The state banks, already hampered by maladministration, were encumbered by huge quantities of real estate which had been taken over as compensation for unredeemed mortgages.
Some of the imperial cities lost their independence at an early date, as unredeemed pledges to some prince who had advanced money to the emperor.
But it would be difficult to mention the name of any European king whose private life shows such a record of vulgar vice unredeemed by higher aims of any kind.
His whole career is one long record of perjury, vengeance and meanness, unredeemed by a single generous act, and his wife was a worthy helpmeet and actively co-operated in his tyranny.
Again, there are some gratuitous and unredeemed vulgarities; some images that make us shudder.