UNIT 3 FEUDAL EUROPE

A period of instability• Centuries 9th and 10th:Invasions in

western Europe

• Form North the Normands (Vikings)

• From the South Muslims (Saracens)

• From East Hungarians (Magyars)

Feudalism and vassalage

• Monarchs relied on the nobles for support and established a system of relationships called vassalage.

• The homage and investiture:

• Homage: The vassal knelt before the King and promised to be loyal and provide him with military and economic help.

• Investitures: The King gave a fiefdom to a vassal.

Theatre activity• In groups of four represent the vassalage ceremony:

• Make a short script with the dialogs between kings and vassals.• This sentence will be compulsory for the vassal "I promise on my faith that I will in the

future be faithful to the lord, never cause him harm and will observe my homage to him completely against all persons in good faith and without deceit.“

• This compulsory for the king: “the lord/king promised to always protect the vassal, while the vassal promised to fight for the lord’s command”

• The dress will be valued.

• http://www.thefinertimes.com/Middle-Ages/vassals-in-the-middle-ages.html

The priviledged: the nobility.• Castle life:

Medieval knights• To become a knight it was compulsory to pass this tasks:• First became a page: Learn how to behave among noblemen and women• Secondly during the adolescence they become a squire: carry the lord’s shield

and began a gruelling physical an militar training. Under the supervision of a knight.• If the candidate demonstrates the values he will be knigted in the knighting

ceremony.

Create your coat of arms

Knight’s activities• Main activity it was war, they had a long military learning, to be physically and

mentally prepared.• In times of peace they train taking part in tournaments and jousting or hunting.• A knight was also taught in good manners, specially to treat with noble ladies.

They had to be treat ladies with great respect and humble. This is know as courtly love.

The privileged: The clergy

• In Europe in Middle Ages the social and spiritual life was controlled by the Church.

Church regulation of social life• The church was the most important building in any village or city.• The Church organised the ceremonies that marked person’s ife: baptism, marriage, funeral.

Festivities: Christmas, Easter…• Religious obligations: Pray every day, go to Mass, fast during lent, confess…• They had to practise charity and give money to the church.• Pilgirmage was recommended to Rome, Jerusalem or Santiago de Compostela.

Rich and influential institution• The Church was the most influential institution in Medieval Europe.• Accumulated great riches, many members of the clergy held privileged positions.• Owned considerable land and buildings. • It recieved the TITHE: the tenth part of peasants production. • Recived donations from their parishioners. Some of them left the Church their belongings

in their wills.

A Fiefdom: Lords and peasants• Fiefdom: The land under the control of the lord. It was “entailed

property”, they could be inherited by the lord’s descendant, but not sold.

• Manorial rents:• The lord gave plots of land (Holdings) to

peasant in exchange for labour and taxes.• The peasants had obligations such as:

- Work a certain number of days on the lord’s land.- Give the lord part of the harvest.- Contribute towards the maintenance of the castle

and communal services- Offer the lord the first furits of the harvest- Pay for the services of he fiefdom: the oven, the

mill, the press, the use of bridges and paths…• The lord’s powers:

• Jurisdictional authority, granted by the king: the lord could issue orders, impart justice, collect taxes, impose fines…

• Had to guarantee the protection of peasants in his fiefdom.

Peasants worked the land• Peasants made up 90% of the population in middle ages.• Were responsible for farming the land and raising livestock.Two types of peasants:• Free peasants: Owned their own land, not legally bound to a lord. They the right to

get married, leave the fiefdom, learn a trade…• Serfs: Worked the lord’s land and had no personal freedom. They couldn’t leave

the fiefdom, get married or leave inheritance without the lord’s permission.

Parts of the fiefdom• A fiefdom was organised into two big parts:

• Lord’s demesne or domain: The best land. The lord reserved for himself. The castle and communal pastures and forest were located here.

• Holdings: Plots of land provided to serfs and peasants, which they farmed and built their houses on, in exchange for labour in the demesne and taxes.