THE

HISTORY OF CIVILIZATION

FROM THE FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE

TO THE FRENCH REVOLUTION

BY

F. GUIZOT

TRANSLATED BY WILLIAM HAZLITT

IN THREE VOLUMES

VOL. III.

LONDON

BELL AND SONS

1901

CONTENTS.

LECTURE THE FIRST.

Object of the course-Elements of national waity-They exist and begin to

be developed in France towards the end of the 10th century-Thence

dates French civilization-The feudal period will be the subject of this

course-It includes the 11th, 12th, and 13th centuries, from Hugh Capet

to Philippe de Valois-Proof that these are the limits e feudal

period-Plan of the course: History; 1st, of society; 2nd, of the human

mind during the feudal period-The history of society resolves itself

into, 1st, history of eivil society; 2nd, history of religious society-The

history of the human mind resolves itself into, 1st, history of learned

literature; 2nd, history of national literature in the vulgar tongue-Im-

portance of the middle ages in the history of French civilization-The

present state of opinions concerning the middle ages-Is it true that

there is danger in historical impartiality and poetical sympathy for this

period?-Utility of this study

SECOND LECTURE.

p. 1

Necessity for studying the progressive formation of the feudal system-It is

often forgotten that social facts form themselves but slowly, and in

forming themselves, undergo many vicissitudes-Analysis of the feuda

system in its essential elements. They are three in number: 1. The

nature of territorial property; 2. Amalgamation of sovereignty and pro-

perty; 3. Hierarchical organization of the feudal association-State of

territorial property from the 5th to the 10th century—Origin 2′′¿ meaning

of the word feo dum--It is synonymous with beneficrum-History of

benefices, from 18th to the 10th century-Examination of the system

of Montesquieu concerning the legal gradation of the duration of bene-

fices-Causes of the increase of the number of benefices-Almost all

landed property became feudal.

•p 17