FeudalismFeudalismSOCIAL STRUCTURING AT SOCIAL STRUCTURING AT

IT’S BESTIT’S BEST

RememberRemember Do not copy anything in Do not copy anything in ItalicsItalics Do not copy anything in (…..)Do not copy anything in (…..) Do not copy any page with Review at Do not copy any page with Review at

the top.the top. Do not forget that you love history!Do not forget that you love history!

WHAT IS FEUDALISMWHAT IS FEUDALISM Feudalism developed in Europe in the Feudalism developed in Europe in the

middle ages. It was based on middle ages. It was based on landowning, loyalty, and the power of landowning, loyalty, and the power of armored knights on horseback.armored knights on horseback.

Believed to have started as early as Believed to have started as early as Charles Martel and his need for Charles Martel and his need for soldiers to fight against the Muslims soldiers to fight against the Muslims in Spain.in Spain.

lords and ladies

Feudalism Cont.Feudalism Cont. When Charlemagne’s empire When Charlemagne’s empire

collapsed landowning nobles became collapsed landowning nobles became more and more powerful.more and more powerful.

They had the right to collect taxes They had the right to collect taxes and enforce laws on their land.and enforce laws on their land.

They also had to protect that land They also had to protect that land whenever it came under attack.whenever it came under attack.

This all led to the social order called This all led to the social order called feudalism.feudalism.

(Many of the ideas about society that we have today come from military campaigns of one sort or another. Charles Martel inadvertently began a social system that still has roots in Europe today.)

BATTLE OF TOURS

Feudalism cont.Feudalism cont. By A.D. 1000, Europe had broken By A.D. 1000, Europe had broken

into thousands of feudal estates.into thousands of feudal estates. At the center of each estate was the At the center of each estate was the

stronghold for that area…the castle.stronghold for that area…the castle.

CastlesCastles Castles had many important Castles had many important

functions. During times of war they functions. During times of war they served as strongholds for the ruler of served as strongholds for the ruler of the land and his people.the land and his people.

During times of peace they served as During times of peace they served as the living place of the lord of the land the living place of the lord of the land as well as the prime social gathering as well as the prime social gathering place for the estate.place for the estate.

Parts of a CastleParts of a Castle Keep: The highest part of a castle ad Keep: The highest part of a castle ad

the last place to be defended, also the last place to be defended, also the strongest part of the defensethe strongest part of the defense

Great Hall:Where everybody ate and Great Hall:Where everybody ate and the servants sleptthe servants slept

Stables: Where the livestock was Stables: Where the livestock was keptkept

Chapel: Where the priest lived and Chapel: Where the priest lived and religious services were held.religious services were held.

Players in FeudalismPlayers in Feudalism There were several different people who There were several different people who

were involved in feudalism.were involved in feudalism. LordsLords: These were the people who owned : These were the people who owned

the land and ruled it. They collected taxes the land and ruled it. They collected taxes and imposed laws and rules. They could be and imposed laws and rules. They could be either kind or very harsh.either kind or very harsh.

VassalVassal: A vassal was a noble who served : A vassal was a noble who served under a lord. They swore loyalty to that under a lord. They swore loyalty to that particular lord. In return, a lord granted a particular lord. In return, a lord granted a vassal a vassal a fief. fief. A fief was a stretch of land A fief was a stretch of land and all the people who lived or worked on and all the people who lived or worked on it. The vassal was able to rule all those it. The vassal was able to rule all those who lived on his fiefwho lived on his fief

Feudalism players cont.Feudalism players cont. The vassals who controlled fiefs were The vassals who controlled fiefs were

called called knightsknights. . Knights lived by a code called Knights lived by a code called

chivalry.chivalry. When knights went to war, there When knights went to war, there

wives or daughters ran the castle.wives or daughters ran the castle. Knights and nobles in general lived Knights and nobles in general lived

very cushy lives.very cushy lives.

•Thou shalt believe all that the Church teaches, and shalt observe all its directions. •Thou shalt defend the Church. •Thou shalt respect all weaknesses, and shalt constitute thyself the defender of them. •Thou shalt love the country in which thou wast born. •Thou shalt not recoil before thine enemy. •Thou shalt make war against the Infidel without cessation, and without mercy. •Thou shalt perform scrupulously thy feudal duties, if they be not contrary to the laws of God. •Thou shalt never lie, and shall remain faithful to thy pledged word. •Thou shalt be generous, and give largess to everyone. •Thou shalt be everywhere and always the champion of the Right and the Good against Injustice and Evil.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Bors_and_Lionel.jpg

ManorialismManorialism The land of the fiefs were called The land of the fiefs were called

manors.manors. The Lord ruled the manor and the The Lord ruled the manor and the

peasants worked the land.peasants worked the land. Most of the peasants were serfs.Most of the peasants were serfs. Serfs could not leave the manor or get Serfs could not leave the manor or get

married without the lords permission.married without the lords permission. They were not slaves, they did have They were not slaves, they did have

some rights, but those rights were some rights, but those rights were limited.limited.

Serfs were responsible for producing the food for their lords and most of the land. However, they were at the bottom of the social pyramid. Why is this backwards?

Serfs ContinuedSerfs Continued Most Serfs had a trade.Most Serfs had a trade. This trade was passed from father to This trade was passed from father to

son for many generations.son for many generations. Trade groups eventually bean and Trade groups eventually bean and

became guilds.became guilds. Guilds set the standard for products Guilds set the standard for products

and also set some prices.and also set some prices. Some of those guilds have lived on Some of those guilds have lived on

till today and continue.till today and continue.