1. Feudalism and The Manor System
Daily Life in Medieval Europe

2. After Charlemagne
Europe was invaded repeatedly by 3 groups: the Vikings from the north, the Magyars from the east, and the Muslims from the south
Kings across Europe could not defend all of their lands, so they granted land to nobles
The nobles had to find a way to defend their territory

4. Feudalism Feudalism: the system of exchanging land for service
Over time the system became complicated as lords granted land to multiple knights and knights granted land to lesser knights, called villeins

5. Defense Systems
Many nobles built castles that could withstand an attack
The nobles then trained soldiers to defend their castles and territory

6. Knights Most well-trained soldiers for defending a castle
Becoming a knight was expensive; knights needed to but their own armor, weapons, and horses
Knights often agreed to defend a castle in exchange for a piece of land
Nobles would grant knights a fief – anyone who accepted a fief was called a vassal

7. Feudalism bound people together through professional duties
Feudal Obligations
Feudalism bound people together through professional duties
A knight’s duties to his lord:
Provide military service
Remain loyal and faithful
Took an oath of fealty, or loyalty
Give money on special occasions
A lord’s duties to his knights:
Give land
Protect knights from attack
Resolve disputes between knights

8. The Medieval Manor Usually owned by lords or knights
Since lords were too busy with feudal duties to work the land, they granted land to peasants
In exchange, the peasants provided the lord with labor and other services

9. What Did a Manor Include?
Most of the land consisted of pastures and fields for crops
Usually there were 3 fields – a spring field, a fall field, and a field left fallow (empty) to improve the soil
The peasants would rotate the fields each year this system is called crop rotation

10. What Did a Manor Include? (cont.)
Lords lived in a fortified manor house
Peasants lived in a village on the manor grounds
The village usually had a church, mill, and a blacksmith
There was often a bakehouse, pond, and orchard
The manor was built to be self-sufficient, people on the manor did not have to leave for anything