The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1919-10-17
EMPEROR NO MORE
Name of Roman Dignitary Has
Finally Disappeared.
Title Never Has Meant What 1t Once
Did-Effects of the French Revo-
luton and Domination of
Napoleon.

The effects of the French revolution
and the domination of Napoleon were
felt more strongly by Germany than
by any other nation with the exception
of France, writes Albert Barrett
Sayres. Although the changes in Italy
were In themselves great, Italy had
been partitioned over and over again,
but never before had Germany had
this experience of falling under for
eign yoke.
1t was during this period that the
old order of things and the old ideas
which had been held so long came al
together to an end. The Roman en-
pire and the kingdom of Germany were
/ now abolished even in name. Germany
lost all her lands west of the, Rhine,
and Austria lost the Netherlands.
Furthermore, Napoleon called himself
protector of the lands in Germany he
didn't take.
AS soon as Napoleon began to call
himself emperor of the French. the
king of Hungary and archduke of Aus
tria being the emperor-elect of the Ro-
mans, wished to distinguish between
his ancient title and the new title
taken by the "upstart." So he called
himself hereditary emperor of Aus
tria. In a short time his ''empire" and
title came to an end.
Many of the German princes had
joined Napoleon. They began to as
pire for higher titles than had been
theirs SO they called themselves king
of Bavaria. king of Wurttemberg, and
so forth. They then made themselves
into the confederation of the Rhlne,
which was not under Napoleon's pro-
lection. and they increased their pos
sessions much as they wished.
This took place in 1906, and in the
same year the Austrian emperor for
mally resigned his title of Roman en-
peror, and no Roman emperor has
since been chosen. Thus for the first
time since the Christian era began
there was no Roman emperor. The
Roman empire had in name-as well
as in reality-come to an end at last.
BY his rise from an humble resident
of Corsica to the position of emperor
of the French and the virtual mas
tership of western Europe, Napoleon
destroyed the last lingering supersti-
ton about the Roman empire. We
must add this good thing to the many
others Napoleon accomplished. One
Of the causes of war was thus swept
away.
OF course, when Napoleon fell, even
his claim to the kingdom of Italy,
which he had managed to enforce for
many years, fell also. He had nrevi-
ously agreed that after his time Italy
should not be Joined with France, so
we see that even he felt that a new
order of things was about to dawn
in Europe. Italy, of course. was the
second kingdom of the old Roman en-
pire.
The third kingdom of that ancient
order was the kingdom of Burgundy
This was not wholly forgotten, for
all of it was either part of France
or under French control as part of
Switzerland. And so the last of the
ancient parts of the Roman empire
had disappeared. Thus we see how
the name of emperor and even the
old names of the kingdoms that once
had comprised the Roman empire were
now forgotten.
But the simple name emperor has
not disappeared. 1t was still retained
by the man who called himself en-
peror of Austria. And his successors
have since done the same thing.
Other rulers Of other states have
held that name. But it never has
meant what it once did.