Page:Readings in European History Vol 1.djvu/197

 r'hricf^nr The Disruption of Qiarlemagne s Empire 161 Christendom as usual and grew greater in strength ; but it is revolting to say more of this matter. (850) On January ist of that season, in the octave of the Lord, towards evening, a great deal of thunder was heard and a mighty flash of lightning seen ; and an overflow of water afflicted the human race during this winter. In the follow- ing summer an all too great heat of the sun burned the earth. Leo, pope of the apostolic see, an extraordinary man, built a fortification round the church of St. Peter the apostle. The Moors, however, devastated here and there the coast towns in Italy. The Norman Rorik, brother of the above- mentioned younger Heriold, who earlier had fled dishonored from Lothaire, again took Dordrecht and did much evil treacherously to the Christians. In the same year so great a peace existed between the two brothers Emperor Lothaire and King Louis that they spent many days together in Osning [Westphalia] and there hunted, so that many were astonished thereat ; and they went each his way in peace. (851) The bodies of certain saints were sent from Rome to Saxony, that of Alexander, one of seven brethren, and those of Romanus and Emerentiana. In the same year the very noble empress, Irmingard by name, wife of the emperor Lothaire, departed this world. The Normans inflicted much harm in Frisia and about the Rhine. A mighty army of them collected by the river Elbe against the Saxons, and some of the Saxon towns were besieged, others burned, and most terribly did they oppress the Christians. A meeting of our kings took place on the Maas. (852) The steel of the heathen glistened; excessive heat; a famine followed. There was not fodder enough for the animals. The pasturage for the swine was more than sufficient. (853) A great famine in Saxony so that many were forced to live on horse meat.