hand of a single master. He thought he could resuscitate it,
durably, through the victory of a new people and a new faith, by the
hand of Franks and Christians. With this view he labored to conquer,
convert, and govern. He tried to be, at one and the same time, Caesar,
Augustus, and Constantine. And for a moment he appeared to have
succeeded; but the appearance passed away with himself. The unity of the
empire and the absolute power of the emperor were buried in his grave.
The Christian religion and human liberty set to work to prepare for
Europe other governments and other destinies.

EGBERT BECOMES KING OF THE ANGLO-SAXON HEPTARCHY

A.D. 827

DAVID HUME

From the time that the Britons called upon the Saxons to assist
them against the Picts and Scots, about A.D. 410, the domination of
the hardy Teutonic people in England was a foregone conclusion. The
Britons had become exhausted through their long exposure to Roman
influences, and in their state of enfeeblement were unable to
resist the attacks of the rude highland tribes.

The Saxons rescued the Britons from their plight, but themselves
became masters of the country which they had delivered. They were
joined by the Angles and Jutes, and divided the territory into the
kingdoms known in history as the Saxon Heptarchy,[73] which had an
existence of about two hundred and fifty years. The various members
were involved in endless controversies with each other, often
breaking out into savage wars, and the Saxons were also exposed to
conflicts with their common enemies, the Britons. Their power was
greatly impaired by the civil strifes which distracted them.

This condition continued until it became essential that under a
strong hand a more solid union of the Saxons should be formed. And
it was to Egbert, King of the West Saxons, the son of Ealhmund,
King of Kent, that this great constructive task was committed. He
took the throne of Wessex in 802, for twelve years enjoyed a
peaceful reign, then became involved in wars, first with the
Cornish and afterward with the Mercians. His victories in these
wars resulted in the final establishment of his authority over the
entire heptarchy, and this made him in fact, though not in name,
the first real king of England.

When Brithric obtained possession of the government of Wessex, he
enjoyed n