he was able to present the King of Persia with a number of Spanish horses and mules.[1]
In his expedition against the Avares of Hungary, he had a very strong force of cavalry; but at Ems the horses were attacked with a contagious disorder, which destroyed nearly the whole of them. So great a reliance did he place upon cavalry, and so severe was this infliction, that he preferred waiting for three years, until this arm could be recruited by horses from Spain and elsewhere; notwithstanding the greatest possible provocations offered him by the enemy in the interval.[2]
An ordinance, or capitulary, published at Aix la Chapelle in 807 (De villis imperialibus), is curiously illustrative of the manners of this time. Among other things it is enacted that the 'Judex,' or steward of each villa, was to provide stallions (C. 13); that care was to be taken of the stud mares, and the colts were to be separated at the proper season; the stables were to be thoroughly prepared; there were to be good artificers, particularly blacksmiths; and at Christmas, in giving an account of their administrations, with many other items, mention was to be made of what profit was derived from the labours of the blacksmith, as well as from colts and fillies. In peace everything was to be prepared for war: 'Our cars for war to be litters well made, covered with hides so closely sewed, that if necessity occurs for swimming rivers, they may pass through (after being lightened of their contents), without water entering.' His cavalry was always kept on a war footing.
