. Then they con- 
 ful ted which way they fhould march, and determined 
 foinvillr. to b.efiege Grand Cairo the capital of Eg\'pt, being pcr- 
 fuad'ed that the lofs of that place would bring on the 
 furrendcr of all the reft. The King's army conlifled 
 now of fixty thouiandmen, of which twenty thouioiid 
 were horfe. 
 
 They took the field upon the twentieth of Novem- 
 ber ^ and left the Queen and the other Princeilcs at 
 jtfatK-etevfith a Itronggarrifon. The King being come 
 to the place that feparates the t\vo arms of the A 7 /7f, 
 he ftop'd there, as well to give reft to his army, as 
 to confider in what manner they fliould pals the 
 Eaftern arm of the river, bccaufe the Sultan was cn- 
 camp'd very dole to the other lide near a town called 
 Ma/ottre. 
 
 Sanudo i. a. ^ hc Sultan lent from thence propofals of peace to the 
 parto.emp.9. King. They were fo advantageous, that they would have 
 accepted them immediately, if they could have been fure 
 of their execution : but the difficulties which they fore- 
 faw in that, made them reject them, and if they had agreed 
 to them, the death of the Sultan, which happened at this 
 time, would have raifed new obftaclcs. His
 
 LEWIS IX. 48} 
 
 Hi- death w.ts kept very fecret, as he very much de- An. 1249. 
 i;red it ihould before he expired, to give his fondlmoa- V^W> 
 <te#, who was in Mesopotamia, time to come and take 
 pofleffion of his dominions. He left the care of the 
 government to Scccedun Facardin General of his army. 
 This man pafs'd for the wifeft and moll valiant in 
 Egypt:, and by his conduct he jnftified the choice his-joinviiie, 
 mailer had made of him at fo dangerous a juncture. 
 
 He constantly kept the Chriftians at a bay: andwhilft 
 with the grqfs of his troops he was always ready to 
 oppofe their paliage, he continually lent oyt detach- 
 ments to attack the hinder part of their camp, and feize 
 upon the convoys which came to them from Damiete. 
 Thefe frequent attacks obliged the King to bring his 
 quarters nearer one another, and to draw lines on the 
 ride of Damleie from one arm of the Nile to the o- 
 ther. Several combats happened in which the Maho- 
 metans were always repulled : the Counts of Anjau 
 and Posters fignaiizcd thcmtclves, and gained a great 
 deal of reputation among the troops. 
 
 The ativity and oppofition of Facardin made the 
 King more and more ienfible of the difficulty of the 
 patlage, and as they could not bring boats from Da- 
 miete to make a bridge, becauie the enemy would 
 have broken them in pieces with the great number of 
 patereroas with which they had lined the fhoar, they rt> 
 iblved to make a bank in the Air A*, and carry it the 
 nearett.way they couid to the other fhoar. 
 
 As foon as Facardin &w them beginning this work, ibid. 
 he lent, over to that lice iixteen large machines which 
 continually threw great flones upon the labourers. He 
 made ufc of wildhre > and ii-veral times overthrew or 
 burnt the bcllfrics or wooden towers, which they had 
 railed upon the bank of the river to defend the" pio- 
 neers, and dcftroyed in one night the work of many 
 days. 
 
 Things flood thus for near three months, and the 
 word's were not much more advanced than at tirft. 
 The King being disconcerted, knew not what to do, 
 when a ptdsviit or Arabian came to the conltable lm- 
 !>trt of Beaujcti, and offered for five hundred befauts 
 of gold to fliew him a ford in the river which they 
 might pa'fs on horfeback. They accepted the offer, 
 found out the ford, and tho' it was not very eafy, they . 
 cefolved to attempt the paflagc. The
 
 490 The Hiftory of F R AN c E. 
 
 An. 1 249- The Count of Artois by his repeated inftances ob- 
 \^s*f\j tain'd kave of the King to pafs at the head of the troops, 
 promifing upon oath to moderate his impetuofity, and 
 not advance too for into the country without his or- 
 ders. 
 
 As foon as they were engaged in the river, an ad- 
 vanced guard of three hundred' of the enemy came up 
 ibid. to difpute the paflage : bat when the foremoft troopers 
 of the chriftian army got toftioar, this guard run away 
 as hard as they could drive, and the army continued 
 An-iafo. to P^ 'without any obftacle. It coft them fome men 
 who were drowned, the ford failing in fome places, 
 and the horfes being obliged to fwim. This happened 
 upon Shrove Tucfday in the year 12,^0. 
 
 This was the moit fortunate accident that could hap- 
 pen to the army in the perplexing circumftances they 
 were in ; and confidering the diforder and confternati- 
 on which their pafling the river had caufed in the ene- 
 my, they had ground to hope for the greateft fuccefs, 
 if it had not been for the rafhnefs of the Count of 
 Artois, 
 
 As foon as the army was patted and formed , the 
 
 King marched towards the enemy's camp, and forced 
 
 Epifl. s. it ; feveral Emirs fell upon the fpot ; facardin hrm- 
 
 pSe'& fel . f fi g htin g like a defperado. was run thro' the body 
 
 Jibwatione. with a lance and killed, and the King made himfelf 
 
 mafter of the machines. 
 
 And here it was that the French began to be un- 
 fortunate. The Count of Artots feeing the enemy 
 flying on all fides, forgot the oath which he had made 
 to the King. He quitted his port, and going a by-way 
 to avoid the vanguard, he purfued the enemy with his 
 troop as far as he could. 
 
 The Knights Templars, who were in the van, look- 
 ing upon it as an affront to be thus deprived of march- 
 ing at the head of the troops, went off and run full 
 fpeed after the enemy, endeavouring to get before the 
 Count of Artois. They made, as well as he, great 
 havock among the Infidels, fome of whom fled to- 
 wards Grand Cairo, and others got into the town of 
 MaJJbure. But the Chriftians followed them fo clofe y 
 that they had not time to fhut the gates, and they en- 
 tered with them pell-mell together. 
 
 If
 
 LEWIS IX, 49i 
 
 If the Count Qfdrtoit had ftop'd here, his dlfobe- An. 125-0. 
 dience to the King's orders would have been in forfte \^^C^f 
 degree repaired by fo happy a piece of fuccefs, which 
 put the chriftian army into^ a condition of undertaking 
 any thing. William of Sovnac, grand maftcr of the 
 temple, and the Earl of Salisbury did all they con Id to 
 pcrfuade him to go no further, but wait for new or- 
 ders : but, he laughed at their mighty prudence, and 
 went out of the town to continue his purfuk, tho' he 
 had fewer people with him than before, becaufe ieye- 
 ral of the foldicrs ftaycd in Manure for the fake of 
 plunder. 
 
 In the mean while the Mahometan; had rallied in fe- 
 veral places, and came pouring upon him, command- 
 ed by Boadocdar one of the heads of the Mamnteltts 
 (thus they called one of the moll confiderable bodies 
 of the Mahometan foldiery.) This General, having 
 charged the Count of Artoh with a great deal of vi- 
 gour, obliged him to return to Mafloure^ and brought 
 up a large body of troops to the other fide of the city, 
 which cut off his communication with the King's 
 army. He entered with the reft in the purfuit of the 
 Count of Anols, who threw himfclf into a houfe where 
 he was befieged. 
 
 He defended himfelf there feveral hours : but at laft Guy** \ 
 born down with numbers, his ftrength quite fpent, 
 and his body all over wounds, he expired upon an 
 heap of Infidels, whom he had killed with his own 
 hand : a death perfectly glorious, if it had not beeh 
 the effect of z raihnefs whv*h occasioned fo many other 
 misfortunes. 
 
 Thus fell this valiant Prince, upon whom hiftory 
 with the encomium of courage, bellows likewife that 
 of inviolable chaftity. The Earl of Salisbury w\& Raoul 
 of Couci had the fame fate, as well as Robert of Vert 
 who carried the banner of England^ and who being 
 run thro' in feveral places wrapt himfelf up in his cor 
 lours and died. Three hundred French Knights,' and joi 
 according to the hiftories of that country fourteen hun- th 
 dred were killed. Oriennk - 
 
 The grand mafter of the temple, after having loft an 
 eye in this right, made his way thro 1 the enemy, hav- 
 ing left two hundred and forty of his Knights dead in 
 Alaffaure. Count Peter of Britanny efcsp'd alfo very 
 
 much
 
 492 The HiJ}ory of F R A N c E. 
 
 An. 1 2.5*0. much Wounded, and got again to the army. While 
 
 \ r ^f\J all this happened, the King being advifed of the Count 
 of drtois's danger, advanced with the army. But the 
 yery numerous troops of the Mahometans were upon 
 the road in good order, and made a handfome appear- 
 ance. The defeat of the Count of Artois had reani- 
 mated them ; and Bondocdar, having ordered this Prince's 
 coat of arms, the Flower-de-luce, to be carried thro' all. 
 the ranks, had made them believe it was the King him- 
 ielf who was killed. 
 
 The two fides joyned battle, and never did the Ma- 
 hometans fight better than upon this occafion. Mou; 
 noble exploits were performed by the chriltian Lords. 
 The King, who was in the heat of the battle, was 
 furrounded by fix Turks, one of whom laid hold of 
 
 Joinvilk. his horfe's bridle to carry him away prifoner : but he 
 laid about him Ib with his fword that he got clear, 
 killing Ibme and driving away others, and he was fuc- 
 coured juil in time by a Imall detachment font by the 
 Conftable. The valour and conduct of the Generals 
 mamained the battle till night againll the innumerable 
 multitude of the enemy. The infidels began to make 
 a running fight of it, but the French had no thoughts 
 of purfuing them. Their glory upon this occafion was, 
 not in having, but in not being conquered. The lofs 
 of men was very great in both armies ; but that of the 
 hprfes, of which the Chriftians loft a very great num- 
 ber, was the more inconvenient to them, becaufe it was 
 irreparable. 
 
 As the King was returning into his camp he met 
 Henry of Ronnay, Prior of the Knights of the hofpital, 
 who asked him whether he had heard any news of 
 }he Count of Artois. All that I know of him, an- 
 fwered the King, is that he is in paradife, and when 
 the Prior to comfort him, was making fome compli- 
 ments upon the noble deeds of arms performed that 
 
 jdiovillc. day, the tears began to run from his eyes; and he laid 
 nothing elfc, but that we ought topraiieGod for every 
 thing, and adore his profound judgments. 
 
 Whatever need of reft the chriitian army had after 
 iuch a day, they were obliged to put themfelves in a 
 Condition of not being furpri'ied by an enemy, to whom 
 the glory of not being beaten by people who had hi- 
 therto teemed invincible was the fame as a great vic- 
 4 tory.
 
 L E W I S IX. 493 
 
 tory.. They work'd all night upon a bridge of com- 
 munication with the Duke of Burgundy's camp, which 
 they had left with a body of troops on the other fide 
 of the river, part of whom came over the next day to 
 the King's camp. 
 
 Bondocdar, whofe brave actions in the fight had 
 gained him the command of the whole army, came 
 at die end of the night to attack the camp. He was 
 repulfed by Joinville and Gauchcr of Chatillon. The 
 Friday following he came towards the camp with his 
 whole army, being refolved to attack it f and ordered a 
 detachment to pals the Nile to moleit the Duke of 
 Burgundy's camp, and hinder him from fending any 
 afiiltance to the King during the fight. He was in 
 hopes of fnrprizing the camp ; but before he came up, 
 the King having been informed of it by his fcouts, had 
 ranged his army in order of battle before the barriers 
 of the camp. 
 
 At noon Bondocdar founded the charge with drums, 
 trumpets, and kettledrums, and his army moved all 
 together. The right wing of the Chrim'ans, where the 
 Count of Anjou commanded, was charged the firft, be- 
 caufe it was the fartheft advanced : the difcharge of a 
 prodigious number of arrows and darts wai fuftained 
 with a great deal of refolution by the chriftian iolci- 
 ers : but the wildfire which they had not yet feen ufcd 
 in battles , difconcerted them. It took hold of the 
 men's cloths and the caparifous of the horfes, of which 
 the troopers were no longer matters. The terrible cries 
 of thofc who were burning, were to be heard ever? 
 where, and the Mahometans took their advantage of 
 this contusion. Almoft all was put to the rout, and 
 the Count of Anjou, who had had his horle killed un- 
 der him, fought on foot with the Knights, furrounded 
 on all fides by the enemy. 
 
 The King being advifed of the danger his brother was 
 in, march'd to him in all haflewitha large fquadron of 
 the moft valiant men of the army; and throwing him- 
 felf fword in hand into the midft of the Mahometans 
 and the wildfire, which took hold of him, perform'd, 
 as ufual, prodigies of valour , killing and knocking 
 down all that came in his way. He penetrated as far 
 as the place where the Count of Anjm was, fighting 
 with equal courage, but ready to fiijk under the mul- 
 titude.
 
 494 The Hiftory &f F it AN c E. 
 
 . tltude. He fefcued him, after having received feveral 
 blows npon his armour. He did not flop here ; but 
 having rallied the troops, \vhom bis prcfence infpired 
 with frefh courage, fepuUed the Mahometans, beat them 
 back a great way, regained the ground which had been 
 loft, and feftofed flings to a good condition on that 
 tide. 
 
 What facilitated this faccefs, was that Gaucker of 
 Chatilhn, who commanded the center of the army, re- 
 cived the firft on let of the Mahometans without any 
 dilbider, and beat them off on every attack; for if the 
 froops had given way on this llde, the Coaftt of Aa- 
 j# would have been tiank'd and hemm'd in. 
 
 The templars, who were upon the left ofCkatilloir, 
 were very ill commanded, and Williain of Sonnae their 
 grand malkrvvas killed. But Guy of Matwoifm Lord 
 Of Rijfni, and theCount of F/av&rs, who were placed 
 on the fides of the templars, beat the Inftdeb back 
 With great vigour, and routed them; Mau-ooifin was 
 grievoully wouuded in this attack. 
 
 The left wing, where the Count of Puttiers and the 
 .Lord of Rr#c;on commanded, had no better fate at 
 firft than the Count of Axjotfs right wittg. There was 
 none but infantry there, which was broke thro' by the 
 Mahometan cavah'y, and the Count of Poitiers was 
 taken prifoner. They Were already carrying him away, 
 when the news of his being taken having reached the 
 tanlp, infpired the ver-y boys, the futlers, and even th<: 
 women themfdves, not with fear but with a kind of 
 fiiry. They armed themfclves with any thing that was 
 next their hand, running about without order to fall 
 upon the Makometavs, who were themlelves in confu- 
 fion; and theie troops collected together made fuch 
 brisk efforts that they took the Count out of the hands 
 of the Mahometans and obliged them to fly. 
 
 The Lord of Bracio was fever al times broke 
 thro' : but he always rallied his people, and by his re- 
 fiftance obliged the enemy to retire. He loft moft of 
 his Knights in thefe frequent attacks, and received fe- 
 veial wounds himfetf, of which he died the fame day 
 jj c was onc Q f ^g mo ^ valiant men of his time, and 
 had been in lix and thirty battks Mid skirmifhes, in 
 which he had aiways diftinguifted himfclf
 
 L E W1S D. 495 
 
 Bondocdar feeing his troops diflieartncd by the great An.iifo. 
 oppofition they met with, founded a retreat after hav- V 
 ing loft many more men than the Chriltians : but how 
 great foever his lofs was, he could repair it, and for 
 this reafon boaft of having done more mifchfef to the 
 enemy than he received. 
 
 In thefe perplexing circumftanees, ' the beft way the 
 Chriftians had to take, feem'dtobe tdretire to Danriete, 
 the more becaufe they were no longer able to attack 
 the enemy. They confidered what to do, and refolved 
 to flay where they were, to give reft to the army, and 
 time to the fick and wounded to be cured. 
 
 During this, the news came of the arrival of Almaa* 
 dan fon and fuccefibr to the laft Sultan. His prefencc, 
 the good qualities which appeared in his peribn, and 
 the troops he brought with him, made all Egypt rake 
 heart again. Notwithftanding the ardour which appear- 
 ed in the Muffulman. foldiers, Almoadan by the advice 
 of his council made a propofal to the King to treat 
 with hiiriv 
 
 This Prince, feeing the lad condition his army was 
 reduced to by ficknels, contented to it : they treated, 
 and concluded, that the King ihould reftore Damiete 
 to the Sultan, and the Sultan put him in pofleflion of 
 all the kingdom of Jerufulent. In the treaty they pro- 
 vided for the fafety of the fick and wounded, and agreed 
 upon provifions and victuals not only for the return of 
 the army to Damiete, but likewife for their tranfporta- 
 tion into Paleftwe. 
 
 When the "articles were concluded on, the Sultan 
 demanded hoftages for the execution of them, and wiis 
 obftinatcly refolved that the King fhould be one of 
 the number. Lord Geoffrey of Sargies y who nego- 
 tiated for the King, rejeded this propofal with difdain, 
 and offered one of the King's two brothers. The holy 
 Prince delired, that they would accept the Sultan's pro- 
 pofaL, and permit him to facrifice himfelf to lave tile 
 army, but he was not obeyed. 
 
 Whether the Mahometans began to treat with the 
 Chriftians only to amule them ; or whether the fad 
 condition to which they law them reduced, made them 
 hope to bring them to harder terms, they broke off 
 the negotiation upon this refufal, tho' the iecond rea- 
 Ibn feerns to be the moft probable, becaufe fuch terri- 
 ble
 
 4^6 The Hiftbry of F R A N c E. 
 
 An.i2>-o. ble havock was made in the army by the fcurvy, nu 
 V^-*Y~^ lignant fevers and other diitcmpers, fo that all the camp 
 feernM alinolt nothing but an hofpital. Tothefedifeaies 
 famine was joyncd by the leixing of their convovs . 
 for the enemy feeing the people they had ro do \v;"ih 
 were half dead, made themfelves matters of the coun- 
 try without oppolition. 
 
 In this extremity they refolved to retreat towards 
 DMniete. The thing was difficult, not to fry impof- 
 fible. The Infidels had a numerous army ready to 
 charge their rear as foon as they march'd, and they 
 were to go twenty leagues from the camp to Damietc, 
 thro' an innumerable number of enemies who guarded 
 the palTes and defiles : but it was a cafe of hcceflity, 
 and all mult be hazarded. 
 
 The army pafs'd the Nile pretty cafily, and the J\Li- 
 
 bo-metans having charged them in the rear, wcrerepulf- 
 
 . ed by Gaticher of C)ieitillon, who commanded it : but 
 
 afterwards they had almoft as many fights to maintain 
 
 as they had fteps to take. 
 
 The King after having fuftained a thoufand aflaults. 
 in which tho' he repulied the enemy, he always loft a 
 great many men, came at laft to a little town called 
 Cafel in Joiaville's hiilory, and by others Stirw'fac or 
 Charraafack. He fell there into fo great a iwoonthro* 
 his fatigue, that they thought he was going to expire. 
 Gattcber of Cbattlhn defended along time by himfclf 
 the entrance of a llrcet \yhich led to the houfe where 
 the King was : we Ihoukt not have known of this ex- 
 traordinary action, if it had not been for a Mahometan* 
 who having the boldncfs to joyn him, after he faw hk 
 flrength was quite fpcnt, killed him and brought off 
 his horfe all covered with the blood of this, valiant 
 man, and of that of the Infidels whom he had flain. 
 
 In the mean while the King being recovered froir. 
 his fainting fit, lent P h:l:p of favntfort to get the Emii 
 with whom they had treated fome days before to re- 
 
 called Ahtreelbu* whether it was that the fear of dan- 
 ger had dilturbcd his mind, .or thro' an-unfeafonablc 
 piece of zeal to lave the King his mailer's life, came 
 without orders and cryed on nil fides, Lor tit and 
 
 Kniffos,
 
 L E w I s IX, 407 
 
 , all of you furrender ; '?<? Ktng commands 
 
 o fo do /0 by me, and do not let him be killed. Up- 
 on this they. all obeyed the pretended command of the 
 King, and furrendered themfelves prifoncrs to the Ma- 
 hometans: This news being brought to the Emir, he told 
 Montfort that there was nomoreoccafion for treating, 
 fince they had furrendered and laid down their arms. 
 
 At the fame tirrie the Emir Gdmaledin having enter'd 
 Cafel without refiftance,' took the King prifoner. This 
 Prince to comfort himfelf defired his chaplains to give 
 him his breviary, and repeated it with as much fedate- 
 nefs as if he had been in perfect health in his palace at 
 Paris, The Counts of Poitiers and Anjou, with all thole 
 in general who went by land to Damiette, were fur- 
 rounded by the enemy and obliged to furrender : not 
 one efcaped, for all were eithef killed or taken. 
 
 The fate of thofe who went down the river to Da- 
 tniette was not more happy ; and except the legate's 
 fliip, and a few others, all fell into the hands of the 
 Infidels, who kill'd all the foldiers and common peo- 
 ple, and faved none but perfons of diflinction. .Join- joinville, 
 ville was one of this number, and owed his life to a 
 failor, who feeing him going to be murder'd cried out. 
 that, he Was the King's coufin. 
 
 The Lords and Gentlemen who had been taken pri- 
 foners, were often alarmed before they could joyn the 
 King again, partly thro' the brutality of the Mahome- 
 tans, partly thro' their incohftancy : for fometimes they 
 would kill them, and fometimes they were for faving 
 them that they might not lofe their ranlbm. At lalt 
 one of the Sultan's officers came and told them, that 
 the King had treated for himfelf and them, and that they 
 muft depute four perfons of their troop to go to that 
 Prince, in order to agree upon what was not yet regulated, 
 and bring the treaty to a conclufioh. They chofe3^ 
 of Valeri, Philip of Montfort, Baldwin Tbslin Se- 
 nefchal of Cyprus, and Guy his brother the Conftable 
 of that ifland. 
 
 They were carried to the place where the King was, G 
 whole conduct , refolution , and behaviour, equally j e a 
 royal and chrifh'an, had filled the Mahometans with m 
 admiration and aftonifhment ! as feeble and fkk as he s - 
 was, they never found one impatient or angry word 
 come from him. He recited every day the- office- of 
 VOL. I,' K'k the
 
 The Hiftory of F R AN c E. 
 
 An. 1 2, p. the breviary with his chaplain, and had all the prayers 
 \^y\J of the rnafs contained in the miflal read except the 
 words of confecration. In the midft of the infults 
 which were fometimcs offered him by thofe who guarded 
 him, he prefcrved a Certain air of empire and authority, 
 which kept fncm in awe : fo that they faid fometimeSj 
 that tho' he was their prifoner, he treated them as if 
 they themfelves had been his flaves. 
 
 The Sultan lent a propofal to him, by which he de- 
 manded a million of befants of gold and the city of Da- 
 miettefot his ran forh and that of the other prifoners. He 
 aniwcrcd, that he would not redeem himfelf with money ; 
 that he wou'd give the city of Damiette for the releafe 
 of his own perfen, and the million of befants for that 
 of all the prifoners. The Sultan charmed with his ge- 
 nerolity and finccrity, fent to him and made him a 
 compliment of his liberty, adding that out of the efteein 
 he had for him, he would remit the fifth part of the fum. 
 fepift. ?.Lud. This article being fettled, they agreed upon the reft, 
 de captione w hich were a truce of ten years between the King and 
 the Sultan, in which the Chriftians of Paleftine and 
 Syria, fhould be comprehended ; that the King fhould 
 engage to deliver all the Mahometans out of captivity, 
 who had been taken prifoners during the war, and fince 
 the treaty of the Emperor Frederick with Meled'm, and 
 that in like manner all the Chriftians who were in cap- 
 tivity fince the fame treaty, fhould be fet at liberty. 
 The other articles related to the fick and the wound- 
 ed, thofe who were fettled at Damiette, their equipages, 
 their effects, and other luch like matters. 
 
 Things being thus regulated, there was nothing to 
 do but to prepare for the evacuation ofDamiette. They 
 put the King and the principal Lords of his army on 
 board four vefTels to go down the rivet towards that 
 city, and to have an interview with the Sultan in the 
 way : but the moft unforefeen accident in the world 
 threw the King into more troublefome perplexities and 
 greater dangers than ever. It was the death of the new 
 Sultan, who was murdered during thefe traniaSions 
 by the Mammelus, whofe hatred he had drawn upon him- 
 fetf by the fever ity with which he had ufedfome of their 
 commanders foon after his afcending the throne. 
 
 It was neccflary to treat again with the Emirs ; and 
 ifte "former treaty was confirmed with fome few al- 
 terations :
 
 L w I S IX. 499 
 
 terations; but in a revolution, like th'?, occasioned ly An. 125*0. 
 the Sultan's death, nothing could be depended upon V^OTVi 
 for certain. The Emirs after the treaty was (kned, 
 confidered among themfelves, whether they frould not 
 behead the King and all the Chf iftiaris they had in their 
 power. Many were of this opinion, bat a fpark of 
 honour animated one of the Emirs, and he fpoke Ib 
 handfbmely upon this fubj eft, that he prevented the bar- 
 barous execution. 
 
 At laft the King, after having been perplexed with' 
 many cavils, treacheries, and alarms from the Emirs, 
 after having paid them a quarter of the ranlbm, and 
 furrendercd Damiette, embark'd with the two Princes 
 his brothers and feveral Lords, and arrived in the port 
 of Acre upon the eighth of May 125*0, being refolvcd 
 to fettle the affairs of the Chriftians before he returned 
 into France. 
 
 In the mean time the news of the happy defcent of 1 Ep'^- fepf 
 the King upon Egypt, and the taking of ' Damiette, had S P inSS' r 
 been followed in France by accounts of other greater rv.t;. sV* 
 imaginary advantages founded upon this firlt fuccefs, ciiegU. 
 The conqueft of Grand Cairo and Alexandria, and the 
 intire defeat of the Sultan were publilhed in the king- 
 dom as certain ifa&s, and rejoycings were made every 
 tvherefor them: but the greater their joy had been, the 
 greater was their conitcrnation when they received cer- 
 tain advice fome time after of the King's captivity, of 
 that of all the Princes and Lords, of the contagious 
 difeafes which had preceded it, and had deftroyed the 
 greateft part of the army. 
 
 All the chriftian Princes teftified their grief at fo fa- 
 tal a difafter, and Frederick hunfelf pretended to be 
 more concerned at the King's misfortune than any o- 
 ther of the fovereign Princes* Queen Blanche the 
 King's mother, who was more afflicted than any one 
 clfe, gave orders for railing money to pay off the King's 
 ranfom ; and Pope Innocent, who in this had the fame 
 views with her, omitted nothing to back her deiigns. 
 He wrote to. feveral of the European Princes to en- 
 gage them to take the crofs. Some did fo : but after 
 all, the feveral motions which the King's imprifon- 
 ment caufed in Europe, had but little effect ; and pro- 
 duced in France a very troublefome accident, -and which 
 was not the firft of this nature that had been . en there. 
 K k i At
 
 Hiftory ^/FRANCE. 
 
 At t ' ie ^ me f tne fe crufades, more than at any o- 
 ther, the people eafily gave into fentiments of piety 
 and zeal, even to the greateft cxcefles of fanaticiim. 
 Match. Paris. An apoftate Monk of the Ciftercian order, named Jac ob^ 
 pretending to be a prophet and infpired, perfuaded a 
 vaft number of the country people, that they were the 
 perfons whom heaven would make ufe of to deliver 
 the holy Land from the yoke of the Infidels ; that God 
 Had confounded the defigns of the great ones of the 
 earth who trutted in their own ftrength, to make his 
 glory appear in the prodigies he would work by the 
 hands of the weak ; that it was by the hands of fwains 
 and ihepherds, a name which the Son of God had taken 
 to himfelf when upon earth, that Mahometifin muft be 
 exterminated. 
 
 He knew fo well how to improve this extravagance 
 by the help of fome mountebank tricks, which palfed 
 for miracles among thefe ignorant people, that he got 
 a great number of them together, and engaged them to 
 follow him. Out of thefe people he formed a militia, 
 to whom he gave the name of paftorals ; and it was 
 foon increafed by a prodigious number of the fcum of 
 the people, and all the vagabonds and robbers in the 
 kingdom. 
 
 , The Queen Regent, who had occafion for foldiers to 
 fend into Pale (line to the King's afliftance, did not at 
 .firir, oppofe this madnefs, from which fhe hoped to 
 draw advantage. But thefe paftorals committed fo 
 many diforders, fo many ravages and impieties, that 
 fhe began to be apprehenfivc of terrible confequences. 
 tfang'msin The people took up arms againftthem, and Jacob their 
 Cefli* Lud. ^ief being knocked on the head in a tumult with the 
 blow of a hatchet near Bourger, there wanted nothing 
 more to confound all this rabble, and in a very fhort 
 time it was difperfed. 
 
 Notwithstanding the Queen Regent's application to 
 putherfelfin a condition offending the King fuccours 
 of men and money, her chief delign was to engage 
 him to return as fobn as poffible: and when iheknew 
 he was in Pakftine, fhe wrote to him urging him very 
 (Irongly tO.hanen his return. This was likewife the 
 King's refolution, who had already prepared every thing 
 for his departure. But he began to confider of it^ after 
 he cainei nto Palefting^ and efpecially when he found 
 
 how
 
 L E w i s IX. 501 
 
 how the Mahometans behaved in the execution of the An. 1250 
 treaty. Vx*Y\> 
 
 They hardly obferved any thing they had promifcd, 
 either with regard to the tranfporting of the magazines, 
 or to the deliverance of the Chriftians. On the con- 
 trary they murdered feveral of them, and forced a great 
 number of them to renounce their religion and embrace 
 the Mahometan : on the other fide the Princes and 
 Lords of Palejline were continually reprefenting to 
 him, that if he left them they fhould lie at the mercy 
 of the Mahometans, who to revenge the ravages that 
 had been committed in Egypt, would exterminate all 
 the remains of the Chriftians in Paleftine and Syria. 
 Laftly, the divifions which he fawwere kindling among 
 the Mahometan Princes, made him hope for fome fa- 
 vourable opportunity of putting the affairs of theChrif- 
 tians in Pale/line into a better condition. Alltheferea- 
 fons determined him not to be in hafte to leave the 
 country. 
 
 He called the Lords together who were with him, 
 and defired them to give him their thoughts upon this 
 head. Moft of them were for his returning to France ; 
 fome for his ftaying in Paleftine. He heard them, and 
 without declaring his mind as yet, told them that he 
 would call them again together very foon. He did fo, 
 and without confulting any more he declared to them, 
 that his refolution was to continue fome time longer 
 in Paleftine ; that he would oblige no body to flay 
 with him ; but that thofe who had a mind to keep him 
 company, fhould want for nothing, and that his finances Joinviiie. 
 fnould maintain them all in common. 
 
 This declaration thundcr-flriick moft of the aflem- 
 bly. The principles of honour and gencroflty pre- 
 vailed over the minds of fome ; the reft embarked about 
 midfummer with the Counts of Anjou and Poitiers, 
 U-hom the King thought proper to fend back into France^ 
 to comfort the Queen-mother, and afTift her in cafe of 
 any war. 
 
 Immediately after the departure of the two Princes, 
 the King raifed new levies of foldiers, and was not 
 long before he had a body of troops confiderable enough 
 to make himfelf be fear'd by the different parties that 
 were formed among the Infidels, upon the occafion of 
 the death of Almoddan the laft Sultan of Egypt .who 
 was aflaffinated upon the road toDamiette. ' 'The
 
 502, The Hijlory 
 
 The truth is, both of them were defirous of brjng- 
 ing him into their interefts. The Sultan of Damas^ 
 coufiu to the \&K.Alm(jadan, fent an embafly to him, 
 offering to let him be mafter of all the kingdom of 
 Jervfaietn, if he would joyn with him againft m^Mam- 
 melzs. The King gave the embafladors good hopes ; 
 and told them, that if the Emirs of Egypt continued 
 to break the treaty which he had made with them, he 
 would willingly treat with their mailer. 
 
 ^ e ^ ent Jobx of 'Valencia into Egypt, who fpoke 
 with a great deal of boidnefs to the 'Emirs of the Mam- 
 melus, and gave them to underftand, that if they did 
 not fatisfythe King, he would foon be able to do him- 
 felf juftice. The Emirs underftood his meaning. They 
 anfwered, that they were refolved to content the King 
 in every thing, and conjured him to diffuado him from 
 the league with the Sultan of Damas ; adding, that if 
 he would on the other hand take their fide, and make 
 diverfion in the territories of th\at Sultan, they would 
 IW offer him conditions as advantagiqus as he could defire; 
 and to (hew him the refolution they were in to give 
 him fatisfa&ion, they releafed out of prifon upon the 
 jfpot two hundred Knights, and a great number of other, 
 prifoners, whom Juhn of Valencia brought to the 
 King. They likewife fent embafladors with him to 
 pegotiate the league againft the Sultan of Damas. 
 
 The King well fatisfied at feeing already fuch happy 
 effects of his flaying in Pale/line^ kept the two parties 
 in fufpence, and fent back John of Valencia VDX.Q Egypt 
 to treat with the Emirs, whilfi: he dill gave the Sultan 
 hopes of concluding likewise a treaty with him. 
 
 In the mean while he took the opportunity of the un- 
 certainty in which he kept the two parties, to rebuild 
 the walls of Ctfarea, twelve leagues from Acre upon 
 the high road to Jerufalem, without meeting with any 
 oppontion from the Sultan; he added new fortifications 
 to Acre^ and built fome fortrtfles in the neighbouring 
 country. 
 
 John of Valencia being arrived in Egyt-> obtained al- 
 moft every thing that he defired of the Emirs, who ex- 
 ecuted feveral articles of the treaty which was made 
 Tor the King's deliverance, and they made him amends 
 Ibid. for the feveral infractions they had committed. The 
 league was concluded; and they agreed upon a day 
 
 when 
 
 .
 
 LEWIS IX. 503 
 
 when they would come and joyn the King near An. 125-2* 
 Jtppa. 
 
 The Sultan of Damas being informed of the con- 
 cluiion of this treaty, took his meafures to prevent the 
 confequences of it. He pofted twenty thoufand men 
 upon the pafTes in the road from Egypt to Joppa. The 
 Emirs durit not undertake to force them; theyfent to 
 make their excufes to the King, and dcfired him not 
 to be impatient : but the Sultan of Damas having en- 
 tered Egypt at the head of an army, and having gain'd 
 a vi&ory over them, he obliged them to defire peace, 
 and joyn with him againft the King. 
 
 Hoftilities were already begun by the Sultan of Da- 
 mas ; and the Emirs of Egypt loon a&ed in the fame 
 manner. Several little skirmifhes happened, in which 
 the Mahometans were generally beat, and the King 
 who was not in a condition to keep the field, took 
 care to fortify Sidon, otherwife called Sajetta. 
 
 During four years that this holy King flayed in Pa- 
 left me, employed in repairing the towns of the Ghri 
 tians, and putting them in a ftate of defence agaihft 
 the Mahometans, the latter entered upon no coniidera- 
 ble undertaking; and as he himfelf had not a fuffi- 
 cient number of troops, he did not engage in any great 
 expedition. He often exercifed his devotion in viliting 
 the holy places, where he could go without expofing 
 himfelf to any evident danger. He went fomctimes 
 to Cana in Galilee, fometimes to mount Tabor^ and 
 fomerimes to Nazareth. 
 
 The Sultan of Damas, notwithstanding the war, of- 
 fer'd to allow him to go to Jerusalem. He wiflied 
 for nothing more : but the Lords of the country repre- 
 fented to him the confequences of this flop, telling 
 him that .if he entered Jerufalem without having coii- 
 quercd it, the other Princes, who fhould come after 
 him to the affiftance of Paleftine, would think they 
 had accompJifhed their vow, if after his example they 
 fhould only viiit the holy places ; and that this pro- 
 ceeding would be enough to determine them to con- 
 fine their devotion to that, without troubling them- 
 felves about reconquering that capital. He yielded, 
 to their remonstrances , and fent his thanks to the 
 Sultan. 
 
 K k 4 Whether
 
 504 The Hiftory of F R A N c E. 
 
 Whether it was that in France they had a mind to 
 oblige the King to return whether he would or no^ 
 or whether the ill fuccefs of his expedition into 
 Egypt had cooled the ardour of the French towards 
 the voyages beyond lea, or whether the fufpicions they 
 had of rtfe King of England would not let them leave 
 the kingdom unguarded, there came but very few 
 Trench troops into Pale/line ; and in the fpace of near 
 four years there were hardly any Lords, who came to 
 joyn the King, but the young Count of #, Arnulfh 
 of Guifnc j, and Raymond Vifcount of Turenne : but 
 as they conftantly furnifhed him with money in abun- 
 dance, he perfiftediu his defign of not leaving Paleftine 
 as yet, when a piece of news which he received, and 
 which was the moll: affl idling that he could receive, 
 obliged him to think of returning. 
 
 It was that of the death of the Queen Regent his 
 pjufridus de mother. This Princefs died npon the firft day of De-> 
 $elioloco. c em fa r fa the year 12,5-2,. Hiftory furnifhes us with 
 but few perfons of her fex, who have equalled her in 
 the art of government. A mind upright, found, con- 
 ftant, aridunfhaken, and a manly courage, proof againlt 
 the moft unfortunate and moft fudden accidents, make the 
 principal part of her chara&er. Thefe qualities joyned 
 to a great deal of art, an inlinuating air, and the charms 
 and graces with which nature had abundantly adorn'd 
 her, gave her that great authority, which fhe always 
 hiaide a good ufc of to the advantage of the ftate. She 
 was full of piety and virtue ; but imperious to fuch a 
 degree, that (he would poffibly have made herfelf more 
 to have been feared than loved by a fon of any other 
 temper than St. Lew/Vs *. 
 
 He learn'd this news at Sajetta, and according to 
 others at JoppCj from the : legate, to whom the letters 
 which gave an account of it were directed. He re- 
 ceived it with the greateft grief imaginable. At firft 
 heburft into floods of tears; but his refignation ap- 
 peared fo much the more heroical : for throwing him- 
 ielf at the foot of the altar in his chapel, he addrefled 
 himfelf to God in thcfe noble words. " Lord, I am 
 u already too much obliged to thee for having prefcrv- 
 " ed to me fo long fo dear a mother ; thou tal:eft her 
 
 * Sec D Canoe's notes upon Joirnitte's hiflory, p. 58. 
 
 " froni
 
 L E \v i s IX. . 505 
 
 "from me, and it is thy abfolute will. It is true, An-izj-i. 
 " there was no one in the world for whom I had more ^^^~v~\j 
 " affection and tendernefs ; but fince thou haft .thus or- Gmfridus d e 
 " dered it, may thy holy name for ever be blefled fork." J 
 He fhew'd his regard for her by having the iacrifice of 
 the mafs offered for her in his prefence every day of 
 his life. 
 
 Queen Margaret his Ipoufe, who flayed with him An. 12, 5*3. 
 in Paleftine, was more eafily comforted. She did not 
 love the Queen-mother, becaufe fhe was a great con- 
 ftraint upon her; that Princefs kept her very much 
 under, and always hindred the King from letting her 
 have any concern in bufinefs. However fhe alfo fhcd 
 abundance of tears : and one day when Joinville found joinviiie 
 her weeping, he faid to her with his uliial freedom, edi . tion <* 
 '" Madam, it is. true, one fliould never believe a wo- 
 " man's tears ; for your mourning is for the woman 
 u whom you hated the worft in the world." The 
 Queen reply'd with the fame rmcerity, " My Lord of 
 " Joinviiie, neither is it for her that I weep ; but it is 
 " for the great trouble the King is in ; and likewife 
 " for my daughter Ifabella, who is under the care and 
 " cuftody of men. 
 
 From that time the King prepared for his departure, 
 but without precipitation. He ftayed a year after in 
 Paleftine, that he might not leave that country incapa- 
 ble of oppolmg the Mahometans, and that tie might 
 finish the fortifications of the places which he had re- 
 paired. After which he recommended to the legate, 
 who had orders from the Pope to ftay in Paleftine, to 
 take care of this part of Chriftendom, which was Ib 
 much expofed to the cruelty of the Infidels, He left 
 him a good deal of money with a reafonable number 
 of troops. He gave the command of Acre, which 
 was the moft important ' fortrefs in the country, to 
 Geoff roy ofSergines with an hundred Knights to guard it ; 
 and having received a thoufand teftimomes of gratitude 
 andrefpect from the Lords and people, who called him 
 Che Father oftheChriftians, and whom he promifed he 
 would never forfake, he embarked at the port of Acre, 
 upon the twenty fourth of April in the year 125-4. wit ^ An. 125-4. 
 3 fleet of fourteen fail. 
 
 1 Lewis, maintaining in all refpecls, and in all places, 
 his character of a perfectly Chriftian Prince, made his 
 
 fleet,
 
 506 The Hiftory 
 
 An. 12, ff fleet, and efpecially his own fhip, a kind of church, 
 V^-Y"^ T ne y preached in it, catechifed, frequently confefs'd, 
 celebrated the divine offices, and he exercifed his leal 
 and charity all manner of ways, and with fuch fuc- 
 cefs as gave him a great deal of comfort. He run a 
 great rifque of his life, his fhip having (truck, and 
 with fo much force, that eighteen foot of the keel 
 ftuck faft in the fand. It was look'd upon as a mi- 
 racle that it was not loft. The King, to fhew his 
 trutt in God, would not change his fhip, notwithftand- 
 ing the requefts which were made him. He met with 
 another violent ftorm before he arrived in Cyprus. 
 They did not land there, but only took in fre(h water and 
 fome provifions. At lal't, after a voyage often weeks, 
 the fleet arrived upon the eighteenth of July at the 
 ifland of Hieres, before a cattle which belonged to the 
 Duke of Anj&H. 
 
 After having retted there for fome days, he left Hi- 
 eres, made a vitit to St. Baume in his journey, and 
 Kanghu. came to Vincennes upon the fifth of September. He 
 went from thence to return thanks to God at the ab- 
 by of St. Denis, where he made moil noble prefcnts. 
 
 The univerfal joy which the people expreffed upon 
 his arrival and entry into Paris, made but little im- 
 preffion upon his mind. He had always before his 
 eyes the dangerous condition of Chriftendom in the 
 Eaft. He attributed the ill fuccefs of his expeditio 
 to his fins. Sadnefs was painted upon his face; and 
 the extraordinary modefty which he affe&ed from this 
 tims in his drefs, was a kind of continual mourning, 
 which he always wore for fo many brave Lords who 
 were loft in the enterprize. His greateft comfort was 
 having brought feveral Mahometans with him, fome 
 of whom had already receiv'd baptifin in Palefline, 
 and others were chriften'd in France. He wore the 
 crofs upon his cloaths when he came to Paris, to 
 fhew that he had not quitted his defign of returning 
 to the affiftance of the Chriftians in the Eaft; which 
 much abated the joy exprefTed at his return, But his 
 affliction, and the care which he took more than ever to 
 fan&ify himfelf by aufterities and other good works, 
 did not at all take off the application he owed to the 
 good of his realm. He had an account given him of 
 all that had happened during his abfence. I will here 
 
 fct
 
 L E W I s IX. 507 
 
 fet down the^moft important of thofe matters, the re- An. 12, 5-4. 
 lation of which I deferred, that I might not interrupt v^/VN^ 
 that of the affairs of Egypt and Paleftme. 
 
 The Queen Regent was particularly obliged to Matth.paris. 
 watch over the proceedings of the King of England, 
 who did not long hide his defign of making ufe of 
 the opportunity of the King's abfence to retake what 
 he had loft in the laft war. She engaged the Pope to 
 qfe his ftrongeft endeavours with that Prince, tie did 
 fo, infomuch that he threatned to lay all his dominions 
 under an interdidi, if he committed the leaft hoftility 
 upon the territories of 'France. This menace had its effect. 
 The Queen Regent did not (hew any uneafinefs upon 
 the account of the King of England's projects, and 
 fome time after fhe even refufed him leave to pafs 
 thro' the kingdom, tho' he deiircd it, that he might 
 go and quell a rebellion which was rifen in Gafcoigne. 
 
 The death of Raymond, the feventh of that name and 
 the la(t Count of 'foulouje, which happened at the time 
 that he was pretending at leaft to embark, in order to join 
 the King, made new bufmefs for this Princefs. By the 
 treaty of peace in the year 1229. all the dominions qf the 
 Count of Touloufe were after his death to come to Al- 
 phovfo, Count of Poitiers, who had married 'Jane his 
 daughter. The Queen immediately fent Guy and Henry 
 of G&tvrtafe to take pofleflion of them. She named an De Ca 
 
 adminiftrutor to this fucceffion; everything went on Epift.Bia 
 with tranquillity, and the Count of Poitiers at his re- 5Jry"5 the" 
 turn from Egypt went hiinfelf to receive homage and counts of 
 oaths of allegiance from his new fubjects. This fuc- 
 ceffion might have raifed differences between the Count 
 of Poitiers and the Count of Anjou, becaufe there 
 were fome eftates and fortified towns in Provence, 
 which belonged to the Count of Touloufe : but by the 
 care of the Queen Regent thefe two Princes acted al- 
 ways in concert, and brought Avignon, Aries, and 
 Maffeille to obedience, who made a fcruple of ac- 
 nowledging them for their Lords. 
 
 After the death of the Queen Regent the government 
 fell into the hands of the Counts of Anjou and Poiti- 
 ers; and before the King's return a terrible war broke 
 out in the Netherlands between the Lords of the 
 houfe of Avefnes and the Lords of the houfe of Dam- 
 pierre, on account of the fucceffion of Margaret, 
 2 Counted
 
 o3 The Hiftory of FRANCE: 
 
 An. 1 2,^4. Countefs of Flanders and Haynauh. There was a 
 bloody battle fought in the ifland of f^alcberett in Zea- 
 land. The Count of Anjou entered into this war, bc- 
 caufe of the donation which Margaret had made him 
 ^ the count 7 or Haynaujt. He took Rupelmonde, 
 of Valenciennes, and Mans, but the war was fufpended 
 F/.w.fcrt fol. by a truce, and the difference ended two years after 
 190. by the authority of the King, who engaged the Count 
 
 of Anjou to renounce the donation which had been 
 made him of the county of H.iynanlt. 
 
 When the King arrived foori after the truce I juft 
 now mentioned, he found Europe in as much confu- 
 iion as when he left it. The Emperor Frederick died 
 in the year 125-0. and Conrad his Ion, who had con- 
 tinued the war agaiiift the Pope, was juft dead, being 
 poifoncd by Mainfroy Prince of T'arenitim his brother, 
 natural foil to Frederick ; notwithstanding which, this 
 wicked wretch, who was even accufed of having fh or t- 
 ncd his own father's days, was afterwards guardian to 
 Conradin the foil of Conrad. 
 
 Pope Innocent the fourth after Fredericks death was 
 recalled into Italy by the moft confiderablc cities be- 
 yond the Alps. He was refolved to make his advantage 
 of Conrad's fudden death, and advanc'd towards Naples, 
 where he was received with joy. Mainfroy made as tho* 
 he would have iubmitted ; but at the end o'fibme weeks 
 they took up arms on both fides ; and the Pope dying 
 the fame year, Alexander the fourth his fucceffor found 
 himfelf engaged to maintain the war. 
 
 Upon the profpect of all thele tumults, the holy 
 King thought of nothing but how to fecure the tran- 
 quillity of his realm, and to procure peace and quiet, 
 if he could, not only to the church, but likewife to 
 all his neighbours. Frdrti this time to the end of 
 his life we" ihall find him employed in almoft no- 
 thing but this care, and that of lanclifying himfelf more 
 and more. 
 
 Scarce had he taken fome reft at Paris, but he went 
 to vilk the frontiers of the Netherlands ; and he did the 
 lame Icveral times afterwards. Upon his return, when 
 he was at S^iffons, the Lord ofjoitiville came to wait 
 upon him about an important affair which he had in 
 commifiion : namely, to defirc of the King his daughter 
 in marriage for Tkibattd the iecond, King of . 
 
 Tin's
 
 L E w i s IX. 509 
 
 This Prince was fon of T'htbaud Count of Cham- An. 12. 5-4. 
 pagne and King of Navarre, who has been fo often ^^T^^ 
 mentioned in this hiftory, and who died the foregoing Ir "' em - <I f 
 year. Tbibaud the fecond was but fifteen years old champagne 
 when his father died ; and till he came to age, Marga- P . 6.n.ioo. 
 ret of Bourbon his mother had the regency of the king- 
 dom. The King confented to the propofal about his 
 daughter's marriage : but before that was performed, he 
 would have fome differences adjufted which had rifen 
 between the Count $ Brtiatvy Vto&Thibaiut, upon part 
 of the fucceflion of the late King of Navarre. The ftid. n. 97- 
 bufinefs was decided by the court of Peers ; and after- 
 wards the young couple were married at Melun with 
 a great deal of magnificence. 
 
 Before the celebration of this marriage, there was 
 another much more magnificent feaft in France upon 
 the occafion I am going to relate. Henry the third, 
 King of England, had been obliged to come over into 
 Gafcoigne to fupprcfs fome (editions there, and he had 
 flayed there ever fince that time. He defired the King 
 to give him leave to return thro' France into England. 
 The King willingly granted it. He went to meet him 
 as far as Cbartre. He paid him the greateft honours 
 at Paris ; and at an entertainment which this Prince 
 gave him at the temple where he had choien his lodg- 
 ings, he would even have given him the firft place ; 
 but the King of England 'refilled it : You are my Lord; 
 faid he to him, and you (hall be fo always, take the 
 place which belongs to you. 
 
 The King of England flayed eight days at Paris.; 
 where great care was taken not to give him any room 
 for difpleafure. The two Kings during this time had 
 fome private conferences ; and upon more than one 
 occafion, if we may believe the Englijh hiftorian, the Mauh, Pan.;. 
 King exprefied to Henry the delire he had of reftoring 
 Normandy to him ; but, added he, my twelve Peers 
 and my Barons will never confent to it. The exceffive 
 tendernefs of the King's conscience, and his behaviour 
 afterwards in fome treaties with the King of England, 
 render this fact pretty credible : but the teltimony of this 
 contemporary author acquaints us with two important 
 things atlcaft. The firft, that from that time the Peers 
 of France were fixed to the number of twelve ; and in 
 the fecond place, that the King did not difpofe of any 
 
 confiderablc
 
 5io The Hi/lory of PRANCE." 
 
 An. 1 2, 5-4. confiderable part of his dominions without the content 
 i^sy^ not only of the Peers of the kingdom, but likcwife 
 of his Barons, who were the greatcft Lords of the 
 realm, tho' of an inferior rank to that of the Peer's. 
 
 The King of England left Paris loaded with ho- 
 hours. He gained there the character of being very li- 
 beral ; and fbme time after the truce between the two 
 crowns was prolonged *. 
 
 According to the refolution which the King had 
 taken of giving himfelf up for the future intircly to the 
 good of his people and the fervice of God, he made 
 Nangius in ieveral ordinances, as well to have exact juflice done 
 Geftis Lud. to bvery body, as to prevent certain fcandalous crimes, 
 and particularly blafphemy. He took care to have them 
 executed; and a citizen of Par is having been convicted 
 of blafphemy, he ftood firm againft all folicitations, 
 and had a red hot iron applied to his mouth, which 
 was the punifliment mentioned in the ordinance : and 
 when fome of the mod confiderable perfons at court 
 murmured at this feverity, he faid that he would rather 
 choofe to fufferthispunifhment himfelf, than omit any 
 thing to flop fo great a fcandal. 
 
 He made another ordinance upon a point of infinite 
 importance to the tranquillity of the kingdom, by which 
 he forbid the private wars between the infeotFed Gen- 
 tlemen and Lords, a thing which the Nobility look'd 
 wpon as a prerogative belonging to their qualities and the 
 Lordfhips of the lands they poflefled. It was an abufe 
 which had been eftablifhed in Frame when the autho* 
 fity of the Kings of the fecond race began to dwindle. 
 No King before him had dared to undertake to abolifh 
 this diforder. The ordinances by which he forbad thcfc 
 was made at St. Germain eu Lays and is dated in 
 An. 1 257 January 125-7. It is probable that he was obeyed by 
 Nangius in moft of the Nobility, at lead if we judge of it by what 
 Geftis Lud. one o f his hiftorians fays in general, that after he was- 
 returned from the holy Land, hisfubjedts had fb much 
 veneration for him, that there were few who durft 
 difobey his orders, and that fome who did fo, were 
 leverely puniflied for it. But after his death thefe 
 diforders began again, as we may fee by feveraj 
 ordinances of his lucceffors. It was but by little and 
 
 * D 7J//' colleaion of treaties between Franct and England. 
 
 little
 
 L E \v i s IX. '511 
 
 little that this cuftom ceafed; and we fee fome re- An. 125-7. 
 mains of it even in the time of Lewis the eleventh. V^V\> 
 
 Saint Lewis fome time after endeavoured likewife to 
 abolifh the proof of innocence by duel which was in 
 ufe in the courts. It was no longer pra&ifed in the 
 lands that depended immediately upon royal juftice: 
 but few of the Lords, who had high jurifdi&ion, 
 imitated his example, and he did not undertake to force 
 them to it. As he always purfued his defign of efta- 
 blilhing a folid peace in his kingdom, he concluded 
 the year following two important treaties with two of 
 his neighbours, James the firft King of Arragon and 
 Henry the third King of England. 
 
 The Kings of France had at all times fome preten- 
 fions to the counties or lordflbips of Barcelona, Urgel, 
 Bcfabt, Roujfillon, Lampottrdan, Cerdagne, Conflans y 
 Girone, and Aufone, called at prefent Vic : and I have 
 obferved in the hiftory of Philip Auguftus, that till the 
 council of Tarragona, which was held in his time , 
 they dated the publick inftruments in thofe countries 
 from the years of the reign of the Kings of France. 
 Philip Auguftus had then other affairs upon his hands 
 which hindered him from demanding fatisfaction for the 
 abolition of this ufage , in which we fee an evident 
 mark of the fovereignty of the Kings of France over 
 thofe dominions. 
 
 On the other hand the Kings of Arragon had like- 
 wife their pretenfions to Carca/one, Rafez, Lauraguez, Afla Con- 
 Termes, Befiers, Agde, Albi, Rodez, Foix, Cabors, l dlx s 
 Narbonne, Minerbe, Frenolhedes, the country of Sault, vi?ix.& 
 the Gevaudan, Ntfines, Touloufe, St. Giles, fefr . And Jacobum. 
 we find accordingly in the hiftory of the wars of the Albi- 
 genfes, that moft of thefe dominions were look'dupon 
 only as mefne fiefs of the Crown of France, and that 
 Peter of Arragvn James's father had' received homage 
 for them as fiefs immediately depending upon his own. 
 All this was founded upon polTeffion and alliances by 
 marriages. 
 
 Thefe matters were fettled in the year 12^8. at Cor- An. 125- 
 Leil, where according to the hiftory of Spain both the M 
 Kings met. It was ftipulated, that the King of France 
 according to agreement made with the King of Arra- 
 gon fhould renounce for himfelf and his fucceflbrs 
 all the rights which he might have or pretend to 
 
 have 
 
 ^-
 
 5 1 2 The Hiflory ^FRANCE.' 
 
 An. 1 25-8. have to all the countries named in the firft enumcra-i 
 V^x^/N^ tion , and -that alfo the -King of Arragon fliould 
 renounce likewife in the fame manner all the rights 
 which he might have to the countries mentioned in the 
 fecond, and in general all that had been polTeiTcd ei- 
 ther in demeihe or lordfliip, by Raymond the laft Count 
 of Touloufe. 
 
 invent, des This treaty having been ratified at Barcelona, the 
 
 cha "\ t ;/a. King 6f Arragon renounced likewife in favour of Queen 
 
 Provence' 'Margaret, all the rights which he might have to the 
 
 jj i. Me- countries of Provence and Forcalquier^ as well as to the 
 
 Dupuy?t. i. citi 65 of Aries, Avignon, and Marseille. It was in this 
 
 p. iji.'s'pi-fame year and at the fame place that the marriage of 
 
 ileg. t. 2. Philip the fecond jfon of France with Ifabella the King 
 
 of Arragon's daughter was concluded on ; 1 nit it was not 
 
 confummated till fome years after upon the account 
 
 of the age of the Prince and'Princefs. 
 
 Thcfe treaties were advantageous to France, which 
 yielded up nothing by them, but rights which it was 
 impoffible to maintain in countries fitnated on the other 
 fide of the Pyrenees, to continue in inconteftable pof- 
 fefiion of a great number of cities, and very confider- 
 able demefncs on this iide the fame mountains'. The 
 Kings of Armgon a very long time after made fome 
 attempts to' get free from this treaty; but it was always 
 i." vain. 
 
 The other treaty, which began this fame year witft 
 England, but was not concluded till the year follow- 
 ing, was not fo agreeable to the French ; at leaft it was 
 againfl the advice 'of the council that the King did it. 
 
 The King of England depending mightily upon the 
 tendernefs of St. Lewis's confcience, demanded of 
 him the rellitution of all the provinces and demefncs 
 Match. Paris, which Philip Auguftus had taken from England', that 
 is, he claimed thcfurrendcr of Normandy, Maine, Anjou, 
 Poiton, Perigord, and Litnoj:Jin. The King was far from 
 confenting to this : but his deiign was to make peace 
 with him by returning him fonie part of what he de- 
 manded, upon condition that he would make an abfo- 
 lutc celfion of all the reft to the crown of France; 
 The King's council was of opinion that he fhould give 
 up nothing ; and as the miniiters thought that it was a 
 principle or confcience which made him think of this 
 reftitution, they proved to him that he might be fafe 
 
 in
 
 L E \v i s Dt. 51 3 
 
 h that refpeS, by fhewing him the juftice of the coii- An. 125-8' 
 
 filiation which ' Philip Auguftus his grandfather had O^V^>*/ 
 
 made of all the dcmefnes of the late King John of 
 
 England for the crfrrie of rebellion, and for having re- 
 
 fufed to appear at the court of Peers , after he had 
 
 killed or caufed to be killed Arthur .Count of Bri- 
 
 tann\. 
 
 The King alifwered them that it was not out of Joinvillcj 
 fcruple that he acled thus ; that he was perfuaded his 
 pofTeflion was lawful ; but that he was reiblved to fet- 
 tle a lading peace between the two nations^ and that 
 if he yielded up any thing, it fliould not be without an 
 honourable compenfation to the crown. 
 
 His refolution being taken upon this head^ the ple- 
 nipotentiaries of the two Kings after fome conferences 
 agreed in June *, Firft, that the King fhould yield to Eng- 
 land, Limcufin, Qiierci, -m&Perig&rd': Secondly, /I gen 
 and Agenois after the death of the Count and Counted 
 of Poitiers, in cafe that country fhould for want of 
 heirs revert to the crown of France. The fame thing 
 was ftipulated with regard tJ Xaintonge beyond the 
 Qbarente: Thirdly, that in conlidcration of thefe ceili- 
 ons, the King of England and Edward his'eldeft fort 
 fhould renounce all their rights, which they pretended 
 to have to the duchy of Normandy, the counties of 
 Anjou, Maine, Touraixe^ Poitou, and all that the En* 
 gltjh might have poflefTed on this lide the lea, except An.iifO, 
 the places fpecified in the other articles. The(e were 
 the principal heads of this t treaty, which was ratified 
 by Henry King of England, by Richard his brother 
 King of the Romans, by Henry's two fbns Edward 
 and Edmund, and by the Prelates and Barons of Eng- 
 land. 
 
 This treaty was disapproved in France by a great Nanglus in 
 many people, who were of opinion that inftead 
 making peace, it would have been better after the end 
 of the truce to have made war with the King of Eng- 
 land, who had a great deal of buiinefs upon his hands 
 at home, and who having nothing in France 
 c^ and fome other places in 
 
 * D* Tilltt's collection of trearies, eK-. 
 
 t This treaty in the Gafion language is iA the M8S. of 'Britnr.t vc;. 
 tire fecond in the Kirg's library. 
 
 Vo L.I LI could
 
 The Htflory of f R Art c E. 
 
 . could not have defended them long againft all the 
 forces of the kingdom, where there were now no fao 
 tions remaining. 
 
 To judge of it by the fatal confequences of the wars, 
 which thefe Englijh J.emefnes occafioned in France, in 
 the reigns of the King's fucceffors, this advice was the 
 beft, according to the rules of good politicks: but this 
 Prince thought that peace joined to the authentick re- 
 nunciation, which the Englijb made of the duchy of 
 Normandy, Poitou, Maine, Anjou, Touraine, ought to 
 be put in balance with the advantages which could be 
 hoped for from a war, the events of which after all 
 are always uncertain. 
 
 Some time after the ratification of the treaty, the 
 King of England came to Parts, did homage to the 
 King for all that he pofTelTed in France, and was re- 
 ftored to his Peerage as Duke of Guyenne. Dur- 
 ing his ftay at Paris he married Beatrix his daughter 
 to John of Britanny, Ion of John the firft Count of 
 Britanny ; but the joy of this marriage was fucceedcd 
 by forrow caufed by the death of Lewis the eldeft fon 
 of St. Lewis, who died at fixteen years of age upon 
 one of the laft days of this year. He was a young 
 Prince well made and of great hopes. His death made 
 Philip the King's fecond fon prefumptive heir to the 
 An.12,62. crown. The marriage of this young Prince with Ifa- 
 hello, Infanta of Arragon, which had been agreed on at 
 the treaty of Corbeil, which I mentioned before, was 
 celebrated two years after. 
 
 The peace wnich the King had concluded with Eng - 
 land, did but encreafe the broils between Henry and 
 the Englijb Lv, ^s. Things went fo far, that this 
 Prince was upon the point of being dethroned. The 
 King who was never tempted to make an advantage of 
 the confufions which arofe in the dominions of his neigh- 
 bouring Princes, being touched with Henry's misfortune, 
 and folicited by Pope Urban, declared that he was ready 
 to do any thing towards the pacification of thefe trou- 
 JSneVol k les ' ^ the y woul d defire him to take the mediation 
 a ". ' ' upon him : The two parties confented to it, and figned 
 compromif- a compromife ; and we may fee at this day in the King's 
 fum Regis & ]jb ra ry the King of England^ letters and thofe of the 
 
 baronum r- i-a r> ir- 
 
 Angiiz t. a. &*&*& Barons to the King, in which they engaged 
 spieiieg. .themiclvcs to fubjOiU to his judgment. 
 
 Tht
 
 L E w i s IX. 515 
 
 The compromife having been put into the King of An. 1262. 
 France's hands, the King and Queen of England, Pri 
 
 Prince 
 
 Edmund, moft of the Bifhops and Lords of their party, 
 as well as moft of the confederate Barons, except the 
 Earl of Leicefler, came to Amiens about the feaft of 
 Epiphany. The King was there foon after; and here An.12^4. 
 it was that one of the moft fmgular caufes that had 
 been feen for the quality of the parties was pleaded ; 
 on one fide the fovereign, on the other the fubjects, 
 who by agreeing to fubmit to Lewis's judgment, pro- 
 claimed in a very glorious manner thewifdom, upright- March. Paris. 
 nefs and equity of this Prince. 
 
 After ibme days, which were {pent in hearing the 
 reafons of the two parties, they ratified the compro- 
 mife again ; and the King in the language of a fovereign 
 judge, and in terms of abfolute command, pronounced caffimm ir- 
 the fentence which kept England, France, and almoft all jJJSUi?* 5 
 Europe in fulpence. By this fentence he annulled all 
 the articles concluded on in the parliament at Oxford, 
 as innovations which were prejudicial and injurious to 
 the royal majefty ; declared the oaths void which the 
 King of England had taken by force for the obfervati- 
 on of thofe articles ; ordered that the fortreffes which 
 had been put into the hands of twenty four members 
 of parliament, fhould be returned to the power and 
 difpolal of the fovereign ; that he might, as he had hi- 
 therto done, dilpofe of the great offices in the ftate, 
 admit all into his council whom he fhould think pro- 
 per, and be reftored to all the power and rights which 
 were legally poflefTed by his predcceflbrs : but as to the 
 charters, which contain'd the liberties and privileges 
 of the nation, they fhould not be abrogated in any 
 particular. 
 
 The contents of this decree, which maintained every 
 one in his ancient rights, fhewed the jufticeof it. Ac- 
 cordingly feveral Lords renounced the league, and 
 joined 1 with the King of England, but in the bufinefs 
 of fadion , the heads generally fpcaking are not well 
 pleafed with what puts an end to their differences. 
 
 'YheEttlofLeicefter drew the rebels together again; 
 they returned to their arms, and the King of England 
 being defeated at the battle of Leaves, was taken prilbner Match. Paris. 
 wich Prince Edward his eldeft fon , and his brother 
 R'xkard King of the Rvranns : but young Prince Ed- 
 L 1
 
 The Hiftory O/FRANCE: 
 
 An. 1 164% ward having made his efcape out of prifon, got a great 
 
 \XY"s-' number of Lords together again, raifed a new army, 
 
 and attack'd the Earl of Leicefler near Evejham^ The 
 
 1 battle was fought ill the beginning of Auguft ; the Earl 
 
 loft it and was killed; which put an end to this rebellion. 
 
 The King was delivered, reftored to his throne, and 
 
 the confederates repented too late that they had not 
 
 Itood to the judgment of the King of France. 
 
 There was at that time in France a bufinefs 'of no 
 lefs importance in hand, which was the inveftiture of 
 the kingdom of Sicily for the Count of Anjou the King's 
 brother. This kingdom had a matter already, namely, 
 Maiufroy the Emperor Frederick's natural Ion, who 
 had no more regard than his father for the holy See ; 
 of which Sicily was a fief. The Popes had hitherto 
 in vain look'd out for a rival to oppoie to Mainfroy. 
 But when Urban the fourth was raifed to the Pontifi- 
 cate, he was not difcouragcd ; and thinking he had 
 found in Charles Count of Anjuu, a Prince who had 
 courage, ambition, activity, prudence, and the other 
 , neceflary qualities to carry on a great undertaking, he 
 made his application to him. 
 
 Charles accepted the offer very willingly : but there 
 was a great diftance between this and the execution. 
 It was neceflary to begin with fettling the conditions 
 upon which the inveftiture fliould be granted. Simon 
 Cardinal of St. Cecilia was fent by the Pope for this 
 purpofe. They negotiated a long time, the Cardinal's 
 inftru&ions chiefly turned upon the fecurity and intire 
 liberty of the ecclefialtical ftate againft the 'enterprises 
 which might be made by the future King of Sicily Or 
 his dsfcendants, upon the dependance which he and 
 they ihould have upon the holy See, upon the afiiftance 
 he fhould furniih the Popes within time of need againft 
 their enemies, and upon the time that Charles of Anjou 
 fhould begin to take the field. 
 
 Kang'.us in Th e Cardinal had orders not to fhew too much 
 eagernefs, and to make ufe of that of the Count of 
 Anjou to procure all poflible advantages to the holy 
 See by this treaty. It was at length concluded, and 
 among a great number of articles to which it was re- 
 duced, thele feemto be the molt important. That the 
 Count fhould renounce for him and his fuccellbrs all 
 prctenfions to the city of Bcpevent, to Rome, C<impa~
 
 L EW i s IX, 
 
 nlam Italy, the duchy of Spoleto, la Marche <PAnc<ma, An. 1 2.64. 
 the patrimony of St. Peter in Tufiany, and to every 
 other demefne or fief of the church, without ever be- 
 ing able to pretend- to have or acquire any authority or 
 dignity in them of what kind focvcr it might be, on the 
 pain of excommunication. 
 
 That the Kings his iucceflbrs fhould do the Pope 
 homage and take an oath of allegiance to him ; that 
 both fhould be renewed every time there was a new 
 King or a new Pope ; that the homage and oaths ihould 
 run in thefe terms. " I. N. doing full vafTalage and 
 " allegiance to the church for the kingdom of Sicily, 
 " and all the land which is on this fide the Pharos *, 
 " as far as the frontiers of the territories of the church, 
 " except the city of Benevet with all its territory and 
 *' dependences, from henceforth and forever, I will be 
 " faithful to St. Pettr, and to the Pope my Lord, and 
 " to his fucccftors canonical ly elected, &c. 
 
 That the empire fhould never be pofTefTed with the 
 kingdom of Sicily : that the Count and his fucceffors 
 fhould fwear,that they would never ufc any endeavours to, 
 getthemfelves chofen Emperors or Kings of the Romans, 
 or Kings of Germany, or Lords of Lombardy or Tuf- 
 cany ; and that if any of the prefumptive heirs to the 
 crown of Sicily fhould accept of any of thefe titles, 
 he fhould froirTthat time lofe all right to this crown. 
 
 It is eafy to guefs at the reafon which made the 
 Pope infift fo llrongly upon the perpetual feparation of 
 the kingdom of Sicily from the empire and the domK 
 nions of Italy and Germany. It was that the union 
 of thefe dominions would have made the King of 
 Sicily^ too powerful, would have put him into a 
 condition of oppreffing the church, of reducing the 
 Popes to a (late of fervitude, of depriving them of all 
 authority, of difputing the poffeflion of Rome and its 
 dependences with them , and of giving them trouble 
 upon every occafion, as the experience of the former 
 reigns had but too well fhewed: and that on thecon- 
 
 trary the Pope being fupported by the King of Sicily 
 and Naples , who would have fo much dependence 
 upon him, would be able to oppofe hc Emperors and 
 the other Princes of Italy. 
 
 * That is iorNaplts and the other dominions depending upon the king- 
 ^001 of Siuly in gut joixinem of Italy.
 
 518 The Hiftory ^/FRANCE: 
 
 An. 1 264. By the laft article it was agreed, that as foon as the 
 treaty was concluded , the Pope fhould get an aft 
 drawn up of the donation of -the kingdom of Sicily 
 figned by himfelf and all the Cardinals ; and that the 
 Count of Anjou Ihould on his fide deliver an inftrument 
 AureaBulla fealed with his golden feal, in which he fhould acknow- 
 Buiiacum. j e dge upon oath and in exprefs terms, that he held 
 the kingdom of Sicily, and all that depended upon it 
 on this fide the Pharos, for him and his fucceffors, of 
 the fole liberality and favour of the holy See, and 
 that he received and pofTeffed this kingdom from the 
 Roman church upon the conditions exprefled in the 
 treaty. 
 
 Clement the fourth, the fuccefTor of Urban, who, 
 died during thefe traufaclions, altered nothing of his 
 predecefibr's defigns with regard tothe Count of An- 
 jou. But as eafy as it was for the Pope to make a 
 prefent of the crown of Sicily, and for the Count of 
 AHJOU to accept it, it was difficult to rake it from him 
 who was in pofieffion of it ; and who feeing for a 
 long time that the party was leaguing againft: him in 
 France, had had time enough to provide againft it, and 
 prevent the confequences of it. 
 
 If ever enterprife was hazardous, full of dangers and 
 difficulties, and in which courage, prudence, and fuccefs 
 ought to have been infeparable, it was this. The bufinefs 
 was to go and dethrone a Prince, who had been fettled 
 for many years in a very diftant realm, ?. Prince who 
 had both conduct and courage, was cunning and de- 
 ceitful, who had valued not the blacked crimes and 
 treafons fo he could but afcend the throne, and would 
 value them yet lefs to maintain himfelf in it: a Prince 
 powerful by fea and land, cover'd by the countries of 
 his allies, which theymuft take before they could come 
 at him, who was upon his guard, fecure of the affif- 
 tance of the Saracens, fome remains of whom had con- 
 tinued for a long time canton'd in Apulia ; of that of 
 Michael Paleologus Emperor of Conftantinofle, and of 
 feveral Lords in Germany, whom he had brought into 
 his intereft and from whom he had troops ; without 
 mentioning the faction of the Gibelins, wuo were de- 
 clar'd enemies to the Popes, and were intirely at his 
 devotion and fpread through all Italy. 
 
 Charles
 
 LEWIS IX. 519 
 
 Charles was ignorant of none of thefe difficulties, An. 12,64. 
 and look'd upon the danger with that intrepidity, of which V^Vs/ 
 he had given fo good proofs in the expedition to Egypt 
 and upon other occafions: and when all thefe obftacles 
 were reprefented to him, he anfwered, that a man 
 wanted nothing but courage to deliver himfelf out of 
 the greatert dangers. 
 
 He raifed an army, which he did the more eafily, Defcriptio 
 becaule the Pope publifh'd a crufade againft Mainfroy, vitorias c a - 
 and difpenfed with the vow of the crufaders into the MS.KWimh 
 holy Land upon condition that they would engage in Regis, 
 the Italian war. Several French Lords willingly ac- 
 cepted of the difpenfation and the condition : others 
 out of the affe&ion which they had for the Duke of 
 Anjou joined them , and the army became pretty nu- 
 merous : but they were to meet a much ftronger in 
 the Brejfan commanded by Hubert Palavicini one of 
 Mainf ray's Generals, who was prepared to difpute the 
 paflage with him. 
 
 Charles of Anjou had a fleet of between five and 
 twenty and thirty gallies equip'd at Marseilles: but 
 Mainfroy had one of threefcore, the Admiral of which 
 had orders to fall upon the French as foon as they ap- 
 peared. Bciides this he had taken care to lodge in the Anonymus 
 mouth of the Tyber a quantity of great pieces of tim- *P ud u hel - 
 ber and large (tones, to (lop the paifage, and make fo U1 
 many fhelves, upon which the French gallies would 
 ftrike, if the wind was the leaft violent, or if they en- 
 tered the river without skilful pilots. 
 
 The Count of Anjou, who faw the difficulties of his 
 undertaking encreafe in proportion as he deferred his 
 departure, and who likewile look'd upon it as a capi- 
 tal point to be at Rome at the time he had agreed on 
 with the Romans, left Marfeille upon the fifteenth of An. 1265*. 
 May, with a thoufand cholen men of his cavalry dif- 
 pofed in his thirty gallies and fome tranfport vefrels. 
 
 The firft danger which he had to go thro' was a 
 violent ftorm, which made the boldcft pilots lofe their 
 courage: but what feemed to make the lofs of the 
 fleet inevitable, was the caufe of its prcfervation : for fl ! - 6. m f . 
 the Admiral of Mainfroy^ fleet being apprehcnlive of" 1 " 
 running upon the coaft, took the open fea whilft the 
 Count of Anjou. failed all along cloie by the land in 
 continual danger of feeing his fliips ftiike againlt the 
 L 1 4 rocks,
 
 5.io The Hiftory of F R A N c E. 
 
 An.n6f. rocks, and got to the mouth of the Tyber without 
 V^Y"^ meeting with the enemy. 
 
 As foon as he came to this river, notwithstanding 
 
 the bad weather which continued, he went on board a 
 
 fmall light veflel which drew but little water, fail'd 
 
 Anonymus over Maixfray's Peer, and arrived happily at Rome up- 
 
 lof . cjc, on lp%iffjut.Eve. When the fea was calm, the fleet 
 
 likewife made its way through, and came iafely into 
 
 the river, 
 
 The arrival of the Count of Anjou agreeably fur- 
 prized the Romans who did not expect him, but thought 
 he was either loft, or taken, or kept at Marfeille by 
 the fear ofMaixfroy's fleet. So many dangers as he had 
 encountered, rendered him ftill more dear to them, 
 and very much encreafed the opinion they had of his 
 courage. 
 
 He immediately raifed fome foldiers to join the 
 thoufand horfe which he had brought. He defended 
 himfelf with thefe few troops againir, feveral efforts 
 which Maafrqy made to furprrze him; he even went 
 out into the country upon fome occafions againft the 
 Gibelins, and difperfed them. He was fo fortunate as 
 to efcape the confpiracy of fome villains, who were 
 fent on purpofe to Rome to poifbn him. In fhort, be- 
 ing more liberal of his perfon and prudence than his 
 money, with which he was not qverftock'd, he kept 
 up his party till the month of November, when tie heard 
 (hat the French crufaders had palled the Alps to join 
 him. 
 
 This news very much rejoiced and encouraged the 
 Romans. They learnt fometime after, that they had forced 
 the pafiage of the river Verceil, which the people of 
 the country had endeavoured todifpute with them, and 
 that they had palled by BreJ/an in the fight of Hubert 
 Sftorise'ca- J P^' L ' / "* ; ' S troops who durft\not attack them. This 
 roii. ' army was joined in the way b.y leveral bodies of peo- 
 ple from Mantua, Ferrara, the territory of Bologna, 
 iaMarckeTrevifaane, compos'd of Gentlemen and fol- 
 diers who had t.iken the crofs ; and came to Rome in 
 An.ii66, the beginning of the following year. 
 
 The new King of Sicily would have been very well 
 fatisfied to fee himfelf at the head of fuch a number 
 of troops very well difpofed for fighting, if he had had 
 wherewith t have maintained them. : but he always 
 
 wanted
 
 LEWIS IX. 521 
 
 vr anted money: the way he took was to carry them An. 1266. 
 immediately into the enemy's country, to live there \^>^f\j 
 and refrefh themfelves after the fatigues of their long 
 march : but his chief defign was to extricate himfelf 
 out of all difficulties by bringing Maiitfrby as foon as 
 poffible to a deciiive battle. And therefore fourteen 
 days attcr his coronation he took the field with all his 
 army. 
 
 And now Mairfroy feeing the danger near which 
 threatned him, omitted nothing to remove it to a greater 
 diftance. He fent feveral bodies to take poffemon of 
 the paflfes at the river between Rome and Capua. He 
 lent to the Pope to propofe a treaty of peace to him : 
 but he was not regarded. He likewife made proposals 
 to Charles of Anjou, who anfwered thofe whom he 
 fcnt to him in thefe words : " Tell the Sultan of Lu- 
 ^ ceria (which was a town pollefled by the Saracen^ 
 u who were in Mainfroy's fefvice) from me, that be- 
 " fore many days are over he fhall fend me to paradife, 
 " or I will fend him to hell:" fo that without any more 
 ado on either iide, they prepared to carry on the war 
 with vigour. 
 
 Charles of- Anjou began it with all poffible activity 
 and fuccefs. He took the bridge of Ceperano upon the Anonynws 
 Garillan, and by that means made his way into a coun- Saiias Maiaf- 
 try, where his army met with provifions in abundance, , pina ' 
 and got a great deal of plunder. He made himfelf 
 mafler of the fortrefs of San - Germano, of the mo- 
 naftery of mount CaJJini which had been fortified, and 
 afterwards of Rocca. Thefe three places were taken Defcnpno 
 in four days time, tho' Mainfroy reckoned that the liege v '&>"as ca- 
 of Rocca alone would employ his enemy for feveral ro ' 
 weeks. 
 
 Thefe firfl ftrokes of vigour threw confternation in- 
 to all the country about. Several Gentlemen quitted 
 Mainfroy'z party, and put their callles into Charles's 
 hands. There were thirty two of them who fubmit- 
 ted. He continued his march as far as Telefa a town 
 fituate upon the confines of Terra de Lavora. While 
 he was there, he was agreeably furprized with the ar- 
 rival of the deputies of Capua, Naples, and feveral 
 other cities, whopfefented to him the keys of all tnofe 
 places, and acknowledged him for their Prince. He 
 march'd fro/n thence ftrait to Benevent to attack Main-
 
 5is The Hiflory of FRANCE: 
 
 An.ii66- He found him at the head of his army, which was 
 ranged in order of battle : upon which he formed his. 
 They engaged and the fight was obftinate : but victory 
 declared for Charles : and Mainfroy feeing his left wing 
 and his main body routed, and being refolved to die, 
 went off from his right wing followed by Thibaud 
 Annibald, and feveral Lords who would not forfake 
 him, and threw himfelf into the middle of the French 
 Iquadrons. He was furrounded, and over-powered 
 by numbers , and died on the fpot with all his re- 
 tinue. 
 
 There was a great flaughter of the vanquifhed, both 
 in the battle and in the flight. The victory coft the con- 
 queror likewife a great many men: but we do not 
 find that any perfon of diftin&ion was killed. This 
 action happened upon Friday the 26 th of February. 
 
 So great a vi&ory and the death of Mainfroy finiflied 
 the Work ; Mainfroy^ wife and children, his fleet and 
 all his treafures came under the power of the new 
 King. All the kingdom on this fide the Pharos fub- 
 mitted. Almoft all the towns and fortrefles of the 
 ifland of Sicily fent deputies to him immediately to re- 
 cognize him ; and lefs than three months after the ar- 
 rival of his army at Rome, he found himfelf in pof- 
 feflion of one of the fined kingdoms in Europe, by a 
 conqueft which nothing but his ambition could have 
 reprefented to him as feafiblc, and which all Europe 
 look'd upon .as impoffible. 
 
 He was not long quiet in his conqueft. Conradin 
 fon of Conrad, and grand fon to the Emperor Frede- 
 rick, had fled into Germany and met with protectors 
 there. He return'd into Italy, form'd a great party 
 there, and brought Charles of Anjou to the very brink 
 of ruin. But having loft a battle in which he was 
 taken prifoner, Charles, to fecure himfelf againft fo 
 dangerous an enemy, cut off his head, and by this 
 extinguifhed the male line of the Emperors of the houfe 
 of Sttabia. Peter King of Arragon, who had married 
 Conftantia Manfroy's daughter, aflerted alfo afterwards 
 the right of his wife, and caufed great revolutions in 
 Sicily ; but it was not till a long time after; and as I 
 am not to concern myfelf with thefe events of foreign 
 hiftory, only when and fo far as they relate to that 
 which I have undertaken to write, I return to the af- 
 fairs of France. AbouC
 
 L E w i s IX. 525 
 
 About this time the King married John his third fon An.iz66. 
 to Tolaade daughter of the Duke of Burgundy, and v^v"**-' 
 put him in pofleffion of the county of Nevers which 
 his fpoufe brought him in marriage.^ He bought the 
 caftleward of Perone which he joined to his own 
 lands. He concluded the marriage of Blanche his 
 daughter with Ferdinand the eldeft fon of Alphonfo X. 
 King of Caftile. He brought the King of England 
 and Navarre to an accommodation upon fome dif- 
 ferences there were between them relating to the city 
 of Bayonne, and made them conclude a truce for four 
 years ; for he always applied himfelf to do juftice, to 
 eftablifh his family, to preferve peace in his own 
 dominions, and prevent war among his neighbours. 
 
 He employed himfelf the more at this time in fuch 
 affairs, becaufe he had rcfolved to undertake a nevr 
 expedition for the afiiftance of Chriftendom in the Eaft, 
 from whence he had received very difinal news. 
 
 Bondocdar, the fame who had favcd Egypt and de- 
 ftroyed the army of the laft crufade, was b"ecome Sul- 
 tan of that large dominion. Heform'da defign to ex- 
 terminate the Chriftians of Pale/line, and make an in- 
 tire conqueft of it. He furprized C<cfarea, befieged 
 and took Saphet one of the ftrongeft places of the 
 country, and made himfelf matter of feveral other im- 
 portant fortrellcs. 
 
 All this news had roufed the zeal of the chriftian 
 Princes. The conqueft of Sicily might be a great 
 help in the expedition, and the new King, who was 
 intirdy devoted to the holy See, could not fail of contri- 
 buting towards it with all his power. The Pope treat- 
 ed with the King about it, and the Cardinal of St. Ce- 
 cilia returned into France with the title of legate to 
 preach the crafade. An. 1267. 
 
 The King took the crofs again from his hand, tho' 
 he had worn it ever fince his return from Paleftine; 
 his three eldeft fons Philip, John Count of Nevers, Gaufridus <Je 
 and Peter Count of Alen$on took it likewife : a (hort ^Ho loco, 
 time after Thibaud King of Navarre, Robert Count 
 of Artois, the King's nephew, and fon of Robert Count 
 of Artois, who was killed in Egypt, Guy Count of 
 Flanders, and John fon of the Count of Britantty v/ent 
 alfo upon the crufade; and their example v/as followed 
 by a vaft number of French Lords. 
 
 From
 
 An. 1 268. From that time the King began to make his prepa- 
 \*SY\J rations. Pope Clement IV. died in the mean while; 
 but tho' his death was fucceeded by a vacancy of the 
 holy See for near three years, till the election of Gre- 
 gory the tenth, there was nothing changed with regard 
 to the defign of the crufade. 
 
 As the King perceived the decay of his health, and 
 the experience of his firft crufade, joined to the* refb- 
 lution he was in not to fpare himfelf Upon any occa- 
 fion, made him think of the uncertainty of his return. 
 He was defirous of providing for the peace of his fa- 
 mily and the eftablifhment of all his children. He fo- 
 iled the appennagcs of his fons. He had his daughter 
 Blanche carried into Caftile to be married to Ferdi- 
 nand fon of Alphonfo King of Caftile, which marriage 
 An. 1 2,69. had been concluded three years before. Margaret 
 Blanche's fifter was married to Henry Duke of ~Bra- 
 lant : and as Agnes the youngeft of all was not yet 
 marriageable, he fpecified in his will, which he made 
 before his departure, the fum which he appointed her 
 for her portion. 
 
 Three years having been thus employed in fettling 
 and regulating all things, the King in the year 1270. 
 Nangius'm took his laft meafures in order for his expedition. He 
 Geflis Lud. nominated to the regency of the kingdom during his 
 chart.''!**- abfence Matthew Abbot of St. Deris, a man of qua- 
 langes t. 6. lity of the family of the Counts of Vendome, and Si- 
 mon of Clermont Count of Nejle, both men of known 
 probity and fingular prudence. He fubfiitutcd in their 
 place in cafe of death Philip Bifhop of Evreux and 
 'John Count of Ponthieu, 
 
 The rendezvous of the crufaders was appointed to 
 be at Aignes-Mortes in May, and the King went from 
 Paris to be at it. He fuppofed when he left Paris, 
 that the fhips promifed by the Genoese which were to 
 make part of the fleet , would be at Aignes-Mortes 
 when he came thither ; but he was forced to wait for 
 them fome weeks: while the King was flaying for 
 them, he received an embafTage from Michael Pateolo-r 
 gus Emperor of Constantinople. This Prince had nine 
 or ten years before furprized that capital of the Eaflcrn 
 empire, which the Latin Emperors had poffefTed for 
 near thrcefcore years ; and in confequence of this con- 
 queft, the empire which had been taken from the Greeks
 
 L E w i s IX. "525 
 
 by "Baldwin the firft, returned to its ancient matters in An. 12,69. 
 the time of Bald-win the fecond. \^<r*~> 
 
 The pretence of the embaflage was the extinction of Pachym. 
 the fchifm and the reunion of the Greek and Latin h ? Hift> 
 churches. Michael protcfled to the King by his embaf- 
 fadors, that he was willing to make him arbiter of fb 
 imporrant an affair; and that as he paffionately 
 with'd to- fee the confummation of it, he would fub- 
 mit to every thing that he fhould determine : but the 
 true reafon was the uneafinefs which the great arma- 
 ments in France and Sicily gave him, being apprehcn- 
 five that they were deligned againrt him, for the re- 
 eilablifhing of Baldwin. He had indeed a great deal 
 of reafon to be afraid of the ambition and refentment 
 of the King of Sicily, againft whom he had joined with 
 Mainfroy. 
 
 The King treated the embafladors with great civili- 
 ty ; but he told them, that an affair of this nature did 
 not belong to his fphere, and only promifed them his 
 intereft with the college of Cardinals, who governed 
 the church at that time during the vacancy of the holy 
 See. He wrote accordingly to the Cardinals, who 
 fent to Cardinal d?Albe, who was nominated legate 
 for the crufade, a memorial drawn up by Pope Clement 
 the fourth, containing the conditions of the reunion of 
 the two churches. The manner of the embafladors re- 
 ceiving the propofals contained in the memorial, gave 
 great hopes ; but they were vain. They returned how- 
 ever very well fatisfied with knowing that there was 
 no defign againft their mafter, but that the crufade was 
 intended againft the Infidels. 
 
 The Genoefe fhips being come up found thofe of An. 1270. 
 France equip'd and ready ; and the King embark'd with In spiciieg. 
 all his army upon the firft of July. The weather Ldoviciad 
 which at firft was very fine, foon changed and they Matchzum 
 met with violent ftorms, which however did not do Abblt * _ . 
 any great damage, and in a few days all the fleet was 
 over -againft Cagliar: in Sardinia. There it was that 
 the King was to hold a council, to confult upoli the 
 place whither they fhould carry the war, or rather to 
 get^the Princes and^Lords of the army to agree to that 
 defign which he had already concerted with the Kins^ 
 of Sicily. 
 
 When
 
 526 The Hiflory ^FRANCE." 
 
 An.izyo. When they went from Aignes-Mortes they did not 
 
 *ta*'%r-w> doubt but they were to go to Egypt or Paleftine : but 
 
 the King did not intend to begin there ; and they were 
 
 very much furprized when he propofed in the council 
 
 to go to Tunis upon the coaft of Africa. 
 
 Among other reafons which determined the King to 
 this resolution, there was one which always very much 
 Gaufridus touched him. The King of Tunis, whofe name was 
 debclloloco. Muley Mozfanpa, had often given him to underlhmd 
 by people whom he could truft, that he had a great 
 inclination for the chriuMan religion ; and that if he 
 could with honour and without expofing himfelf too 
 much, have any pretence for quitting his religion, he 
 would willingly make ufe of it. From that time the 
 King had always kept correfpondence with him. But 
 as it was not prudent to truft intirely to this Prince's 
 word, he had put himfelf in a condition of making 
 his expedition ferviceable to religion, in cafe that he 
 fliould not ftand to his promifc. 
 
 The King therefore thought, that if he made a de- 
 fcent upon Africa, and came before Tunis with a nu- 
 merous army, this would be a favourable opportunity 
 for that Prince to declare himfelf, and to lay hold of 
 the pretence which he wanted to make him turn 
 Chriilian, and jufh'fy his conduct by the neceffity 
 he was in of faving his crown, and the lives of his 
 fubje&s; that if he came over and was converted, they 
 would have what they aimed ar ; but if he did not, 
 and his proceedings did not anfwer the hopes he had 
 given, they would carry on the war againtt him with 
 all vigour, and drive him out of his dominions and 
 fettle the Chritb'ans there ; that if they fucceeded in this 
 war, they would do a great piece of fervice to Chri- 
 flendom; becaufe it was from this kingdom that the 
 Sultan ofEgyft was furniuYd with a great number of 
 horfes, arms, and foldiers, after which the expedition 
 into Paleftine or Egypt would be much more eafy. 
 
 The rung added ieveral other Reafons in the coun- 
 cil, and ipoke fo ftrenuoufly, that notwithftanding the 
 oppolition of fevcral Lords, the thing was concluded 
 agreeably to his intention. They left Sardinia, and in 
 a few days the fleet came over againft Tunis and Car- 
 riage upon the eighteenth of July. 
 
 The
 
 LE wis IX. 527 
 
 The very day that they arrived, Florent of Varennes An. 1270. 
 Admiral of France went with fome gal lies to take a V^ W 
 view of the gulph, at the end of which towards the 
 inland the city of Tunis is built. He entered without 
 refinance, and landed fome troops : but the King for 
 fear of a furprize fent him orders to reimbark his fol- 
 diers and return. 
 
 They refolved to make the general defcent the next 
 day. When the fleet entered the gulph, they faw the 
 (hore lined on all fides with a numerous army of 
 Saracens. However they made preparations for the 
 defcent. The fhips were ranged in order; and the 
 King put his, and himfelf in it, at the head of all. 
 
 The cowardice of the Saracens was the fble caufe p et rus de 
 of the good fuccefs of this action : for the author of c 
 the relation which I am now tranfcribing, who was 
 an eye witnefs of the facl, fays, that every thing was 
 managed with fo little order, that a hundred refolute 
 men would have been fufficient to have prevented the 
 defcent: but as foon as the fhips began to approach 
 all this multitude of Barbarians took to their heels, 
 without making the leaft remittance. 
 
 The defcent being made, they encamped upon tha 
 Ifthmus, which feparates the gulph of * Tunis from ano- 
 ther little gulph which is called at prefent Porto Farina : 
 but they were put to great difficulties in this place, be- 
 caufe all about the camp there appeared neither fpring, 
 river, nor well. The next day they found fome cil- 
 terns near a tower at the extremity of the Ifthmus 
 on the fide of Carthage: but they were foon dry. 
 They abandoned the tower which was difficult to 
 keep ; and they made difpofitions for the attack of the 
 caftle of Carthage, about which there were a great 
 many wells of fweet water. They carried it fword in 
 hand, and a few foldiers of the garrifon efcaped by 
 fubterranous paffages. 
 
 In the mean while two Saracens deferted, and un- 
 deceived the King as to the hopes he had conceived of 
 the converfion of the King of Tunis : for they told 
 him, that this Prince had feized all the Chriitians that 
 were in the city, being refolved to cut oft their heads 
 as foon as the French army approach 'd the place, but 
 promifing them their lives, if the Frcntk did not come 
 to. attack him. 
 
 I After
 
 The Htflory of F R A N c E.' 
 
 After the taking of Carthage, they had fweet water" 
 1 enough, but there were continual alarms, and innu- 
 merable troops of Saracens appeared every moment 
 about the skirts of the camp. All this however end* 
 ed in trifling skirmi(hes> becaufe the enemy did no- 
 thing but wheel about, and after their vollies of ar- 
 rows, they .fled without any poffibility of being over- 
 taken. 
 
 At the end of fome days the army of the Saracens 
 appeared in order of battle, and it was faid that the 
 King of Tunis was there in pcrfon. To fee their 
 march, one would think that their defign was to have 
 lurrounded the camp, and hem'd it in between them 
 and the fea. The King immediately put his army into 
 battle array, and it was not doubted but a fight would 
 have enfued : but after a light skirmifh, in which few 
 of the Saracens were killed, and on the fide of the 
 Chriftians none but the Lord ofBeauclaire, the enemy's 
 army retired. The King did not purlue them becaufe 
 he expected his brother the King of Sicily every day to 
 lay liege to Tunis. 
 
 This Prince's delay" was the caufe of all the misfor* 
 tunes that followed, for the heats being excefllve, the 
 camp was filled with difeafes. John Count of Never f 
 the King's fon was one of the firft among the Princes 
 and perfons of quality who was attacked. He was 
 born ztDamiette during the firft crufade, three or four 
 days after the King his father was taken ; and he died 
 in this at a juncture which was beginning to be no lefs 
 dreadful. The Cardinal legate loon followed him. 
 Prince Philip was feiz'd with a quartan fever ; and in a 
 few days the camp was full of malignant fevers, dy- 
 fenteries, and all Ibrts of diftempers. The King him- 
 felf fell ill of a dyftntery, which for fome days did 
 not hinder him from a&ing and giving orders for the 
 fafety and comfort of his army with as much prefence 
 of mind as if he had been in perfecl health : but at laft 
 he funk ; and the difeafe grew fo violent, that he died 
 upon the ny 111 day of Auguft, aged fifty five years and 
 four months, after having reigned forty three years, 
 nine months, and eighteen days. 
 
 His death threw the whole army into a terrible con- 
 fternation, and all had been loft if it had not been for 
 the arrival of the King of Sicily, whofe fliips appeared 
 immediately after the King was expired. Never
 
 LEWIS IX. 529* 
 
 Never was Princ'e more worthy than this of the pa- An. 1:2,70. 
 negyricks with which the hiftorians of all nations have 
 m emulation of each other honoured his memory. 
 The detail of his works of piety, and his chriltian vir- 
 tues has furnifhed matter for Whole volumes, and the 
 reading of his hiftory alone cannot fail of giving a great 
 idea of this great Prince. 
 
 The relpea, the veneration, and admiration which 
 his fubjecls of all ranks had for him, were the ef- 
 fect of a virtue and fandity which never put on a falfe 
 appearance in him. They were always the direclor of 
 his behaviour in all the feveral fortunes which he ex- 
 perienced, and they did not in any manner enervate 
 the royal qualities of livelinefs and courage, with which 
 he was born. More humble and recollected at the foot 
 of the altars than the moft devout hermit, and yet we 
 fee him a moment after at the head of an army with the 
 countenance of a hero fighting battles, enduring the 
 greateft fatigues,, and daring the greateft dangers. His 
 prayers, to which he devoted feveral hours of the day, 
 did not at all take off his care of the government. 
 He held his councils exactly, and gave publick and 
 private audiences, which he granted- fometimes to the 
 loweft people ; and one day when he knew that fome 
 people laid of him> that he fpent too much time in 
 his ufual devotions, he only anfwered, that if he em- 
 ployed that time in hunting, tournaments, gaming* or 
 plays, they would not take fo exacl: an account of the 
 time which he loft at them. Several ordinances of this 
 Prince upon divers important matters, are fo many 
 monuments which fhew us how much he applied him- 
 Iclf to the regulation of his kingdom ; and it is a great 
 elogium to this monarch, that in the reigns of feveral 
 of his fucceffors, when the Nobility and people were 
 fometimes diflatisfied with the government, they never 
 demanded any thing elfe, but that abufes fhould be re- 
 formed according to the ufages obferved in the reign 
 of St. Lewis. 
 
 How much foever ch'riftian feverity he exercifed up- 
 on himlelf, fo far as not to allow himfelf hardly any 
 diverfion, his virtue never made him morofe. He was 
 extreamly human, and very agreeable in converfation. 
 His middle filed ftature did not give him a very ma- 
 fefh'ck air, but his carriage of itfelf made him be loved 
 
 VOL. I. M m by
 
 5 jo he Hiftory ^FRANCE. 
 
 An.i2.7o. by all who came near him. He was naturally boun- 
 tiful ; and his liberality fhewcd itfelf more efpecially in 
 the wars beyond fea, towards fcveral Lords and Gen- 
 tlemen, who had loft all their equipages, to whom he 
 gave wherewith to furnifti themfelves again, 
 
 Never had Prince a more lincere refpect for Popes, 
 Bifhops, Monks, and in general all perfons belonging 
 to the church : but none of his predeccflbrs undertook 
 with fo much refolution as he did to let bounds to 
 the ecclefiam'cal power, which had for feveral age s 
 been as it were in pofTeffionof encroachments upon the 
 royal authority and upon the tribunals of lay juftice : 
 we have feveral ordinances of his upon this ilibj eel, and 
 among others his pragmatick fanclion, in which after 
 beginning with faying that his kingdom was fubjeft to 
 none but God alone, he defcends into a detail of mod 
 of the cafes which concerned the liberty of the churches 
 of his realm. He publithed this ordinance, which was 
 dated in March in the year 12.68, at the time that he 
 was preparing for his fccond crufude. 
 
 His fweetnefs, his modefty in his drefs- and equipage, 
 efpecially after he had taken the crofs, the chriftian hu- 
 jnility in which he exercifed himfelf more than in any 
 other virtue, and which he pra&ifed more particularly 
 towards the poor, often ferving them at table, wafhing 
 their feet, viliting them in the hofpitals, all thefe vir- 
 tues, which when they are blended with certain faults, 
 bring fometimes contempt upon the great people who 
 practife them, were never attended with any difregard 
 to his authority ; and it is particularly taken notice of 
 in in his hiflory, that after his return from the holy Land, 
 Geft.Lud. t h ere never was feen more fubmiflion paid to a fove- 
 reign, and that it continued all the reft of his reign. 
 
 According to the account of the Lord of Joinville, 
 this Prince was the wifeft and had the beft head of 
 Pag. 119. a ny i n his council. Upon all iudden occafions he re- 
 folved readily and prudently. He had gained fo great 
 a reputation for integrity, that other Princes often put 
 their affairs into his hands. We have feen a notable 
 inltance of this in the compromife which Henry III. 
 King of England figned on one fide and his Barons on 
 the other, to refer themfelves to his arbitration of the 
 differences between them. After that determination, 
 the King of England ufcd to call him his father. 
 
 There
 
 LEWIS IX. 531". 
 
 There needs nothing but to recoiled the courfe of An.izyo. 
 his hiftory, to be perfuaded that he was not only the 
 moft valiant Prince of his time, but likewife that he 
 underftood war the beft: for tho' the two crufades 
 were attended with ill fuccefs, yet it is certain that in all 
 the battles which were fought, he always beat the enemy, 
 tho' fo much fuperior to him in number of troops : 
 and he fought with the fame fuccefs not with {landing a 
 like difadvantage in the famous aclion of Taillebourg. 
 
 But after all, among fo many noble qualities which 
 make this Prince fo recommendable to pofierity, piety 
 was the reigning one. He was obliged for ir next to 
 God to the wife and chriftian education, which Queen 
 Blanche his mother gave him ; and he never forgot that 
 handfome lentence which fheone day faidtohim : Son, 
 you are born a King, I love you with all the tender- 
 nefs a mother is capable of; but I would much rather 
 fee you dead, than have you commit a mortal fin. 
 
 All the conduct of his life was directed by that fpi- 
 rit; the great number of hofpitals, churches, mo- 
 nafteries, founded or repaired by his liberality, the 
 account which Geoffroy of Bcaulieu , a dominican 
 his confeffor, gives us of the penitences, meditati- 
 ons, and other good works of this holy Prince, 
 his being look'd on as a Saint during his life, and his 
 canonization founded upon the voice of the people, and 
 upon many well attcfted miracles perform'd after his 
 death, (hew that he was yet more dirtinguifhed lor his 
 fandity than for all the reft. 
 
 His death was as holy as his life had been. His fer- 
 vor, his humility, his devotion, his zeal, encreafed in 
 thefe laft moments ; and he died in the exercife of all 
 thefe virtues, after having received all the facrarnents, 
 and made himfdf be laid upon afhes, that he might ex- 
 pire with all the outward marks as well as inward 
 thoughts of a true penitent. 
 
 He left a paper* behind him written with his own 
 hand, full of the choiceft maxims, directed to Prince 
 Philip his fan and fuccefibr, which he drew up fome 
 time before the. crufade. It contains nothing but what 
 
 * This writing under the tidecf inftruflions of King .// the Saint ro 
 Thiltp his eldeft Ion, is in the chamber of accounts at Parit in the regifter 1 
 frtixftl, i. and in the regifter qui in ivlis. 
 
 he
 
 532- The Hiftory 
 
 An. 1270. he had pradh'fed himfelf ; and is a fort of an abridg- 
 ment of the rules which he followed in his conduct. 
 
 We lee by this writing, that this holy Prince's thoughts 
 were employed not only in fanHfying himfelf but like- 
 wife his family. His example and advice were not un- 
 ferviceable even to his brothers. He had above all in : 
 Ipired them with a hatred of debauchery. Alphonfo 
 Count of Puttiers was a very regular and a very pious 
 Prince : and tho' the Count ofdrtois and the King of Sici- 
 ly were both naturally very fiery, proud and ambitious, 
 which made them commit fome confiderable millakes, 
 yet hiftory bears teftimony to them both, that they were 
 moft nicely confcientious in the point of chaftity. 
 
 In a word, it is not carrying the elogium of this 
 great Prince too high, to fay that he was as great a 
 King as he was a Saint ; and we cannot do him this 
 juftice without owning at the fame time, that the union 
 of thofe two titles, fo difficult to reconcile together, 
 made him one of the greatcft and moft extraordinary 
 men that ever lived. 
 
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