THE RESTORATION OF THE EMPIRE 69 
Otto was a far more ambitious man than his father, Orro I. 
and held loftier views of his royal position, regarding ——-. 
himself not merely as a feudal king, but as the 936-973 
successor of Charles the Great. His policy of relying 
on the clergy, exalting the royal power and depressing 
the dukes, was shown from the very beginning of his 
reign, when he was crowned and anointed with the 
utmost solemnity and ceremony at Aachen, and served 
by the dukes at his coronation feast. His policy soon 
led to revolts on the part of his brothers and the dukes. 
When these had been crushed he gave the duchies to 
members of his own family or to trustworthy friends, 
and sent into each district palatine, or palace, counts 
to manage the royal domains and guard his interests, 
He greatly strengthened the Church in order to counter- 
balance the power of the nobles, In the East he 
continued his father’s work against the Magyars and 
Slavs. Along the eastern frontier from north to south 
the marches were organised and strengthened as a de- 
fence against these dangerous neighbours. 
In 955 Otto won a decisive victory over the Magyars BaTTLE 
at the Lechfeld, near Augsburg—a victory which it has {en 
been said “may rank with that of Aöetius at Chälons reLD 955 
over Attila, and that of Charles Martel over the Arabs 
at Poitiers.” ? The power of the Magyars was utterly 
broken and they settled down in the part which 
became known as Hungary. The struggle with the 
Slavs was long and sharp. . Gradually, however, the land 
as far as the Oder was wrung from them, and the duke 
of Bohemia was forced to own the overlordship of Otto. 
In the districts which Otto conquered he attempted 
to civilise and Christianise the inhabitants. German 
1 Church.