The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-09
beginning A. D. 1860 and ending 1928. I

These are subjects for the adequate treat
ment OF which special qualifications were
required, and they are found in the author
DR.. HANS PRurz. professor of history ir
the University of Kongsterg, known tc
many readers by his previous works, Elm
peror Frederick l.. History Of Civiliza
ton in the Age Of the Crusades" and His
tory of the States of the West from Charlie
magne to Macmillan, How thoroughly
this book reflects the latest researches
and conclusions Of scientific Investigators
and therefore conforms to the funda'
mental purpose of Prof. J. H, Wright, the
editor Of the series. will he evident il We
point ont what the author has to say on
some peculiarly interesting themes. as
for instance. the reform of the hierarchy
OF the medieval church through Gregory
VII. in the eleventh century; the contempt
rary and Immediately succeeding develop
ment of Western civilization, and the in
huence Of the Crusades thereon. A word
ought also to be said about the political
transformation Of the German Empire
through the family policy of its Emperors
and the feudal reaction in France and
England, which was nearly contempo-
raneo'ls with the reign of Edward II.
In the second chapter OF the book before
us. the author recognizes that the unhis-
toric view has been long renowned which
stigmatized Hildebrand Gregory VIII as
mere intriguing ecclesiastical adventurer,
actuated only by self-seeking worldliness,
and as liar and hypocrite. That Hide
/ brand was in deadly earnest in vindicating
what he held to he the divine rights of the
Church and that in enforcing these on a
recalcitrant world he believed he was obey
ing the command of Hea ven. no ono now
ventures to question. Although. however.
his high purpose and real greatness are
here acknowledged, Prof. Prutz does not
shut his eyes to the fact that the forces
set in operation by Hildebrand were in
many ways fatal to the Church herself,
and that in guiding her into paths oulminat-
ing in heights of dizzy elevation he was
really preparing her for fall proportionally
deep. So far as the Pope's war against
slmony was concerned, it was unques-
tionably justfable and serviceable. Within
the limits Of its operation it purified the
upper orders Of the clergy. On the other
hand, the two other synodal edicts for
which Hildcbrand must be held responsible,
the enforcement of celibacy and the inter-
dict OF lay investiture, threatened a social
and political revolution. The enforce
ment OF celibacy dissolved the connection
between the clergyman and his pensioners
and gave him over helpless into the hands
Of kis superiors. Henceforth, without sup
port In the family. the congregation or civil
society-with which entities he was to have
nothing in common, and to whose ideas
and feelings he was to be a stranger--the
priest was to become a passive tool in the
service Of the central will directing the
whole Church. Papal absoutism was thus
made complete
1t is nevertheless fact often lost sight
Of that it was long ere the injunction to
celibacy was equally respected in all sec
tons Of Latin Christendom it was never
respected in the Greek Church and much
later, even in central and western Europe,
one often meets with traces Of early Church
views which were not averse to the mar
riage of priests and required cebacy
only from those who had attained higher
conservation. Much more incisively from
a political point of view did the nterdict of
Jay investiture operate, which, il fully
carried out, forbade any cleric to receive
a bishopric, an abbacy or benefice of any
kind from the hands of a layman and pun
ished any ayInan who should make such
a presentation by exclusion from church
services. So far az the status OF the Ger
man bishops was concerned. this decree
imported nothing less than that En-
peror Henry w. would be excluded from
all control over the property of the Church.
Nor did it strike the lay nobility with less
severity, to whom. on condition of their
undertaking the incumbent services. the
(b,roh n la far
out in fee. Many thousands Of mobiles
and Crown officials were thus threatened
with dispossession.
Prof. Prutz shows that the real merit of |
the rule of Emperor Henry ". les in this, |
that he threw himself resolutely forward |
against this ecclesiastical revolution and |
defended with wonderful tenacity the ,
future of the German Empire and the Ger |
man people, In spite of many misadven-
lures. including the humiliation to which |
he submitted fruitlessly at Canossa. his |
defense was crowned on the whole with |
success. That Germany did not become !
a fcf of St. Peters. did not sink into a
mere domain of the Vatican, but main
tanned its national independence, is pro-
nounced the distinctive service that
Henry w. rendered to his country.
During the whole century covered by the
conflict about investiture CA. d. lo58-ll52), |
no traces are TO be discovered some
exceptions in England and Franoe--of
national poetry deserving the name, and
Prof. prutz deems it scarcely less remark
able that the great epic saga of the Nj
belungen underwent at that time no modi-
fioaton, either in spirit or form. Important
as the role then played by the laity was,
it received no word Of recognition in litera-
ture The few rimes that the age pro-
duced were by churchmen, who treated
only spiritual subjects. The case was the
same in the plastic arts, and particularly
that of architecture. As regards archi-
productiveness, indeed, the period
excites astonishment; but, so far as variety
is concerned, it is singularly meager. The
predominance of the Romanesque
style Ia in keeping with the absolute su-
premacy of the Roman Church, whose
aspiring and domineering spirit and unity
Of organization are typifed in the form of
its imposing and compact cathedrals.
Kings and prelates were the patrons to
whom these masterpieces owedtheir origin.