Download Feudal Europe - TeacherV.net

Feudal Europe
Social Studies 8 – unit 2
The Middle Ages
• Ancient Rome had a strong empire
and government.
• People obeyed laws and the emperor... or else.
• However, Rome fell to Germanic tribes
▫ They had no central govt.
▫ Loyal to tribal chiefs / Sense of independence
▫ Conflict was ruining almost every city in Europe.
The Middle Ages
• Charlemagne restores order, builds govt.
▫ After death, things are divided again.
▫ It is during this time that we label the period the
Middle Ages. Also called the Dark Ages.
▫ Covers years
of roughly
500-1500 AD.
Feudalism
• Feudalism
The patron-client relationship between two
freemen (a Lord and his vassal).
▫ Origins in patron-client bond in ancient Rome
▫ Also in chieftain-warrior bond in Germanic
tribes.
But why then
in history?
Feudalism
• During Carolingian period, warfare changed
greatly.
- More Armour
- Better Weapons
- Mounted Cavalry
- Ordered Ranks
• Weapons more expensive
• Training
more expensive
• Armour
more expensive
• Horses expensive
Feudalism
• Most warriors are poor and cannot afford this.
▫ Leaders begin granting land or other support to
their warriors.
▫ In return, the warriors would fight for the leader.
• Other factors:
▫ Time of chaos
overall
▫ Raiders and
Bandits
▫ Corrupt local
Counts
The Middle Ages
▫ People needed protection
▫ Would often band together with people close by,
especially one stronger than them.
 Would create a bond
like that between a father and son.
 Son owes certain things
to the father, and vice
versa.
 Expand that, and
you have Feudalism
Feudalism – How it Worked
• Land came under control of wealthy dukes &
counts.
• These answered to the king, who needed them
to stay in power / fight enemies.
• King gave them large portions of
land and shared kingdom’s wealth
Nobles used
wealth to build
castles to protect
against raiders
Feudalism – How it Worked
• Stronger nobles protected weaker ones.
▫
▫
▫
▫
Each lesser noble was the vassal of the stronger.
Vassal held land of their own or of overlord.
Fought for each other when needed.
Many people both lord and vassal to people above
and below them.
▫ All nobles vassals
to the king.
Feudalism – Ceremony
• Relationship forged with a special ceremony.
▫ Vassal came to lord’s room without
armour or weapons.
▫ Knelt before lord. Placed hands
between his. Promised to be faithful
with an oath of fealty
▫ Lord gave a twig or some
earth as a symbol that
the vassal could use
lord’s lands, called
a Fief
Feudalism - Ceremony
 This land still belonged to the lord.
 When vassal died, it went back to lord, not
to vassal’s children.
 Though lord would often allow eldest son
to continue there... Once he paid a special
fee to take over the fief.
▫ Called a Relief
 Could be taken
away if vassal
is disloyal.
Vassal Duties
• Had to serve up to 40 days a year in battle.
▫ Over that and he could ask for additional pay or leave
▫ Provided own armour, weapons, and horse.
On to Glory!
How about you
attack tomorrow?
Today’s my last day.
Vassal Duties
• If lord captured, had to pay ransom to get him
back.
• Help with costs for lord’s daughter’s marriage,
or his son’s knighthood ceremony and
celebrations.
(Of course he wasn’t invited to the party, but he still
had to pay for much of it.)
Law and Order
• Courts further ahead in Charlemagne’s time
than later.
• No fair trial by jury or judge in Feudal system.
• Person declared guilty unless proven innocent.
▫ Opposite of today.
• There were three ways to prove your innocence
if accused of
something.
Law and Order
• 1. Call many witnesses to prove innocence.
▫ If you were found guilty, the witnesses shared
your punishment... Which could be brutal.
No.
▫ So, it was hard to find witnesses I did not see
him steal
The chicken. He was
willing to speak on your behalf.
Helping me slay a
dragon at the time.
Honest.
Law and Order
• 2. Trial by ordeal.
▫ A very painful test or
experience.
▫ Accused would be tortured...
 Carry a red hot iron in your
bare hands
 Put arms in boiling water
 Walk over hot coals
 Bound and tossed into river.
Sink=innocent... but dead.
▫ If wounds you got from this
were healing in 3 days, you
were innocent.
This is better
than cable.
Pakistani “game show”
Contestant takes a piece of coal
from the furnace, and holds on
to it as long as he can. Longest
one wins the prize… but loses
most of the flesh on his hand.
Law and Order
• 3. Trial by combat.
▫ Accused fought to the death with accuser. Winner
was the one in the right. God would decide.
▫ Sometimes a champion would fight for either side
instead of themselves.
Justice was a
bit primitive
during this
time.
Socials Classes
• Three classes in society:
▫ Nobles
▫ Bishops, Priests, church
▫ Common folk (serfs)
• Nobles do the fighting
▫ Honour, Adventure, $$
• Church does the praying
▫ Protection, Land, $$
• Serfs do the working
▫ Land use, Protection
Castles
• Not like storybook
castles with princess,
dungeon, etc.
• Initially were just a
tower built on a hill
and surrounded by a
fence.
▫ People could store
animals there in times
of conflict to keep
them safe.
Save me!!... If
you make more
than $80,000 a
year.
Castles
• By 1000-1100 AD, castles
become more elaborate.
• Thick stone walls replaced
the tower
• Large walled courtyards
held outbuildings, stables,
kitchens, and gardens.
• Moats dug around it,
often filled with water.
• Drawbridge for
protection
England
England
England
England
England
Germany
Netherlands
Scotland
Latvia
Germany
Slovenia
Romania
Poland
Germany
????
Castles and Warfare
• Lookouts in castle towers
watched for enemies and
blew trumpets as warning
▫ Everyone ran into castle
courtyard
▫ Drawbridge up
▫ Gate closed
▫ Archers on the walls or
in the towers
Enemies had to fill in
or cross moat, batter
down walls or gate,
fight inside.
Slit for hot oil to be
poured on attackers
The Middle Ages
• Defenders shot arrows or
used hot tar on the
attackers.
• Enemies might use high
towers to get over the wall
• If they broke through, the
lord of the castle would
barricade himself in
the keep.
▫ If captured, killed or
held for ransom. Place
robbed.
Castle under Attack
6
Castle under Attack
Devices for Attackers
Siege Tower
Siege Ladder
Battering Ram
Trebuchet
Constructed
Bridge
Catapult
7
Castle under Attack
Devices for Defenders
Thrown Rocks
Soldiers /
Archers
Boiling Oil
Archer Slits
Drawbridge
Iron Portcullis
Moat
Castles and Warfare
• Church didn’t like useless fights among nobles.
▫ “Truce of God” forbade fights on Sunday or
Holidays
▫ “Peace of God” was to protect women, children,
priests as non-combatants.
▫ “Right of Sanctuary” gave protection in churches
to people.
Castles and Warfare
• Of course, if you’re fighting godless barbarians,
you can’t expect any of these ‘rules’ to be kept.
- Churches burned
- Women raped
- Cattle stolen
- Priests & children killed
- Fields burned
- Fighting at any time
Castles & Daily Life
• Lord and followers spent most of the day
hunting, training, or fighting.
• In evening, went to large dining room
with a roaring fire.
▫ Most furniture moved against the walls
▫ Large central table used
▫ Lots of food
 Whole pig
 Cakes
 Beer and ale
The Middle Ages
▫ No plates or cutlery
 Ate with hands from wooden trenches that held
food
 Dogs got bones and scraps.
 Very few dishes used. Servants just swept up bones
and removed table at end.
 Next meal goes
in trench with
remnants of
old food still in it.
The Middle Ages
• After dinner...
▫ Told stories of battle or
ghost stories
▫ Played chess or dice
games
▫ Minstrels played music
and sang
▫ Jester / Fool would
entertain with comedy
▫ Wandering actors
might perform simple
plays
8
Living
in a
Castle
Exterior Wall
Bread Oven
Stables
Courtyard
Blacksmith
Knife Grinder
Main Entrance
Doves
10
Living
in a
Castle
Lord / Lady Bedroom
Private Room for Lord’s Family
Chapel
Great Hall
Garderobe (Toilet)
Soldier’s Eating Area
Kitchen
Water Well
Dungeon
Food Storeroom
Castles for Kids
• Parents involved in kid’s lives. Shared time in
great hall with others at night.
• Boys and girls both trained to ride and hunt
• Girls taught to spin, sew, embroider, manage a
home and family.
▫ Wore long
dresses and
never pants.
Castles for Kids
• Sons of nobles to be trained to serve other nobles
and the church.
• No formal education. Most could not read or write.
▫ Not too important
▫ To be called a
Christian
Gentleman
was the
highest
compliment.
Castles for Kids
• At ages 7-14, a boy was called a page.
▫ Left home to be trained by lord and lady at
another castle.
 How to play games, sing, play the harp
 Prayers memorized
 Show respect to
the church
 Wait on lord
and lady
 Be obedient
and silent
Castles for Kids
 How to care for and ride a
horse
 How to swim well (knights
often had to cross rivers)
 Assist lord and lady on the
hunts.
▫ At age 14, a page became a
squire
- Worked for a knight
- Cleaned and cared for
armour and horse
- Helped him dress
for battle
I have to go to the
bathroom. Can you
get me out of this
stuff?
I hate this job!
Castles for Kids
 Went to battle with him to help out before
and after.
 Learned to ride, wear armour, use a sword
and a lance.
 Had mock battles with other squires.
 A well-trained
squire, when
he reached the
age of
21, could
become a knight
himself.
Becoming a Knight
• Highest point in young man’s life.
• Big ceremony marked the event
▫ Took a bath of purification
▫ Put on white robe
▫ Spent night in church, fasting
and praying at alter. Sword
and shield beside him.
▫ Priest came in early morning
to hear his confession of sins
and bless him.
Becoming a Knight
▫ Took oath to be brave, protect church, help the
weak, honour women.
▫ Left church and went to courtyard where family
and friends were waiting
▫ Approached and knelt
down before a noble.
▫ Struck on shoulders
with flat of sword.
 “Arise, Sir Knight!
Be brave and loyal.”
▫ Mounted horse &
rode off.
Becoming a Knight
What would be the purpose of this?
… and it wasn’t just for fun.
Tournaments & Contests
• Tournaments sponsored by rich nobles as
contests and entertainment.
• Large crowds watched.
• Ladies dressed their best in fine gowns
and jewellery
• Knights wore
colours of his
favourite lady
on his helmet
and tried to
win her favour.
Tournaments & Contests
• Day started with jousts
▫ Rode against one other knight.
▫ Tried to unseat the other from their horse with a
long wooden lance
▫ Points for shattering your lance on opponent’s
shield
• Later in day would
joust with entire
teams at once,
facing each other
at ends of a
long field.
Tournaments & Contests
▫ Force of blows was tremendous. Some died or
were badly wounded.
▫ Winners would take loser’s horse as a prize.
The Middle Ages
• There would also be one-on-one armed combat
contests... Though not to kill as during the
Roman empire (at least not intentionally).
▫ Loser had 3 shields broken or gave up.
Multiple Sons of a Lord
• The eldest son of a lord would inherit
his lands and castle when the lord died.
▫ Called Primogeniture
▫ Designed to keep lands from being
divided too much... as happened
before
Multiple Sons of a Lord
▫ Other sons had no land unless they could win them or
marry a rich heiress
▫ Some entered church and rose to high positions
▫ Some warriors for hire
Multiple Sons of a Lord
▫ Some served in campaigns
such as the crusades as
professional soldiers
or mercenaries for hire
Others went to new lands
as Europe expanded
globally.
The Church & the Knighthood
• Knighthood emulated respect, courtesy, and
kindness... but only to members of the same
class, or to the church.
▫ Lower classes received little consideration from
knights
▫ Church taught love to all, but didn’t really
happen.
▫ Knights protected
serfs and
common people
though.
The Serfs - Manorialism
• Medieval Europe had a range of agricultural
strategies for producing food.
▫ Some came from free peasants who owned their
own land and also did fishing or herding.
▫ Most came from large manors with unfree serfs
that worked the land.
The Serfs - Manorialism
• The Manor, a community of lord and serfs, was
the main unit for Economic, judicial, and social
life.
• Lord and officials managed:
▫ Use of the land / Rent
▫ Labour services owed
▫ Fines and punishments
The Serfs - Manorialism
• The lands of most manors was divided into two
or three open fields.
▫ This was further divided into strips for cultivation as
a good way to share good and bad soil among serfs
▫ Lord owned all the land, but rented strips in all three
areas to peasants.
▫ One section was always allowed to lie untouched for a
season to allow renewal of the soil
The Serfs - Manorialism
▫ Peasants had a house and
garden area.
▫ Strips a peasant could use
would not be beside each
other, but scattered. Lots
of time could be lost in
travelling from one section
to another.
▫ Not an efficient way to use
land, but often done so
each serf would have
access to water.
Larger view on next slide
The Serfs - Manorialism
▫ The right to rent certain strips
was inherited by a peasant’s
children.
▫ Not all got the same area.
Some peasants had 20 acres,
and some had 2.
▫ Among these strips was
demesne (rhymes with reign)
land belonging to a lord.
 Peasants farmed that for him
and his family as well.
 All produce was lord’s
The Serfs - Manorialism
▫ There could also be glebe land, for use by the
priest.
 Priest worked it himself or hired labourers to do it
for him.
▫ Other land was meadow, forest or wasteland.
 Lord hunted here
 Peasants grazed their
animals, got firewood,
built homes from trees.
The Serfs - Manorialism
▫ If you had too little land to provide for your
family and rent owed to lord, you worked for
others as well, or became baker, blacksmith, or
carpenter.
• Lord’s control over serfs was
just above slavery.
▫ Could not leave manor
without lord’s permission.
▫ Was judge over serfs, with
punishments handed out.
Life kinda
Sucks as a
serf.
The Serfs - Manorialism
▫ Demanded 3 days a week of work from serfs on his land.
▫ Had to help especially at harvest times.
▫ Provided mandatory gifts to lord on holidays (eggs on
Easter, chicken on Christmas).
▫ Paid yearly rent fees.
▫ Paid fee when passing land to a son.
▫ Paid to use mill, oven,
or winepress
The Serfs - Manorialism
• Hard life.
• Some advantages though
▫ Family benefitted from improvements made
to land
▫ Rents were fixed and could not be raised... So
good years could provide a profit
▫ Access to towns
to buy goods,
sell extra crops,
sell services.
The Serfs - Manorialism
• Small, primitive homes. Stables attached.
• Animals kept in house for family’s (and
animal’s) warmth in winter.
Peasant Life
• Ate mostly grain (bread), with eggs, cheese,
beans, and some meat for protein.
• Ate Pottage (boil anything..)
• Drank wine or beer
• Men worked the fields and built home
• Women raised children, watched animals, made
cheese and butter,
made clothes,
collected eggs,
and tended garden.
Peasant Life
• Homes basically bare except for kettles, table
and benches, and straw beds.
• No chimney, so smoke from cooking filled
house before going out the door
or a hole in the roof.
• No light after dark as candles
too expensive. Went to bed
I ain’t had
fully clothed.
no bath in
86 years… and
Seldom washed or
I smells just
Fine.
bathed... yuck.
Imagine the stink....
Peasant Home
Notes and labelling not needed for this image.
Food
Storage
Smoke Hole
Thatched Roof
Attached
Stable
Timber Frame
Tools
Cooking Pot
Straw Bed
Stone Fire Pit
Clothes Chest
Walls of Mud and Straw
11
14
Nobleman’s Castle
KEY FEATURES
Village Mill
Lord of the Manor
Strip Farming
Hunting Area
Church
Pound
Grazing
Commons
Priest’s
House
Stocks
Inn
Peasant
Homes
Wheat Field
Private Garden
JOBS & WORK
Medieval Village / Manor Life
The Yellow items correspond to the squares in
your coursepack.
The Green items are there for additional info, but
as you know most of them already, there’s no need
to write them down.
17
Fighting & Order
JOBS & WORK
Supervise, Administer
Grinding
Strip Farming
for self and lord
Hunting
Preach
& Pray
Judge and Punish
Watching
Animals
Innkeeper
Thatching
Blacksmith
Planting,
Tending,
Harvesting
Spinning
Wool
Carpentry
Selling Produce, Eggs, Cheese
Gardening
Bee Keeping
Peasant Rumblings
• The hard life and many fees began to breed
discontent for many peasants, especially if the
lord was cruel or unjust.
• In time it would foster a deep hatred for the
nobles and a desire to overtake them
financially, or by open revolt.
UP NEXT:
Mohammed
and the Rise of Islam