How many of these pieces can you identify? What time period did Chess come from and why?

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Feudalism

• A political and economic system of Europe during the 9th – 15th century based on the holdings of land

Feudalism

1. King– Considered owner of all the land– Position of king inherited

2. Lords or Barons– Swore loyalty to king– Gained a “fief” – land for military commitment

3. Dukes or Earls– Got land that was divided up by lords or barons– Collected taxes to pay to lord, lord then paid king

Feudalism

4. Knights– Knights worked for lord and served in exchange for

food/ shelter or land– Knights responsible for collecting taxes from

peasants and protecting them– Enforced the will of the lord

Knight Code of Chivalry

• Constant belief in the church and obedience to its teachings• Willingness to defend the church• Respect and pity for all women and weak people• Love of country• Refusal to retreat before the enemy• Strict obedience to the feudal lord• Loyalty to truth and to your pledge• Generosity in giving• Championship of the right and the good in every place and

at all times against the forces of evil

Feudalism

5. Peasants– Two types• free peasants and serfs

– Serfs tied to land and couldn’t leave– In exchange for using the land for farming and to

build a house, had to pay taxes• Taxes taken in food, livestock, or other things of value

Norsemen (Vikings)

• Largest threat during Middles Ages were the Norsemen (Vikings)– Norsemen or North Men

had poor land in Scandinavia

– Therefore went out pillaging for loot, wealth, and land

– Had growing population so needed settlements

Middle Ages = Growing power of the Catholic Church

• Things were bad for people in the middle ages

• Thought happiness would come in heaven

• Must therefore listen to church

• Church becomes very powerful

The Catholic Church in Middle Ages

• Purpose of church– act as a middle man

between people and God– Only by listening to church

would get you to heaven

• Excommunication was used as a main political weapon against people, especially those who questioned the church’s authority

The Catholic Church in Middle Ages

• Most people not educated, except for clergy– Clergy knew Latin which all religious texts were written in– Monopoly of knowledge gave church leg up on everyone

else• Church Economic Powerhouse– Received Tithes: 10% of person’s wealth– One of the biggest landowners– Sold positions and pardons– Gave political support in order to lead to economic

payback

Ex. of Church’s Power

• The Crusades– Muslims conquered holy sites of Middle East but

allowed Christians to worship there– 1071, Turks take Jerusalem and end toleration• Destroy part of Church of Holy Sepulcher

• 1095, Pope Urban II declares first crusade to help recapture Jerusalem– If you die on crusade, go

straight to heaven, all sins erased

• 1st crusade successful and retake Jerusalem

• 9 crusades in all, not very successful– Significance – increase in

knowledge and trade from the east

Disaster in Middle Ages

• The Black Death– Bubonic plague that swept through the world in

1300’s– Plague originated in central Asia and was carried

by Mongol traders along silk road– Most devastating in Europe

How the plague spread???

• Europeans didn’t bathe during middle ages

• Most clothes made of wool, person only had one or two pairs = not clean

• People were generally flea and lice ridden, dirt found everywhere

• Animals often lived in houses

How the plague spread???

Symptoms and death

• Formed large swollen sores in groin, armpits, neck that would ooze

• Would get dark blotches all over body as tissue under skin broke down

• Would get bad headaches, high fevers, aches• Died under a week of getting it• Killed so many that had body pickups• “X” painted on door if infected• Killed approx. 1/3 European population

Black Death’s Effects on Europe

• Alienation from the church– Either believed church did not do enough to help– Common belief was that the plague was sent to

punish people for sins– Persecution of Jews and other groups• Jews generally cleaner than most Euros due to

cleanliness laws, therefore less died

Class AnalysisHow did people in the 14th century make sense of the

Black Death?