TOWARDS BETTER ORDER IN EUROPE 265

•unmistakable. Had the Muslims instead of the Christians
(for the Franks had become Christians by then) been victo-
rious at Tours, the character of European civilisation would
certainly have been different.

Charles Martel died in 741. He had been
virtually ruler over a vast territory, though nomi-
nally he was only " Mayor of the Palace " under the effete
Merovingian kings. His son and successor Pepin was there-
fore anointed by Pope Stephen and recognised as king " by
the-grace of God." This inaugurated the Carolingian dy-
nasty of which Charlemagne was the greatest ruler. In
return for the Papal recognition Pepin had been called upon
to rescue the States of North Italy from the domination of
the Lombards. Their restoration to the sovereignty of the
See of St. Peter was the beginning of the "Roman Question,"
—one of the naughtiest problems created by the Medieval
Ages. Its confirmation was secured when Charles the Great
was actually crewned, under very similar circumstances in
800, by Pope Leo III. The Pope had been accused of high
crimes, by his domestic enemies, and beaten and imprisoned.
Charles who was Leo's most powerful supporter restored and
exonerated him. His reward' was his coronation as " Charles
Augustus, crowned of God, the great and peace-loving
Emperor of the Romans." The legacy of this pompous
heritage to Europe was an age-long dispute between Pope
and Emperor for hegemony over the faithful. To this aspect
of that epoch-making event we shall revert later. Before
doing so we must assess the work of Charlemagne himself.

During his long reign Charles had to lead several hard
campaigns against the Danes, Saxons, Slavs, Avars, and
Lombards. In subduing or breaking them he was creating
order out of the chaos of the Dark Ages. But, however