Henry II. and our Plantagenets; and thereby, through her
victorious Controversies with King Stephen (that noble peer whose
breeches stood him so cheap), became very celebrated as 'the
Empress Maud,' in our old History-Books. Mathildis, Dowager of
Kaiser Henry V., to whom he gave his Reichs-Insignia at dying:
she is the 'Empress Maud' of English Books; and relates herself in
this manner to the Hohenstauffen Dynasty, and intricate German
vicissitudes. Be thankful for any hook whatever on which to hang
half an acre of thrums in fixed position, out of your way;
the smallest flint-spark, in a world all black and unrememberable,
will be welcome."--

And so we return to Brandenburg and the "ASCANIEN and BALLENSTADT"
series of Markgraves.


Chapter IV.

ALBERT THE BEAR.

This Ascanien, happily, has nothing to do with Brute of Troy or
the pious AEneas's son; it is simply the name of a most ancient
Castle (etymology unknown to me, ruins still dimly traceable) on
the north slope of the Hartz Mountains; short way from
Aschersleben,--the Castle and Town of Aschersleben are, so to
speak, a second edition of Ascanien. Ballenstadt is still older;
Ballenstadt was of age in Charlemagne's time; and is still a
respectable little Town in that upland range of country.
The kindred, called GRAFS and ultimately HERZOGS (Dukes) of
"Ascanien and Ballenstadt," are very famous in old German History,