was in a manner blocked up by land, all communication with the neighbouring country being cut off. Juftinian, being greatly perplexed by the bad news he every day received from Italy, recalled Belifarius from Perfia, notwithstanding the fuccefs which attended him there. To fave Rome, however, was now impoffible even for Belifarius himself. As foon as he arrived in Italy, finding himself unable either to relieve the towns which were befieged, or to ftop the progrefs of the Goths, he dispatched letters to Juftinian, informing him, that being deftitute of men, arms, and money, it was impoffible for him to profecute the war; upon which the emperor ordered new levies to be made, all the veterans being engaged in the Perfian war. In the mean time Totila purfued his good fortune; took the cities of Firmum, Af culum, Auximum, Spoletum, &c, and at length advanced to Rome, which he invefted on all fides As he drew near the city, two officers, whom Belifarius had fent into it, ventured to make a fally, though contrary to the exprefs orders of their general, thinking they fhould furprise the Goths; but they were themfelves taken in an ambufcade, and, most of their men being cut in pieces, narrowly efcaped falling into the hands of the enemy. Belifarius made feveral attempts to relieve the city: but all of them, however well concerted, proved unfuccefsful; which gave him fo much uneafinefs, that he fell into a fever, and was for fome time in danger of his life. The city was foon reduced to great ftraits; a dreadful famine enfued; and the unhappy citizens having confumed every thing that could be fuppofed to give them nourishment, even the grafs that grew near the walls, were obliged, it is faid, to feed on their own excrements. Many put an end to their lives, in order to free themselves from the intolerable calamities they fuffered. The reft addreffed their governor Beffas in the moft pathetic manner, intreating him to fupply them with food; or if that was not in his power, either to give them leave to go out of the town, or to terminate their miferies by putting them to death. Beffas replied, that to fupply them with food was impoffible; to let them go, unfafe; and to kill them, impious. In the end, however, he suffered those who were willing to retire, to leave the city, upon paying him a fum of money; but most of them either died on the road, or were cut in pieces by the enemy. At laft the befieged, unable to bear their miferies any longer, began to mutiny, and to prefs their governor to come to an agreement with Totila. This, however, he ftill refused; upou which, four of the Ifaurians who guarded one of the gates, went privately to the camp of Totila, and offered to admit him into the city. The king received this propofal with great joy; and fending four Goths of great ftrength and intrepidity into the town along with them, he filently approached the gates in the night-time with his whole army. The gates were opened by the Ifaurians, as they had promifed; and upon the firft alarm, Beffas, with most of the foldiers and officers, fled out of the town. The inhabitants took fanctuary in the churches; and only 60 of them and 26 foldiers were killed after the town was ta ken. Totila, however, gave his foldiers full li berty to plunder the city; which they did for feveral days together, ftripping the inhabitants of all their wealth, and leaving nothing in their houfes but naked walls: by which means many perfons of diftinction were reduced to beg. In the houfe of Belfas was found an immenfe treafure, which he had fcandalously amaffed during the fiege, by felling to the people, at an exorbitant price, the corn which had been stored up for the ufe of the garrison. (12.) ITALY, HISTORY OF, FROM THE PLUNDERING OF ROME BY TOTILA, TO HIS DEATH. Totila, thus become mafter of Italy, fent ambafladors to Juftinian with very respectful letters, defiring to live on the fame terms with him that Theodoric had done with his predeceffor Anaftafius; promifing in that cafe to respect him as his father, and to affift him, when he pleased, with all his forces against any other nation whatever. On the contrary, if the emperor rejected his offers, be threatened to level Rome with the ground, to put the whole fenate to the fword, and to carry the war into Illyricum. The emperor returned no other anfwer, than that he referred the whole to Belifarius, who had full power to manage all things of that nature. Upon this Totila refolved to deftroy the city; and had actually thrown down a third part of the wall, when he received a letter from Belifarius, diffuading him from his intention. After ha ving feriously confidered this letter, Totila thought proper to alter his refolution with regard to the deftruction of the city; but sent the inhabitants into Lucania, without leaving a single person in the metropolis. Belifarius hearing of this, immediately returned to the capital, and undertook to repeople and repair it. He cleared the ditch which had been filled by Totila, but was for the present obliged to fill up the breaches in the walls with ftones loofely heaped upon one another; and in this fituation the city was again attacked by the Goths. Belifarius, however, had taken care to fupply the inhabitants with plenty of provisions, fo that they were now in no danger of fuffering by famine; and the affaults of the enemy were vigoroufly repelled, notwithstanding the bad situation of the fortifications, fo that Totila at last abandoned the enterprise. In the mean time the Perfians gained great advantages over the Romans in the eaft, fo that there was a neceffity for again recalling Belifarius. He was no fooner gone, than Totila renewed his efforts with greater vigour than ever; and the Franks, concluding that both Romans and Goths would be much weakened by fuch a deftructive war, feized upon Venetia, which belonged to both, and made it a province of the French empire. Totila did not oppose them; but having obtained a reinforcement of 6000 Lombards, returned immediately before Rome, fully intent on making himself mafter of that metropolis. Having clofely invested it by fea and land, he hoped in a fhort time to reduce it by famine: but against this the governor wifely provided, by caufing corn to be fown within the walls; fo that he could probably have defied the power of Totila, had not the city been again betrayed by the Ifaurians, who opened one of the gates and admitted the enemy. Inus the empire of the Goths was a third time eftablished in Italy; and Totila dispatched ambala dors ders to Juftinian, offering to affist him as a faith- mans. Narfes made himself mafter of a great number ful ally against any nation whatever, provided he of cities, and of Rome itfelf, before the Goths could would allow him the quiet poffeffion of Italy. But affemble their forces, The Roman general next Juftinian, fo far from hearkening to this propofal, proceeded to invest Cume; which Teia deterwould not even admit the ambaffadors into his mined at all events to relieve, as the royal treasure prefence; upon which Totila refolved to pursue was lodged in that city. This brought on an enthe war with the utmoft vigour, and to make him- gagement, which, Procopius fays, proved one of felf mafter not only of thofe places which the Ro- the moft bloody that ever was fought. The Romans poffeffed in Italy, but in Sicily alfo. This man army confifted of vaft multitudes brought he fully accomplished; when Narfes, who had from different nations: the Goths were few in formerly been joined in the command with Belifa- comparison; but, animated by defpair, and knowrius, was appointed general, with abfolute autho- ing that all was at stake, they fought with the rity. But while this general was making prepara- utmost fury. Their king placed himself in the tions for his expedition, Totila, having equipped firft rank, to encourage his men by his example; a fleet of 300 galleys, fent them to pillage the and is faid to have given fuch proofs of his valour coafts of Greece, where they got an immenfe boo- and conduct as equalled him to the most renownty. They made a defcent on the ifland of Corfu; ed heroes of antiquity. The Romans discovering and having laid it wafte, they failed to Epirus, him, and knowing that his death would probawhere they furprised and plundered the cities of bly put an end to the battle, if not to the war itNicopolis and Anchialus, taking many fhips on felf, directed their whole force against him, fome the coaft, among which were fome laden with pro- attacking him with spears, and others discharging vifions for the army of Narfes. After thefe fuccef- against him showers of darts and arrows. Teia fes they laid fiege to Ancona in Dalmatia. Being maintained his ground with great intrepidity, redefeated, however, both by fea and land, Totila ceived the miflive weapons on his shield, and killonce more fent ambassadors to Conftantinople, of- ed a great number of the enemy with his own fering to yield Sicily and all Dalmatia, to pay an hand. When his fhield was fo loaded with darts annual tribute for Italy, and to affift the Romans that he could not easily wield it, he called for anas a faithful ally in all their wars; but Juftinian, other. Thus he fhifted his fhield three times; bent upon driving the Goths out of Italy, again but as he attempted to change it the 4th time, his refused to admit the ambaffadors to his prefence. breaft being neceffarily expofed for a moment, a Totila finding that no terms could be obtained, dart ftruck him in that moment with fuch force, began to levy new forces, and to make great pre- that he immediately fell down dead in the place parations by fea and land. He foon reduced the where he had ftood from the beginning of the battle, lands of Corfica and Sardinia; but this was the and upon heaps of the enemy whom he had killed. Laft of his fucceffes. Narfes arrived in Italy with a The Romans, feeing him fall, cut off his head and very formidable army, and an immenfe treasure to expofed it to the fight of the Goths, not doubtpay the troops their arrears, the want of which ing but they would be immediately difheartenhad been one great caufe of the bad fuccefs of Be- ed and retire. In this, however, they were d farius in his laft expedition. He immediately appointed. The Goths maintained the fight with took the road to Rome; while Totila affembled great vigour, till night put an end to the engageall his forces, in order to decide the fate of Italy ment. The next day the engagement was renewby a general engagement. The battle proved very ed early in the morning, and continued till night; obftinate; but at laft the Gothic cavalry being but on the third day, the Goths, defpairing of being put to the rout, and retiring in great confufion able to overcome an enemy fo much fuperior to among the infantry, the latter were thereby thrown them in numbers, fent deputies to Narfes, offerinto fuch diforder, that they could never after-ing to lay down their arms, provided such of wards rally. Narfes, obferving their confufion, encouraged his men to make a laft effort; which the Goths not being able to withstand, betook themselves to flight, with the lofs of 6000 men killed on the fpot: Totila finding the day irrecóverably loft, fied with only five horfemen for his attendants; but was pursued and mortally wounded by a commander of one of the bodies of barbarians who followed Narfes. He continued his fight, however, for fome time longer; but was at laft obliged to halt to get his wound dreffed, foon after which he expired. (13) ITALY, HISTORY OF, FROM TOTILA'S DEATH TO THAT OF TEIA, WITH THE OVERTHROW OF THE EMPIRE OF THE OSTROGOTHS. This difafter did not yet entirely break the fpirit of the Goths. They chofe for their king one TEIA, defervedly esteemed one of the most valiant men of their nation, and who had on feveral occafion's Ciitinguished himself in a moft eminent manner. All the valour and experience of Teia, however, were now infufficient to stop the progrefe of the Ro them as chose to remain in Italy were allowed to enjoy their eftates and poffeffions without molef tation, as fubjects of the empire; and those who were willing to retire elsewhere, were fuffered to carry with them all their goods and effects. To thefe terms Narfes readily affented; and thus the empire of the Goths in Italy was finally deftroyed, the country now becoming a province of the eaftern Roman empire. (14.) ITALY, HISTORY OF, FROM THE OVERTHROW OF THE GOTHIC EMPIRE, TO THAT OF THE LOMBARD KINGDOM, BY CHARLEMAGNE. In this conqueft Narfes had been affifted by many barbarous nations, among whom were the Lom bards, at that time settled in Pannonia. On the conclufion of the war they were difmiffed with rich prefents, and the nation for fome time continued faithful allies to the Romans. In the mean time Juftinian dying, Narfes, who governed Italy with an abfolute fway, was accufed to the empe ror Juftin II. and the emprefs Sophia, of afpiring to the fovereignty of the country. Hereupon he was they changed their form of government, being governed only by their dukes for ten years. During this interregnum, they proved fuccessful in their wars with the Romans, and made themselves mafters of feveral cities: but perceiving that their kingdom, thus divided, could not fubfift, they refolved once more to fubmit to the authority of one man; and accordingly, in 585, Antharis was chofen king of the Lombards. The great object of ambition to the new race of Lombard monarchs was the conqueft of all Italy; and this proved at laft the ruin of their empire by Charles the Great, as related under the article FRANCE, § 13. was recalled, and LONGINUS fent to fucceed him. As Narfes was an eunuch, the emprefs is reported to have faid, that his employment at Conftantinople should be to diftribute in the apartments of her women the portion of wool which each was to fpin. Narfes, enraged at this farcafm, replied, that he should begin fuch a web as the fhould never be able to finish; and immediately difpatched meffengers to Alboinus king of the Lombards, inviting them into Italy. Along with the meffengers he fent fome of the beft fruits the country afforded, in order to tempt him the more to become master of fuch a rich kingdom. Alboinus, pleased with the opportunity of invading Italy, began, without loss of time, to make the neceffary preparations. In the month of April 568, he fet out with his whole nation, men, women, and children; carrying with them all their moveables. This promifcuous multitude arrived by the way of Iftria; and advancing through the province of Venetia, found the whole country abandoned, the inhabitants having fled to the neighbouring iflands in the Adriatic. The gates of Aquileia were opened by the few inhabitants who had courage to stay: most of them, however, had fled with all their valuable effects; and among the reft the patriarch Paulinus, who had carried with him all the facred utenfils of the churches. From Aquileia, Alboinus proceeded to Forum Julii, of which he likewife became mafter without oppofition. Here he spent the winter; during which time he erected Friuli into a dukedom, which has continued till 1797, when it became a province of Maritime Auftria. See FRIULI. In 569, he made himself master of Trivigi, Oderzo, Monte Selce, Vicenza, Verona, and Trent; in each of which cities he left a ftrong garrifon of Lombards under the command of an officer, whom he diftinguithed by the title of duke. Padua and fome other cities Alboinus left behind him without attempting to reduce them. In 570, he entered Liguria. The inhabitants were fo terrified at his approach, that they left their habitations, with fuch of their effects as they could carry off, and fled into the moft mountainous and inacceffible parts of the country. The cities of Brefcia, Bergamo, Lodi, Como, and others quite to the Alps, being thus left almoft without inhabitants, fubmitted; after which he reduced Milan, and was thereupon proclaimed king of Italy. But though the Lombards had thus conferred the title of king of Italy on Alboinus, he was by no means poffeffed of the whole country, nor indeed was it ever in the power of the Lombards to get poffeffion of the whole. Alboinus having made himself mafter of Venetia, Liguria, Emilia, Hetruria, and Umbria, applied himfelf to legiflation and the civilifation of his fubjects. But before he could make any progrefs in this work, he was taken off by the treachery of his wife; and Clephis, one of the nobles, chofen king in his ftead. Clephis rebuilt fome cities which had been ruined during the wars between the Goths and Romans, and extended his conquefts to the very gates of Rome; but as he behaved both to the Romans and Lombards with the greatest cruelty, he was murdered after a fhort reign of 18 months. His cruelty gave the Lomtards fuch an averfion againft regal power, that (15) ITALY, HISTORY OF, FROM THE OVERA THROW OF THE LOMBARD KINGDOM, TO THE EXPULSION OF THE SARACENS. As the Lombards had not been poffeffed of the whole territory of Italy, fo the whole of it never came into the poffeffion of Charlemagne : neither, fince the time of the Oftrogoths, has the whole of this country been under the dominion of any fingle state. Some of the fouthern provinces were ftill poffeffed by the emperors of Conftantinople; and the liberal grants of Pepin and Charlemagne himself to the pope, had invested him with a confiderable fhare of temporal power. The territories of the pope indeed were fuppofed to be held in vaffalage from France; but this the popes themselves always ftifly denied. The undisputed territory of Charlemagne, in Italy, therefore, was reftricted to Piedmont, the Milanefe, the Mantuan, the territories of Genoa, Parma, Modena, Tufcany, Bologna, the dukedoms of Friuli, Spoleto, and Benevento: the laft of which contained the greateft part of the prefent kingdom of Naples. The feudal go vernment which the Lombards had introduced into Italy, naturally produced revolts and commotions, as the different dukes inclined either to change their mafters or to fet up for themselves. Several revolts indeed happened during the life of Charlemagne himself; which, however, he always found means to crufh: but after his death, the fovereignty of Italy became an object of contention, between the kings of France and the emperors of Germany. That great monarch had di vided his extenfive dominions among his children; but they all died during his life-time, except Lewis, whom he affociated in the empire, and who fucceeded to all his dominions after his death. From this time we may date the troubles with which Italy was fo long overwhelmed; and of which, as they proceeded from the ambition of thofe called kings of Italy and their nobles, of the kings of France, and of the e:nperors of Germany, it is difficult to have any clear idea. The following fhort sketch, however, may perhaps give fome fatisfaction on this perplexed fubject. When Lewis the fon of Charlemagne was declared emperor of the Weft, Italy was held by Bernard the fon, of Pepin, brother to Lewis.Though this Bernard bore the title of king, yet he was only accounted a vaffal of the emperor. His ambition, however, foon prompted him to rebel against his uncle; but being abandoned by his troops, he was taken prifoner, had his eyes put out, and died three days after. As the difturbances ftill con tinued, and the nobles of Lombardy were yet very refractory, Lothaire, eldest fon to the empe ror, was in 823 fent into Italy; of which country he was firft crowned king at Rome, and afterwards emperor of the Weft, during his father's lifetime. But though his abilities were fufficient to have fettled every thing in a state of tranquillity, his unbounded ambition prompted him to engage in rebellion against his father; whom he more than once took prifoner, though in the end he was obliged to fubmit, and afk pardon for his offences, which was obtained only on condition of his not paffing the Alps without leave obtained from his father. In the mean time, the Saracens, taking advantage of thefe inteftine wars, landed on the coafts of Italy, and committed fuch ravages, that even the bishops were obliged to arm for the defence of the country. Lothaire, how ever, after returning from his unnatural war with his father, was fo far from attempting to'put an end to these ravages, or to restore tranquillity, that he feized on fome places belonging to the fee of Rome, under pretence that they were part of his kingdom of Lombardy; nor could he forbear thefe encroachments till expressly commanded to do fo by his father. After having embroiled himself, and almoft loft all his dominions, in a war with his brothers after the death of Lewis, and declared his fon Lewis king of Italy, this ambitious prince died, leaving to his fon the title of emperor as well that of king of Italy, with which he had before invefted him. The new emperor applied himself to the restoration of tranquillity in his dominions, and driving out the Saracens from thofe places which they had seized in Italy. This he fully accomplished, and obliged the infidels to retire into Africa: but in 875 he died without naming any fucceffor. (16.) ITALY, HISTORY OF, TILL THE CAPTURE OF ROME BY ARNOLPHUS. After the death of the emperor Lewis II. fome of the Italian nobles, headed by the duke of Tuscany, reprefented to the pope, that as Lewis had left no fucceffor, the regal dignity, which had fo long been ufurped by foreigners, ought now to return to the Italians. The pope, however, finding that Charles the Bald, king of France, had fuch an ambition for the imperial crown, that he would ftick at nothing to obtain it, refolved to gratify him, though at as high a price as poffible. He accordingly crowned him emperor and king of Lombardy, on condition of his owning the independency of Rome, and that he himself only held the empire by the gift of the pope. This produced a confpiracy among the discontented nobles; and at the fame time the Saracens renewing their incurfions, threatened the ecclefiaftical territories with the utmost danger. The pope folicited the emperor's affiftance, but the latter died before any thing effectual could be done : after which, being diftreffed by the Saracens on one hand, and the Lombard nobles on the other, the unhappy pontiff was forced to fly into France. Italy now fell into the utmost confufion and anarchy; during which time many of the nobles and ftates of Lombardy affumedanindependence, which they have retained ever fince, till the revolutions in 1796. In 879, the pope was reconducted to Italy with an army by Bolon, fon-in-law to Lewis II. of France: but though he inclined very much to have raised this VOL. XII. PART IL prince to the dignity of king of Italy, he found his intereft infufficient, and matters remained in their former fituation. The nobles, who had driven out the pope, were now indeed reconciled to him, but the state of the country was worse than ever; the great men renouncing the authority of any fuperior, and every one claiming to be fovereign in his own territories. To add to the calamities which enfued through the ambition of these defpots, the Saracens committed everywhere the moft terrible ravages; till at last the Italian nobles, defpifing the kings of the Carlovingian race, who had weakened themfelves by their mutual diffentions, began to think of throwing off even all nominal fubmiffion to a foreign yoke, and retaining the imperial dignity among themselves. Thus they hoped, that, by being more united among themfelves, they might be more able to refift the com. mon enemy. Accordingly in 885 they went to pope Adrian; and requesting him to join them in afferting the independency of Italy, obtained the two following decrees, viz. That the popes, after their election, might be consecrated without waiting for the prefence of the king or his ambaffadors; and, 2. That, if Charles the Grofs died without fons, the kingdom of Italy, with the title of emperor, fhould be conferred on fome of the Italian nobles. Thefe decrees were productive of the worft confequences. The emperor complained of being deprived of his right: and the diffenfions among the Italian nobles became more fatal than ever. The two moft powerful of thefe, Berengarius duke of Friuli, and Vido, or Guido, duke of Spoleto, entered into agreement, that on the death of the emperor the former fhould feize on the kingdom of Italy, and the latter on that of France. Berengarius fucceeded without oppofition; but Vido was disappointed, the French having chofen Eudes or Otho for their king. Upon this he returned to Italy, and turned his arms against Berengarius. Vido proved victorious, and drove his rival into Germany; where he fought the affiftance of Arnolphus, who had fucceeded on the death of Charles. Having thus obtained the kingdom of Italy, Vido employed his time in reforming the abufes of the ftate, and confirming the grants formerly made to the pope, out of gratitude for his having fanctified his ufurpation and declared him lawful king of Italy. This tranquillity, however, was of fhort duration. Arnolphus sent an army into Italy; the Saracens from Spain ravaged the northern parts of the country, and getting poffeffion of a caftle near the Alps, held it for many years after, to the great diftrefs of the neighbouring parts, which were exposed to their continual incurfions; and at the fame time Benevento was befieged and taken by the forces of the eastern emperor, fo that Vido found his empire very confiderably circumfcribed. The new king, diftreffed by fo many enemies, affociated his fon Lambert in the government, and bribed the Germans to return to their own country. In 893, however, they again invaded Italy; but were obliged to leave the country, after having put Berengarius in poffeflion of Pavia. In the mean time, Vido died, and Lambert drove out Berengarius but having joined a faction, headed by one Sergius, against pope Formofus, the latter offered the kingdom of Italy to Arnolphus; who thereupon departure be procured without paying them a large entered the country with an army, besieged and sum of money: which, however, proved of little took Rome, massacring the fa&tion of Sergius with avail : for the following year they returned and the most unrelenting cuelty. ravaged the territory of Friuli without controul. (17.) ITALY, HISTORY OF, TILL THE DEFEAT Scarcely were these invaders departed, when the AND EXTIRPATION OF THE SARACENS. Arnol. Saracens, who had settled at the foot of the Alps, phus, thus master of Italy, and crowned emperor invaded Apulia and Calabria, and made an irrupby the pope, began to form schemes of strengthen- tion as far as Acqui in the neighbourhood of Paing himself in his new acquisitions by putting out via; while the inhabitants, instead of oppofing the eyes of Berengarius : but the latter having them, fed to fome forts which had been erected timely notice of this treachery, fled to Verona; in the time of the first irruption of the Hungariand the Italians were so provoked at this and the ans. In 912, however, John, presbyter of Raother cruelties of Arnolphus, that they drove bim venna, having attained the papal dignity by means out of the country. His departure occasioned the of Theodora wife of Aldebert count of Tuscany, greatest confusion at Rome. Formosus died soon applied himself to regulate the affairs of the after; and the successors to the papal dignity, ha- church, and to repress the insults of the Saracens. ving now no army to fear, excited thegreatest dif. While he was considering of the most proper meturbances. The body of Formosus was dug up thods of effecting this, one of the Saracens, who and thrown into the Tiber by one pope ; after had received an injury from his countrymen, fled which that pope was strangled, and Formosus's to Rome, and offered to deliver the Italians from body buried again in the Vatican, by order of an- their invasions, if the pope would but allow him other. At last the coronation of Arnolphus was a small body of men. His proposals being acceptdeclared void, the Sergian faction entirely over. ed, 60 young men were chosen, all well armed; thrown, and the decrees of Adrian were annulled; who being conducted by the Saracen into by. it being now determined that the elected popes paths, attacked the infidels as they were returning should not be consecrated but in presence of the from their inroads, and several times defeated emperor or his ambassadors. During these confu- great parties of them. These losses affecting the fione Lambert enjoyed the kingdom in quiet ; but Saracens, a general alliance was concluded amongft the nobles, hating him on account of his arbitrary all their cities; and having fortified a town on the and tyrannical government, began again to think Garigliano, they abandoned the rest, and retired of Berengarius. In the mean time, however, an- thither. Thus they became much more formiother fačtion offered the crown to Lewis king of dable than before; which alarming the pope, he Arles. This new competitor entered Italy with consulted with Arnolphus prince of Benevento an army in 899; but was forced by Berengarius and Capua, sending at the same time ambafla. to renounce his claim upon oath, and to swear dors to Conftantine the Greek emperor, inviting that he would never again enter Italy, even though him to an alliance against the infidels. The Sara. he should be invited to be crowned emperor. cens, unable to withftand such a powerful com. This oath, however, was soon forgot. Lewis bination, were besieged in their city : where being readily accepted of another invitation, and waa reduced to great ftraits, they at last fet fire to it. crowned king of Italy at Pavia in 901. In 902 he and fallied out into the woods; but being purforced Berengarius to fly into Bavaria ; but have sued by the Italians, they were all cut off to a ing unadvisedly disbanded his army, as thinking man, A. D. 915. himself now securely feated on the throne, Beren. (18.) ITALY, HISTORY OF, TILL THE DEATH garius, who watched every opportunity, surprised OF OTHO I. WITH ITS STATE AT THAT PERIhim at Verona, and put out his eyes. Thus Be- od. In this expedition Berengarius seems to have rengarius at last became king of Italy wthout a given great allistance; for this very year he was rival; and held his kingdom for 20 years, with. crowned emperor by the pope. This gave disout any oppofition from his subjects, who at last pleasure to many of the ambitious nobles; cogbecame fenfible of the mischief's arising from civil spiracies were repeatedly formed against him ; in difcords. He was not yet, however, without 922, Rodolphus king of Burgundy was crowned troubles. The Hungarians invaded Italy with a also king of Italy; and in 924, Berengarius was formidable army, and advanced within a small dif- treacherously afraffinated at Verona; of which tance of Pavia. Berengarius armed the whole disturbances the Hungarians taking the advantage, force of his dominions; and came against them plundered the cities of Mantua, Brescia, and Berwith such a multitude, that the Hungarians retired gamo. Marching afterwards to Pavia, they inwithout venturing an engagement. Many of them vefted it closely on all sides; and about the mid. were loft in palling a river; upon which they sent dle of March 925, set fire to the houses next the deputies to Berengarius; offering to restore all walls, and during the confusion broke open the their booty, and never to come again into Italy, gates, and, getting possession of the city, treated provided they were allowed a safe retreat. These the inhabitants with the greatest barbarity. Having conditions were imprudently refused; upon which burnt the capital, they next proceeded to Placenza, the Hungarians attacked the army of Berengarius where they plundered the suburbs; and then rein despair, and defeated them with great Naugh- turned to Panonia laden with booty. The affairs of ter. After this they over-ran the whole country, Italy now fell into the utmost confufion. A faction and plundered the towns of Treviso, Vicenza, and was formed against Rodolphus in favour of Hugb Padua, without resistance, the inhabitants flying count of Arles. The latter prevailed, and was everywhere into fortified places. This devafta- crowned king at Pavia in 927. The Italians, tion they continued for two years ; nor could their however, foon repented of their choice. The Romars |