220 



A HISTORY OF CAVALRY. 



[period II. 



Poitiers, and Agincourt, had del'v^ered a death-blow to 

 the institution of knighthood, and the method of war- 

 fare based upon it. Troops became organised in bands 

 under regular leaders, infantry masses were acquiring 

 an importance that could not be ignored, the features 

 of the ground were beginning to be considered, pikes 

 had been invented, and the day for the irregular combats 

 between lines of knights burning to distinguish them- 

 selves by deeds of arms, had passed for ever. A new 

 system was evolving itself from the ruins of chivalry and 

 feudalism, and the time was fast approaching, when 

 the standing armies of monarchs were to become the sole 

 defence of states. 



SECTION IV. THE INTRODUCTION OF REGULAR ARMIES. 



The earliest instance we have in public national history 

 of the establishment and maintenance of what might be 

 termed a standing army, occurs in the reign of Canute 

 the Great, King of England, Denmark, and Norway, 

 about the year 1025. 



Canute maintained permanently under pay a body 

 guard called huscarles. They consisted of 6,000 men, 

 and great attention was bestowed upon them to secure 

 uniformity of discipline, and to separate them decidedly 

 from the people. They were distinguished by their dress 

 and golden ornaments, and displayed a military spirit of 

 mutual union and order very remarkable for the age. 



To Chailes VII. of France, however, is due the credit 

 of being the first to establish a permanent army, and by 

 that means to secure internal order in his kingdom, as 

 well as an efficient national defence. 



Charles had succeded in 1444 in driving the English 

 out of the greater portion of the kingdom of France, 

 and a long truce was concluded between the two rival 

 powers. This left him with a large army of paid mer- 

 cenaries, no longer required, but who, if once disbanded, 

 would he feared combine in great companies, and make a 

 subsistence by plundering and robbing the people in every 

 part of the country. In order to guard against this, to 

 secure the internal peace of the kingdom, and to establish 



