PERIOD VIII,

THE PERIOD OF THE REFORMATION,

EXTENDS TROM

THE TAKING OF CONSTANTINOPI E,

1453 YEARS A. C

ΤΟ

THE EDICT OF NANTES,

1598 YEARS A. C.

The length of this period is 145 yec~s.

Emportant Events in Period LXXX.

The principal events of this period may be rcduced to seven in number.

First, the Taking of Constantinople by the Turks:

Second, the Union of the Houses of York and Lancaster, in England:

Third, the Discovery of the Continent of America by Columbus :

For th, the Reformation of religion in Ger. nany by Luther:

Fifth, the Battle of Pavia :

Sixth, the Commencement of the Republic of Holland by the union of Utrecht :

Seventh, the Beheading of Mary, Queen of Scots:

The revolution of human affairs during this period is peculiarly striking. The light of learning and religion illustriously broke forth. The discovery of immense regions, hitherto unknown, gave a prodigious spring to human enterprise Events thicken upon us as we proceed.

1. The Taking of Constantinople by the Turks, 1453 years A. C., occasioned the extinction of the Eastern Empire of the Romans. This em

pire, from the building of its capital, had subsisted 1123 years. The capture of the city was accomplished, with little difficulty, by Mahomet the Great, the Turkish sultan.

Constantine was the name of the last emperor of the East, as it was also the name of the first. His dominions had become exceedingly circumscribed. The Turks had gradually encroached upon its borders, and Constantinople would sooner have become the seat of the Ottoman power, had they not been obliged to defend themselves against the Tartars.

Mahomet II., after some delay, commenced the project which had long engaged the attention of the Turks. The indolent inhabitants of Constantinople made but a feeble preparation for defence, and all Eu rope was supine and indifferent.

The city was assailed both by sea and land-the walls were battered down with cannon, and all who opposed were massacred. The emperor was slain, and the city soon surrendered.

The Turks forbore to destroy the imperial edifices and the churches were converted into mosques Th

exercise of their religion, however, was allowed to a! the christians, and they have ever since chosen their own patriarch, who is installed by the sultan.

2. The Union of the Houses of York and Lan caster, in England, 1485 years A. C., was an auspicious event to the English nation. The miseries of civil war between the respective partisans of York and Lancaster had long op pressed the kingdom. Henry VII. united the rights of both families by his marriage with a daughter of Edward IV.

Richard, duke of Gloucester, had usurped the throne, and murdered Edward V. the reigning king, togetner with the king's brother, the duke of York. To these youths Richard was both uncle and guardian. So atrocious a deed found an avenger in Henry, earl of Richmond.

He was the only surviving heir of the house of Lancaster; and, assisted by the French king, he landed in England, and revived the spirits of a party almost extinguished in the kingdom.

He gave battle to Richard in the field of Bosworth, and entirely defeated the army of the usurper, who was slain, while fighting with the most desperate courage. This event terminated the horrors of these civil dissensions. By marrying into the family of York, Henry united it to that of Lancaster.

3. The Discovery of the Continent of America, by Columbus, occurred 1494 years A. C. In two previous voyages he had discovered several islands bordering on the American continent. In the third voyage he discovered the continent itself. This event has had a most important bearing on the affairs of the world ever since

Christopher Columbus was a Genoese, of an enter prising spirit, and surprising genius. Bent on discovery, he made a fruitless application to several Eurovean courts for assistance. At length, however, he

was so fortunate as to engage Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain in his favour.

Under the immediate patronage of Isabella, he was furnished with three small ships, ninety men, and a few thousand ducats for the expense of the voyage.

After sailing twenty-three days froin the Canaries, with immense hazard and difficulty, he discovered land. This proved to be the island of San Salvador. Soon after he discovered Cuba and Hispaniola. This occurred in 1492.

Returning soon, he accomplished another voyage, in which he made further discoveries. In a third voyage he descried the continent, within ten degrees of the equator, towards the isthmus of Panama. The next year Americus, the geographer, followed the track of Columbus, and robbed him of the honour of giving name to the immense regions he had made known to mankind.

4. The Reformation of Religion in Germany, by Luther, may be dated 1517 years A. C. It was connected with a new era in the religious history of the world. The principles of the Reformation spread rapidly through several countries in Europe. The Papal religion received a wound which will never be healed.

Martin Luther was an Augustine friar. His attention was excited to the corruption and abuses of the Catholic religion, by the sale of indulgences, at that time instituted throughout all the Christian kingdoms of Europe. This enormity aroused the indignations of Luther, and opened his eyes to the iniquity of the whole system.

His anathemas found many willing hearers, particu larly in the electorate of Saxony. The persecutions of the pope and catholics only increased his zeal and indignation as a preacher. On being summoned by Charles V. to answer for his doctrines in the diet of Worms, he defended himself with great spirit.

By the aid of his friend and protector, prince Frede

rick, e escaped thence into Saxony, where mass was now universally abolished, the images destroyed, and the convents shut up. The spirit, which had been thus kind ed, spread next into Switzerland, where it produced the most important changes.

Sweden, Norway, and Denmark soon embraced the Lutheran tenets, and the protestants, as all they were called who embraced the reformed religion, multiplied in France and England, as well as in Germany. The cruel persecutions of which the papists were guilty, greatly aided the reformation.

5. The Abdication of Charles V. of Germany was an uncommon instance of the relinquishment of power by a despotic sovereign. He resigned first the kingdom of Spain to his son Philip, 1556 years A. Č., and afterwards the im perial crown in favour of his brother Ferdinand. The remainder of his life he spent in a monastery.

Charles was the most powerful sovereign of Europe, his sway extending over Spain, Germany, and the Netherlands. He was generally successful in war, though (if such was his aim) universal empire was beyond his grasp. He never could bring his dominions into a well connected body.

His enemies were numerous and powerful, and gave him perpetual annoyance. His cares and difficulties increased as he advanced in life, and finding his health also decline, he determined to relinquish the burden of government.

Accordingly, in the plenitude of his power, he made a solemn and affectionate surrender of Spain' and the Netherlands to his son, and soon after he formally resigned the empire of Germany to his brother Ferdinand, and out of all his immense possessions, he reserved to himself a pension only of 100,000 crowns, to be deducted from the revenue of Spain.

In the monastery of St Just, in Spain, he passed two