Thus invented by the Germans.

In the same way, one who leads such a powerful army original: Kriegs-Heer and rules through his own force has no need to request anything from one who cannot even protect himself with his own strength. It might perhaps be considered plausible if the Pope had defeated Desiderius The last King of the Lombards, whose defeat by Charlemagne in 774 ended the Lombard Kingdom, the King of the Lombards, by his own power and brought the entire land under his control; in that case, he might have been able to hand it over to Emperor Charlemagne original: Carolo Magno by right of a free donation original: Schanckung; a reference to the controversial "Donation of Constantine," a forged decree used by the Church to claim land and power—though not as a political, worldly possession, as such does not befit a person of the spiritual estate. Otherwise, however, and in the contrary case—where Emperor Charles was first exhorted or commanded to bring such a realm under his own control through the Rights of War original: Kriegsrecht—such a donation and handover must rightly be considered worthless, superfluous, and foolish.

For in this same manner, madmen and those who are possessed are known to distribute the foreign kingdoms and lordships of others, or even to claim them for themselves, not without great laughter and mockery from the bystanders. Likewise, the same conclusion must be drawn regarding the Roman Empire and the Imperial Dignity original: Keyserthumb; at that time, neither the Pope nor the Roman people held possession or security over it. Rather, it stood for itself, much like a special little wreath of honor, and