In the northeastern, or Frisian portion, however; the grants of land were never in the form of revocable benefices or feuds.

With this important exception, the whole country shared the fate, and enjoyed the general organization of the Empire.
But Charlemagne came an age too soon.

The chaos which had brooded over Europe since the dissolution of the Roman world, was still too absolute.
It was not to be fashioned into permanent forms, even by his bold and constructive genius.

A soil, exhausted by the long culture of Pagan empires, was to lie fallow for a still longer period.

The discordant elements out of which the Emperor had compounded his realm, did not coalesce during his life-time.