1. Feudalism & Manorialism Pyramid of power
Learning Goal 2: Explain why feudalism and manoralism developed in Western Europe and describe the major characteristics of each.

2. The
Early
Middle
Ages
was a
dangerous
time.

3. Roman Empire had a central government.
After Rome fell, Europe had dozens of little kingdoms.
Lots of fighting between kingdoms.
Lots of attacks from Vikings, Magyars (from East Asia) and Muslims.
A new way evolved ...

4. Instructions
Take notes on your graphic organizer as we go through this Powerpoint
Don’t just write in Serfs, Vassals, etc!

5. Feudalism
Feudalism was the political and military system of the Middle Ages.
In a feudal society, land is exchanged for military service and loyalty.
The ownership of land was the basis or power.

6. Feudal Pyramid of Power

7. At the top William the Conqueror The King owned all of the land.
Depending on how much he liked them, he gave land to the Nobles.
William the Conqueror

8. Feudal Pyramid of Power
KING
LAND
NOBLES
Feudal Pyramid of Power

9. Nobles Lords and Ladies, Dukes, Earls.
Usually related to, or mates with, the King.
They didn’t get the Land for free: they were required to give money and soldiers (knights) if the King needed them to fight a war.

10. Feudal Pyramid of Power
KING
MONEY AND KNIGHTS
LAND
NOBLES
Feudal Pyramid of Power

11. Knights
Nobles needed trained soldiers to defend castles and to give the King when he asked for them.
Knights most important, highly skilled soldiers
Mounted knights in heavy armor best defenders

12. PROTECTION and MILITARY SERVICE Feudal Pyramid of Power
KING
MONEY AND KNIGHTS
LAND
PROTECTION and MILITARY SERVICE
NOBLES
KNIGHTS
Feudal Pyramid of Power

13. Many Lords Person could be both lord, vassal
Some knights with large fiefs gave small pieces of land to other knights
One knight could serve many lords
Everyone’s supposed to be loyal to the King. Didn’t always work out that way.

14. Peasants Everyday people – peasants - were frightened.
They turned to landowners for protection.
Peasants offered their labor in exchange for protection.
These peasants were called serfs.
Peasants

15. Serfs He was not a slave because he could not be sold.
A serf was “bound to the land.”
He could not leave his
lord’s land.
He was not a slave because he could not be sold.
But he was not free because he could not leave.
He also needed permission to marry.

16. PROTECTION and MILITARY SERVICE Feudal Pyramid of Power
KING
MONEY AND KNIGHTS
LAND
PROTECTION and MILITARY SERVICE
LAND (fief)
NOBLES
LAND
and protection
FOOD AND SERVICES
KNIGHTS
vassals
PEASANTS
Feudal Pyramid of Power

18. Manorialism
In Modern times, when we say “Manor”, we mean this:

19. Manorialism
But in the Middle Ages, a Manor was more like a town or a large estate.
Remember: a fief was all of a Lord’s land.
The Manor was the part of the fief where the peasants farmed and lived.

20. Manorialism was the economic system of the Middle Ages.
Manorialism is a self-sufficient economy; this means that everything that is necessary for life was created on the manor.

22. At the lowest level of society were the serfs , which were peasants that were bound to the land.
The lord offered his serfs protection in exchange for living and working on his land.

23. Hard Work & High Taxes
Peasants worked hard to cultivate the land and produce the goods that the lord and his manor needed.
They were heavily taxed and were required to relinquish much of what they harvested.

24. Recap…
 Feudalism is the social and political system that evolved in W Europe in the 8th and 9th centuries, in which vassals were protected and maintained by their lords, usually through the granting of fiefs, and were required to serve under them in war.
Manorialism is the economic system by which peasants of medieval Europe were made dependent on their land and on their lord derived from the word ‘manor.’ Its basic unit was the manor, a self-sufficient stationary estate, or fief that was under the control of a lord who enjoyed a variety of rights over it and the peasants attached to it by means of serfdom.

25. Feudalism Manorialism Political system Social System
Vassals required to fight for the Lord
Based in Europe
Serfs tied to land
Protection offered to serfs
Lord controlled Manor
Economic System
Self Sufficient