286 A BRIEF SURVEY OF HUMAN HISTORY

tuted the Dark Age of barbarian invasions and the later
half that of medieval feudalism and chivalry. Having
described the former already in an earlier chapter, here we
must concentrate upon the latter. We may note that feu-
dalism was strongest during the eleventh and twelfth cen-
turies in Western Europe; then new forces and tendencies
began to manifest themselves. These culminated in the
Renaissance of the fifteenth century which ushered in the
modem times.

Feudalism was a very complex organisation of society
based upon the holding of land-tenures with specified obli-
gations of service. In the words of Bishop Stubbs, "It
may be described as a complete organisation of society
through the medium of land tenure, in which, from the king
down to the lowest land-owner, all are bound together by
obligation of service and defence : the lord to protect his
vassal, the vassal to do service to his lord ; the defence and
service being based on and regulated by the nature and
extent of the land held by the one of the other. In those
states which have reached the territorial stage of develop-
ment, the rights of defence and- service are supplemented by
the right of jurisdiction. The lord judges as well as defends
his vassal; the vassal does suit as well as service to his lord.
In states in which feudal government has reached its utmost"
growth, the political, financial, judicial, every branch of
public administration is regulated by the same conditions.
The central authority is a mere shadow of a name."

When the strong arm of the central authority had been
palsied by the barbarian invasions at first, and then by the
Normans and Danes in the North, the Slavs and
Hungarians in the East, and the Saracens and
Moors in the South, the spiritual influence of the
Church alone was not sufficient to4 hold Euro*