A history of all nations from the earliest times; being a universal historical library . nd, and Marquis Hugh of Tuscany,did her reverence on that occasion. The moment for vigorous actionon the part of the German nation seemed now to have arrived, whenthe empress-regent died, on June 15, 991, at Nimwegen. She was arare woman, whose greatness and merit people learned to appreciatefrom the void which she left by her death. The regency had to be continued, for the young king was nowonly eleven years old; but the change of regents exercised aninjurious influence on the position of the imperial gov
A history of all nations from the earliest times; being a universal historical library . nd, and Marquis Hugh of Tuscany,did her reverence on that occasion. The moment for vigorous actionon the part of the German nation seemed now to have arrived, whenthe empress-regent died, on June 15, 991, at Nimwegen. She was arare woman, whose greatness and merit people learned to appreciatefrom the void which she left by her death. The regency had to be continued, for the young king was nowonly eleven years old; but the change of regents exercised aninjurious influence on the position of the imperial government. THE REGENCY FOR OTTO 111. 271 Theophano had carried on the administration mainly in person, asher father-in-law and her husband had done, but with the adviceof a small circle of trusted friends, who were chiefly Inshops. Butnow the temporal lords demanded a share in the authority, and itcould not be denied them. Accordingly Empress Adelheid wasappointed, not so much to be regent as to preside over the council ofregency. To this body belonged, beside Willegis of Mayence, Duke. i<ici. —The Castle and Church at (Quedlinburg. Bernhard of Saxony and Duke Conrad of Swabia. AfterwardsHenry, the son and successor of Henry the Quarrelsome of Bavaria,was also admitted to it. The AI)bess iMatilda of Quedlinburg,sister of Otto H., exercised much influence, espeinally on (xermanaffairs, and for a while g-overned from her cell as ivsrent north ofthe Alps. This arrangement diminished the royal authority, andweakened the whole framework of tlu^ empire, as was soon apparentfrom the increased independence of the dukes. The dukedom lost 272 UNIVERSAL EMPIRE UNDER OTTO II. AND III. entirely the character of a mere official post, which Otto the Greathad tried to give it; and the same change soon took place in theoffice of count, and at last even in that of bishop. The disorganiza-tion of the empire went on rapidly. The heathen Wends savagelyassailed the Elbe frontier. Many people
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