第33节
atpire, buttheeastepart,beingofftheinrouteofthe greatgrations,hadosurviveandfeeblyntinued thetraditionsofrosaglory. duringthedaysofdisorderhetrue ``darkagesofhistory,thesixthahturiesofour era,thegerntribeshadbeenpersuadedtoaeptthe e asthepopeorspiritualheadoftheheniury, theanisinggeniusofcharlegnehadrevivedthe roneireandhaduhegreaterpartofe europeintoasie.durihturythis eirehadgoopieces.theea separatekingdofraheeastehalfhe holyrohegernnation,andtherulersof thisfederationofstatestheehattheyhe direaesarandaugustus. unfortuhepohekingsoffrancedidnot stretoatoftheirroyalresidence,he holyroneerorenlydefiedbyhispowerful subjectssuitedtheirfancyortheirprofit. toihepeople,the triangleofeeuropelookatpage128,pleasewasforever exposedtoattacksfrohreesides.ohlivedthe everdangeroushaedans.theeastwasravaged bythenorthefrontierdefenept fortheshortstretountains thercyofhordesofhuns,hungarians,slavsandtartars. thepeaeotepast,adreabr> ofthe``goodolddaysthatwasa questionof``fightordie,andquitenaturallypeoplepreferred tofight.foreanard dthereandfleadership.both kingandeerorenand stofeuropeintheyear1000usthelp theelves.theyittedtotherepresentatives ofthekingiheoutlyingdistricts, providedtheyuldprotectthegainsttheirenees. sooraleuropeallprincipalities, eaeruledbyadukeorauntorabaronorabishop,as thecaseghtbe,andanisedasafightingunit.these dukesanduntsandbaronshadsobefaithfultothe kingtheir``feuduenceourword ``feudal,iufortheirloyalservidacertain auntoftaxes.buttravelinthosedayshe ansofnicationheroyal orierialadnistratorsthereforeenjoyedgreatindependence, andhintheboundariesoftheirohey assudstoftherightsruthbeloheking. butyouakeastakeifyousupposedthatthe peopleoftheeleventhof govent.theysupportedfeudalisecauseitwasavery praaster usuallylivedinabigstonehouseerectedoopofasteep rockorbuiltbetoats,buthinsightofhis subjeaseofdahesubjectsfouerbehind thehebaronialstronghold.thatisheytried toliveashecastleaspossibleanditatsforthe nyeuropeancitiesheircareeraroundafeudal fortress. buttheknightoftheearlyddleagesuchre thanaprofessionalsoldier.hehecivilservantofthat day.henityandhehe chiefofpoliaughtthehighenandprotected theertsoftheeleventh tury.helookedafterthedikessothattheuntryside shouldnotbefloodedjustasthefirstnoblenhaddone inthevalleyofthenilefourthousandyearsbefore.he enuragedthetroubadoursplae tellioriesoftheaheroesinthe greatigrations.besides,heprotehurches aerieshinhisterritory,andalthoughheuld herreadnoranlytoknow suberofpriestshis atsandarriagesahsand thedeathsains. ieenthorebecastrong enoughtoexercisethosepobecause theyedofgod.thenthefeudalknightslost theirforrindependenedtotherankofuntry squires,theynolongerfilledaneedandsoontheybecaa nuisaeuropehoutthe``feudal systefthedarkages.thereanybadknights astherearenybadpeopletoday.butgenerallyspeaking, theroughfistedbaronsofthethandthirteeury inistratorsostuseful serviauseress.duringthaterathenoble torchofleaingandartiheworldof theegyptiansandthegreeksandtheronswasbuing verylohouttheknightsandtheirgoodfriends,the nks,civilisationinguishedentirely,and thehunraceore anhadleftoff. chivalry chivalry itenof theddleagesshouldtrytoestablishsosortanisation fortheirtualbeandprote.outofthisneed forclanisation,knighthoodorchivalrywasbo. leabouttheinsofknighthood.but asthesysteeveloped,itgavetheething neededverybadlyadefiniteruleofndued thebarbarousadeliferelivable thanithadbeenduringthefivehundredyearsofthedark ages.iten ostoftheirtifightinghaedans andhunsandnorsen.oftentheyyofbacksliding, andhavingvoerd charityintheing,theyurderalltheirprisoners beforeevening.butprogressisevertheresultofslowand ostunscrupulousofknights oobeytherulesofhis``classorsufferthensequences. theserulesinthevariouspartsofeurope, buttheyalldechof``servid``loyaltytoduty.the ddleagesregardedserviceassothingverynoblea ...