Year: 1868

THE Holy ROMAN EMPIRE. BY James Bryce b. G. L.


Macmillan Co.: London.


This Is q historical political and moral review OF
the relations to the world OF that Holy Roman Empire
which, as voltare said was not holy, orRoman nor
an empire. voltare's saying was strictly true and
the story, therefore, is having very little to do
with physical Rome little to do with imperial power
and equally little to do with anything really holy. 1t
Is the history OF by the use Of which the popes
ruled and ruined Europe. 1t is the history OF an
idea that had its day OF power in the world, some
times only Intellectually and by superstition, and
sometimes as associated with great facts-a history
that from Rome regards the whole OF Europe and
contemplates especially the rise OF the modern
system.


The Holy Roman Empire was the temporal power
OF the Pope-a theory and doctrine constituting it.
self an institution In the eighth century Rome lay
on the Tiber abandoned by those emperors who pre-
tended to rule the world and who had left her for
their new capital on the B0sphorus. Power ema-
mating from the distant capital was so feeby felt that
the bishops in Rome had natural temptation to be-
come independent Of it. DESTROYS as they felt to
throw OF the thraldom-jealous they were for the
supremacy OF Rome the effort seemed one OF doubt
ful safety the part Of churchmen acting Alone but
allied with great neighborng military Power there
could be no question OF success. Hence the alliance
with Charlemagne and the establishment Of the En-
pire OF the West. There was mutual advantage.
Charlemagne by material power guaranteed the
Pope's supremacy against the Eastern rulers, and
the Pope guaranteed Charlemagne by that spiritual
endorsement that was then OF great import


In order to understand what the Pope guaranteed
Charlemagne, and what is the very essence OF the
empire in all its later history, we must remember
political. They were religious. Wehave seenneare
to our own times Puritan theology stated In three
points,. The earth Is the Lords; 2. The Saints
shall inherit the earth: 3. We are the saints. Gov
ernment has been founded in Protestant countries on
this theory, pure and simple, and 1t is still the es-
sence OF Puritanism wherever 1t hourishes; for de-
spite all we declam against the ''uniOn OF Church
and l State" yet wherever an appeal Is made to


hsher law there is the because nar tss
the laws. Of the State are subordinated to doc
trines OF the Church. Now, in the principle
law' is founded Purltanism exactly agrees with
the most extreme position OF the Popery II hates
earth was the Lords as the whole Catholic world
devouty believed; "for he made It," This was not
view held in church and forgotten outside, like
modern piety, but IL was q constant law. Since
then, the earth was the Lords was to be held and
ruled by whomsoever He chose for the purpose; and
the choice could only be ascertained through the
Church and only made effective through an appoint
ment by the Pope. Next to God therefore, the Pope
was supreme in theory; but practically a1a thls
gated authority for material rule to whoever
held the material power. His course Ia TINS





sion with facts until such time as the doctrine
itself had grown TO be as great q fact as any, and
then the popes boldly asserted that the power had
always been theirs and that the Holy Roman Empire
was only held from the Pope by feudal tenure that
the Pope was temporal as well as spiritual ruler.
The EARTH being the Lords, was only finding its
governing power little nearer the original source


That the government of the world should thus be
rested entirely Its religion was in great degree
a reaction from the ancient ideas. Political science
had reached a high development in Greece and under
ancient Rome. Federal government, that highest
and most artificial type OF governmental machinery,
had hourished and been reasoned TO It's ultimate re-
suits thousands Of years before the world fell down
to kiss the foot OF priest. But the world had thor
oughiy learned that there was no control IN pohtcal
systems. Counting on Senatcs on popular assemblies,
on executive rulers, on courts on generals, II found
that in the ultimate trial all were swayed by corrupt
motves-by sefshness, pride, AMBITION bribery ana
thus its finest fabric OF reason came 10 naushl FROM
this It turned readily to system that assumed new
starting point-that promised more substantial
fabric by basng all on an obligation OF moral iorce
So Rome became the soul OF the world, anu the ruler
consecrated by her held men through the terrorS or
hell or the hope OF heaven.


Such in fact and in morality was the origin OF the
Holy Roman Empire, which proved on the whole a
satisfactory middle term between Imperial Rome
into existence on the Christian dea ana the civlllZa
ton that Christianity developed destroyed II. The
Reformation was intellectually the end OF the empire
and IL practically, too for Professionalism making
individuality, made nationality, and thus made hatred
to the empire in Germany, as IL was sign oil
foreign domination. Other things concurred in It's
practical destruction, however.


Nowhere in the same compass can better account
OF this ancient institution be had than IN MI Bryce