Life on the Manor and Power of the Church Unit 4: The Middle Ages Life on the Manor and Power of the Church

Where the Dark Ages really dark?

Questions to consider... What is feudalism and how does it work? How was the Church involved in people’s daily lives?

What is Feudalism? The king (lord) would grant land (fief) to a noble (vassal) in exchange for loyalty.

What did feudalism provide? Protection from invasion No central government to provide security

Life on the Manor Manor: an agricultural estate operated by a lord •Extremely self-sufficient •Serfs and peasants raised or produced nearly everything **What is being provided between the social classes?**

Social Structure Lord Vassal Relationship Vassals had certain duties to perform for the lord All nobles were ultimately vassals of the king (loyalty)

The Role of the Church Served as a unifying force Provided security and salvation Education for monks at Monasteries

Structure of the Church The Church had different ranks of clergy, or religious officials Pope was head of Church All clergy, including bishops and priests fell under pope’s authority For most people, local priests served as the main contact with the Church

Religion as a Unifying Force Feudalism created division but Church teachings bonded them together Provided people with a sense of security and of belonging to a religious community Priests and other clergy administered sacraments All were subject to canon law, or Church Law

Education The Church offered the only place to receive an education in the Middle Ages Monasteries were religious communities for men Men in monasteries were called monks and gave up possessions to devote a life serving God Women, or nuns, lived in convents

Result: Throughout the Middle Ages, the power of the Church grew. It was able to provide unity, education, and strong empires even allowed popes to call for the bloody event known as The Crusades.