Standard and E.Q.:

SSWH7 The student will analyze European medieval society with regard to culture, politics, society, and economics. a. Explain the manorial system and feudalism; include the status of peasants and feudal monarchies and the importance of Charlemagne. EQ: How was Feudal Society structured? What was the role of knights and women during Feudal times?

Structure of Feudalism in Europe

Monarchs or Kings Became weaker after Charlemagne Remained highest authority Controlled land

Lords and Nobles Lived on Manors in Castles Included power clergy Hunted, defended manor, oversaw

serfs, and settled legal disputes

Knights Trained warriors

who studied warfare from age seven

Followed code of Chivalry

Exchanged military service for fief

Peasants Serfs worked land for the lord. They

could not leave the land. Freemen paid lord for use of land and

could move around

Vassal – a person who received a grant of land from a lord in exchange for a pledge of loyalty and services

Serf – a peasant legally bound to live on a lord’s estate.

King

Nobles

Knights

Peasants or Serfs

Grants

Lands to

Grants

Lands to

Grants

Lands to

Provide food &

services when

demanded

Provide protectio

n and military service

Provide money

and knights

Grants

Grants

Grants Provide

Provide

Provide

The Code of Chivalry Knights were expected to display courage

in battle and loyalty to their lord. By the 1100’s a code of chivalry was

developed to describe these expectations. Primary focus: the knight must fight

bravely in the defense of 3 masters: his feudal lord, his heavenly Lord, and his chosen lady.

Training

By the age of 7 a boy

would be sent off to the

castle of another lord as

a page. As a page, he waited on

his hosts and began to

practice fighting skills. Around age 14 he attained the rank of squire. A squire

acted as a servant to a knight. Around age 21 a squire became a full-fledged knight.

After being dubbed a knight, the new knight would travel for a year or two.

The gained experience fighting in local wars.

They may have taken part in mock battles called tournaments.

Actual warfare was EXTREMELY gory.

Women’s role in Feudal Society Nobel women

Could inherit an estate from her husband With the lord’s approval she could also

send knights to war When the lord was absent, she was

military commander of the castle (she might even fight)

Most of the time noble women were limited to activities in the home or in the convent.

Nobel women held little property because lords passed their fiefs to sons, not daughters.

Peasant Women Performed endless labor around their homes

and in the fields She bore children and took care of them