Identifier: mediaevalmodernh00myer (find matches)
Title: Mediaeval and modern history
Year: 1905 (1900s)
Authors: Myers, P. V. N. (Philip Van Ness), 1846-1937
Subjects: Middle Ages History, Modern World War, 1914-1918
Publisher: Boston : Ginn & Company
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: Sloan Foundation

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of Hohenstaufen was humbled by thepapal authority. We have now to witness the utter ruin of thisproud house and the downfall of the Empire as a real internationalforce in European affairs. The Empire fell at the very moment of the culmination of itsglory, if not of its power, under the Hohenstaufen Frederick II(i212-1250), whom the historian Freeman ventures to pronounce the most gifted of the sons of men. No Emperor before himhad conceived a loftier ideal of the world empire, nor had anyof his predecessors, after the great Charles, by virtue of personalqualities imparted to the imperial office such glamour andbrilliancy. But there were many elements of weakness in the Empire, —selfish ambitions among the German princes, rival aspirants forthe imperial crown, national and municipal sentiment in Italy,and the jealousy of outside rulers. All these elements of discon-tent and opposition were utilized by the popes to effect theundoing of the Emperor. Throughout his long reign, laboring
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THE REVOLT OF THE NATIONS 153 much of the time under all the disabilities of an excommuni-cate and with his authority in every part of his extended domin-ions undermined by the hostile activity of the papal agents, theMendicant Friars, Frederick fought for the maintenance of thedignity and supremacy of the imperial power. He died in 1250with the heavy consciousness of failure. Pursued by the hostilityof the popes, his posterity was extirpated root and branch. After Frederick II the Empire was never again a real worldpower. But the emperors in maintaining so long the strugglewith the Papacy had given time for a new power to arise, whichwas destined to avenge them in the overthrow of the Papacy asan international lay authority. This new power was the awakeningnations. 167. The Revolt of the Nations.—The fourteenth centurymarks the turning point in the history of the temporal powerof the Papacy. In the course of that century the lay rulers inseveral of the leading countries of Europe,

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