The death of Ludwig the Pious was the signal for a succession of fratricidal wars. His youngest son, Karl the Bald, first united his interests with those of his eldest step-brother, Lothar, but he soon went over to Ludwig's side, while Lothar allied himself with the sons of Pippin, in Aquitaine. A terrific battle was fought near Auxerre, in France, in the summer of 841. Lothar was defeated, and Ludwig and Karl then determined to divide the Empire between them. The following winter they came together, with their nobles and armies, near Strasburg, and vowed to keep faith with each other thenceforth. The language of France and Germany, even among the descendants of the original Franks, was no longer the same, and the oath which was drawn up for the occasion was pronounced by Karl in German to the army of Ludwig, and by Ludwig in French to the army of Karl. The text of it has been preserved, and it is a very interesting illustration of the two languages, as they were spoken a thousand years ago. We will quote the opening phrases: LUDWIG (_French_). Pro Deo amur et (pro) Christian poblo KARL (_German_). In Godes minna ind (in thes) Christianes folches _English_. In God's love and (that of the) Christian folk LUDWIG. et nostro comun salvament,-- dist di in avant, KARL. ind unser bedhero gehaltnissi,--fon thesemo dage framordes, _English_. and our mutual preservation,--from this day forth, LUDWIG. -- in quant Deus savir et podir me dunat, &c. KARL. -- so fram so mir God gewiczi ind mahd furgibit, &c. _English_. --as long as to me God knowledge and might gives, &c. [Illustration: EMPIRE of CHARLEMAGNE, (with the Treaty of Verdun, A. D. 843.)] [Sidenote: 843.] It is very easy to see, from this slight specimen, how much the language of the Franks had been modified by the Gallic-Latin, and how much of the original tongue (taking the Gothic Bible of Ulfila as an evidence of its character) has been retained in German and English. About the same time there was written in the Low-German, or Saxon dialect, a Gospel narrative in verse, called the _Heliand_ ("Saviour"), many lines of which are almost identical with early English; as the following: _Slogun cald isarn_ They drove cold iron _hardo mit hamuron_ hard with hammers _thuru is hendi enti thuru is fuoti;_ through his hands and through his feet; _is blod ran an ertha._ his blood ran on earth.