Feudalism & Feudalism & the Manor Economythe Manor Economy

Problems in EuropeProblems in Europe•The destruction of The destruction of

Charlemagne’s empire led to Charlemagne’s empire led to WIDESPREAD CHAOSWIDESPREAD CHAOS in in Western EuropeWestern Europe

Problems in EuropeProblems in Europe•Political turmoil, Political turmoil,

economic economic declinedecline, enemy , enemy invasions & invasions & constant constant warfarewarfare

•Central authorityCentral authority proved proved powerlesspowerless in terms of in terms of protection from the protection from the CHAOSCHAOS

•So who did Europeans look to for So who did Europeans look to for protectionprotection??

•Wealthy landownersWealthy landowners (aka (aka LORDSLORDS))

Problems in EuropeProblems in Europe

The Feudal PyramidThe Feudal Pyramid•Led to a new system of Led to a new system of

governinggoverning & & landholdinglandholding

•Feudalism:Feudalism: •Political Political andand social social

system based on system based on mutual obligationsmutual obligations between between lords & vassals lords & vassals

The Feudal PyramidThe Feudal Pyramid•Lords granted Lords granted land called a land called a

fieffief•The person receiving a fief The person receiving a fief

was called a was called a vassalvassal•Vassals provided the Vassals provided the lord lord

with with protection protection •How? How? Knights!Knights! – mounted – mounted

horsemen who defended horsemen who defended lord’s landlord’s land

The Feudal PyramidThe Feudal Pyramid•Peasants comprised a Peasants comprised a

majority of the populationmajority of the population•Most peasants were Most peasants were serfsserfs (a (a

peasantpeasant who is bound to the who is bound to the land)land)

•Could not be bought or soldCould not be bought or sold•All peasants owed the lord All peasants owed the lord

certain dutiescertain duties

(LORDS, BARONS, BISHOPS)

(SERFS)

The Feudal PyramidThe Feudal Pyramid•Discussion QuestionsDiscussion Questions::• How was your social class How was your social class

determined?determined?• Could a lord also be a vassal?Could a lord also be a vassal?• Why is there a cross at the top Why is there a cross at the top

of the pyramid?of the pyramid?• What was the role of the What was the role of the

peasants?peasants?• How were serfs different from How were serfs different from

slaves?slaves?

Anatomy of a Anatomy of a CastleCastle

Anatomy of a CastleAnatomy of a Castle

•Due to the Due to the lack of a strong lack of a strong central authoritycentral authority, warfare , warfare was was VERY common VERY common during during the Middle Agesthe Middle Ages

•Why were castles, Why were castles, or or fortified manor housesfortified manor houses, , needed?needed?

•Medieval Medieval castles were castles were designed designed in in response to response to the the weapons weapons they had to they had to withstandwithstand

Anatomy of a CastleAnatomy of a Castle

Anatomy of a CastleAnatomy of a Castle•Common FeaturesCommon Features::•StoneStone, thick walls, , thick walls, rounded rounded

towers, towers, reinforced reinforced doors, doors, moatmoat & & keepkeep

The World of The World of NoblesNobles

The World of NoblesThe World of Nobles•WarfareWarfare was a way was a way

of life of life •Constant battle for Constant battle for

powerpower•From boyhood many From boyhood many

nobles were trained nobles were trained to become to become knightsknights

KnighthoodKnighthood•Age 7 (Age 7 (PAGEPAGE):):

–Sent to the castle of a lordSent to the castle of a lord–Trained in Trained in weaponryweaponry, , riding riding & & fightingfighting

–Learned manners Learned manners (chivalry) from (chivalry) from the lady of the lady of the housethe house

KnighthoodKnighthood•Age 14 (Age 14 (SQUIRESQUIRE):):

–Became a Became a knight’s knight’s servant servant

•Age 21 (Age 21 (KNIGHTKNIGHT):):–Full-fledged Full-fledged knighthoodknighthood

KnighthoodKnighthood•Tournaments:Tournaments:•Mock battles Mock battles characterized characterized

by by fierce competitionfierce competition•Winners usually demanded Winners usually demanded

a a ransomransom from from defeated defeated knightsknights

KnighthoodKnighthood•WarfareWarfare::•Large-scale battleLarge-scale battle•Generally Generally fought by castlesfought by castles•Boiling water, hot oil, molten Boiling water, hot oil, molten

lead & crossbows served to lead & crossbows served to deter enemy soldiersdeter enemy soldiers

NoblewomenNoblewomen•Active role Active role in noble societyin noble society•Lady of the Manor:Lady of the Manor:•While husband was at war, While husband was at war,

women women supervised vassals, supervised vassals, managed the household managed the household & & performed agricultural tasksperformed agricultural tasks

A Code of A Code of ConductConduct

A Code of ConductA Code of Conduct•ChivalryChivalry::•A A code of conductcode of conduct followed followed

by by knightsknights•Required knights to be Required knights to be

bravebrave, , loyal loyal & & true to their true to their wordword

•Defend the Defend the ChurchChurch

A Code of ConductA Code of Conduct•Fight fairlyFight fairly•Treat Treat enemy enemy

captures captures well well & with respect & with respect

•Protect & Protect & cherish womencherish women

A Code of ConductA Code of Conduct•Troubadours Troubadours adopted adopted

this this view of womenview of women

•Performed Performed love songs love songs that that praised the praised the perfection, perfection, beauty & beauty & wit of women wit of women

Manorialism Manorialism

The Medieval ManorThe Medieval Manor•Manor:Manor:•The lord’s The lord’s

estateestate•Manorialism:Manorialism: •The The economic side economic side of of

feudalismfeudalism

The Medieval ManorThe Medieval Manor•Manors Manors varied in sizevaried in size & included & included

the the lord’s houselord’s house, pastures, , pastures, fieldsfields, forested areas, a church, , forested areas, a church, & a village where & a village where peasantspeasants lived lived

•The goal of every manor was to The goal of every manor was to be be SELF-SUFFICIENT SELF-SUFFICIENT

•WHY?WHY?

The Medieval ManorThe Medieval Manor•The lord The lord provided the serfs provided the serfs

with housing, farmland, with housing, farmland, and protectionand protection

•The serfs The serfs tended the lord’s tended the lord’s landslands, cared for his , cared for his animals, and paidanimals, and paid taxes taxes and and tithestithes

ReviewReview• http://www.youtube.com/watch?http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=HCPp7XWZfHov=HCPp7XWZfHo

•Some other video clips that Some other video clips that might be helpful understanding might be helpful understanding the Feudal Pyramid:the Feudal Pyramid:

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Riz5HdoHREv=3Riz5HdoHRE

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vCxXKS1gNov=_vCxXKS1gNo

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ab3VwpVkgScv=ab3VwpVkgSc