Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. I.djvu/353

209 ADMINISTRATION OF CASTILE. 209 VI. ders of Cas- tile. By making merit the standard of preferment, they chapter opened the path of honor to every class of the com- munity. They uniformly manifested the greatest tenderness for the rights of the commons in refer- ence to taxation ; and, as their patriotic policy was obviously directed to secure the personal rights and general prosperity of the people, it insured the co- operation of an ally, whose weight, combined with that of the crown, enabled them eventually to re- store the equilibrium which had been disturbed by the undue preponderance of the aristocracy. It may be well to state here the policy pursued ^^^'^'^j/p"^ by Ferdinand and Isabella in reference to the Mili- tary Orders of Castile, since, although not fully developed until a much later period, it was first conceived, and indeed partly executed, in that now under discussion. The uninterrupted warfare, which the Spaniards were compelled to maintain for the recovery of their native land from the infidel, nourished in their bosoms a flame of enthusiasm, similar to that kin- dled by the crusades for the recovery of Palestine, partaking in an almost equal degree of a religious and a military character. This similarity of sen- timent gave birth also to similar institutions of chivalry. Whether the military orders of Castile were suggested by those of Palestine, or whether they go back to a remoter period, as is contended by their chroniclers, or whether, in fine, as Conde intimates, they were imitated from corresponding associations, known to have existed among the VOL. I. 27