The Lombards feared by the Popes.
But then, though the Greek Emperor was not much feared, both on the score of his distance, and also because he had enough to do to defend himself against the Saracens, [which then from the East fiercely and successfully attack’d the Empire];c yet the Power of the Lombards was more dreadful, and hung like a mighty Tempest over all Italy, and had almost made themselves Masters of the Suburbs of Rome. And the Pope not being able alone to grapple with this Enemy, could bethink him of no body that was able to succour the See of Rome in this exigence, but the King of France; and he too was very much disposed to it by the Prospect of that Glory which would attend the rescuing from Injury [of] that Person, who like an unexhaustible Fountain dispensed to all Christian Souls the Waters of Divine Grace. The Pope also had before-hand very much obliged Pipin the Father, and Charles the Son, by his ready consenting, That Chilprick King of France should be shaven and turn’d into a Monastery:27 Which could never be equally recompensed by those Princes, who might otherwise have had painful Scruples of Conscience to perswade themselves, That a Subject might lawfully shave his Prince, and make him, of a Monarch, become a Monk, who was guilty of no other fault, but his having committed more Power to a Potent Minister, than was consistent with the safety <18> of his Crown and Kingdom. And in this the FATES strangely befriended the French in giving them so plausible a pretence of invading and possessing {our}a Italy, which has alwaies [been courted by the Ultra-montane Kingdoms].b
Charles the Great Subdues the Lombards, and is made Emperor,
12. After then that Charles the Great had subdued all that part of Italy which was before subject to the Lombards, the Pope (who had a good share of the Prey) that he might shew his gratitude, and assure himself for the future a Potent Defender, declared Charles Emperor and Augustus, with the Approbation of the People<, at least as first citizen and head of that city’s clergy, which commonly participates in such inaugural activities>.
Now it is not easie to conceive what Charles got by this Title; in truth Rome long before this was not the Seat of the ancient Roman Empire,28 being made first a Part of the Gothick Kingdom, and after that of the Eastern Empire. And therefore the Romans could not give that to Charles, which heretofore belonged to the Western Empire: for all that [Right was determin’d by Conquest and the Right of War, by Cession and Desertion, and was now for a long time in the peaceable possession of others].a And even Rome her self was not sui juris [independent], and therefore could not give her self to another: And therefore Charles was at first in doubt, whether he should accept the Title, till he had made an agreement with the Greek Emperor, and obtained his consent. The Emperor of Constantinople who {was then weak, and} needed the Friendship of Charles yielded the point without any difficulty, to preserve Calabria, and those other [Ports he had yet left him in Italy].b
Or rather Protector and Advocate of the See of Rome.
|[So that upon <19> the whole, Charles the Great, under the splendid Title of Emperor, borrowed from the ancient State of Rome (but in a very different sense) was made the Supreme Defender, Protector, and Advocate of the See of Rome, and of the States [properties]c belonging to it, either by the Usurpation of the Pope, or the Liberality of others. Now whether this Defence and Protection included in it a Supreme Empire or Dominion [summi Imperii] over that See, as some Civilians [politicis] have said, seems a doubt to me, and I should rather think there was a kind of unequal League only entred between Charles and the See of Rome,]|d That he should defend her [and her possessions] against all Invaders, or [and] by his Authority compose all internal Commotions, which might tend to the damage or dishonour of that See [the Church]; and on the other side, [That] the See of Rome should pay a due respect to his [Charles’s] Majesty, {and not undertake any thing which was of great consequence, without his Authority or Leave:} and in the first place, that no man should be admitted Pope against his will.
|[From whence it will appear, that the See of Rome from thenceforward became a particular State [civitatis], and, properly speaking, was not united [to the Kingdom of France].a And that Charles the Great was not the Master of the See of Rome, and the States [properties] belonging to it, nor did he exercise a Soveraign Dominion [vim imperii] over her, by making Laws, imposing Tributes, creating Magistrates, or exercising any Jurisdiction, or the like. For [But] all these things are not above the Pretences of an Advocate, viz. To expel a Pope that entered by ill Arts, to reduce into <20> Order such as designed the Ruine of the Church, or any other signal damage [dishonor], or to subdue the Romans, or any other who should rebel against the Pope.]|b
However, neither he nor any of his Successors would suffer France to be taken for a part of the Empire.
[Moreover,] Charles, and some of his Posterity, tho’ they seemed fond enough of the Titles of Emperors and Augusti, and on that account took upon them the Priority amongst the other European Princes, who willingly yielded it to them on that score; yet after all, for ought that appears to me, we shall never read, that [any of the Line of Charles the Great, call’d the Kingdom of France by that Name].a
The Fall of the Caroline Race, the Rise of the Kingdom of Germany under Otho I.
13. When the Caroline Family began to decline, and the Germans had divided themselves from the Kingdom of France, and Italy was afflicted with great Commotions, there sprung up other States out of the Ruins of this House [the older powers], and amongst them Otho the First, King of Germany, who having overcome Berengarius,29 and reduced the Kingdom of Italy, the Popes (who [could not trust to their States])b thought fit to put Otho in possession of [nearly] the same Power [jure] [as defender] that had been enjoyed by the Family of Charles the Great, and consented, That for the future the Protection of the See of Rome should be united to the Kingdom of Germany, so that whosoever enjoyed that Kingdom, should [be the Protector of that See].c
But then, after many of those old German Kings had [couragiously executed that Office upon]d the See of Rome, and in the mean time the Wealth and Power not only of the See of Rome, but of the Bishopricks of Germany, was become very great, the Popes of Rome began to grow weary <21> of this German Protection too. The Causes of this were, 1. The Aversion common to all Nations, against a Foreign Dominion. 2. The Indignity which was offered hereby, to the Italick People, who having ever been celebrated for Civil Prudence {(it would be cowardly not to acknowledge that which outsiders attribute to us)},e were by this kept under the Tutelage [wild rule] of the {less-politick [uncultivated]} Germans. 3. Besides, it was very uneasie to the Vicar of Jesus Christ to be any longer under the Guardianship of another, whose [the Pope’s] fingers [had long] itched to be giving Laws to all Princes. Therefore for the shaking off this Yoke, they [the Popes] took this course, viz. They found out ways, [by the means of the Bishops, to imbroil the Affairs of these Kings, sometimes in Germany, and at others in Italy, and the Pope seconded them with his Fulminations or Censures, which in those Ages were wonderful terrible].a
Thus by degrees the Kings of Germany grew weary of Italy, and being content with their own Kingdom, left the See of Rome to the sole management [arbitrio] of the Popes, which they [these] had sought so many Ages, and by such a variety of Arts, to the embroiling [of] all Europe. After this the Kings of Germany {a long time omitted the being crowned at Rome, yet they} retained the old Titles of Emperors of Rome; and when they entred upon the Kingdom, the Defence of the See of Rome was in the first place enjoin’d them; from which care the Protestant Electors have since given the