96 



A HISTORY OF CAVALRY. 



[period I. 



mmn 



invading Italy in 489, had an effective force of that arm, 

 and after having conquered Northern Italy ho established 

 at Ravenna, his capital, a system of military instruction 

 for his cavalry. He set the example himself to his 

 young men, and taught them to excel in the use, not 

 only of the lance and sword, but of the missile weapons 

 which they seemed inclined to neglect. They were 

 continually exercised, and reviews were 'periodically 

 held in order that they should be maintained in a 

 proper state of efficiency.' They were clad originally 

 in skins of beasts, as were the other Germans, and 

 carried a buckler and lance. In later times they used 

 various other arms, such as the bword, the bow, and 

 the battle-axe.^ 



The Vandals, another German race, used the lance and 

 sword only, and after their conquest at Carthage fought 

 always as horsemen, in order that they might more 

 rapidly ruia and devastate a co> .ntry. They employed 

 Moorish mercenaries as archers,^ and under Genseric 

 always embarked a sufficient number of horses upon 

 their numerous vessels, when they were engaged in their 

 piratical expeditions,* and upon arriving upon a coast dis- 

 embarked their chargers, mounted them, and spread over 

 the country, creating general consternation, destroying 

 everything and retiring to their fleets, after having 

 hurriedly gathered all the spoils within reach. ^ 



The Franks at first fought altogether on foot, but 

 after their conquests, having discovered the value of 

 cavalry, they raised among the Gauls a force of auxiliary 

 horsemen.^ There is no proof that cavalry were used by 

 them at the battle of Soissons in 486, but in the year 

 496 Clovis, at the head of his cavalry, completely defeated 

 the Germans at Tolbiac. In subsequent years the 

 Gaulish cavalry decided the fate of many actions fought 

 by his successors.' 



The Spanish CAVAiiRY. The Spaniards in the early 

 times were armed (as were the cavalry of nearly all the 



» Gibbon, iv. 15. 2 Humbert, 44. a Duparcq, 218. * Gibbon, 

 iii. 486. 6 Humbert, 45. « Ibid. ^ Mottin, 215. 



