he is venerated by the germans and the french as the father of the nation. in the year eight hundred forty three his grandchildren divide up the frankish empire into the kingdoms of west frank here middle frank here and east frank here they are home to four old germanic tribes saxons franks swabian and bavarians these lands would one day become the do chill land the land of the germans there is only one image of otto s father king henry an almost unrecognizable one on a seal he breaks with charlemagne s tradition in order to secure authority he doesn t divide up the realm among his sons just one of them is to be king otto it s the first step towards a kingdom of the germans. the