DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.63447#0095
MILITARY SERVICE.
79
one fully equipped, both with armour and horse.
Thus every three manors were reckoned to furnish forth
one horseman, with horse and accoutrements. Freemen
of still smaller means, such as only held lands of six
soldi in value, were to join others similarly circumstanced,
to the number of six; and they were to send one armed
footman to the field. Charlemagne enforced strictly
these military statutes. His capitulars for the “ Missi
dominici” for the year 812 regulated military service in
every detail. Ecclesiastic, no less than allodial, property
and benefices of all kinds were included in these laws.
As, however, it had been too much the custom in those
rude and sanguinary times for churchmen to doff the
gown and take up the sword and armour, rendering per-
sonal service like laymen, as chiefs of manorial tenements
and domains, Charlemagne issued a decree in 803 with the
intention of abolishing this scandal. He prohibited the
great ecclesiastical dignitaries and the abbots of the chief
monasteries to absent themselves from their duties on pre-
text of military service. But they were to furnish their
contingent of well-equipped men, and the Emperor re-
served to himself the right of naming the commander.
The prelates naturally felt the rebuke with much dis-
pleasure, and murmured at what they considered an
infringement of their rights and baronial dignity. But
Charlemagne ascribed as his reason for the edict the
necessity he felt for re-establishing among high Church-
men “ due respect for ecclesiastical functions.”
Under the successors of Charlemagne, grants for
exemption from military service were sought and
obtained by many abbacies. It is most true, however
(and characteristic of the times) that throughout the
Middle Ages, and in the local histories of many Italian
commonwealths, examples of warlike high Churchmen
are continually to be met with. They rode to the field
armed with spiked steel clubs ; respecting thus the letter
of the New Testament against the use of the sword,
whilst violating its spirit, with the unconcern that
marked the barbarous state of public feeling. These
79
one fully equipped, both with armour and horse.
Thus every three manors were reckoned to furnish forth
one horseman, with horse and accoutrements. Freemen
of still smaller means, such as only held lands of six
soldi in value, were to join others similarly circumstanced,
to the number of six; and they were to send one armed
footman to the field. Charlemagne enforced strictly
these military statutes. His capitulars for the “ Missi
dominici” for the year 812 regulated military service in
every detail. Ecclesiastic, no less than allodial, property
and benefices of all kinds were included in these laws.
As, however, it had been too much the custom in those
rude and sanguinary times for churchmen to doff the
gown and take up the sword and armour, rendering per-
sonal service like laymen, as chiefs of manorial tenements
and domains, Charlemagne issued a decree in 803 with the
intention of abolishing this scandal. He prohibited the
great ecclesiastical dignitaries and the abbots of the chief
monasteries to absent themselves from their duties on pre-
text of military service. But they were to furnish their
contingent of well-equipped men, and the Emperor re-
served to himself the right of naming the commander.
The prelates naturally felt the rebuke with much dis-
pleasure, and murmured at what they considered an
infringement of their rights and baronial dignity. But
Charlemagne ascribed as his reason for the edict the
necessity he felt for re-establishing among high Church-
men “ due respect for ecclesiastical functions.”
Under the successors of Charlemagne, grants for
exemption from military service were sought and
obtained by many abbacies. It is most true, however
(and characteristic of the times) that throughout the
Middle Ages, and in the local histories of many Italian
commonwealths, examples of warlike high Churchmen
are continually to be met with. They rode to the field
armed with spiked steel clubs ; respecting thus the letter
of the New Testament against the use of the sword,
whilst violating its spirit, with the unconcern that
marked the barbarous state of public feeling. These