Unfortunately neither of these men was destined to live long to influence the new millen nium. The young Emperor Otto died 23 Jan. 1002, and Gerbert followed him to the grave on 12 May 1003. "Short as was his life and few his acts, Otto III is in one respect more memor able than any who went before or came after him. None save he desired to make the seven hilled city again the seat of dominion, reduc ing Germany and Lombardy and Greece to their rightful place of subject provinces. No one else forgot the present to live in the light of the ancient order; no other soul was so possessed by that fervid mysticism and that rev erence for the glory of the past whereon rested the idea of the mediaeval empire." (Bryce, 'The Holy Roman Empire)). Thus opened the second millennum.
Otto III was the last of the Ottos, and as he died unmarried three claimants to the throne brought confusion and warfare to the world of the time and opened a century that was to be full of war. Henry II the Saint who succeeded was the last of the Saxon emperors. His reign is a bright spot in the century and after him the crown passed to the Franks in the person of Conrad II who reigned for some 15 years and then was buried in the cathedral of Spires which he had founded. After him came Henry III and then Henry IV who succeeded to the empire at the early age of six years and is known in history for his recurring quarrels with Pope Gregory VII.
It is not surprising to find that a century which opened thus auspiciously for the in tellectual life in its greatest representatives should have witnessed the development of what is practically the first university of modern times, that of Salerno. It was founded around a medical school largely under the influence of the Benedictines whose mother house of Monte Cassino was not far away. The greatest teacher of this century was Constantine Africanus who afterward became a Benedictine, withdrawing to Monte Cassino. According to an old document published by De Renzi in his
of William the Conqueror of England, is said to have passed some time in Salerno for a similar reason. From very early in its history Salerno not only permitted, but seems to have encouraged, women medical students, and the department of women's diseases was placed entirely in their charge. As a consequence of the high standards maintained in medical edu cation at Salerno the king of Sicily issued rather stringent laws with •regard to the regu lation of the practice of medicine "for the protection of the subjects of our kingdom from the dangers arising from the ignorance of practitioners?' The development of the history of medicine in recent years has shown that the Salernitan School made magnificent achieve ments in surgery and that its favorite remedial measures were fresh air, good food, water in ternally and externally and rest. The
The important political events of the century were due to the continuation of the incursions of the Northmen. King Aethelred II, "The Unready,)) had tried at the end of the 10th century to buy off the Danes from further in vasions of his territory in England, but the 10, 000 pounds of silver only whetted their appe tite for conquest. A second and third ransom were no more effective, and then an organized massacre of the invaders (1002), in which the Saxons tried to repay all the cruelty of their oppressors, only prompted organized re prisals. Sweyn invaded England time after time, and finally (1013) assumed the title of k ng of England. Edmund Ironside, son of Aethelred, fought with a heroism that has made his name forever memorable, but in vain. Canute after Edmund's death (1016) estab lished the Danish rule, and as he was the mon arch also of Denmark, Sweden and Norway as well as of most of Scotland, had an imperial domain. He proved an excellent ruler once he had securely established his power, and the familiar incidents related of him, as when he showed his flattering courtiers how little his power really was on the seashore, is typical of the man. He made a visit to Rome. organized the government of his states and well deserves a place among the great rulers of history. His death was the signal for internal dissensions in his empire and it was not until rebellions had been nut down that Hardicanute succeeded him.