The Feudal System

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King (The royal family) Duke Marquis Count (Earl) Viscount Baron Knight Peasants: - Craftsmen, Merchants - Serfs (villeins, freeman, cottars, slaves) - Prisoners THE HIERARCHY

The King owns the most land, and distributes it to the nobles as he pleases. In return, the nobles must supply the King with harvest and come to his aid in battle. The nobles are given land according to their rank. Serfs work on the land for the nobles (and themselves). The Serfs work for and obey the nobles in exchange for protection. Flourished between the 9th and 15th centuries in medieval Europe. FEUDALISM

A DAY IN THE MIDDLE AGES TimB.O.B Sir ThomasLord Whiskers

APPROACHING THE ROYAL FAMILY Count(Earl) and Marquis VladimirDuke of Wellington

THE ROYAL FAMILY Edward the Black Prince Princesses

Your Majesty Your Grace Your (Royal) Highness Your lordship Your ladyship My lord My Lady Sire Sir Ma’am ○○○ the XXX (○○○=Name) ●●●○○○ FORMS OF ADDRESS

Eligible for: King, queen. Derived ultimately from the Latin word maiestas. (greatness) Maiestas was first used by the Roman Empire, symbolizing the supreme status and dignity of the state. Later meant the Emperor. First assumed by Charles V (First Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire), who believed he deserved an address greater than Highness, which preceding emperors and kings had used. King Francis I of France and King Henry VIII of England followed his example. Later became appropriate for queens as well. In the following conversation, the king would then be referred to as “sire”, and the queen “ma’am” (madam). YOUR MAJESTY

Eligible for: Kings and queens of Scotland or Ireland. Kings and queens prior to Henry VIII. Non royal dukes and duchesses. Means that the person addressed is with grace (from God). Means that the person addressed is gracious and merciful. YOUR GRACE

Eligible for: Emperor and kings prior to Charles V. Members of the royal family. (prince, princess, royal dukes, duchesses) Indicates the “royalty” of the person addressed. Indicates just how “high up” the person addressed is from the person addressing. In the following conversation, the males would be referred to as “sir”, and the females “ma’am”. YOUR (ROYAL) HIGHNESS

Eligible for: Marquis/Marchioness Earl/Count/Countess Viscount/Viscountess Baron/Baroness Indicates the rank of the person addressed. In the following conversation, males would be referred to as “my lord”, and females “my lady”. YOUR LORDSHIP/LADYSHIP

Knights were almost always called upon as “sir”. (Usually with his name) Peasants had no specific form of address, they referred to each other by drawing on their occupation. (No Mister, Mistress.) Ex. ○○○ the XXX → Hoarst the Blacksmith, Sloan the Butcher. Sometimes honorary titles were given. Ex. ●●●○○○ → Goodwife Elga, Goodman Thomas. KNIGHTS AND PEASANTS

From the 9th to the 15th century in medieval Europe, there was a hierarchy system, which was based on the distribution of land, that shaped the society. The higher your rank, the more land and serfs you would get. The relations between the serfs and the owners of the land are strictly regulated, just like those of nobles and royalty. There were specific forms of address that were appropriate for different ranks and different people. (Usually nobility.) The forms of address usually had something to do with the status of the people addressed. RECAP

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