MEDIEVAL EUROPE Development of Feudalism
Jan 04, 2016
MEDIEVAL EUROPEDevelopment of Feudalism
Introduction
Early Middle Ages: 476 to 1000 CE
The High Middle Ages: 1000 to 1300
The Late Middle Ages: 1300 to 1450
The Early Middle Ages
Began with the fall of RomeLife was dangerous and difficultPeople needed protection from
invading barbarians and kingdoms
People worked hard just to survive and have enough food
Feudalism
The economic and political system during the Early Middle Ages
Hierarchy
Monarch
Lords
Knights
Peasants
Western Europe During the Middle Ages
Franks: a powerful group because they developed a new system of warfare
Depended on troops of heavily armed warriors who fought on horseback
Ruler needed the service and loyalty of many knights
Knights were rewarded with land and privileges
Clovis
Married a Christian woman, Clotilda
Eventually baptized into the Roman Catholic Church, a Christian church headed by the pope in Rome
His followers became ChristiansLed the Franks in wars that
widened the boundaries of the Frankish kingdom
Charlemagne (Charles the Great)
Most important leader of the Franks
Ruled for over 40 years, from 768-814
Unified nearly all the Christian lands of Europe into a single empire
With the help of Pope Leo III, he built his empire
Leo, in turn, got support from someone who had an army
Pope Leo crowned Charlemagne Holy Roman emperor in 800 CE
Charlemagne’s empire quickly fell after his death in 184
Weak rulers who followed him could not defend the empire against new waves of invasions
These kings followed Charlemagne’s example of rewarding knights with land and privileges in return for military service
A Need for Order and Protection
The Muslims came from the Near East and northern Africa into what is now Spain
The Magyars, a central Asian people, came from the east
The Vikings came down from present-day Norway and Denmark
Western Europeans developed a system we call feudalism to defend and protect themselves
Feudalism: Establishing Order
a stable social orderPeople were bound to one
another by promises of loyaltyAll land in the kingdom belonged
to the monarchGreat deal of land belong to the
church
King
•Gave fiefs, or grants of land, to his most important lords who became vassals
•Each lord promised to supply the king with knights in times of war
Lord
•Enlisted lesser lords and knights as his vassals
Peasants
•Rented land from the lords
•Some were called serfs and were tied to the land they worked
•Farmed the land in return for a small plot of land of their own
Manors
Large estates held by a lordMost lords and wealthier knights
lived on manorsIncluded a castle or manor
house, one or more villages, and the surrounding farmland
Located in the country far from towns, so peasants had to produce everything the people on the manor needed
Monarchs During Feudal Times
Were feudal lordsExpected to keep order and to
provide protection for their vassalsBelieved in the divine right of kings
The idea that God had given them the right to rule
Power of the monarchs variedRelied on their vassals, especially
nobles, to provide enough knights and soldiers
Some lords grew very powerful and governed their fiefs as independent states
William, Duke of Normandy
Came to power in England after: the king died without an heirWilliam believed he had the right to the
English throneHarold, his cousin, was crownedWilliam and his army invaded EnglandDefeated Harold at the Battle of
HastingsNickname William the ConquerorBrought feudal instittutions from Europe
with him.Brought order to EnglandBy the High Middle Ages, around 1000
C.E., much of Europe was stable because of feudalism
Lords and Ladies During Feudal Times
Highest-ranking class in medieval society
Most lived on manorsSome had several manors which
the lords stayed at for a few months at a time with their families
Manor Houses
Many of the people on a manor lived with the lord’s family in the main house (manor house)
Built of wood or stoneSurrounded by gardens and
outbuildings (such as stables)Protected by high walls and
sometimes a moatCenter of the communityVillagers entered its walls for
protection if there was trouble
Castles
Kings and queens, high-ranking nobles, and wealthy lords lived in castles
Main function was to serve as a home
Also one of the most important forms of military technology
Had moats, strong walls, and gates to protect those who live inside
Its large size and central locations were strong visual reminders of the hierarchy within the kingdom and the strict barriers between classes
A Lord’s Daily Life
Responsible for managing and defending his land and the people who worked it
Appointed officials to make sure villagers carried out their duties
Acted as judges in manor courtsHad the power to fine and punish
those who broke the lawSome held posts in the king’s
governmentDuring war, lords fought for their
own higher-ranking lords, or supplied them with a well-trained fight force
Daily Life of Ladies
Responsible for raising and training their children and sometimes the children of other noble families
Oversaw their household or households
Entertainment provided by musicians and jesters (“fools” who performed amusing jokes and stunts)
Recreation for Lords and Ladies
Hunting and hawking (hunting with birds)
Feasting and dancingBoard games such as chessReadingLadies did fine embroidery, or
decorative sewing
Manor Homes and Castles
Lit by candles onlyWarmed by open firesCould be gloomy and coldLittle or no privacyFleas and lice infected all
medieval buildingsPeople bathed only once a weekClothes not washed dailyDiseases affected everyoneWar was a constant danger
Knights
Mounted soldiersHad to have some wealth
because a full suit of armor and a horse cost a small fortune
Usually vassals of more powerful lords
So You Want to be a Knight
Start as a page, or servant
After 7 years, became a
squire
Became a knight in his
early 20s if he was deserving
Responsibilities of a Knight
It was a way of lifeLived by a strong code of
behavior called chivalry (included bravery, loyalty, and respect for women)
Expected to be loyal to their church and their lord
Expected to be just and fairExpected to protect the helplessPerformed acts of gallantry
(respect to women)
Daily Life of Knights
Participated in jousts and tournaments
Fought wearing heavy suits of armor
11th century: armor was made of metal ring linked together
14th century: plate armor was more common and offered better protection
Peasants
Supported the entire feudal structure by working the land
Their labor allowed lords and knights to spend their time preparing for war or fighting
Legally classified as free or unfreeFree peasants: rented land to farm
and owed only their rent money to the lord
Unfree peasants (serfs): farmed the lord’s fields and could not leave; they received a small plot of land of their own to farm
Daily Life of Peasants
Revolved around workRaised cropsTended livestock (animals)Every manor had carpenters,
shoemakers, smiths (metalworkers), and other skilled workers
Women worked the fields when needed
Women also cared for their children and homes
Serfs owed the lord numerous taxes
“Head money”: paid a fix amount per person every year
Tallage: lord could demand this tax whenever he needed money
Merchet: this fee was paid by a woman, her father, or her husband when she married
Required to grind their grain at the lord’s mill (which was the only mill in the village)
The miller kept portions of the grain for himself and the lord who could keep any amount he wanted
Serfs hated this practice and some hid small hand mills in their houses
Peasant Homes
Small houses of 1 or 2 roomsMade of woven strips of wood
covered with straw or mudHad little furniture or
possessionsHearth fire in the middle of the
main room, but usually no chimney so it was dark and smoky inside
An entire family might eat and sleep in one room that sometimes also housed their farm animals
A Peasant’s Diet
Vegetables, meat such as pork, and dark, coarse bread made of wheat mixed with rye or oatmeal
In the winter, they ate meat and fish that had been preserved in salt
Herbs were used for flavor and to lessen the taste of the salt or to disguise the taste of meat that was no longer fresh