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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[JULY, 1910.
The dates of regnal years have been extremely Public Acts and Charters. It has already various; and it is scarcely possible to reconcilebeen observed that Justinian first ordered the many of them with any general principle, or to regnal years of the Emperors to be inserted in make them agree with each other, or with i publio acts; but though this fact is certain, it is History. This fact has often caused documents not unlikely that such a date may bo kound which were unquestionably authentic, to be re- previous to his reign. From the second to part jected as forgeries. It is necessary to remember of the third century, the reigns of the Emperors ( 271 ) that the reign of one King often formed were usually reckoned from the time when they several epochs. That of Charlemagne, for exam- assumed the title of " Augustus," and not from ple, presents no less than three: his reign over the period when they were recognised as Emperors France; over the Lombarde; and his Empire. by the senate. From the close of the third, and Some Kings dated from their Coronation, which, in the fourth century, the reigns were computed in early periods, frequently occurred in the life- from the time when they were made Emperors. time of their fathers; from their accession to the The following observations on the date of the Crown; from their marriages; from their con- regnal years of the Sovereign Princes will be quest, at different periodis, of other kingdoms, etc. divided according to centuries. Many sovereigas computed their reigns from
The Fifth and Sixth Centuries. the entire revolution of one regnal year; while The acts of the first Kings of France, besides the others included the fractions of a year; that is to date of the day, contained the date of their say, a Prince having ascended the throne in the reign; and they omitted that of the Emperors, middle, or towards the close of a civil year, that to show their independence of Imperial supreyear was reckoned as an entire year.
maoy. The dates of private charters of the Bulle. --The date of the regnal year of the Romans and Gauls, in the sixth century, were Emperors was first introduced into Bolls by nearly the same, and only differed from each Popo Vigilius, in the sixth century; and the other by the former being dated more frequently custom was continued until the middle of the in the years of the consulate of the Emperors, eleventh century. After the establishment of and the latter more frequently in the years of the the Empire of the West by the French Monarohs, reign of their Kings. The last date often caused the dates of their coronation succeeded that of muob confusion, as the regnal years of A Prince the Greek Emperors in Bulls; but in the tenth did not then always commence with his accession, century the regnal years of the Emperors were but occasionally with the civil year; so that it again used. After the time of the Emperor Otho was sometimes requisite to oompute their reigos this custom fell into desuetude, and no instanoe by the current year, and sometimes by the year is known of its occurrence subsequent to the which ended on the anniversary of the day on year 1038. The genuineness of any Bull in
which they mounted the throne. which such a date is introduced, since that period,
The Seventh Century is therefore open to much suspicion. From what
[ 273 ] In the seventh century, the regnal has been just said, it is to be inferred that the
years of the French Kings were so commonly omission of the date of the Emperors in Bulls,
used that in many instances no other date from the middle of the sixth to the middle of the
occurs. In Italy they still dated in the year of eleventh century, ought not to oreate a doubt of
the Emperors. their authenticity : that a Bull anterior to the sixth, and subsequent to the eighth century,
The Eighth Century. which contains the date of the reign of an Em- Charlemagne, until the year 800, used both the peror of Constantinople, ought, at least, to be date of the years of his reign in France, and of suspected, and that if it contains the date of an his reign in Italy. As these events have several Emperor of the West between 919 and 962 i. is distinct epochs, that practice often creates em evidently false.
barrassment. The death of his father, King Ecclesiastical Instruments - The Churches Pepin : his coronation, and the death of his of Spain and France dated their acta from the brother, Carloman, after which he reigned alone, reign of their Kings, as early as the sixth are all periode from which his reign in France is century, as appears by ( 972 ) the council of dated. During the interregna, or in the time of Tarragons in 516, and by the fifth council of Princes who were not recognised as Kinge, Orleans, which is the first dated from the reign private charters of this age (in places where of a King of France. This date was afterwards! it was customary to use the regnal year) were very generally adopted: and in the eleventh dated in such and such year after the death of centary, the custom became nearly universal, the last King.
