Modern history; from the coming of Christ and change of the Roman republic into an empire, to the year of Our Lord 1867. With questions, adapted to the use of schools

Front matter

ra-

A^

A-

Author's Preface

The utility of History as a branch of public and private instruction has always been admitted. Cicero calls it "the witness of ages, the torch of truth, the life of memory, the oracle of life, the interpreter of the past," and does not hesitate (o say, that " to be ignorant of what has happened before one's birth, is nothing less than to remain in a continual state of childhood." (Cicer. in orat. n. xxxiv.) Plutarch informs us that Cato the Censor, whose name and eminent qualities reflected so much honor upon the last days of the Roman Republic, composed for his infant son, and, with his own hand, wrote in large characters a description of remarkable actions taken from the lives of illustrious Romans; in order, said he, that this child might be enabled, from his very infancy, and without leaving the paternal roof, to become acquainted with the great men of his country, and to imitate those ancient models of probity and virtue.

History is an immense repository, whence we may, with little labor, derive extensive knowledge, and draw many instructive and useful lessons; nor is there any study (except that of Religion) better calculated to improve all the faculties of the soul. By its means, the memorj'- is furnished with a multitude o^interesting events; the judgment continually improves, from the assiduous attention which is given to objects well deserving of notice; and experience, so necessary in life, is easilj' acquired, because we appropriate to ourselves that of others, and become wise at their expense. History conduces also wonderfully to the improvement of the heart: every where it affords moral examples adapted to the different stations and conditions of social life ; every where it presents for imitation models of courage, of patriotism, probity, disinterestedness, generous sentiments and heroic antions. Its pages, indeed, are frequently filled with the narrative of various crimes; but these it mentions only to inspire us with horror for them, and to convince every one, that unruly passions, besides degrading

IV . PREFACE.

hnmauity, generally prove the cause of the subversion of empires, not less than of the ruin of private individuals and families.

History gives us another very important instruction, in the continual change and succession of kingdoms and empires. There we behold the all-wise and powerful Providence of God displaying itself in the course of human affairs; sometimes granting to his people good and virtuous rulers ; at other times, permitting political storms to burst forth, wars to rage, and wicked men to reign for the chastisement of nations; then restoring tranquillity, and rendering subscr- ■vient to his designs, even those events in which our limited reason can perceive only the agency of creatures. Thus we are taught to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God, to refer every prosperous effect to Him, as its only real and independent cause, and to expect from Him alone a lasting happiness.

These advantages are to be found chiefly in Modern Historj% which extending to many more countries than the history of former ages, presents us with more numerous and rem^arkable instances of the effects of divine justice upon kings and nations. It likewise abounds, much more than the periods long since past, in heroic deed^, and, including the times of the Christian era, exhibits a much greater multitude of personages worthy of being proposed as models of virtue, than could ever be afforded by the ancient Greeks and Romans. Hence, Modern History, though generally little known, should be considered as peculiarly important and useful: not indeed, as we find it in the works of many recent authors, such as Hume, Gibbon, and others, whoso partiality, prejudice, or oven irreligion, appears in almost every page of their works; but, as it ought to bo presented to the reader, in a spirit of candor and impartiality, after a sincere and diligent research on the part of the writer.

The present course includes all the time which has elapsed from the coming of Chirst, and even from the battle of Actium (b. c. 31,) to the age in which we live. Although a shorter duration than this is commonly, though arbitrarily, assigned to Modern History, we have thought proper to refer its beginning to the memorable epoch which is termed in the Scripture the fulness oj times, (Ephes. i. 10,) and which nearly coincides with the change of the Roman Republic into an Empire after the battle of Actium. Thus, in reckoning from the dispersion of the sons of Noah, and following the division of Sacred History into two chief parts, the Ancient and the Neio Law, we have a similar and very natural division of the civil history itself into two grand portions, the one before, the other aftei' the coming of Christ; and whilst we take a view of the civilized world during the last eighteen hundred years, we also perceive the connexion •which it had with the Christian Church from her foundation.

To treat of each nation separately, is not the object of the present work; we are not writing a collection of particular histories, but a general one ; nor, on the other hand, is it our intention to confine ourselves, as is too frequently done, to a meagre outline of names, dates and facts, without mentioning their necessary circumstances ; but, by selecting from the best historians of the different nations, whatever is most im-portant and worthy of notice, to present, as far as possible, a detailed and connected view of the whole. Nothing more can be reasonably expected from an elementary course of this class : if it omits ^o essential fact or circumstance, and, at the same time, does not impede the progress of the narrative by introducing numberless events of secondary importance, surely nothing more can be desired in this respect, either for instruction or amusement. There is no other means of imparting, in an interesting manner, a sufficient knowledge of Histoiy. Should any disadvantage occasionally arise from this plan, it will be compensated by synoptical and chronological tables ; and, moreover, facts of an extraordinary nature, or which have been commonly misrepresented in modern publications, will be illustrated by notes placed in the latter part of the volume.

PREFACE. V

As a conclusion of these preliminary remarks, and an immediate introduction to Modern Historj', some idea must be given of the political disturbances which so long agitated ancient Rome, and terminated in the destruction of the Commonwealth.

The Romans, by their invincible patience and constancy during seven hundred years, had conquered almost the whole of the then known world, viz. Italy, Gaul, Spain, Northern Africa, Egypt, Syria, Asia Minor, Greece, Illyria, etc. But, at the same time, all kinds of vices were introduced. Love of country, and respect for the laws were gradually superseded by luxury, avarice, intrigues, and an almost universal corruption. Public emplojnnents and dignities, the emoluments of which had increased, were solicited with extraordinary avidity; ambitious candidates sought only to flatter the people; and generals of the same character strained every nerve to gain the troops over to their party, even resorting to extravagant promises and. presents, in order to attain their object.

Sjdla, having obtained, after his great victories, the- Dictatorship for life, proved to the world that Rome could endure a master; like him, Pompey and Julius CiBsar successively rendered themselves all-powerful. The violent death of the latter, who was slain in the Senate, augmented, instead of lessening the evil. There were now three competitors for the supreme power : Antony, Lepidus, and the young Octavius, grand-nephew and adopted son of Ceesar. During their triumvirate, all in Rome who were most remarkable for their courage and their opposition to tyranny, were destroyed: Cicero was put to death; Brutus and Cassius were defeated at Philippi; and with them expired the liberty of the Roman people.

Octavius and Antony, having removed the feeVjle Lepidus, made various agreements respecting the division of power ; but the young Ceesar, more dexterous than his colleague, always found means to obtain the better share, gained the popular favor in Rome, and rapidly advanced to the sovereign authority. Antony, in his attempts to repair his losses, engaged in a civil war, which served only to accelerate his utter ruin : his defeat in the battle of Actium, and his death which followed soon after, left Octavius undisputed master. This memorable event, which took place in the year 722 after the building of Rome, and 31 before the coming of Christ, brings us to the beginning of our course of Modern History, which includes eight parts or epochs, in the following order :

The first part comprises the time which elapsed from the battle of Actium (b. c. 31,) to the accession of Constantino (a. d. 306;) including 337 years.

The 2d from the accession of Constantino (a. d. 306,) to the fall of the

Roman Empire in the West (a. d. 476;) 170 years.

The 3d from the fall of the Roman Empire in the West (a. d. 476,) to its

revival under (Jharlemagne (a. d. 800 ;) 324 years.

The 4th from the revival of the Western Empire under Charlemagne

(a. d. 800,) to the beginning of the Crusades (a. d. 1095 ;) 295 years.

The 5th from the beginning of the Crusades (a. d. 1095,) to their termination (a. d. 1272;) 177 years.

The 6th from the end of the Crusades (a. d. 1272,) to the discovery of

America (a, d. 1492;) 220 years.

The 7th from the discovery of America (a. d. 1492,) to the Treaty of Versailles, or Paris, in which the Independence of the United States was solemnly and universally acknowledged (a. d. 1783 ;) 291 years.

The 8th from the Treaty of Paris (a. d. 1783,) to A. D. 1867 ; .• 84

years.

Baltimore, Septernber, 1854.

Part I

FROM THE BATTLE OF ACTIUM (B. C. 31), TO THE ACCESSION OF CONSTANTINE (A. D. 306).

Roman Empire,

Augustus,

Tiberius,

Caligula,

Claudius,

Nero,

Galba— Otho— Vitellius, ,

Vespasian, ,

Titus,

Domitian,

Nerva — Trajan,

Adiian, ,

Antoninus Pius,

Marcus Aurelius,

Commodus — Pertinax — Didius

Julianus,

, 68

, 69

Page

Septimius Severus, 70

C ar ac al 1 a — M aci inus— Helioga-

balus, 77

Alexander Severus, 78

Military Usurpers, 83

Claudius II, 85

Aurelian, 87

Interregnum — Tacitus, 90

Probus, ib

Carus, and his two sons Cari-

nus and Nuraerian, 92

Diocletian and Maximian; afterwards Constantius Chlorus

and Galerius, ib.

Part II

FROM THE ACCESSION OF CONSTANTINE (A. D. 306), TO THE DOWNFALL OF THE ROMAN IN THE WEST (A. D. 476).

Page Page

Constantine the Great, 98 Honorius and Arcadms, 123

Constantius, and his brothers Valentinian III, in the West;

Constantine II and Constans, 107 in the East, Theodosius II,

Julian, 109 or the Younger, 126

Jovian, 113 Marcian — Leothe Thracian, in

Valentinian and Valens, 114 the East — Last period and

Theodosius the Great — Gratian fall of tlie Western Empire, 131

and Valentinian II, 116

Vlll

CONTENTS.

Part III

FROM THE DOWNFALL OF THE WESTERN EMPIRE (A. D. 476), TO ITS REVIVAL UNDER CHARLEMAGNE (A. D. 8tf0)

Foundation of the principal and most celebrated States of Europe, 135

An2:lo- Saxons in Great Britain-

Hengist, ib.

Visigoths in Spain — Evaric, . . . 136

Franks in Gaul — Clovis, 138

Ostrogoths in Italy — Theodoric

the Great, 140

Emperors of Constantinople,.. 142

Justin I,. ib.

Glorious reign of Justinian, 144

Justin II— Tiberius II, 153

Mauritius, 157

Phocas,. 161

Heraclius, 162

Rise of Mahometanism, 164

Progress of Mahometanism,, . . 167 Conquests of the Saracens in Syria, Palestine and Mesopotamia, ib.

Pag«

Conquests of the Saracens in Egypt 169

in Persia, Rho<le3 and

other countries, 171

Dissensions among the Saracens, 174

Prosperity of the Greek empire under Constantine Pogonatus, ib.

Conquests of the Saracens in Africa, 176

Saracens defeated in the E ast — Leo the Isaiu-ian, 181

Saracens defeated in France — Charles M artel, 182

Pepin, king of France, 184

Charlemagne, king of France and Lombardy, 186

Remarks on the state of civilization, learning, and pai-ticularly religion, during the third part of modern history, 192

Part IV

VROM THE REVIVAL OF THE V(rESTERN EMPIRE (A. D, 800), TO THE BEGINNING OF THE CRUSADES (A. D. 1095).

Page

Charlemagne, Emperor,.. ..... 196

Louis the Debonnaire, and his sons — Feudal system, 200

Arabian and Greek Empires during the ninth century, 201

Spain during the ninth and tenth centuries, ....* 205

England during the ninth and tenth centuries, 209

France and Germany in the tenth and eleventh centuries, 214

Eastern nations in the tenth and eleventh centuries, 217

Page Ireland, particularly during the

tenth and eleventh centuries, 220 Danish kings in England— Saxon line restored, 222

Normans in England — William

the Conqueror, 224

Normans in Italy, 227

Chivalry, particularly in Spain — Rise of the kingdom of

Portugal, 228

Atfair of Investitures,. 230

Remarks on the Middle Ages — Truce of God, 282

CONTENTS.

IX

Part V

FEOM THE BEGINNING OF THE CRUSADES (A. D. 1095), TO THEIR END (A. D. 1272).

Pnge Origin and causes of the Crusades, 239

First Crusade, 240

General view of the first Crusade. — Return of the Crusaders, 250

Kingdom of Jerusalem, 252

Second Crusade, 255

Germany and Italy under Frederic I (Barbarossa). — England and Ireland under Henry

II (Planta^enet)., 257

Fall of the kingdom of Jerusalem, 260

I'age

Third Crusade, 202

Fourth Crusade, 269

Fifth Crusade. — Foundation of the Latin empire of Constantinople, 270

Wars throughout Europe, 274

Conquests of Genghis -Kan in

Asia, 279

Sixth Crusade, 281

Seventh Crusade. — St. Louis,... 284 St. Louis continued.-Civil war

in England, 287

Eighth and last Crusade, 288

Remarks on the Crusades, 292

Part VI

FEOM THE END OF THE CRUSADES (A. D. 1272), TO THE DISCOVERY OP AMERICA (A. D. 1492).

Page England, Wales, and Scotland,

under kings Edward I and II, 298 Germany under the emperor Rodolph of Hapsburg.-Comraencement of the Helvetian

Confederation, 299

Prosecution and abolition of the

Knights-Templars, 302

Progress of the Christians of Spain, and signal victories

over the Moors, 304

Wai between France and England, 306

Edward III of England and

Philip VI of France, ib.

Edward III and John II, 310

Edward III and Charles V,.. . . 313 Rise of the Ottoman empire, and its progress, "ill the battle of Nicopolis, 317

Tamerlane and the Moguls.—

Battle of Ancyra, 321

Renewal of war between England and France, 324

Henry V and Charles VI, 325

Henry VI and Charles VII,... . 327

Fall of Constantinople, 331

Mahomet II continued, 337

Mahomet II and Hunniades,.. 338 Mahomet II and Scanderbeg,. . 340 Mahomet II and Peter d'Aubus-

Contest of the houses of Lancaster and York in England, 344 Ferdinand and Isabella. — Final overthrow of the Moors in

Spain, 347

Remarks on t!ie discoveries made during the sixth period of Modern History, 850

CONTENTS.

Part VII

FROM THE DISCOVERY OP AMERICA (A. D. 1492) TO THE TREATY OP VER- SAILLES, OR PARIS, IN WHICH THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE UNITED STATES WAS SOLEMNLY AND UNIVERSALLY ACKNOWLEDGED (A. D. 1783.)

Page

British and French colonies in North America 405

Splendor of the Eeign of Louis XIV 407

War of Flanders, — of Candia, etc 409

War of Holland — and subsequent events till the League of Augsburg 411

League of Augsburg. — Eevolution in England 415

Succession of Spain. — Death of Louis XIV 417

Decline of the Turks 422

Rise of Prussia and Russia. — Peter the G;-eat.— Charles XII., king of Sweden 424

Western Europe, from the death of Louis XIV. in 1715 to the treaty of Vienna in 1735 426

Eastern Europe. — Thamas Kouli Kan, or Nadir Schah, the Persian conqueror, etc 427

War of the succession of Austria.

— The Pretender in England and Scotland 429

Old French war, otherwise called War of Hanover, or Seven Years war 432

Origin and progress of the American Revolution 434

War of Independence 437

Preliminary observations on America 252

Discovery of America. — Christopher Columbus 254

Portitguese Settlements in Asia... 361 Decline of the Italian republics. — Wars for the possession of Italy.

— Cardinal Ximenes. — Pope Leo

Luther and the Reformation 367

Charles V. and Francis 1 369

Charles V. and Soliman II 371

Conquest of Mexico. — Hernando

Cortez 374

Conquest of Peru. — Francis Pi-

zarro 383

Charles V. continued. — Accession of Philip II., and first transactions of his reign 385

England under the Tudors 387

-War against the Turks. — Siege of Malta. — Loss of Cyprus. — Battle

of Lepanto 389

Philip II. continued. — The republic of Holland. — France under the last Valois and Henry IV. — General state of Europe in the beginning of the seventeenth

century 396

The Thirty Years war 399

Civil war in England. — Commonwealth. — Restoration 401

Part VIII

FROM THE TREATY OF VERSAILLES, OR PARIS, IN WHICH THE INDEPENDENCE OP THE UNITED STATES WAS SOLEMNLY AND UNIVERSALLY ACKNOWL- EDGED (A. D. 1783) TO THE YEAR OF OUR LORD 1867.

Page Formation of the Federal Constitution of the United States. —

Washington, first President 444

French Revolution 446

Napoleon Bonaparte, General and

Consul 450

Napoleon Bonaparte, Emperor 455

Second American war 463

view of the Civilized World, a. d.

Annexation of Texas. — Mexican war, and its consequences = 4G7

Page

Disturbances and revolutions in

Europe 475

Crimean war 480

The Italian war, and its consequences 482

European expeditions to China,

Cochin-China, and Mexico 484

Civil war in the United States 586

War in Schleswig-IIol stein. — War in Italy and Germany 492

CONTENTS. XI

NOTES.

Page

Note A. — Character and Death of Seneca, Lucan, etc 405

B. — The historian Josephus 496

C. — Number of Martyrs, during the general persecutions of the

Church r. 498

D. — Attempt of the emperor Julian to rebuild the Temple of Jerusalem 502

E. — Mahomet's pretended miracles 505

F. — Answer of Pope Zachary to a consultation of the French 506

G. — Temporal Dominion of the Pope .-. 507

H. — Popes of the Middle Ages 509

I. — Conquest of Ireland 512

J. — Prosecution and abolition of the Knights-Templars 515

K. — Inquisition 518

L. — Bull of Alexander VI., called the Bull of Partition 52U

M. — Influence of the Roman Church on the improvement of science.

— Affair of Galileo. — The Calendar 522

N. — Massacre of St. Bartholomew's day ' J32.3

O. — Revocation of the Edict of Nantes 525

P. — On religious purseeution 528

Tables of contemporary Sovereigns .5.33

Table of Authors 502

Questions 10 Fredet's Modern History 1

MODERN HISTORY.