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1、ThestirrupanditseffectonchinesemilitaryhistoryByProf.AlbertDienLynnWhite,inhisMedievalTechnologyandSocialChange,offerstheinterestinghypothesisthatthefeudalclassoftheEuropeanMiddleAgesderivedultimatelyfromthestirrup.AfterthearrivalofthestirrupinEuropeby
2、theeighthcentury,andtheprimacythisgavethehorseandarmorinwarfare,thestatemade,landgrantsinreturnforthepledgetoprovidearmoredknightsonhorsebackwhencalled.Thefreemanwithhisbattle-axenolongerwasthemainstayofthemilitarymightofthestate,thoughhewasstillsubjec
3、ttogeneralmuster.Charlemagne'sattempttoraisehorsemenbyorderingthelesswealthytopooltheirresourceswaseventuallyunsuccessfulbecauseofthedifficultiesinadministeringsuchaprogram.Theeventualresultwasthedistributionoflandtovassalsonconditionofknight'sservice;
4、fromthisfollowedthecreationofafightingelite,whichwastohaveaprofoundeffectonWesternsocietyandhistory.InEuropetheintroductionofthestirrupandtheresultingtechnology,thatofthehorseandarmor,thusmadefightingamatterofclass.InChina,theappearanceofthestirrupalso
5、ledtosignificantchangesespeciallyinthemethodofwarfareandinmilitaryorganization.Theinitialimpactmaywellhavebeentoproduceamilitaryelite,thatofthetribesmen,Xianbei"andothers,whichrulednorthernChinafromthefourthtothesixthcenturies,buttheeffectonsocietywasp
6、erhapslesspronouncedbecauseitwaspossibletoadministereffectivelyaprogramsuchasCharlemagnefoundimpossibletoimplement.Theverysuccessofthenewmilitaryinstitution,however,ledtothedisappearanceofthetribesmenasthemilitaryelite.Thustheinventionofthestirrupandit
7、sultimateeffectonwarfareandsocietyinChinaisatopicwellworthexamining.Itiscuriousthatsomethingasusefulasthestirrupshouldhaveappearedsomanycenturiesaftermanbeganridingthehorse.A.D.H.Bivar,inhisadmirablearticleonthestirrup,pointstothedangerinvolvedinmounti
8、ngahorsewhilecarryingweapons,citingtheexampleofCambyses,kingofPersiain522B.c.,whostabbedhimselffatallywhileleapingontohishorse.2Yettheearliestformsofstirrup,foundinthesculpturesofSanchiandelsewhereinIndia,areonlyofthelatesecondcenturyB.
