i6 Social Environment 



struggle of groups out of which were to grow 

 greater nations and empires. In fact, no sooner 

 had the lords of the sword settled themselves 

 upon their subjects than they began to plan 

 attacks upon their neighbors. Having little to 

 do with the common labor of life except to con- 

 sume the fruits of it, they were left free to 

 devote their whole attention to the pursuit of 

 arms. So developed the knightly character, 

 fierce, ambitious, and war-loving, yet often 

 generous and romantic, and often the patron 

 of the early arts and sciences. 



The story of the consolidation of nations 

 and empires through the process of conquest 

 and reconquest is a long one, and need not be 

 dwelt upon here. It was natural that the war 

 game should produce its leaders of superior 

 ability who learned to combine large areas 

 under their sway. The stronger the war lord 

 waxed, the more he reached out for new con- 

 quests to add to his dominions and to furnish 

 added revenues; for, through it all, the well- 

 known maxim seems to have been observed, 

 that to the victor belong the spoils. Admin- 

 istration gradually evolved, however, through 

 the pressure of expediency into a somewhat 

 orderly and logical system, though it must be 



