THE EIGHTEEN CHRISTIAN CENTURIES. BY THE REV. JAMES WHITE, AUTHOR OF A "HISTORY OF FRANCE." With a Copious Index. FROM THE SECOND EDINBURGH EDITION. NEW YORK: D. APPLETON AND COMPANY, 549 & 551 BROADWAY. 1878. NOTE BY THE AMERICAN PUBLISHERS. This valuable work, which has been received with much favour in Great Britain, is reprinted without abridgment from the second Edinburgh edition. The lists of names of remarkable persons in the present issue have been somewhat enlarged, and additional dates appended, thereby increasing the value of the book. CONTENTS. PAGE FIRST CENTURY. THE BAD EMPERORS 9 SECOND CENTURY. THE GOOD EMPERORS. 41 THIRD CENTURY. ANARCHY AND CONFUSION--GROWTH OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH. 65 FOURTH CENTURY. THE REMOVAL TO CONSTANTINOPLE--ESTABLISHMENT OF CHRISTIANITY--APOSTASY OF JULIAN--SETTLEMENT OF THE GOTHS. 83 FIFTH CENTURY. END OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE--FORMATION OF MODERN STATES--GROWTH OF ECCLESIASTICAL AUTHORITY. 105 SIXTH CENTURY. BELISARIUS AND NARSES IN ITALY--SETTLEMENT OF THE LOMBARDS--LAWS OF JUSTINIAN--BIRTH OF MOHAMMED. 123 SEVENTH CENTURY. POWER OF ROME SUPPORTED BY THE MONKS--CONQUESTS OF THE MOHAMMEDANS. 141 EIGHTH CENTURY. TEMPORAL POWER OF THE POPES--THE EMPIRE OF CHARLEMAGNE. 171 NINTH CENTURY. DISMEMBERMENT OF CHARLEMAGNE'S EMPIRE--DANISH INVASION OF ENGLAND--WEAKNESS OF FRANCE--REIGN OF ALFRED. 193 TENTH CENTURY. DARKNESS AND DESPAIR. 219 ELEVENTH CENTURY. THE COMMENCEMENT OF IMPROVEMENT--GREGORY THE SEVENTH--FIRST CRUSADE. 241 TWELFTH CENTURY. ELEVATION OF LEARNING--POWER OF THE CHURCH--THOMAS À-BECKETT. 269 THIRTEENTH CENTURY. FIRST CRUSADE AGAINST HERETICS--THE ALBIGENSES--MAGNA CHARTA--EDWARD I. 297 FOURTEENTH CENTURY.