Stabilizing Medieval Europe, 700-1000. Stabilizing Medieval Europe New Economic order: –Feudalism...
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Transcript of Stabilizing Medieval Europe, 700-1000. Stabilizing Medieval Europe New Economic order: –Feudalism...
Stabilizing Medieval Europe
• New Economic order: – Feudalism– Manorialism
• The Role of the Catholic Church– Regulating Marriage– Regulating Sexuality– Blessing Secular Rulers
Feudalism and Medieval Households
• The Three Categories of Society:– Those Who Work: Peasants or Serfs– Those Who Fight: Knights– Those Who Pray: Clergy & Religious
• Feudalism: An Economic System – a set of social relations based upon protection
through service
Characteristics of Feudalism
• Ancient slavery ends as a labor system
• An economic system which does not require cash exchange or extensive markets
• People bound together in terms of obligations and terms of service– loyalty, homage and fealty govern relationships
between lord and vassal, peasant and lord
Patterns...
• 25-50 peasant families support one knight
• 90% of the population are peasants
• Peasants owe 3 days/wk of service + fees to lord. Fees are required : to marry, to inherit
• Knights owe 40 days/year service to lord to fight and must supply armaments, horses, etc.
Patterns, cont.
• Farm output is about 10% of today’s midwestern farm.
• Peasants (serfs, not slaves) are bound to land but have rights to the land
• Manors are economic and military units, with fortifications for defense (a castle), may also be controlled by monastic order or church.
Catholic Church
• Regulates Sexuality through confession: see handout on the “penitentials.”
• Organizes marriage by enforcing rules of monogamy and exogamy