Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Chivaley,
the patricians and the plebeians . The Knights were chosen from the different tribes as most distinguished for their accomplishments , especially horsemanship . They received from th ^ state a gold ring
and a horse ; and they were , towards the close of the empire , required to possess a fortune of 400 sestertia ( £ 3 , 229 sterling ) . * Tliey were reviewed every fifth year , and if one was found to have wasted his fortune , was corrupt in his morals , or neglected his horse , He was degraded , and his name erased from the list .
It is , perhaps > not easy to discover the origin of Chivalry ; but we know that from the earliest ages the Germans used certain ceremonies in giving a young man admission to the rank and occupation of the w ; arrior , obtaining from him at the same time an acknowledgment of the tie which bound him to his feudal superior—his lord ,
tvho conferred upon him the arms of Knighthood . Among the semibarbarous Germanic tribes we m ay discover traced of the fidelity to their leader , attachment to their brethren in arms , and respect for the female character \ by which the ages of Knighthood were so honourably distinguished . About the time of Charlemagne , in the beginning of the ninth century , Chivalry ^ Bderw ent a great and important change by the introduction of religion into its ceremonies ; and it was sanctioned
by the Eomish Church at the Council of \ Clermont , where the first Crusade — which might be considered the greatest exemplification of Chivalry—was proposed . From the eighth to the fifteenth century cavalry was esteemed the mo ^ t valuable p art of an army ; and the estimation thus attached to the service of cavalry contributed to increase the respect for the institution of Knighthood , because the fate of a battle was supposed to depend on the valour and conduct of the Knights or Cavaliers .
But the dignity of Chivalry or Knighthood differed from all other institutions of which we have any record . It did not , like the Equestrian order of the Romans , mark out any particular rank in the state ; it was not , like the feudal titles , limited to the possessors of land ; it was not hereditary , but was completely personal ; obtained originally only as a prize of valour ; and valued so highly that in addressing a inonarch his title of Chivalry was placed before that of royalty , in the customary phrase " Sir king . "
The death of Charlemagne was followed by the division of his dominions . The great proprietors , taking advantage of the weakness of his successors , set up independent government in their domains ; scarcely paying even nominal obedience to the sovereign . This gave rise to many disorders ; most of the barons were tyrants and robbers who committed the most atrocious crimes with
impunity—the abduction of the gentler sex being of frequent occurrence ; hence a redress of injuries became an important duty of Chivalry , and , being in general well and faithfully performed , made it a valuable institution . * In the defeat of the Romans by Hannibal , the slaughter of this order was reckoned by the number of rijngs found among the spoils .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Chivaley,
the patricians and the plebeians . The Knights were chosen from the different tribes as most distinguished for their accomplishments , especially horsemanship . They received from th ^ state a gold ring
and a horse ; and they were , towards the close of the empire , required to possess a fortune of 400 sestertia ( £ 3 , 229 sterling ) . * Tliey were reviewed every fifth year , and if one was found to have wasted his fortune , was corrupt in his morals , or neglected his horse , He was degraded , and his name erased from the list .
It is , perhaps > not easy to discover the origin of Chivalry ; but we know that from the earliest ages the Germans used certain ceremonies in giving a young man admission to the rank and occupation of the w ; arrior , obtaining from him at the same time an acknowledgment of the tie which bound him to his feudal superior—his lord ,
tvho conferred upon him the arms of Knighthood . Among the semibarbarous Germanic tribes we m ay discover traced of the fidelity to their leader , attachment to their brethren in arms , and respect for the female character \ by which the ages of Knighthood were so honourably distinguished . About the time of Charlemagne , in the beginning of the ninth century , Chivalry ^ Bderw ent a great and important change by the introduction of religion into its ceremonies ; and it was sanctioned
by the Eomish Church at the Council of \ Clermont , where the first Crusade — which might be considered the greatest exemplification of Chivalry—was proposed . From the eighth to the fifteenth century cavalry was esteemed the mo ^ t valuable p art of an army ; and the estimation thus attached to the service of cavalry contributed to increase the respect for the institution of Knighthood , because the fate of a battle was supposed to depend on the valour and conduct of the Knights or Cavaliers .
But the dignity of Chivalry or Knighthood differed from all other institutions of which we have any record . It did not , like the Equestrian order of the Romans , mark out any particular rank in the state ; it was not , like the feudal titles , limited to the possessors of land ; it was not hereditary , but was completely personal ; obtained originally only as a prize of valour ; and valued so highly that in addressing a inonarch his title of Chivalry was placed before that of royalty , in the customary phrase " Sir king . "
The death of Charlemagne was followed by the division of his dominions . The great proprietors , taking advantage of the weakness of his successors , set up independent government in their domains ; scarcely paying even nominal obedience to the sovereign . This gave rise to many disorders ; most of the barons were tyrants and robbers who committed the most atrocious crimes with
impunity—the abduction of the gentler sex being of frequent occurrence ; hence a redress of injuries became an important duty of Chivalry , and , being in general well and faithfully performed , made it a valuable institution . * In the defeat of the Romans by Hannibal , the slaughter of this order was reckoned by the number of rijngs found among the spoils .