CHAPTER VI 
THE MIDDLE AGES 
T HE early centuries of the Christian era were a 
period of migrations, toward the west and 
south, throughout the continent of Europe. Mi 
grations which overflowed into the Island of Britain 
and exterminated the old population, planting an 
other in its stead; and for a time, conquered and 
held portions of northern Africa. And in the main, 
it was those tribes living east of the Rhine and 
north of the Danube, whom the Romans had never 
been able to conquer, who held the country and re 
mained to establish the nations of modern Europe. 
Whenever a migrating king and his soldiers con 
quered a tribe and took their territory he gave the 
land out in allotments to his own people, and the 
survivors of the native population became “land 
less men,” or, if taken in battle, they became slaves. 
The “landless men” or freedmen, as they were also 
Ca lled, had, like the women and the children, no 
recognition in law, unless represented by some land- 
owner, who appeared as his guardian. A freedman 
c ould bear arms and his death could be avenged, 
but he had no place in the assembly of the people,