Medieval and modern times : an introduction to the history of western Europe form the dissolution of the Roman empire to the present time . nointed. The pope threatenedwith Gods anger any one whoshould attempt to supplant theconsecrated family of Pippin. It thus became a religious dutyto obey the king and his succes-sors. He came to be regardedby the Church, when he hadreceived its approval, as Godsrepresentative on earth. Herewe have the beginning of thelater theory of kings by thegrace of God, against whom itwas a sin to revolt, however bad they might be. We shall seepresently how Pippins fa
Medieval and modern times : an introduction to the history of western Europe form the dissolution of the Roman empire to the present time . nointed. The pope threatenedwith Gods anger any one whoshould attempt to supplant theconsecrated family of Pippin. It thus became a religious dutyto obey the king and his succes-sors. He came to be regardedby the Church, when he hadreceived its approval, as Godsrepresentative on earth. Herewe have the beginning of thelater theory of kings by thegrace of God, against whom itwas a sin to revolt, however bad they might be. We shall seepresently how Pippins famous son Charlemagne received hiscrown from the hands of the pope. Chcurlemagne, who became king of all the Prankish realms in771, is the first historical personage among the German peoplesof whom we have any satisfactory knowledge.^ Compared with 1 Charlemagne is the French form for the Latin Carolus Magnus (Charlesthe Great). We must never forget, however, that Charlemagne was a German^that he talked a German language, namely Frankish, and that his favorite palacesat Ai»-la-Chapelle, Ingelheim, and Nimwegen were in German Fig. 23. Charlemagne This bronze figure of Charle-magne on horseback was madein his time, and the artist mayhave succeeded in reproducingthe general appearance of theemperor Charlemagne and his Empire 77 him, Theodoric, Clovis, Charles Martel, Pippin, and the rest arebut shadowy figures. The chronicles tell us something of theirdeeds, but we can make only the vaguest inferences in regardto their appearance orcharacter. Charlemagnes looks,as described by his sec-retary, so exactly corre-spond with the characterof the king as exhibitedin his reign that they areworthy of attention. Hewas tall and stoutly built;his face was round, hiseyes were large and keen,his nose somewhat abovethe common size, hisexpression bright andcheerful. The good pro-portions and grace of hisbody prevented the ob-server from noticing thathis neck was rather shortand his pers
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Keywords: ., bookauthorrobinson, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookyear1919
