CHAP. IV.] 



FEUDAL CAVALRY. 



131 



sweeping along the whole southern boundary of the 

 Mediterranean, from Arabia, through Egypt, Lybia, 

 Mauritania, and across the Straits of Gibraltar, in the 

 incredibly short period of about one century. From the 

 east, however, the onward march of the Saracen, or 

 Turkish conquest, was still advancing towards Germany, 

 and the conflicts and battles connected therewith form 

 a link in the history of the cavalry service of much 

 interest to the military student. 



of 



of 



Ifter 



SECTION II. — -CAVALEY OF THE TURKS, FRANKS, AND 

 GREEKS, IN THE TENTH CENTURY. — BATTLES OF 

 MERSEBURG AND AUGSBURG. 



The Turkish and Saracen cavalry were most effective 

 light horsemen. They rode with wonderful skill, and 

 managed their horses, which were noted for their admir- 

 able spirit and swiftness, with great dexterity. They 

 were proficient in all the evolutions of irregular warfare, 

 and were continually practising on horseback and in the 

 field the use of the bow, the javelin, and the cimeter. 

 The lance seems to have been slung behind the shoulder 

 while the horseman was using the bow, and when occasion 

 offered it was taken in hand for close fighting. 



The best horses were sometimes protected on the breast, 

 by armour of iron or hide, while the horsemen themselves 

 wore cuirasses. They did not encamp in regular entrench- 

 ments, but covered their bivouac or tents by a thick 

 cordon of posts and sentries, thrown forward to a great 

 distance, which made it very diffixjult to surprise them. 



Their armies were organised in a number of large 

 troops or bands, who formed up with small intervals. 

 Their system of fighting was very irregular, and consisted 

 of chai'ging up and falling back if firmly met, being 

 always on the alert to dash in whenever an opening 

 occurred, or any confusion showed itself in the ranks of 

 their opponents. Tf they were successful in a charge, 

 they followed the fugitives most mercilessly, plying their 

 sharp cimeters with deadly effect.' 



^ Leon, Institutes, 18. 



K 2 



!| 



