After the fall of the Western Empire in 476, when Rome was taken by Odoacer, a condition of confusion, approaching anarchy, prevailed throughout Europe, until Charlemagne founded his empire, about 800 A. D., except that Constantinople was able to stand up against all outside assaults and hold the Eastern Empire together.  Charlemagne’s empire united under one government nearly all of what is now France, Germany, Austria, Italy, Belgium, and Holland.  The means employed by Charlemagne to found his empire were wholly military, though means other than military were instituted to preserve it.  He endeavored by just government, wise laws, and the encouragement of religion and of education of all kinds to form a united people.  The time was not ripe, however; and Charlemagne’s empire fell apart soon after Charlemagne expired.

The rapid rise and spread of the Mohammedan religion was made possible by the enthusiasm with which Mahomet imbued his followers, but the actual founding of the Arabian Empire was due wholly to military conquest, achieved by the fanatic Mussulmans who lived after him.  After a little more than a hundred years, the empire was divided into two caliphates.  Brilliant and luxurious courts were thereafter held by caliphs at Bagdad and Cordova, with results similar to those in Egypt, Persia, Assyria, and Rome; the people becoming effeminate, employed warriors to protect them, and the warriors became their masters.  Then, effeminacy spreading even to the warriors, strength to resist internal disorders as well as external assaults gradually faded, and both caliphates fell.

From the death of Charlemagne until the fall of Constantinople, in 1453, the three principal nations of Europe were those of France, Germany, and England.  Until that time, and dating from a time shortly before the fall of Rome, Europe was in perpetual turmoil—­owing not only to conflicts between nations, but to conflicts between the Church of Rome and the civil power of the Kings and Emperors, to conflicts among the feudal lords, and to conflicts between the sovereigns and the feudal lords.  The power of the Roman Church was beneficent in checking a too arrogant and military tendency, and was the main factor in preventing an utter lapse back to barbarism.

The end of the Middle Ages and the beginning of what are usually called “Modern Times” found only four great countries in the world—­France, Germany, Spain, and England.  Of these Spain dropped out in the latter part of the sixteenth century.  The other three countries still stand, though none of them lies within exactly the same boundaries as when modern times began; and Austria, which was a part of Germany then, is now—­with Hungary—­a separate state and nation.