THE EMPEROR JUSTINIAN.
In the seventh century, not only the empire in the East, but all southern Europe was threatened by the Turks. They were Mohammedans, or followers of Mohammed, an Arabian who declared that God had sent an angel to him to teach him a pure and true religion. After a little, he and his disciples began to force their belief upon the various tribes of Arabia at the point of the sword. After he died, his followers conquered Syria, Persia, Egypt, and Northern Africa. They had tried to capture Constantinople, but had failed. They overcame Spain and swept on into France, shouting their battle-cry, "There is one God, and Mohammed is his prophet!" From Spain they marched to the north across the Pyrenees and into France. The Mohammedans in the East were pressing upon Asia Minor and Constantinople; those in the west were already in France. It seemed entirely probable that both divisions might march toward Italy and thrust Christianity out of southern Europe.
Before doing that, however, they must overcome the Franks. These Franks had made rapid gains in political power. They held southern Gaul, Burgundy, and western Germany. They were strong and prosperous, and they were able to meet the invaders. In 732 the leader of the Franks, Charles Martel, or Charles the Hammer, met the western division of the Mohammedan forces on the plain of Tours. He overcame them, and they were driven back to the foot of the Pyrenees. So it was that Europe was saved.
A fervent belief in the religion of Christ had taken possession of all Europe, and as there was no longer any emperor in Rome, the Pope, as the head of the Christian Church, had become the chief power in Italy. The Pope and the Frankish kings had been on friendly terms for a long while, and whenever he needed help, he appealed to the king of the Franks. In the ninth century, a German tribe called the Lombards seized northern Italy; and the Pope sent for aid to Charles the Great, or Charlemagne, the reigning sovereign. Charlemagne soon conquered them and was crowned with the iron crown of Lombardy. He had already begun to conquer the Saxons who lived on the Elbe and the lower Rhine; and before he died, his rule extended over France, part of Germany, many, northern Italy, and a little strip at the north of Spain. This busy warrior established schools for the boys of his kingdom, built churches and bridges, and even found time to collect the ancient songs of his race. Although he is called Charlemagne, the French for Charles the Great, the German "Karl der Grosse" would be a much better name for this German prince. In the year 800 A. D. the Pope crowned him as emperor. Before this, the Pope and the emperor at Constantinople had disagreed, and now, instead of talking of the Roman empire in the East and in the West as if it were one, people spoke of the Western Empire and the Eastern Empire. This was correct, for they had really become two.
The custom continued of crowning the king of the Franks as Emperor of the Roman Empire; but it was an exceedingly shadowy empire. The vast expanse of land ruled by Rome in her flourishing days gradually broke up into separate countries, and the vast crowd of people developed into different nations. This slow process was the real "fall of the Western Empire."
The fall of the Eastern Empire is marked by a definite date, 1453, for in that year the Turks captured Constantinople, and even to this day it is the capital of the Turkish Empire.
Roman history is not a mere tale of conquest, revolution, triumph, and downfall; it is a wonder story of how a tiny kingdom grew to be the ruler of the world. The kingdom becomes a republic, the republic an empire. Nation after nation moves swiftly across the field of vision and disappears, either merged into the all-embracing empire which has taken the world for its province, or so completely destroyed as to be lost in the darkness of the things that are forgotten. There are wars and rumors of wars; there is a moment of peace, and therein occurs the birth of the Holy Child of Bethlehem, whose words are to teach mercy instead of cruelty, and pardon instead of vengeance.
The empire has vanished, but its laws are written on the statute books of the world, its language is on the lips of many nations, its military camps have become flourishing cities, its roads are mighty avenues of progress, its very failures are valued lessons. This is the Roman wonder story. The mightiest panorama, the most marvelous pageant that the world has ever gazed upon is "the grandeur that was Rome."
Summary
The Germans were continually breaking into the empire. The Visigoths were allowed to cross the Danube; but the attempt to deprive them of their arms failed. The Ostrogoths, too, crossed the Danube, defeated the Romans in battle, and pressed close to Constantinople. Theodosius became emperor in the East. He quieted the Goths; but, led by Alaric, they pillaged Greece, then captured Rome. Alaric died. The Huns under Attila were overcome by Aetius and the Goths at Chalons. Later, Attila approached Rome, but was bribed to depart. Rome was plundered by the Vandals. Romulus Augustulus was the last emperor of Rome. In 476 A. D., Odoacer became ruler of the West. Theodoric the Great gave Italy a time of peace and quiet. In the other countries of Europe there was confusion. During the reign of Justinian as emperor in the East, Belisarius recovered much territory from the barbarians, and drove the Goths from Italy. Justinian collected the Roman laws. The Mohammedans won many victories, but were overcome at Tours in 732 A. D. by Charles Martel and the Franks. Charlemagne was crowned by the Pope in 800 A. D. as emperor. The real fall of the Western Empire was the breaking up of the empire into separate countries. The fall of the Eastern Empire was marked by the capture of Constantinople by the Turks in 1453 A. D.
Roman history is a wonder story of how a tiny kingdom became the ruler of the world. The Roman Empire has vanished, but its influence upon the laws, languages, and governments of the world will never disappear.
Suggestions for Written Work
A boy tells of his first sight of a German.
A Visigoth tells how his people were treated by the Romans at the Danube.
Charlemagne writes home of his coronation.