ll the fortified cities made stronger.

The following year the Magyar chief appeared at the German court
and demanded a tenth payment.

"Not a piece of gold will be given you," replied King Henry. "Our
truce is ended."

In less than a week a vast body of Magyars entered Germany to renew
the war. Henry held his army in waiting until lack of food compelled
the barbarians to divide their forces into two separate bodies.
One division was sent to one part of the country, the other to
another part.

Henry completely routed both divisions, and the power of the Magyars
in Germany was broken.

The Danes also invaded Henry's kingdom, but he defeated them and
drove them back.

Henry reigned for eighteen years; and when he died all Germany was
peaceful and prosperous. His son Otto succeeded him. He assumed
the title of "Emperor," which Charlemagne had borne more than a
hundred years before.

From that time on, for nearly one thousand years, all the German
emperors claimed to be the successors of Charlemagne. They called
their domain "the Holy Roman Empire," and took the title "Emperor"
or "Emperor of the Romans," until the year 1806, when Francis II
resigned it.

CANUTE THE GREAT

KING FROM 1014-1035

I

The Danes, you remember, had the eastern and northern parts of
England in the time of Alfred. Alfred's successors drove them farther
and farther north, and at length the Danish kingdom in England
came to an end for a time.

But the Danes in Denmark did not forget that there had been such
a kingdom and in the year 1013 Sweyn (_swane_), King of Denmark,
invaded England and defeated the Anglo-Saxons. Ethelred, their
king, fled to Normandy.

Sweyn now called himself the king of England; but in a short time
he died and his son Canute succeeded to his throne. Canute was
nineteen years old. He had been his father's companion during the
war with the Anglo-Saxons, and thus had had a good deal of experience
as a soldier.

After the death of Sweyn some of the Anglo-Saxons recalled King
Ethelred and revolted against the Danes.

Canute, however, went to Denmark and there raised one of the largest
armies of Danes that had ever been assembled. With this powerful
force he sailed to England. When he landed Northumberland and Wessex
acknowledged him as king. Shortly after this Ethelred died.

Canute now thought he would find it easy to get possession of all
England. This was a mistake.

Ethelred left a son named Edmu