DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.73464#0031
- 27 —
empire became however divided into Eastern and
Western A. D. 364, Rome being the Western Empire
until 476, when it was terminated under Romulus
Augustus. Rome was several times invaded by bar-
barians of the north, who finally remained masters;
and Odoacre, their king, seated himself on the throne
of the Caesars.
In the Middle Ages, the City of Rome was first the
capital of a small duchy, under the protectorate of
the Lords of Ravenna; in the time of Leo III. the
Republic was restored under the authority of the Po-
pes, who had already established their residence in
the Eternal City A. D. 795. The Popes defended the
city in its long struggles with the Longobards and
Greeks, who in vain attempted to bring it under their
dominion. It was finally liberated by the Franks, who
under the command of their king Pepin, defeated the
many enemies who struggled for its possession. Pepin
then gave it in fief to the Popes, which right was
afterwards confirmed by his son Charlemagne, A. D.
800, who granted them also other privileges. At the
death of Charlemagne, Rome found herself torn by
civil wars, prolonged for almost two centuries, at the
end of which Henry VII. possessed himself of the city
expelling the reigning Pontiff Gregory VII. The Pope
again returning to establish himself, new agitations
followed. For this reason, the Popes, who were vio-
lently opposed by some of the principal families, the
Colonna, the Orsini, etc. exiled themselves several
times from Rome, and transferred their seat to Or-
vieto, Viterbo and lastly to Avignon.
Finally by the general triumph of the Guelphs, the
dominion of the Pontiffs was re-established in Rome
in the xvi century, until it was again interrupted by
the French, who proclaimed it a Republic in 1798, and
in 1810 annexed it to the Empire of France. In 1814,
Pius VII. returned to the possession of the Eternal
City, and his successors continued to hold it until 1849,
empire became however divided into Eastern and
Western A. D. 364, Rome being the Western Empire
until 476, when it was terminated under Romulus
Augustus. Rome was several times invaded by bar-
barians of the north, who finally remained masters;
and Odoacre, their king, seated himself on the throne
of the Caesars.
In the Middle Ages, the City of Rome was first the
capital of a small duchy, under the protectorate of
the Lords of Ravenna; in the time of Leo III. the
Republic was restored under the authority of the Po-
pes, who had already established their residence in
the Eternal City A. D. 795. The Popes defended the
city in its long struggles with the Longobards and
Greeks, who in vain attempted to bring it under their
dominion. It was finally liberated by the Franks, who
under the command of their king Pepin, defeated the
many enemies who struggled for its possession. Pepin
then gave it in fief to the Popes, which right was
afterwards confirmed by his son Charlemagne, A. D.
800, who granted them also other privileges. At the
death of Charlemagne, Rome found herself torn by
civil wars, prolonged for almost two centuries, at the
end of which Henry VII. possessed himself of the city
expelling the reigning Pontiff Gregory VII. The Pope
again returning to establish himself, new agitations
followed. For this reason, the Popes, who were vio-
lently opposed by some of the principal families, the
Colonna, the Orsini, etc. exiled themselves several
times from Rome, and transferred their seat to Or-
vieto, Viterbo and lastly to Avignon.
Finally by the general triumph of the Guelphs, the
dominion of the Pontiffs was re-established in Rome
in the xvi century, until it was again interrupted by
the French, who proclaimed it a Republic in 1798, and
in 1810 annexed it to the Empire of France. In 1814,
Pius VII. returned to the possession of the Eternal
City, and his successors continued to hold it until 1849,