Page:General History of Europe 1921.djvu/620

 470 General History oj Europe Moreover, no noble could buy citizen or peasant land ; no citi- zen, noble or peasant land ; no peasant, noble or citizen land. 830. Prussia undertakes Reforms. The overwhelming defeat of the Prussian army at Jena and the provisions of the Treaty of Tilsit, which reduced Prussia to territorial insignificance, forced the leaders of that old-fashioned country to consider whether its weakness was not partly due to its medieval institutions. Neither the king nor his usual advisers were ready for thoroughgoing reform, but there were some more progressive spirits, among whom Baron vom Stein and Prince Hardenberg were conspicuous, who induced the government to alter the old system. The first step was taken in October, 1807, when a royal decree was issued which declared its purpose to be nothing less than "to remove every obstacle that has hitherto prevented the individual from attaining such a degree of prosperity as he is capable of reaching." Serfdom was abolished, and the old class system done away with, so that anyone, regardless of social rank, was legally free to purchase and hold real estate no matter to whom it had formerly belonged. 831. The Prussian Junkers. It is important to note that while serfs had practically disappeared in England and France hundreds of years earlier, it was not until the opening of the nineteenth century, and then under the stress of dire calamity, that Prussia sufficiently modernized herself to abolish the medieval manor and free the peasants until then bound to the soil and sold with it. But the manorial lords, the so-called Junkers, remained rich and influential, and have continued down to this day, with their ancient notions of kingship by the grace of God and military prowess, to exercise a fatal influence on the Prussian government. Moreover, the mass of the Prussian people seem to retain some- thing of their old servile attitude toward their masters. 832. Origin of the Modern Prussian Army. The old army of Frederick the Great had been completely discredited, and a few days after the signing of the Treaty of Tilsit a commission for military reorganization was appointed. The object of the re- formers was to introduce universal military service. Napoleon