Download II. Feudalism

Unit 4-2
European
Invasions and
Feudalism
I.
European Invasions
A. Vikings originated in the peninsulas of Scandinavia
1. Bad harvests & overpopulation caused Viking raids
2. Design of ships allowed travel over open sea and
shallow rivers while carrying 300 men
3. Became feudal lords of Normandy in northern
France
4. Settlement leads to conversion to Christianity
B. The Magyars and the Muslims
1. Magyars originated in Hungary
a. Took captives to sell as slaves
2. Muslims attacked from North Africa
a. Threatened the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts
C. Local European rulers who could defend their people
gained followers and political strength
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II. Feudalism
A. The period of invasions allowed local lords to seize power
1. Lords possessed large amounts of land
2. Feudalism developed as a military, political, and economic
system based on the holding of land
3. Lords would give small pieces of land (fief) to vassals in
exchange for military service
4. Vassals could become lords by further dividing their land
and giving it to knights: knights could do the same with
lesser knights
a. Knights ruled over manors as warrior vassals
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B. Manors were self-sufficient economic units
1. Manors produced everything they need for
survival
2. Serfs were peasants who were bound to the
manor
a. Provided labor to serve the lord, lord
protects serfs
3. Duties to the manor
a. Serfs had to work their own land and
their lords
b. Serfs could only keep part of their own
grain
c. Serfs also had to pay tithes to the Church
III. Changes in Agriculture and Trade
A. Between 1000-1300 changes in agriculture led
to an increase in population
1. New plows, improved harnesses, and
switching from oxen to horses helped
increase harvests
2. The Three Field System
a. One field was left fallow all year
b. In the winter one field was planted with
wheat or rye
c. In the spring one field was planted with
barley, oats, beans, or peas
3. The increase in population resulted in many
people moving back into towns
B. New Social Classes Developed
1. New towns were called burghs
a. People who lived in burghs were called burghers or
bourgeoisie – these people would create a new
educated middle class
b. Jews became the first burghers
i. They did not fit into the feudal system
ii. The Church forbade Christians from loaning money
iii. Established banks, stores, and trading companies