The Two First Centuries of Florentine History: The Republic and Parties at the Time of Dante. Fourth Impression. — Dante Alighieri — John Shaqi
The Two First Centuries of Florentine History: The Republic and Parties at the Time of Dante. Fourth Impression.
Dante Alighieri · en
As usual, the new masters appropriated one-third of the land; but the
condition of the natives was now decidedly changed for the better.
Roman law was recognised as the code of the vanquished, and this is
an evident sign that it was never entirely obsolete during the two
centuries of Longobard rule. Charlemagne greatly improved the condition
of the Latins, and sometimes promoted them to _honours_, _i.e._,
to offices of royal appointment. But the special characteristic of
his reign in Italy was the new hierarchy he established there. He
destroyed the power of the dukes, whose attitude was too threatening to
the unity of the Empire, and raised instead the position of the counts.
Even in the Marches, or border-provinces, he retained no dukes, but
replaced them by marquises (Mark-grafen, Praefecti limitum). In this
manner the ancient unity of the _comitatus_, or _Gau_, became likewise
the basis of the new barbarian society. Nor did Charlemagne stop at
this point, but began to distribute offices, lands, and possessions in
_beneficio_--_i.e._, in fief--and therefore on condition of obligatory
military service. This proved the beginning of a social revolution,
possibly originated at an earlier date, but now carried to completion
under the name of feudalism. Not the emperor only, but kings, counts,
and marquises also granted lands, revenues, and offices in fief, in
order to obtain a sufficient supply of vassals. Thus an infinite
number of new potentates was created: _vassalli_, _valvassori_, and
_valvassini_, the latter being lowest in degree. Gradually the whole
society of the Middle Ages took a feudal shape; the recipient of a
grant of land was bound to yield military service, at the head of
the peasants employed on his ground. Similar privileges, similar
obligations, accompanied every donation of land or bestowal of office;
for even official posts were generally supplemented by a concession
of land or of revenue. Thus the Germanic tendency to division and
subdivision in small groups was satisfied, while, at the same time,
the Empire, the cities, and even the Church itself, assumed a feudal
form. The bishops in their turn soon began to possess benefices,
and gradually rose to increased power, until we find them in the
position of so many counts and barons. Both in their own persons, and
those of their subordinates, they enjoy immunity from ordinary laws
and tribunals--an inestimable advantage, serving to enhance their
independence and unite large clusters of population beneath their
sheltering sway. Feudalism, accordingly, is a new order, a new and
thoroughly Germanic aristocracy, yet at the same time it is the root of
a veritable revolution in barbaric society, the which revolution will
continue to grow and extend through many vicissitudes. Step by step
the Crown will begin to exempt the benefices or fiefs of the vassals
from subjection to the count, and will then declare them hereditary by