i8 HISTOR V OF FRANCE. [chap. added to their monastic vows one of fighting against the Infidel. The Knights of St. John the Almoner, or Hos- pitallers, likewise undertook to lodge pilgrims, and tend their sick ; the Knights Templars were guardians of the Temple. Both required noble birth, and were the resource of younger sons throughout France, where they soon had numerous houses for the receiving and training of novices. 13. Death of Philip I., 1 108. — In his latter years, Philip, fat, sickly, and helpless, was fully reconciled to the Church, and professed such penitence that he would not be buried at St. Denys, but in an obscure Bene- dictine convent. In the robe of that order he died m 1 108. CHAPTER III. GROWING IMPORTANCE OF THE KINGS. I. Suger — I loS.^Lewis VI., known as the Fat, was the ablest man that his line had produced since Hugh the White. He had as his minister and adviser, Siiger, Abbot of St. Denys, a far-sighted man, who did his best to give weight to the kingly power, and to whon we owe the history of Lewis's life. Now for the first time there was some real attempt to restrain the violence of the feudal nobles. The domains where alone the king had any real power, and whence came his revenues, were the five cities of Paris, Orleans, Etampes, Mclun, and Com- pi^gne. All the land between was held by barons in their castles, who were generally at war with the king or with each other, and preyed on all merchants and travellers. Hugh, Lord of I'tiiset, was one of the worst, constantly plundering the vassals of his neighbours. The monks of St. Denys, and the Countess of B/ois, Adda, mother and guardian of the young Count Theobald, and daughter of William the Conqueror, complained to the king, who summoned a parliament at Melun. Hosts of clergy and laymen came to lodge complaints of Hugh of Puisct's r.'jvages, but he himself disdained to appear. The king attacked his castle with an army, not only of nobles, but of whole parishes led by their jiricsts, one of whom was the first to break through the defence. Hugh shut
