FeudalismFeudalism

What is it?What is it? 1) Political and 1) Political and

social system of social system of Middle AgesMiddle Ages

2) New way to get 2) New way to get soldierssoldiers

3) System of 3) System of vassalsvassals

What is a vassal?What is a vassal? Someone who is given use of land in Someone who is given use of land in

return for military servicereturn for military service See handoutSee handout A vassal can be vassal to more than A vassal can be vassal to more than

one lord (subinfeudation)one lord (subinfeudation)

Feudal ContractFeudal Contract

Both men must be nobles (free Both men must be nobles (free men and knights as well)men and knights as well)

Unwritten rules that Unwritten rules that determined relationship determined relationship between lord and vassalbetween lord and vassal

Lord has land and wants Lord has land and wants military servicemilitary service

Vassal wants land and will fightVassal wants land and will fight Made official by public Made official by public

ceremony (homage)ceremony (homage)

HomageHomage

1) Oath of fealty (made by vassal)1) Oath of fealty (made by vassal)– Always stated in the negative, i.e. “I will Always stated in the negative, i.e. “I will

not…” not…” 2) Investiture of fief (done by lord)2) Investiture of fief (done by lord) 3) Kiss3) Kiss

ObligationsObligations

LordLord 1) Protection (physical and 1) Protection (physical and

legal)legal) 2) Guardianship (of minors)2) Guardianship (of minors) 3) Justice (if vassal is accused)3) Justice (if vassal is accused)

A) Trial by battleA) Trial by battle

B) Compurgation (oath taking)B) Compurgation (oath taking)

C) Trial by ordeal C) Trial by ordeal

ObligationsObligations VassalVassal 1) Military Service (40 1) Military Service (40

days/year)days/year) 2) Counsel (attend court, 2) Counsel (attend court,

judge peers)judge peers) 3) Relief (1 year’s income 3) Relief (1 year’s income

– payment to become – payment to become vassal)vassal)

4) Aids and Dues 4) Aids and Dues (hospitality, financial (hospitality, financial costs, etc.)costs, etc.)

ManorialismManorialism Manorialism = economic Manorialism = economic

system of Middle Agessystem of Middle Ages Most people lived on a manor Most people lived on a manor

(at least in the early Middle (at least in the early Middle Ages); Consists of:Ages); Consists of:

SeigneurSeigneur (Lord of the Manor) (Lord of the Manor) holds fief containing manors holds fief containing manors which is…which is…

Land worked by Land worked by serfsserfs – some – some free (all legally bound to work free (all legally bound to work the vassal’s land) –*disregard the vassal’s land) –*disregard much of what book says about much of what book says about peasant life spanpeasant life span

Life of NobilityLife of Nobility Most of Middle Ages Most of Middle Ages

activities centered around activities centered around warwar

Actual fighting or hunting Actual fighting or hunting (practice for war) or (practice for war) or tournaments (play war) tournaments (play war)

FamiliesFamilies Husband head of family – Husband head of family –

marriages often made to marriages often made to advance one’s wealth and advance one’s wealth and landland

KnightsKnights ChivalryChivalry Age 7 = pageAge 7 = page Age 12-14 = squireAge 12-14 = squire Age 18 (usually) = knightAge 18 (usually) = knight Marked by grand ceremonyMarked by grand ceremony

Castles, Peasants, and Castles, Peasants, and CitiesCities

(oh my)(oh my)

Where people livedWhere people lived Not everyone lived in castles Not everyone lived in castles

(most lived on a manor)(most lived on a manor) Castles for nobility (usually Castles for nobility (usually

only for Kings)only for Kings) Not all large, stone structuresNot all large, stone structures First castles = motte and First castles = motte and

bailey bailey When weaponry changes, When weaponry changes,

castles change castles change NotNot cozy, comfy places to live cozy, comfy places to live Become ineffective at end of Become ineffective at end of

100 Years’ War because of…100 Years’ War because of…

Life in CastlesLife in Castles No soap, deodorant, No soap, deodorant,

toothpaste, and perfume toothpaste, and perfume hard to come byhard to come by

Draftiness (motte & bailey Draftiness (motte & bailey had problems with rain)had problems with rain)

Tapestries on walls, animal Tapestries on walls, animal skins on windowsskins on windows

Light frequently from Light frequently from torches (no chimneys until torches (no chimneys until 1212thth-13-13thth century) century)

Floor covered with rushes Floor covered with rushes (straw)(straw)

Food not so good (no forksFood not so good (no forks!)!)

Economy ChangesEconomy Changes By 1000-1100 trade begins to revive By 1000-1100 trade begins to revive

(the Crusades stimulate desire for (the Crusades stimulate desire for products such as high quality cloth, products such as high quality cloth, silk, spices, sugar, etc.silk, spices, sugar, etc.

Trade FairsTrade Fairs Trade leads to revival of cities Trade leads to revival of cities

(walled structures) which leads to (walled structures) which leads to decline of feudalism (peasants can decline of feudalism (peasants can leave because they have a place to leave because they have a place to go)go)

Trade creates 3 important Trade creates 3 important developments: a manufacturing developments: a manufacturing system, a banking system, and the system, a banking system, and the practice of investing capital (p. 259)practice of investing capital (p. 259)

Towns and CitiesTowns and Cities

Townspeople had at least 4 basic Townspeople had at least 4 basic rightsrights

1) Freedom1) Freedom 2) Exempt status (no serf service)2) Exempt status (no serf service) 3) Town Justice3) Town Justice 4) Commercial privileges4) Commercial privileges Creates organization of guildsCreates organization of guilds

CitiesCities Crowded, dirty placesCrowded, dirty places Generally small since walls were Generally small since walls were

expensive to buildexpensive to build Fire danger great (wooden houses Fire danger great (wooden houses

with candles for light and heat)with candles for light and heat) Bad smell (animal and human Bad smell (animal and human

waste)waste) Bad waterBad water Few baths (closed down because Few baths (closed down because

of public nudity)of public nudity) Disease, such as…Disease, such as…

Black DeathBlack Death

1348-13501348-1350 Kills 1/3 of Europe’s Kills 1/3 of Europe’s

population (20+ population (20+ million)million)

3 forms of Black 3 forms of Black DeathDeath

Bubonic (60%), Bubonic (60%), Pneumonic (90%), Pneumonic (90%), Septicemic (100%)Septicemic (100%)

Spread of PlagueSpread of Plague Blamed on Jews, witches, Blamed on Jews, witches,

foreigners, or punishment foreigners, or punishment of Godof God

Really spread byReally spread by 1) Well-meaning stupidity 1) Well-meaning stupidity

(processions and public (processions and public prayers, going to church, prayers, going to church, getting together with getting together with people)people)

2) Attitude towards cats 2) Attitude towards cats (agents of Satan)(agents of Satan)

3) Change in rat population 3) Change in rat population (brown rat replaces black)(brown rat replaces black)