Download Feudalism and Church Heirarchy

FEUDALISM NOTES
Within 100 years post-Charlemagne Europe, organized government in Europe had disappeared.
By the 900’s, most of the continent was governed by small, local, independent leaders
Feudalism- Political organization of the local lords and independent leaders
How Feudalism works:
1. Powerful landowning noble grants land to a lesser noble
2. Actual ownership of land remains with the noble who granted the land (lord)
3. Noble (vassal) who receives the land (fief) can use it and maintain himself on it
Vassals who received land from the Lord could divide their portion up and grant it to others, such as
knights, making Vassals lords as well.
-
Lesser nobles (vassals) promised to be loyal, provide military support, and other sources to the
primary land-granting lord
By 1100 AD it was customary for fiefs to be passed down from generation to generation (of vassals)
-
Eldest son would inherit the land from his father (primogeniture)
Women held little rights when it came to holding land
Kings, Church, Nobles- all acted in accordance with the Feudal System
-
Every landholder was a vassal to King in theory; in reality king only controlled those who lived
on his land
Warfare: common during Middle Ages; grew out of private fights between feudal lords and land division
issues. Wars could be as small as a scuffle between lord and vassal, or could involve large-scale fights
between entire regions
Feudal Justice- determined in 3 ways:
1. Trial by battle.
2. Compurgation (oath taking).
3. Trial by ordeal (oftentimes a duel)
Feudalism represented the social and political structure during the Middle Ages.
Manorialism is associated with the economic structure of Europe during the Middle Ages
-
Manors were large farming estate that included manor houses, farmland, woods, pastures,
fields, and small villages
During the Middle Ages there was no central authority or organized trade to dictate the flow of an
economy. Result: People who lived on manors produced food, clothing, and shelter for themselves
-
Manors were shared by a lord and several peasant families
Peasants: poor farmers who lived on the land of lords during the Medieval period
Serfs: peasants who were forbidden to leave the land w/o permission from the lord
Knighthood
To become a knight, a boy must have 1) been born to the noble class. 2) pass 2 stages of training;
attendant of another knight, and then a squire, meaning a knight’s assistant.
Chivalry- code of conduct that dictated the behavior of knights toward others
CAHOLIC CHURCH HIERARCHY
During the Middle Ages, the Church acted as the central ruling authority in a weakened European state.
-
Church institutions were often felt throughout Europe
By 1100’s the Church was one of Europe’s largest landowners
Hierarchy
1. Pope- supreme authority in the Church.
2. Curia- group of counselors drawn from the highest ranks of the clergy.
- Cardinals were most important members of Curia
- advised Pope on spiritual and legal matter
3. Archbishop- leader of several church dioceses (branches) called archdiocese
4. Bishop- Managed a group of parishes called a diocese
5. Priest- directly served people who attended his parish
Priest had the power to perform 5 of 7 sacraments
- Sacraments: baptism, communion, penance (reconciliation), matrimony (marriage), anointing of
the sick
- Bishops performed the sacraments of confirmation and taking holy orders.
Church was made up of 2 types of Clergy: Secular and Regular
-
Secular: gave sacraments, preached the gospel in the everyday world
Consisted of Priests, bishops, and the Pope
Regular: Latin origins of rule
Monks, nuns had to live in accordance with strict rules.
Monastic Life included complete withdrawal from world and its temptations to live a Christian life.
Monks: lived in monasteries
Nuns: lived in convents
isolated from world
Throughout Middle Ages, the Church played a large role in medieval institutions and everyday life
Politics
-
-
Popes claimed Church had authority over all lords and monarchs in Europe
Canon law- church’s own code of law (could result in excommunication
Interdict- closing of all churches in a region; risk of eternal punishment for those in the are
o Interdicts were used by the Church to turn a region against its leader if the leader
opposed Christianity
o Church did not allow anyone to challenge authority
o Heretics- unbelievers of Christianity who will be damned eternally
o Heresy was a threat to the church, and to the government
Medieval church also tithed the people 1/10 of income
By 1200’s, Church was wealthiest institution in Europe
Church Problems
-
Investiture: noble or king appointing allies to be bishops or abbots (elected leader of monks)
Church: only a member of the clergy can appoint spiritual authority
Simony: act of buying high positions within church hierarchy
2 groups, Franciscans (1209) and Dominicans (1216) sought out to reform the church.