A GREAT EMPIRE IS DIVIDED

Without giving unnecessary details about the breakdown of the Roman Empire, which stretched over centuries, Jehovah's angel went on to foretell further exploits of the king of the north and the king of the south. However, a brief review of certain developments in the Roman  Empire will help us to identify the two rival kings in later times. 

In the fourth century, Roman Emperor Constantine gave State recognition to apostate Christianity. He even called an personally presided over a church council at Nicaea, Asia Minor, in 325 C.E. Later, Constantine moved the imperial residence from Rome to Byzantium, or Constantinople, making that city his new capital. The Roman Empire continued under the rulership of a singer emperor until the death of Emperor Theodosius I, on January 17, 395 C.E.

Following the death of Theodosius, the Roman Empire was divided between his sons. Honorius received the western part, and Arcadius the eastern , with Constantinople as his capital.  Britannia, Gaul, Italy, Spain, and North Africa were among the provinces of the eastern division. In 642 C.E., the Egyptian capital, Alexandria, fell to the Saracens (Arabs), and Egypt became a province of the caliphs. In January 1449, Constantine XI became the last emperor of the east.  Ottoman Turks under Sultan Mehmed II took Constantinople on May 29, 1453, ending with the Easter Roman Empire.  The year 1517 saw Egypt become a Turkish province.  In time, though, this land of the ancient king of the south would come under the control of another empire from the western sector. 

In the western wing of the Roman Empire arose the Catholic bishop of Rome, notably Pope Leo I, who was renowned for asserting  papal authority in the fifth century C.E. In time, the pope took it upon himself to crown the emperor of the western section. This occurred in Rome on Christmas day of 800 C.E., when Pope Leo III crowned Frankish Kind Charles (Charlemagne )emperor of the new Western Roman Empire. This coronation revived the emperorship in Rome and, according to some historians, marked the beginning of the Holy Roman Empire.  From then on there existed the Easter Empire and the Holy Roman Empire to the west, both claiming to be Christian.   

As time passed, the successors of Charlemagne prove to be ineffectual rulers.  The office of the emperor even lay vacant for a time.  Meanwhile, German King Otto I had gained control of much of norther and central Italy.  On February 2, 962 C.E., Pope John VII crowned Otto I emperor of the Holy Roman Empire.  Its capital was in Germany, and the emperors were Germans, as were most of their subjects.  Five centuries later the Austrian house of Hapsburg obtained the title of "emperor" and held it for most of the remaining years of the Holy Roman Empire.  

Next time:  THE TWO KINGS AGAIN IN CLEAR FOCUS

From the book:  PAY ATTENTION TO DANIEL'S PROPHECY! 1999