LIFE IN THE MIDDLE AGES

The Feudal Order

The Rise of Feudalism

When Charlemagne died in 814 his empire was divided into 3 kingdoms.

During the 800’s and 900’s invaders from every direction threatened the kingdoms of Europe (the Vikings, the Muslims mainly)

With the collapse of a strong central government, local nobles became more important.

By AD 1000, Europes Kingdoms were divided into hundreds of Feudal territories.

Feudalism is based on ties of loyalty and duty among members of the nobility.

How Feudalism works

The King owns all land within his kingdom.The King keeps some land for himself and then

divides the land among the Nobles (or Lords)The Nobles who receive land from the King

swear loyalty to the king and will give money to the King and provide Knights for the Kings when he needs an army.

The land given to a Noble was called a Fief. The center of the Fief was the Lords castle.

Vassal: A lower ranking noble who serves another (Lords were the vassals of the King)

How Feudalism works, Continued

Nobles divided their land between lower nobles, known as knights (so knights were the Lord’s vassals)

Knights swore loyalty to their Lord and were his army/protector.

The Knights protected the peasants/serfs that lived on their land.

The peasants provided the Knights with food and services.

The food and services that the peasants provided were passed up the line to the Lord.

Peasants

Peasants had no real rights and could not own property.

Peasants were tied to the land; even if the Lord changed, the peasants stayed.

They had to get their Lords permission to marry.

They were not slaves, however; they could not be sold, and their Lords were supposed to protect them.

There were A FEW peasants who were free and rented land from a Lord

A Few Notes

The society was build on bonds of loyalty.Lords could take or give land as they saw fit.While Nobles (Lords or Knights) were away

(which was often), their wives controlled the land/manor.

Manors usually consisted of the noble’s castle, the surrounding fields, and a peasant village.