The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-06-19

1t was in 936 and at the age of 90 that Otto
l.. son of Henry the Fowler. was crowned King
Of the Germans. At this time Germany consist
ed of FIVE duohies, namely, Saxony, Franconia.
Bavaria. Suabia, and Lotharingia, 1t was by
means of tho Church that Otto hoped TO secure
the extension of the royal power, but SO long as
the Pope was independent. he could not rely
upon its influence. His policy, therefore, re-
quired a vigorous Intervention in Italy. The
condition Of the Peninsula in the second quar-
ter of the tenth century was one of deplorable
anarchy. After tho death Of the Emperor BGr-
enger in 924 had put an end to the best chance
Of setting up a national Italian kingdom. things
wont from bad to worse. The SarScens. having
plundered its coasts. settled down in its south.
ern regions side by side with the scanty REM
nants of the Byzantine power. Thus all south
ern Italy was Withdrawn altogether from the
sphere of Western influence. In the centre and
north the inroads of the barbarians were but
recently over. and had left their mark behind in
poverty. famine, pestilence and disorder. Great
monasteries like Subiaco and Farfa were in
ruins. The Hungarians had penetrated to the
heart Of central Italy. The Saracens from their
stronghold of Freinet amidst the mountains
of the Moora.' on the Western Riviera. had
devastated Provence, and had held possession of
tho passes of the Alps. If the growth of feudal-
ism, with Its permanent military system and It's
strong castles, had already repealed the barba-
rians, the price paid for deliverance was the cut
ting up Of sovereignties among a multitude of
petty territorial lords. The rising tide of feudal
anarchy had almost overwhelmed the urban civ
i~lization which had been since Roman times the
characteristic feature OF Italian life. A swarm of
greedy feudal lords, counts. and marquises
struggled against each other for power. and a
series of phantom emperors reduced to an alb
a,,rIitu thA npnA paFanf ana ~ runaaH nL.,.
was still a nominal Italian or Lombard King
who claimed suzerainty over all northern and
central Italy. After tho death OF the Emperor
B6renger in 924 Rudolph Of Burgundy reigned
for nearly three years. On his fall In 926 Hugh
of Provence was chosen his successor. and held
at loast tho name of King till his death In 9i6.
There then arose two claimants to the Italian
Crown. namely, Lothian. son OF Hugh OF Prov
ence. and Berenger Of Ivrea. the grandson OF
the Emperor OF the same name. Neither of the
claimant was strong enough to defeat the
other. and both looked for help to the warlike
hermann 1t Is. however, significant of the
still ill,organized condition of M that
they sought support not from the distant
Saxon King. but from the neighborinR Dukes
of Suabia and Bavaria, whose dominions ex-
tended to the crest OF the Alps. Lothian solicited
the help of Rudolph OF Susbia, who was Otto's
son. while Berenger called in Henry Of Bavaria,
who was q younger brother OF the German
King. The latter gave the more efficient assist
ance, and Lothair. in despair. was negotiating
for holp in Constantinoplo when 1850 he was
cut off by death, leaving his young and beSuti-
full widow. Adelaide of Burgundy. to make what
resistance she might to Berenger. She was
soon a prisoner in the hands of her victorious
enemy. but found a champion in Henry of
Bavaria. who. since 949. had acquired the
great city of Aoullela and the northeast.
ern corner Of the italian peninsula. He
now Aspired, as the protector of Adelaide, bis
former foe. to unite the BaVariGn duchy with
the italian kingdom. Before he was ready to
move. Ludolf OF SuGblG appeared in the valley