FEUDALISM AND THE MIDDLE AGES

FEUDALism Feudalism is the political and social system of the Middle Ages. A lord granted a vassal land in exchange for loyalty, military assistance and other services.

THE STRUCTURE OF FEUDALISM

LORDS PEASANTS

NOBLES AND LAND A powerful lord could grant land to a vassal. The contract between lord and vassal was called a FIEF.

LORDS ,VASSALS,& KNIGHTS Lords would grant land to vassals who would give their loyalty and protection to the lord in return. Vassals are subject to the will of their Lord. Vassals could grant land to knights creating a contract with them, and becoming lords themselves.

WARFARE WARS were destructive to peasants and opportunities for the nobles. Wars usually broke out because of disputes between lords and vassals.

THE MANORIAL SYSTEM MANORIALISM : Economic system of medieval Europe where life was built around the lord’s manor.

MANORS Manors were large farming estates that included manor houses, cultivated lands, woodlands, pastures, fields, and villages.

PEASANTS ON THE MANOR Peasants lives were difficult during the middle ages. They spent long hours working in the fields.

THE LIFESTYLES OF THE RICH AND NOBLE A lord would rule over his vassals and peasants from his castle. Castle’s were not luxurious structures but were built as fortifications for protection from invasion.

KNIGHTS IN THE MIDDLE AGES To become a knight, a boy would have to be of noble birth and complete two stages of training.

CHIVALRY                 Chivalry was a system of rules that dictated a knights behavior. The code of chivalry did much to improve the rough crude manners of early feudal lords.