1. Topic 7
Rise of the Middle Ages

2. The beginning of the Middle Ages
The Middle Ages began at the decline of the Roman Empire
Since the government structure of Rome collapsed and Germanic people took over, the land was in chaos
People decided that having another large centralized government would be too difficult at this time
Turned to a new government structure: feudalism

3. Germanics and Middle Ages
When Charlemagne died, the recently unified Roman land was then divided into 3 units by his grandsons
These lands were often invaded by a Germanic group, the Vikings
Vikings sacked villages and towns, destroyed churches, defeated small local armies
Vikings took over much of Western Europe

4. Feudalism Vikings posed a threat to the people of Europe
Instead of uniting again under large pieces of land, many decided to govern on a much smaller scale.
Feudalism- political and social order that developed during the Middle Ages when royal governments were no longer able to defend their subjects; nobles offered protection and land in return for service

6. Definition of feudalism
Feudalism- a loosely organized system of rule in which powerful lords divided their landholdings among lesser lords

7. Feudalism Medieval society was a network of mutual obligations
People took vows of loyalty and service
Feudal contract- powerful lord granted his vassal a fief (a piece of land) in exchange for work

8. Knights and Vassals
Warriors swore an oath of loyalty to their leaders and fought in battles for them
Leaders in turn took care of the warriors needs
8th century: men who served a lord in a military capacity is known as a vassal
Vassals usually wore armor made of metal links or plates and carried swords; also used horses

9. Social Classes
Nobility: dukes, counts, barons, bishops who had large landed estates and considerable political power in society
Formed an aristocracy of people who held political, economic, and social power
Lords and ordinary knights came to form a common group within the aristocracy
Serfs- people who were bound to the land and worked on farms

10. Pledges of Loyalty Feudal contract- pledges of lords and lesser people
Powerful lord granted his vassal a fief (estate)
Agreement- lord promised to give land to his vassal, in return the vassal pledged loyalty to his lord; vassals agreed to provide 40 days of military service
Agreement was done at an official ceremony

11. Knight Life Young knights had little to do but fight
Tournaments helped them demonstrate their fighting skills
11th and 12th centuries- chivalry evolved
Chivalry- ideal of civilized behavior

12. The Manor: Economic System
Manor= lord’s estate
Peasants lived and worked on the manor; made up 60% of population
Peasants/serfs were bound to the land by mutual obligations
Serfs were given land to live and work on, had to give what they grew or made to their lord
Manors were self-sufficient
Serfs produced food, clothing, simple tools
Barter system- things were traded among only the manor

13. Life of Serfs Had to work the land
Jobs include: farming, weaving and sewing clothing, creating simple tools, carpenters
Homes consisted of one room
Main food source was bread

14. Changes in Agriculture
Peasants began using better technology including iron plows
As they began using better plows, food production increased, causing an increase in population
A new agricultural system: three-field system- the idea of rotating crops among four pieces of land

15. Trade during the Middle Ages
Growing populations meant there was more demand for goods
Trade began to prosper throughout Europe
New armed caravans were used to trade safely
Cultural diffusion occurred at amjor trading cities

16. Importance of the Church
The Church was at the center of a feudal society
The Church was a religious place, a center of education, and a social gathering place
The Pope and the Church were the leaders of society

17. Medieval Christian Church
Monasteries and convents were seen as centers of learning
Anyone who disobeyed the Church faced the penalty to excommunication
If a powerful noble opposed the church, the town faced an interdict
St. Francis of Assisi- assisted those who were poor and created a group of monks known as friars

18. Issues in the Church Church political power grows Simony
Church accumulated vast amounts of wealth and even controlled their own armies
Simony
Selling of church land
Selling of Indulgences
A payment for penance and also a payment for people to go to heaven
Growth of Church wealth
Everyone was required to pay a tithe- one-tenth of their income to the church

20. Noblewomen
Women could legally hold property- had to remain under control of men
Women had to manage the estate including the finances

21. Towns and Cities were created
Merchants needed a place to stay in the winter when it was too cold to trade
Many merchants settled together in an area
Small trade centers began to form
Merchants set up charters to protect their interests
Cities were later surrounded by protective walls

22. Economic Changes During the Middle Ages, coined money was rarely used
By 1000, money began to appear in circulation

23. New Middle Class
Serfdom began to dwindle with the use of money in the Middle Ages
Serfs became tenant farmers- those who paid rent to use the land
1000- a social class began which included merchants, traders, and artisans
New class known as the bourgeoisie

24. Medieval Cities and Towns
Cities and towns were small in comparison with ancient and modern cities
Most towns were part of a lord’s territory and subject to their authority
Originally, townspeople needed to pay for their freedom to trade
Townspeople had numerous rights from local lords including: the right to buy and sell property, freedom from military service to the lord, a written law that guaranteed townspeople their freedom, and the right for an escaped serf to become a free person after living a year and a day in the town

25. Medieval Towns and Cities
Cities developed their own governments for running the affairs of the community
Held elections of patricians- wealthy, powerful landowners who were elected to public office
Cities were often surrounded by stone walls
Cities were often dirty and unsanitary
Trade began to come back during the High Middle Ages

26. Guilds
1000s- craftspeople organized themselves into guilds- business organizations
There was a guild for almost every craft
Guilds directed almost every aspect of the production process
Set standards for the quality of the articles produced and even fixed the price that goods were sold at