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120 III. THE ROMANIZED CHURCH (A.D. 11301389).
the Council of Upsala in 1368 referring to and reinforcing
the decrees of Telje (1279), but heading this part of its
statutes with the significant words: "These rules that
follow are not to be published to the laity
"
(Stat. Syn., 52).
The reign of Magnus Ladulas is not only an epoch in the
history of the growth of Church privileges, but it is also
marked by an extension of the power of the nobility. He
was the first sovereign who gave the nobility a charter of
exemption from taxation, with the intention of attaching
them to the personal service of the crown (Geijer, p. 52).
He also exempted from payments to the king
"
all per
sons serving on horse-back, in the service of whomsoever
they might be
"
(Ordinance of Alsno, 1285, ibid.}. Thus
arose the momentous distinction of
"
free
"
and "
unfree
"
(fralse and ofralse), which in origin had nothing to do with
personal freedom or freehold of property, but only freedom
from taxation on account of services supposed to be ren
dered to the State. Thus also arose the order of knight
hood, which was personal, not hereditary, just as it was,
and, indeed, still is in England.
These changes, though not directly intended to depress
the peasantry, certainly did so, especially in days when
foreign officials came in and treated liability to taxation as
if it were a condition almost of serfdom.
13. FRATRICIDAL WARS OF THE PERIOD. GROWTH OF
LITERATURE. RHYME-CHRONICLE. PETRUS DE
DACIA. CRUSADE AGAINST CARELIANS. LATER
SAINTS :
BRYNIULF, HEMMING, NICOLAUS HER
MANNi.
The Folkunga period was disturbed by frequent civil
wars and murders, especially amongst brothers of the royal
household.
"
Not a king of this race
"
(writes Fryxell :
i.,
265)
"
is to be found who did not commit violence on, and
act treacherously by, his nearest relations, father, brother
and children. They were the cause of their own ruin by
their persecutions of each other, to the degree that no noble
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