Medieval Society:

Hierarchies, Towns, Universities, and Families

The Traditional Order of Life

Three basic social groups existed during the Middle Ages.

Clergy Nobility

-Peasants After the revival of towns and trade and fourth

class emerged: Traders and merchants

The Church as a State

The medieval church was much like a present-day government.

Everyone became a member at birth, just as we become citizens.

The Church had its own laws (cannon law) and courts. It could enforce these laws, even upon kings, by such means

as interdict and excommunication. Interdict disallows religious services and sacraments to be

performed within a region. Excommunication is to be removed from the Church.

Like a government, the Church had the power of taxation. Tithe: 10% of a families income was to go to the Church

(tithe)

Entertainment

In peacetime, the nobility had two favorite forms of entertainment: hunting and tournaments.

Limiting the amount of hunting within the lands of the noble usually meant good hunting.

This practice brought resentment among the common people.

Tournaments kept knights prepared for war, and also brought entertainment to the people.

Tournaments often lead to violence among the combatants and death.

Eventually they will be ended because to many knights were being killed.

Henry II of France was mortally wounded during a joust. The Church declared them barbaric

The Manor System

Feudalism was essentially a governmental and military system. The economic system basis of early medieval life was

a large estate that included a village. These large estates were called a manor.

A large fief may have several manors where a small fief may have only one. Each manor tried to be self-sufficient.

To produce everything they needed. Most manors produced their own food, clothing, and

leather goods, Only items such as iron, salt,and tar were imported.

Peasant Life

Most of the peasants on a manor were serfs, whose legal status was less than free but higher than slave. Serfs were bound to the land. They could not leave without the lord’s permission

and the price of his permission was usually a large sum of money.

Serfs were not slaves, for they could not be sold away from the land. There were some freemen on the manor who

rented land from the lord. This group included skilled workers necessary to the

village economy such as blacksmiths, millers, and carpenters.

Castles

When people think of the Middle Ages they think of majestic castles and knights in shining armor.

During the early Middle ages, most castles were relatively simple structures built of earth and wood. Castles were built for defensive purposes, not for

luxury. The main part of the castle was called the keep.

It was surrounded by a high wall.

If the castle was on flat land it would have a moat around it with a drawbridge

Life in the Castle

Within the keep, was the lord’s living quarters. In the great hall, the lord held court and received

visitors, and here the family lived during the day. The lord and his family had separate sleeping quarters. There was little furniture and tapestries covered the

walls. Fowl, dogs and other small animals ran everywhere.

The floors were covered with straw in which filth and vermin abounded.

The Rise of Towns

During the latter part of the Early Middle ages, feudal manors grew in size.

Populations grew. The castle as well as the Church became the

center of the growing town. The economic revival of this period was due

to the growth of these towns.

An Agricultural Revolution

Several improvements in agricultural technology occurred during this period.

The heavy bottom plow. A new yoke

The use of horses instead of oxen. Horses worked faster and ate less than oxen.

Windmill & Watermills

-Provided a power source to grind grains into flour.

Due to these improvements, feudal lords had new fields cleared to increase food production. With the improvements in agriculture during this period

population began to grow. Between 1000 and 1300 the population of Europe doubled.

Trade Revives

As Europe’s population grew, so did the demand for new products not provided for them on the manor estates.

As Europe became more settled, trade began to flourish again. Merchant companies were formed and established

new trade routes throughout Europe. Along these routes, merchants traded goods from Asia

and the Far East. Jewelry, spices, perfumes, silks and other products not

found in Europe.

Trade Fairs

In the beginning of this trade revival, merchants and consumers met at trade fairs.

These fairs occurred where trade routes crossed.

Local people would trade their goods at these fairs.

They were also entertained by jugglers, musicians, and magicians.

These fairs were often sponsored by the local lords who, for a fee, provided the fair protection while in his domain.

Chartered Towns

To insure the stability and interests of the towns, the merchants asked for charters (written document guaranteeing their rights and privileges as granted by the lord.)

In exchange the town would pay a yearly fee to the lord Most charters allowed for self-government and

control of their own affairs.

A Commercial Revolution

As the growth in trade continued during the High Middle Ages, a need for capital developed.

Capital is money used for investment. A new banking industry developed to

provided this capital for merchants.

Social Changes

Along with the economy of the medieval society changing, so did the culture of Europe.

The increased use of money was detrimental to serfdom.

Serfs would sell products to merchants and pay the lords their dues instead of working them off.

By 1300, most peasants either rented their lands or were hired laborers.

In towns, the old social order of nobles, clergy, and peasants began to change.

A new middle class began to emerge in the 11th century.

Role of Guilds

Merchant guilds would dominate the towns of the high Middle Ages.

Guilds ran the chartered cities of Europe. Artisan guilds soon appeared because the craftsmen

resented the power of the merchants. Each guild represented a specific craft. Worked to protect the interests of its members.

Developed stages of membership. Apprentice: learn your trade from a master. Journeyman: can work for a wage in your craft.

Master: can start your own shop Women were allowed to become masters in their craft.

City Life

Towns of the High Middle Ages were not pleasant places to live by our standards of today.

Protected by high walls for defensive purposes. Narrow streets

No Sewage system. No regular garbage pickup. Open air markets. Disease common and often deadly.

Languages and Literature

Latin was the language of the educated. The common person spoke the vernacular

“everyday” language of their region. The first vernacular literature consisted of

troubadour songs.

Dante & Chaucer

Two great writers, Dante and Chaucer represented the flowering of medieval vernacular literature.

Dante-father of modern Italian and Divine Comedy Chaucer-father of modern English and Canterbury Tales

Dante’s use of the Tuscany dialect which would eventually become the language of Italy, is known as the Father of modern Italian.

His greatest work was the “Divine Comedy.” Dante used this work to criticize the society of his time.

Geoffrey Chaucer wrote Canterbury Tales, a series of short stories told by a group of pilgrims on their way to Canterbury.

His use of the Midland dialect became poplar and was the forerunner of modern English. Father of Modern English

Medieval Universities

During the Middle Ages only nobles and clergy were educated. Gradually, however, schools grew up in which anyone

could study. These new schools were located in thriving towns. Early schools were simple, with possibly only one

teacher. As the number of teachers and students increased

they formed guilds for protection and privileges. Such guilds were called universities (association of

people). During the Middle Ages the liberal arts included:

logic, rhetoric, arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, and music.

Universities & Academic Degrees

Four great universities developed between 1000 and 1200.

University of Bologna (Roman and Canon Law) University of Salerno (Medicine) University of Paris (Theology)

University of Oxford (Liberal Arts) In time, medieval universities established standard

courses of study with uniform academic degrees.

Bachelor of Arts (finished your apprenticeship) Master of Arts (allowed to teach the liberal arts) Teachers admitted into the guild in a ceremony called

a commencement.

Philosophy

During the Middle Ages scholars spent much time trying to reconcile the ideas of Aristotle, whom they revered, and those of early Church writers.

The attempts of medieval philosophers to reconcile faith and reason is often called scholasticism.

The aim of the scholastic philosopher was to discover how man could improve himself in this life by reason and insure salvation in the life to come.

Two of the leading scholars of this time were Peter Abelard and Thomas Aquinas

Abelard and Aquinas

Peter Abelard taught at the University of Paris. In his book Sic et Non (Yes and No), he raised many

questions about Church doctrine. “perceive the truth. By doubting we come to inquiry,

and by inquiry we perceive the truth.”

Abelard raised questions about Church doctrine and discovered that Church doctrine often contradicted itself. Thomas Aquinas a Dominican monk, is best known for

his work, Summa Theologica. Attempted to use logic and reason to support Church

doctrine and teachings.

Science

There was little scientific progress made during the Middle Ages. Many medieval “scientists” practiced a strange

craft called alchemy. One basic aim of alchemy was to change

other metals into gold. Believed all metals were the same and could

therefore be changed into one another. The “Philosopher’s Stone” was a substance

necessary to perform this change. Could also prolong life.

Art & Architecture

Art and architecture of the Middle Ages was used almost entirely by the Church. (Cathedrals)

Building and beautifying of a church was considered a community project during the Middle Ages.

From 1000 to 1200 most medieval churches were built in the Romanesque style.

During the mid-1100s, the Gothic style of architecture emerged.

Romanesque vs. Gothic Architecture

  Romanesque Gothic

Mostly barrel-vaults, some groin-vaults.

Groin-vaulted cathedrals.

Rounded arches. Pointed arches.

Thick walls, buttresses. Exterior flying buttresses.

Small windows.Large stained-glass windows.

Horizontal, modest height.

Vertical, soaring.

Plain, little decoration, solid.

Ornate, delicate, lots of sculpture.

Dark, gloomy. Tall, light-filled.

Romanesque Architecture

Romanesque Architecture

Gothic Architecture

Gothic Architecture