. The historians' history of the world; a comprehensive narrative of the rise and development of nations as recorded by over two thousand of the great writers of all ages:. opean nations. Francewas made up of a number of loosely connected lands, each with its ownlord, when Germany, under Otto, was to a large extent moved by a single will,well organised, and strong. But the attention of the French kings was con-centrated on theii immediate interests, and in course of time they broughttheir unruly vassals to order. The German kings, as emperors, had dutieswhich often took them away for long peri
. The historians' history of the world; a comprehensive narrative of the rise and development of nations as recorded by over two thousand of the great writers of all ages:. opean nations. Francewas made up of a number of loosely connected lands, each with its ownlord, when Germany, under Otto, was to a large extent moved by a single will,well organised, and strong. But the attention of the French kings was con-centrated on theii immediate interests, and in course of time they broughttheir unruly vassals to order. The German kings, as emperors, had dutieswhich often took them away for long periods from Germany. This alonewould have shaken their authority, for during their absence, the great vas-sals seized rights which it was afterwards difficult to recover. Thus theimperial crown was the most fatal gift that could have been offered to theGerman kings; apparently giving them all things, it deprived them nearlyof everything. And in doing this, it inflicted on many generations incalcu-lable and needless suffering. By the policy of his later years, Otto did much to prepare the way forthe process of disintegration which he rendered inevitable by restoring the. AM) I 11 K SCHOLARS OTTO THE GREAT AXD IlIS SUCCESSORS 621 [973-977 ] empire. With the kingdom divided into five great duchies, the sovereigncould always have maintained at least so much unity as King Henrysecured; and as the experience of Otto himself showed^ there would havebeen chances of much greater centralisation. Yet he threw away this advan-tage. Otto gave up the practice of retaining the duchies either in his ownhands or in those of relatives. Even Saxony, his native duchy, and the chiefsource of his strength, was given to Markgraf Billung, whose family longafterwards kept it. As a set-otf to the power of the princes — for the reigning immediatevassals of the crown ranked as princes — Otto, especially after he becameemperor and looked upon himself as the protector of the church, imme
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