124 



A HISTORY OF CAVALRY. 



[I'EBIOD 11. 



waggons in time of war, and in case of need was ex- 

 pected to give presents and supplies to the king and his 

 court. 



Any freeman who neglected to attend the summons 

 to join the army lost his privileges, but sometimes a fine 

 would be accepted in lieu of personal military service. 

 Among the Anglo-Saxons, the kings confiscated the 

 allodial lands of those who deserted, and conferred them 

 upon the counts of the provinces. A large portion of 

 these freemen, in war time, served in the infantry forces, 

 the higher classes among them and the wealthiest alone 

 fighting as cavalry.' The increase in cavalry and the 

 improvement of that force tended greatly to change the 

 allodial into the feudal system. 



When the migrations had ceased and the monarchs 

 became settled in their kingdoms the feudal system 

 became perfected, particularly in France, where the 

 kings divided the lands they had gained as fiefs, among 

 their friends and confidants {Jideles or antriistiones), who, 

 being usually high officers of the court, held a higher 

 position in the general assembly than the ordinary 

 allodial proprietors. The king gave privileges to his 

 feudatories from time to time, until they were at length 

 formed into a class of nobles, who outranked the ancient 

 nobility who were simply freemen.- The advantages of 

 holding royal fiefs became so great, that many allodial 

 proprietors surrendered their estates to the monarch, and 

 swore allegiance to him as their feudal lord, upon re- 

 ceiving back their lands in fee. Thus the feudal system 

 increased until almost all the land was held in fee from 

 the monarch. 



The holders of large fiefs soon adopted the plan of 

 increasing their power and influence, by letting either to 

 other noblemen, or to freemen, large portions of their 

 estates, which these latter held as their vassals. This 

 process was called sub-infeudation, and soon became very 

 general, so that almost all fees were of this type. 



About the time of Charlemagne horsemen in armour 

 began to decide the fate of battles. The Germans had 



] Lbwy, 11. - Menzel, Part i. sec. Ixxvii. 



