Middle Ages

Medieval Period

Dark Ages?

Western Europe

500s to 1000s

Western Europe after the fall of the

Roman Empire

Central government broke down and agriculture and trade was disrupted

Cities were abandoned and population centers shifted to rural areas.

Outside Invasions

Causes:

Invasions and attacks– Germanic tribes

– Vikings

– Muslims

– Huns & Magyars

disrupted agriculture and trade, as well

as manufacturing.

FEUDALISM in Medieval Europe

Those with land (wealth) built fortified

homes (castle) and “hired” their own

militia as people fled cities.

(Like China after the fall of the Han

Empire.)

Feudalism

Large landowners gave land to their

warriors as payment for loyalty and

service.

The person who received the land was

called a vassal and the piece of land

was called a fief or feud the person

giving the land was the lord.

New Social Class in Medieval

Europe

Slavery became less common as serfdom emerged –

– Serfs are peasants who cannot leave the land of their Lord and owe certain obligations to their Lord.

Is SERFDOM slavery?

Serf’s can’t leave the land, their children

will also be serfs, they have to give

certain goods and work at certain times

for the Lord (or they will be “punished”).

BUT, they can’t be sold, they have to be

protected, and they are given a small plot

of land to be self-sufficient.

FEUDALISM in Medieval Europe

Feudalism was the political system &

the economic system as W Europe

was divided into small regional

territories and each territory was

broken into self-sufficient manors (or

estates).

King

Nobles

Knights

Peasants

Grants land to

Grants land to

Grants land to

Provide food and services

Provide protection and

military service

Provide money and

knights

CULTURE in Medieval Europe

Christianity remained a major unifying force throughout most of Western Europe. Christianity spread to the Germanic tribes.

The Roman Catholic Church’s position strengthened and clergy became its own class.

SOCIAL CLASSES in

FEUDALISM

Social Class System-

– Nobility (those who fought)

– Clergy (those who were supported by

the Church)

– Peasants (those who worked),

merchants and craftsmen

– SERFS (same as peasants?)

Manorialism