138 



A HISTORY OF CAVALRY. 



[PEEIOD II.'* 



employment of the day, rendered these exercises the 

 most popular amusements of the age. 



It is most probable that these trials of skill were 

 simply instituted for the purpose of drilling the knights, 

 and were not similar to the tournaments of subsequent 

 ages, although they may have been the origin of them.^ 

 The tournament proper cannot be traced back further 

 than the middle of the 11th century. 



A brotherhood or confraternity of arms subsequently 

 arose bound to the observance of peculiar laws, to fight 

 only for God, to abstain from all dishonourable means of 

 success, and to live and die solely for honour.'^ As all 

 freemen might hope by brave deeds in the field to enter 

 this body, it tended to place the vassal in a better 

 position and more on a level with his lord as a confederate 

 in the same chivalric fraternity. 



The free citizens, seeing the advantage of serving 

 mounted, and tempted by the desire of becoming knights, 

 formed themselves into cavalry and created a fresh body 

 of infantry out of their apprentices and workmen. 



These facts all prove the great attention paid to the 

 improvement of the military art during the nine years of 

 truce. On its expiry in the year 933, the Hungarian 

 ambassadors came to demand payment of the yearly 

 tribute. The legend tells that Henry caused a mutilated 

 mangy dog to be thrown before them and at once declared 

 war.^ The Hungarians instantly crossed the frontier in 

 two large armies, the smaller of which, 50,000 strong, 

 was defeated at Sonderhausen by the arriere-ban of 

 Saxony and Thuringia, who in nine years of peace had 

 been well trained to meet the invader. 



The decisive battle, ho v, ever, took place at Merseburg, 

 where the mp.in body of the Hungarians was met by 

 Henry himself at the head of his carefully disciplined 

 and well-equipped army. His knights, or cavalry, used 

 both bucklers and lances. The emperor addressed his 

 troops on the morning of the fight. " My companions," 

 said he, " maintain your ranks, receive on your shields the 

 first arrows of the Pagans, and prevent their second 

 * Hallam, iii. 400. ~ Menzel. ^ jbid. i. 321. 



