Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1870-09-29
A TlnOllsa aad Years Ago.

1t is certainly one Of the greatest
curiosities of history that exactly one
thousand years ago, in the year of our
Lord so, the people of France and
Germany fought under their kings
upon the same soil, that of Lorraine,
for very nearly the same reasons, and
with the same result. This happen
ed as follows: The empire Of Char
lemagne, and that of his son who suc-
ceeded him, Ludwig l., called the
Pious, was divided by his three sons,
the grandsons Of Charlemagne, in s43
at the congress of Verdun, between
themselves in such manner that Lo-
thaire received, besides the title of
Emperor, Italy and what was then call
ed Middle Franconia, strip Of land
running from the North Sea to the
Mediterranean, and there joining Up
per Italy, broad strip of land con-
tanning modern Holland, Belgium,
the Lorraine, the Alsace, and all that
part of Southern France lying be-
tween the Rhone and Saone and the
Alps on the east. Ludwig received
Eastern Franconia, which was from
that time called Germania, or Germa.
ny, and from which he. as Germany
first king, was called Ludwig the Ger
man.
Carl, who was called the Bald. from
his bald head, received Western Fran
coma, from that time called Franco
MIA, or France. Lothaire died in s55,
and again subdivided his empire be-
tween his three sons. To the oldest,
Ludwig, he gave Italy; to the second,
Lothaire, the northern part Of his do
minion, comprising part Of modern
Holland, Belgium, and the province
called up to this day Lorraine or Lo-
tharlgen, the Alsace, and all the land
extending down to the Seine. To
the youngest, Carl, he gave all the
land south Of the Saone to the Med.
iterranean under the title Of the
Kingdom Of Provence.
In 500 Lothaire died without heirs
after he had previously become pos.
sessed also of his brother Carl's king.
dom of provence, and it was then
that Carl the Bald, King of France
stepped forward to take sole posses.
sion of his nephew's kingdom, com.
prising all the eastern part ofmod.
ern France, and extending from the
Meusc to the Rhine, and from the
Rhone to the Alps, and from the
North sea way down to the Medit.
erranean. He was completely sue.
cessfal, tor his nephew Ludwig, the
Emperor of Italy, and his brother
Ludwig. the King Of Germany, had
both their hands too full to claim
their share of the rich inheritance.
But year later, IN so, just one
thousand years ago, suddenly large
and well-appointed German army
crossed the Rhine, broke into France,
and defeated Carl the Bald and his
armies at once, and so completely
that he was compelled TO sign a
treaty Of peace in the same (S70), by
which he ceded to his brother Lud-
ing, the German, all the eastern part
of those lands which he had appro-
priated from his nephew, aud com
prising the modern provinces OF
Alsace, Eastern Lorraine, and the
territories around the cities of Tricv
or Trcves, Cologne, Mastricht, and
Utrecht, down to the mouth Of the
Rhine.
The first grand fight for the Rhine
provinces on the part Of France, and
the Alsace and Lorraine on the part
of Germany, which is, after all, it not
the sole cause, certainly one OF the
principle causes of the present war
Of 1870, took place consequently and
one thousand years ago, i'll SO, jus,
with the same result.