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JULY, 1970.)
MISCELLANEA.
221
The Ninth Century.
he was made King of Lombardy; the third from In the succeeding centuries, especially from Christmas, 880, the day on which he was crowned the ninth, in France and Germany, the years of Emperor; the ( 275 ) fourth from the 20th of the reigns of Sovereigns were frequently reckoned, January, 882, the day of the death of his brother wben indicating new regnal year, from the Louis, King of Austrasia, or Eastern France; the commencement of the civil year, which then fifth from the year 884, in whicb Carloman, King began at Christmas. Thus, a Prince, having' of France, died. ascended the throne on the 20th of December, Louis of Bavaria, also, dated from divers would call the period from that day to the 25th epochs. The first was from the end of the year 825; of the same month the first year of his reign the second from the year 833 or 834; the third and his second regnal year commenced from the from the yoar 838; and the fourth from the year 25th, because regard was only paid to the civil 840. It is presumed that the commencement of year, and not to the revolution of 365 days from the reign of King Eudes was dated from several the beginning of the reign. Besides this mode of epochs; the two principal of which are the years computing the regnal years in the ninth century, 887 and 888: this last being that of his coronathey were dated from different epochs.
tion. The first epoch of the reign of Arnould is The dates in the acts of Louis le Debonnaire from the month of November, 887, when he was are reckoned from two epochs-his reign over declared King of Germany, on the deposition of Aquitaine, [274] and his Empire. The vears of Charles le Gros; the second is from the year 894, his reign in Aquitaine were only reckoned from when he went into Italy, and the third from the Easter day, 781, on which he was crowned King year of his elevation to the Empire, in 896. at Rome, though he had been named King of Other Kinga dated more commonly from one Aquitaine from his birth. The epoch of bis Empire epoch, namely, from the beginning of their reign. was fixed to the 28th of January, 814, though be It is necessary to be observed that Sovereigns was crowned Emperor in the month of September, were not always acknowledged immediately on 813.
their accession, in all parts of the kingdom; for Four epochs are to be discovered, from which this sometimes did not take piace for two, three, the years of the reign of Lothaire were com- or four years afterwards. Thus, the beginning puted. The first was from the 31st of July 817, of the same reign varies in different provinces. when he was associated in the Empire by Louis | The most usual date in the private charters of lo Debonnaire ; the second began in 822, when the ninth century, is that of the reigns of Kings he was sent to the Kingdom of Italy; the third and Emperors. It has been already said, that it in 823, when he received the Imperial Crown was usual to date from the death of a King. In from the hands of the Pope; and the fourth in this century, charters were occasionally dated, 840, when he succeeded bis father in the Empire. during an interregnum, in the reign of Jesus
The acts of Louis II., son of the Emperor Christ ("regnante Christo"), which formula was Lothaire, were also dated from four epochs. even used in countries where a King existed but The first from the year 844, when be was declared had not yet been acknowledged. King of Italy; the second from the year 849,
The Tenth century. when he was associated in the Empire by his In this century, many Sovereigns datrd their father; the third from the 2nd of December, 849, instruments from different epochs of their reign. the day of his coronation as Emperor; and the Charles le Simple used four :-the first was the fourth from the 28th of September, in the year 28th of January, [278] 893, the year of his 855, when he succeeded his father.
coronation; the second, the 3rd of January, 898, In dating the acts of Charles the Bald, no less the year of the death of King Eudes, when he than six epochs were used. The first was from became master of all the French monarchy; the the year 837, when his fatber gave him the third, the 21st of January, 912, the year of the Kingdom of Neustria; the second from the year death of Louis of Germany, when he began to 838, when he was made King of Aquitaine ; the reign in Lorraine; the fourth, was the year third from 839, when the lords of that Kingdom 900, when he was acknowledged in Aquitaine. swore fealty to him; the fourth from 840 Raoul dated from the year of his coronation, when he succeeded Louis le Debonnaire; the 923. Louis d'Outremer generally dated from his fifth from the oth of September, 870, when he coronation, in 936; but sometimes from the was crowned at Metz as King of Lorraine ; and death of his father, Charles le Simple, in 929. the sixth and last from the 28th of December, Lothaire, son of Louis d'Outremer, very rarely 875, when he was crowned as Emperor.
dated his public acts from his association in the Charles le Gros, likewise, used divers epochs. throne in the year 952, during his father's lifeThe first was the death of his father, the 28th of time, but commonly from his coronation, in the August, 876; the 2nd from the year 879, when year 954. Louis V., son of Lothaire, and the
