1. What was Medieval Europe like without Rome to provide protection?

2. Violent and dangerous with numerous wars and foreign invasions.

3. How did this give rise to Feudalism?
The Kings were not powerful enough to protect their lands
The wealthy nobles fought each other for greater territory and power.
The kings made a deal with the nobles, in which they gave the nobles land and promised to protect them.
In return the nobles promised to be loyal to the king and supply him with armed warriors and other services.

4. Levels of Feudalism
Peasants

5. In Medieval times there were three major groups of people
The Nobility
The Church
The commoners

6. Responsibilities
Relationships were based on a balance system: “you do for me, I do will do for you.”
Lords: defend the common people
Common people: do all the work

7. How Feudalism Worked
Vassals pledged their loyalty to more then one lord.
It was important that lords had strong vassals.
Peasants were unarmed.
They had to depend on the lord of the manor to protect them and the lord had to count on his vassals.

8. Cont.
Everything in Medieval times circled around violence: preparing, defending, recovering from battle. That is why feudalism was important during this time in history.
The Catholic Church tried to limit battles by creating decrees of when battles could take place.

9. Feudalism
Feudalism was a loosely organized of rule in which powerful local lords divided their landholdings among lesser lords or vassals, who pledged their service and loyalty to the greater lord.