Thus the ancient Italy of Lombards and Franks was superseded by a new Italy of German feudalism, owing allegiance to a suzerain whose interests detained him in the provinces beyond the Alps.

At the same time the organization of the Church was fortified.

The Bishops were placed on an equality with the Counts in the chief cities, and Viscounts were created to represent their civil jurisdiction.

It is difficult to exaggerate the importance of Otho's concessions to the Bishops.

During the preceding period of Frankish rule about one third of the soil of Italy had been yielded to the Church, which had the right of freeing its vassals from military service; and since the ecclesiastical sees were founded upon ancient sites of Roman civilization, without regard to the military centers of the barbarian kingdoms, the new privileges of the Bishops accrued to the benefit of the indigenous population.