Page:The history of medieval Europe.djvu/410

 3<5o THE HISTORY OF MEDIEVAL EUROPE self-government was more of a democratic revolution than the rise of the Italian communes or of the southern French towns. Even those men who lived outside the walls were granted equal rights with those dwelling in the town proper. And since the men of the French commune were originally all of the same social class and since they were at first ani- mated by a common purpose, up to the close of the twelfth century there was little sign of the party strife so manifest in Italian towns. The governing council, however, came in many cases to represent the richer and more influential citi- zens and in the thirteenth century social and political dis- content prevailed in many French towns. A commune was a sworn association of the townsmen with the object of excluding the lord's officials and authority How a com- from their town and of taking charge of the gov- Stabli W hed: eminent themselves. Sometimes they purchased Laon this concession from the lord, but usually they had to fight for it. A secret conspiracy, a sudden uprising, and either victory and independence for the burghers or a cruel suppression of the movement by the lord were the normal steps in the history of a commune. At Laon, once the favorite residence of the later Carolingians, the process was a little more complicated. Here in the early twelfth century public sentiment was aroused by the recent success of the neighboring towns of St. Quentin and Noyon in establishing communes and by the cruel rule of the Bishop of Laon, who devoted more time to warfare and hunting than to religion and who employed his negro slave, John, too frequently as an executioner. The townsmen, therefore, took advantage of the absence of their prelate in England to form a commune, purchasing the consent of other clergy and local nobles who had rights over the town. On learning of this upon his return, the bishop went into a rage, but at last was apparently reconciled by a large sum of money, and the ratification of King Louis VI was procured by a similar payment. But when the king presently paid a visit to Laon, the treacherous bishop tried to induce him to annul his consent. The citizens offered Louis four hundred pounds