Download Feudalism in Europe

Feudalism in Europe
The Color is Red
Rise of Feudalism
 From 850 to 950 there were a series of invasions
 The Muslims attacked the southern coast of Europe
 The Maygyars from western Asia moved into centrol
Europe
 Vikings attacked and moved into a section of France
that came to be known as Normandy
 Rulers found it more difficult to defend their subjects
 Feudalism, a system of governing and landholding
came about as an agreement between rulers and
warriors
 A powerful lord offered protection in return for service
Feudal System
 Based on mutual obligations
 Very complex
 Social classes well defined and
inherited
Social Class Triangle
King
Vassals
Bishops/Nobles
Knights
Serfs
Serfs
Majority of people were serfs
They were tied to the land
Very poor and uneducated
Did not own land, nothing to pass on,
so could not better themselves
 Worked the land for the noble and
allowed to keep some of the crops
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Knights
Mounted, armored warriors
Defended their lord’s land
Held great social prestige
Young knights practiced their skills in
tournaments and in jousting
(individual combat between two
knights)
 Defended the lord’s land
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Picture of a Knight
Jousting
Powerful Vassals
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Nobles and bishops
Served as a lord in a military capacity
Granted large tracts of land
Pledged their loyalty
King
 Highest level in feudal society
 King awarded tracts of land to nobles
In Summary
Feudalism was based upon land
ownership. The more land you
owned, the higher your position in
society