1. 13.2 – Feudalism in Europe Mr. Marijanovich (from Mr. Schabo)
World History B
Crestwood High School

2. Setting the Stage
With the decline of Rome, Europe enters a period called the Middle Ages, or the medieval period ( A.D.). European society becomes firmly rooted in:
Classical Heritage of Rome
Beliefs of the Roman Catholic Church
Customs of the various Germanic tribes
Feudalism

3. Medieval Europe aka - The Dark Ages aka - The Middle Ages
aka - Feudal Europe
The 1000 year period between the fall of Rome (Western Roman Empire) until the Renaissance (about 1450 AD)

4. Effects of Rome’s Decline
Invasions from outsiders disrupted trade & weakened the economy
Cities abandoned as centers of administration, law, and order.
Population shifts from cities to rural areas as government and economy collapse. Cities are left without strong leadership.
Learning declines as illiterate invaders conquer cities and learned families flee to rural areas. Soon, only church officials are literate.
As invaders mix with the Roman population, Latin changes and morphs into French, Spanish, etc.

5. The Early Middle Ages
Constant invasions and war beginning about 300AD caused much of the knowledge of Greece & Rome to be lost in Europe.
Trade declined & money disappeared.
About 800 AD, the Franks (Eastern France & Western Germany) under Charlemagne reunited much of the Western Roman Empire…
He established an efficient gov’t, revived learning, & the arts.
When he died, so did his reforms.

6. Feudalism After Charlemagne’s death invasions returned to Europe.
To respond to the invasions, Feudalism, a system of rule by local lords, the Roman Catholic Church, and birth right was established.
Feudalism was established in a peace ceremony bet. A Viking leader (Rollo) who received a piece of land (Normandy) from a French king (Charles the Simple) in exchange for a pledge of loyalty.

7. Feudalism Structures Society
As invasions continue, leaders and warriors all over Europe strike similar agreements.
Feudalism was based on rights and obligations. In exchange for military protection, a lord (landowner) grants land called a fief. The person receiving the fief is called a vassal.

8. Review Break!
Thumbs up if the answer is true, thumbs down if the answer is false:
Cities stayed as centers of administration, law, and order as more people moved there.
- FALSE!!! (They were abandoned, as people moved due to economic/government collapse)
Charlemagne was able to unite much of the old Western Roman Empire, but it didn’t last.
- TRUE 
Feudalism was an agreement in which land was exchanged for a pre-arranged marriage.
- FALSE!!! (In exchange for military protection, a lord grants land called a fief)

9. http://www. pbhsglides. net/williams/Block3/Upgrade

10.
Image taken from British History for Dummies by Sean Lang (Chichester, West Sussex, England: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., 2004).

11. Primogeniture Feudalism was based on the concept of primogeniture.
Primogeniture – the practice of passing estates to the first-born male heir in the family.
If your dad was a lord (meaning he owned property) & you were the oldest son, you got the fief (house, the fields, the serfs, etc.)
If you were not the oldest son you had 4 options.

12. Options in Feudal Europe
1.) Marry the oldest daughter of a noble without a son.
2.) Become a knight (mounted warrior) attach yourself to a noble, & fight for land.
3.) Go to work for the Church (vow of poverty & chastity).
4.) Work as a vassal for a lord.

13. Manor Life
The manor was the lord’s estate. Manor life relied on system of rights and obligations, too.
The lord provided protection, housing, and land.
The serfs worked the land for the lord, tended to his animals, and performed other tasks to maintain the estate.
All peasants (free or serf) owed the lord 3-4 days of labor per week and a portion of their crops.

14. http://go. hrw. com/hrw. nd/gohrw_rls1/pKeywordResults

15. Manor Life Continued
Peasants rarely traveled more than 25 miles from the manor (a little more than the distance from here to Twelve Oaks Mall!)
Manors were self-sufficient, producing everything necessary for daily life.

16. Harshness of Manor Life
Life was hard for peasants:
Tax on grains milled on the manor
Weddings allowed only with lord’s permission
10% tithing (tax) by church
Cottages in village were crowded and unsanitary
Life was all about work – even for children!
High mortality rate…life expectancy was 35 years!