1. Feudalism
Your Name Here

2. How did this social and economic hierarchy come to be?

3. 476 C.E.

4. What were some of the causes of Rome’s demise?
Military Spending
Urban Decay
Unemployment
Political Corruption – Praetorian Guard
Morals & Values
Inferior Technology

5. So what happened to Western Europe?
There was no longer a central government to keep order.
People still needed protection.
Europe had an abundance of farmland (and still does today )

7. Feudal Pyramid of Power
LAND
and control over the people who lived there
1: As Monarch, the King was the top of the pyramid: he owned land.
He could allocate land, and control of the people who lived on the land to:
2: the nobility. These were important families, believed to be of important birth OR having shown incredible loyalty to the King.
Feudal Pyramid of Power

8. Feudal Pyramid of Power
LAND
and control over the people who lived there
MONARCH
NOBILITY
1: As Monarch, the King was the top of the pyramid: he owned land.
He could allocate land, and control of the people who lived on the land to:
2: the nobility. These were important families, believed to be of important birth OR having shown incredible loyalty to the King.
Feudal Pyramid of Power

9. Feudal Pyramid of Power
LAND
and control over the people who lived there
MONEY (TAX) AND KNIGHTS
MONARCH
NOBILITY
1: As Monarch, the King was the top of the pyramid: he owned land.
He could allocate land, and control of the people who lived on the land to:
2: the nobility. These were important families, believed to be of important birth OR having shown incredible loyalty to the King.
Feudal Pyramid of Power

10. Feudal Pyramid of Power
LAND
and control over the people who lived there
MONEY (TAX) AND KNIGHTS
MONARCH
LOYALTY, PROTECTION and MILITARY SERVICE
LAND (fief)
NOBILITY
KNIGHTS VASSALS
Feudal Pyramid of Power

11. Feudal Pyramid of Power
LAND
and the people who lived there
MONEY (TAX) AND KNIGHTS
MONARCH
LOYALTY, PROTECTION and MILITARY SERVICE
LAND (fief)
NOBILITY
LAND
and protection
FOOD AND SERVICES
KNIGHTS VASSALS
PEASANTS SERFS
Note that the serfs were provided with land, but did not own it. They paid ‘rent’. Also, they expected ‘protection’.
Emphasise that in the beginning the Nobility and Vassals were mostly Norman French, and the peasants/serfs English. This formed the foundation for the levels of formality of our language (French-origin words are considered more elegant and formal; Anglo-Saxon origin words more conversational and informal) as well as British class structures which continue in Australia.
Feudal Pyramid of Power

12. Feudal Pyramid of Power
LAND
and the people who lived there
MONEY (TAX) AND KNIGHTS
MONARCH
LOYALTY, PROTECTION and MILITARY SERVICE
LAND (fief)
NOBILITY
LAND
and protection
FOOD AND SERVICES
KNIGHTS VASSALS
PEASANTS SERFS
Feudal Pyramid of Power

13. Feudal Pyramid of Power
LAND
and the people who lived there
MONEY (TAX) AND KNIGHTS
MONARCH
LOYALTY, PROTECTION and MILITARY SERVICE
LAND (fief)
NOBILITY
LAND
and protection
FOOD AND SERVICES
KNIGHTS VASSALS
PEASANTS SERFS
It could be said that God and the Church were above the Monarch on the pyramid of power.
Feudal Pyramid of Power

14. Feudal Pyramid of Power
LAND
and the people who lived there
MONEY (TAX) AND KNIGHTS
MONARCH
LOYALTY, PROTECTION and MILITARY SERVICE
LAND (fief)
NOBILITY
LAND
and protection
FOOD AND SERVICES
KNIGHTS VASSALS
MERCHANTS
FARMERS CRAFTSMEN
PEASANTS SERFS
Print this slide to create a poster for the classroom.
Feudal Pyramid of Power

15. The Church The Catholic Church was very powerful in Medieval England.
The King may have been ruler of England but he feared the Church and the Pope.
The King allocated 25% of available land for Church use.
The King was considered to be on the throne because of ‘divine right’ – i.e. that God put him there.
If the King went against the wishes of the Pope, or the rules of Catholicism, he could be excommunicated.
What is the implication of the Church having control over 25% of the land.
Explain what it means to be excommunicated.

16. Know Your Role How did it feel to be a Monarch? A Noble (Lord)?
A Knight (Vassal)?
A Peasant?

17. How would it feel to be born into a role you could not change?

18. What are the basic needs of all groups in feudal society?

19. In what ways were different groups dependent on each other?

20. What are the advantages of feudalism?

21. What are the disadvantages?

22. What could potentially destroy the security of a feudal society?

23. Why would serf and peasants put up with this?