骑士制度与西欧中世纪战争

Knighthood and Medieval Warfare in Western Europe

西欧中世纪战争的总体特征是频发并持续向外扩张,这种战争总体特征与规范骑士群体的封建制度密切相关。在促进骑士及骑士军队成为专门化的军事力量并使其参与封建战争进程当中,封建制度在政治、经济、社会组织与思想文化等方面形成了常态化支撑机制。在这种支撑机制作用下,骑士及骑士军队最终成为西欧中世纪战争频发和向外扩张的主角。对中世纪战争总体特征及其社会成因的综合性考察,有助于进一步认识西欧封建社会特征,认清西方近代以来世界争霸战的历史脉络。

The frequent warfare of medieval Western Europe was marked by continuous outward expansion.Its general features were closely related to the feudal system that provided the norms of knighthood.By encouraging knightly armies to become specialized military forces and participate in feudal warfare,the feudal system gave rise to a normalized support mechanism in politics,economy,social organizations,and thought and culture.The knights and knightly armies acting under this support mechanism eventually became the protagonists of the outward expansion of the frequent medieval wars of Western Europe.A comprehensive investigation of the general characteristics of these wars and their social causes will help us to better understand the characteristics of feudal society in Western Europe and the historical context of world hegemony since the beginning of modern times.