Middle Ages PowerPoint Lecture NotesMr. Rockwood

Feudalism: a system of political, economic, and social organization

Middle Ages – approx. 476—1500 C.E.– the time after the Classical Age of ancient Greece

and Rome and before the Renaissance

•Less often called Medieval times (not mid-evil)

•Early middle Ages sometimes called the Dark Ages – 476 to 1000 C.E. Dark Ages is an unfair term since a lot was going on during this time.

•High middle Ages 1000-1300 C.E.

•Late middle Ages 1300-1500 C.E.

Fall of Rome / Middle Ages

• In 476 C.E., warriors attacked the city of Rome and ended more than 800 years of glory for the “eternal city.” Historians mark the fall of Rome as the end of ancient history. The next 1000 years were called the Middle Ages.

• The beginning of the Middle Ages is often called the Dark Ages (Renaissance term) because Rome had fallen and life in Europe was hard. Very few could read and write, and no one expected conditions to improve. The only hope for most was their belief in Christianity, and the hope that life in heaven would be better than life on earth.

Europe in the 6cEurope in the 6cEurope in the 6cEurope in the 6c

Politically: Religiously:

Chaos and Reorganization

• Barbarian invasions• Merged in with

existing populations• feudalism

Age of Faith

• Roman Catholic church was a strong institution that created stability in the face of rapid secular change.

• Church was often the only way to get an education.

The Role of the Church

After the fall of Rome the Church took over the central role in society.

The Church, despite its faults, did a lot of work in Medieval communities. The Church helped the poor and helped provide a sense of unity for the people through a common religion.

Organization of the Church

The lowest level of Church Organization was a Parish which was led by a Priest.

Above a Priest was a Bishop. The Bishop led a Diocese, or Bishopric.

The Papacy

• The head of the Catholic Church was the Pope.

• The Pope was the Bishop of the city of Rome.• This Bishop claimed that they were descended

from St. Peter who was the “Rock” upon which Jesus built his church.

Theocracy of Europe• Popes, Cardinals anoint

Kings• Europe is united in

Christianity• Political and Religious

hierarchy is similar• Some diversity in

practices and beliefs• Church, Good Works,

Sacraments, Key to Salvation

• Preoccupation with death and salvation

How the Church Saved Civilization

• Church Monopolizes education

• Monasteries centers of education and literature

• Monks study and copy ancient texts

• Some classic works are preserved

• Others destroyed because of the cost of paper

Monks: ScriptoriumIllumination: Decorative borders on

manuscripts the monks copied.

Calligraphy:Fancy script used by monks.

Monastaries produced many well-educated men prepared to serve as administrators for uneducated kings and lords.

Art and Literature

• Christian focus• Very little realism

What about Women?Women could also dedicate their lives to the church and its spiritual mission.

Women who dedicated their lives to the church were known as Nuns.

Nuns lived in convents which were headed by an Abbess.

Convents offered women opportunities they would not have if they stayed home and became wives and mothers. In convents women could get an education and be involved in a community.

The Power of the The Power of the Medieval ChurchMedieval ChurchThe Power of the The Power of the Medieval ChurchMedieval Church bishops and abbots played a large part in

the feudal system.

the church controlled about 1/3 of the land in Western Europe.

tried to curb feudal warfare only 40 days a year for combat.

curb heresies crusades; Inquisition

tithe 1/10 tax on your assets given to the church.

Peter’s Pence 1 penny per person [paid by the peasants].

Common Elements between the Rich and the Poor

in the Middle Ages:• Subservience to God’s

church• Church played a big role

— 7 sacraments baptism, communion (excommunicated)

• No salvation outside of church

• Belief in God, heaven, and hell

• All actions had consequences

• Your soul was immortal

FeudalismFeudalismFeudalismFeudalismA political, economic, and social system based on loyalty and military service.

Feudalism: A Political SystemKINGS:• Kings at top of

hierarchy; collected from barons

• As God’s deputy on earth (“divine right of kings”), can’t question the king’s authority

BARONS (other titles):• Important noblemen• Rich and powerful• Barons collected from lords,

lords collected from peasants, etc.

• Land was almost the only form of wealth; Rank and power were determined by the amount of land you had.

Lord gives Vassal

Feudalism

Lord

VassalHomage and oath of fealty

Fief

Vassal Promised to Lord

Peasants

Controlled all of the land

The lord gave a parcel of land to a vassal

Included land and everything on it

Considered part of the

land

Promised to be loyal to his lord-took a public

oath to the effect

LoyaltyMilitary ServiceAdvice andTax Collection

Feudal relationships could become very complicated.

A man could end up being both a Lord and Vassal at the same time.

Feudal Contract

• The Feudal contract was the agreement that a vassal made with

his lord.

• The Fief: Was land that was given to the vassal by the lord.

The Nobility of the Middle AgesMedieval Noblemen spent their

lives preparing to fight or fighting.

Noblemen were kings, dukes, counts, barons, and even bishops and archbishops who had large landed estates and a lot of political power.

Aristocratic WomenWhile men spent their lives focused on warfare,

the lives of women were much different.

Women could own property, but were under the control of men.

Women were to manage their household or castles. The lady was also to oversee the food

supply and maintain the household supplies

PEASANTS:

PEASANTS (a.k.a SERFS/VILLEINS)/SLAVES):

• Lived on the lord’s manor.• Peasants’ work:

EVERYTHING—land, animals, animals’ dung, homes, clothes, BELONGED TO THE LORD OF THE MANOR.

• Couldn’t leave the manor property without permission

• More than 90% of the population were peasants (serfs, freemen)

FREEMEN:

FREEMEN: • owned their own land independently of a lord• In early feudalism, freemen were limited to

the LORDS’ APPOINTED OFFICIALS, and A FEW MERCHANTS AND CRAFTSMEN (much more in later middle ages as economy changed).

Social History

• Peasants• Agrarian society• Very little opportunity for

social mobility• Labor/product is currency• Peasant are producers and

consumers• Life is short, days are long,

goal salvation• Service for Protection

• Women and Family• High infant Mortality• 20%of Women die in child

birth• Family works together to

farm small plots of land• After Marriage women are

husbands property• No rights to inheritance• Education (skills) takes

place in the home

Parts of a Medieval Castle

Castles• Castles were designed to be a place of

protection and a place of retreat in the event of an attack (no gunpowder/cannons).

• They were offensive weapons built to control surrounding lands.

• They evolved into residences for the King or Lord who built them.

Feudal Economy• Hierarchical system in

which every man is another man’s vassal (or servant)

• hardly any movement at all through the system in early MA

• A bit more movement in high and late MA

• Manor: estate-self sufficient and all life revolved around it

• Lord: head of manor• Lady: wife of lord• Knight: Lord/son of Lord• Vassal: underlord; feudal

tenant• Serf: workers; bound to the

lord of the castle; 4/5 of income went to the lord; no chance to change your life if you were a serf; no way to work your way up; no time for theater, etc.

The Medieval ManorThe Medieval ManorThe Medieval ManorThe Medieval Manor

ChivalryChivalry:: A Code of Honor and A Code of Honor and BehaviorBehaviorChivalryChivalry:: A Code of Honor and A Code of Honor and BehaviorBehavior

Chivalry:

•medieval institution of knighthood; qualities idealized by knights—bravery, courtesy, honesty•Flowering of Poetry about Courtly Love•Rules of warfare: killing and destroying was not a goal•Jousting, hunting, and chess-all practice for warfare

The Road to KnighthoodThe Road to KnighthoodThe Road to KnighthoodThe Road to Knighthood

KNIGHT

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Some Important Cultural Changes:Flowering of Poetry About Courtly Love:

• For nobles only• Troubadours

(professional singers) sang of courtliness, brave deeds, and Romantic love accompanied by a harp or lute.

• Courtly love poetry praised an idealized, distant, unattainable lady love (e.g. Beatrice in Dante’s Divine Comedy)

• Artificial passion with strict rules.

• For instance, a loved one could be married to someone else.

• Developed in literature –stories of unrequited love and heroic knights.

• E.g., Arthurian legends in France; best is Lancelot by Chretien de Troyes about the court of King Arthur, a Celtic chieftain of 6th century Britain who fought the Anglo-Saxon invaders.

Flowering of Poetry About Courtly Love, cont.:

• As often seen in lit/art: Told in manner of late Middle Ages with forbidden love, knightly combats, and colorful pageantry.

• Hearty, masculine culture of early Middle Ages was giving way to a more tranquil, confident, and leisurely society.

• Over time, a noble’s castle became more of a theater for refined pleasures than a barracks for fighting men.