Feudalism

Definition:

A political and military system based on exchange of land for protection

Classes

Kings and Queens

Church Officials / Nobles

Knights

Peasants

Kings and Queensweb.ecomplanet.com/KIRK6479/ServerContent/MyCustomImages/KIRK6479Cu

stomImage1684173.jpg

• Chief feudal lord

Church Officials / Nobles

• Holders of much of the wealth in Western Europe during the Middle Ages

• Church officials taxed the people in addition to what the lords did

Knightswww.danikkdesign.com/portfolios/nicole/images/knights.jpg

• Armored horsemen• Must be judged

worthy of being a Knight

Peasantshumanities.uchicago.edu/homes/VSA/images/peasants.jpeg

• Poorest of the classes• Bound to land – unlike

slaves who could be sold off the land

• Paid taxes to– Lords

– Church

Feudalism

• Influenced greatly by nobles– Ruled and protected people– Controlled land– Had own coinage– Collected taxes– Subordinates had to provide military system– Built and lived in fortresses (castles)– Played war games as well as fought battles

Vassalswww.uhb.fr/scd/fonds/vassal.jpg

• Served higher lord in exchange for land and protection

• Raised own army• Made payments

(taxes) to lords– Daughter’s marriage– Ransoms– Sons knighted

Castleswww.unf.edu/classes/freshmancore/coreabroad/pictures/2001Lisbon/obidos-

castle-PH2430.JPG

• Lived in by nobles• Stone walls w/

lookouts• Moats• Drawbridges and iron

gates• Self sufficient

www.castles.org/Kids_Section/Castle_Story/images/kidcastle1.jpg

Social lifewww.kingdomofacre.org/ jousting.html

• Built around war• When not fighting >

playing war                                                                                                                                   

Role of Womenhumanities.ucsd.edu/courses/images/Image2Hum3.jpg

• Kept house• Had and raised babies• Made cloth• Defense of the home

Knightspapayne.rootsweb.com/knight-2.jpeg

• Followed CODE OF CHIVILRY– Honor the following:

• Heavenly lord• Earthly lord• Chosen lady

• Progression of Knighthood– Age 7- trained as page– Age 15 – trained as squire– Dubbed as knight when

ready to be a worthy fighter

Role of Church

The most important unifying and stabilizing institution in Western

Europe in Dark Ages

Roles of Local Church Leaders

Parish Priest• In charge of local

parish• Responsible for

religious instruction• Could perform 5 of 7

sacraments

Bishop• Managed group of

parishes called diocese• Jobs controlled by

king or powerful nobles (lay investiture)

• Most were feudal lords themselves

Upper Church Leadership

• Several diocese made up a archdiocese controlled by an archbishop

• Pope was supreme authority over the church– Curia – advisers to Pope– Cardinals – most important Curia members

Monasticism

• Two Types of religious leaders– Secular clergy – (world) – priest, bishops,

archbishops, and pope– Regular clergy – monks and nuns (seclusion)

Life as a Monk

• Withdraw from society and temptations

• Serve God through fasting, prayer, and self- denial

• Inflicted suffering on themselves to gain closer relationship with God

St. Benedictwww.newnorcia.wa.edu.au/images/st-benedict.jpg

• Benedictine Rules of monastic behavior

• Vows– Poverty

– Chastity

– Obedience

– Time and labor went to monastery

St. Patrickwww.portglenone-cce.fsnet.co.uk/images/st.patrick.jpg

• Monk who brought Christianity to a pagan Ireland

St. Augustinewww.wga.hu/art/c/coello/augustin.jpg

• Brought Christianity to England

Political Definitions of the Church

• Canon Law – law of the Catholic Church

• Excommunication – expel from the church

• Interdict – Stop administrating of

sacraments in a whole region

• Heretics / Heresy – people who have false

teaching of the church

Problems of the Church

• Lay investiture – church offices being given

to non-clergy

• Simony – buying of church offices by

nobles

• Role of church in everyday affairs of the people

• Forcing Catholicism on non-Catholics