1. One answer for Western Europe AD 500 - 1200
Feudalism
One answer for
Western Europe AD
Mr. Ebert

3. Changes in W. Europe 400 – 700 CE Trade disrupted Cities abandoned
Population shift → rural
Common language lost
Concept of gov’t changed
- central ⃗ local authority
Decline in education

4. A few coins would be nice.
Needs of Europeans
We need protection!
We need a good harvest!
We need shelter!
A few coins would be nice.

5. The Franks: 500 - 900 Clovis = 1st Christian king
Carolingian Dynasty formed
Charlemagne gained rule
- Expanded empire; reunited western Europe
- Revived interest in education, the arts
Kingdom divided after Charlemagne’s death

6. Fought Muslim invasion Fought Vikings, Hungarians
Clovis
Christian King
Charles Martel
Fought Muslim invasion
Granted land to military
Professional “soldiers”
Beginnings of feudalism
Pepin the Short
Charlemagne
Fought Vikings, Hungarians

7. Europe 700 C.E.

8. The Church Papal power increased Christianity survived and adapted
→ secular power
Pope = center of Roman government
Christianity survived and adapted
Monasteries built
Became educational centers based on religion

9. The Rise of Feudalism 800-1000 Vikings Magyars Muslims
Weak rulers after Charlemagne’s death
Carolingian Empire attacked from all sides
Vikings N
Magyars W E
Widespread disorder in Europe
Shift → loyalty to local rulers for protection S
Muslims

10. Europe Rearms Feudalism is born! King permits forts
Evolve into castles
Counts (Nobles) gain power
Peasants look locally for protection
Feudalism is born!
Europe Rearms

11. Feudalism Based on mutual obligations
Landowners = lords (also King, Church)
Lords grant land to vassals
Fiefs = land grants
Vassals till land, serve as warriors, do other work for the lord or king

12. It’s All About Land..
King gave military protection; land grants to lords & knights
Lords granted land to vassals (knights & other nobles)
Knights defended land in exchange for fiefs (land)
Peasants = landless people who worked in fields
Serfs = peasants who could not legally leave birthplace

13. The Hierarchy 850 - 950 Church King Knights Peasants Serfs
powerful; owned land
King
Nobles
Lords
Vassals
Knights
Peasants
Most peasants were serfs
Serfs

14. Role of the Church Salvation Church = center of Medieval life
Religious services
Town meetings
Plays, festivals
Markets
Church explained world events
Disease, weather, famine, etc.
Salvation
=saving of a person’s soul
Fate of soul more important than present life
Gave people purpose, controlled behavior

15. Roman Catholic Church

16. 7 Sacraments Holy Orders – man becomes a priest Baptism
Penance – confession of sins
Extreme Unction – blessing at death
Baptism
to cleanse of sin
Confirmation
declaration of belief
Eucharist
body & blood of Christ
Matrimony
- union blessed by Church

17. Pope developed canon (religious) law
Age of Faith
Church problems
Lay investiture = kings, nobles appointed church officials
Simony = church positions sold by bishops as source of income
Local priests married
Pope developed canon (religious) law
Church collected tithes
Church cared for poor & sick
Friars = traveling monks

18. Church Reform Cluny = Benedictine monastery Had reputation for virtue
Inspired more monasteries
Influenced papacy

19. The Manor Manor system = basic economic unit Manor = lord’s estate
- Serfs provided with housing, protection
- tended land, maintained estate
Manors covered a few square miles
families within
- Lord’s house, church, workshops, fields
- self-sufficient community
All peasants owed lord portion of crops
- owed tithe to the Church

21. Chivalry Page → squire→ knight Knights defended against other nobles
3 loyalties:
earthly lord heavenly Lord chosen lady
Tournaments= mock battles

22. Castles Under Siege Trebuchet launched missiles
Battering ram cracked walls
Siege tower enabled soldiers to scale castle walls
Mangonel like catapult; flung rocks

23. Who can I trust to rule us?
Will we have enough to eat?
Who will protect us?
Will we have to leave the city?
Has God forsaken us?
Money is worthless!

24. Why Feudalism? Fall of Rome Barbarian Invasions
Charlemagne: Rule & death
Rise of Church

25. Feudalism Chivalry Political Ideology Manors Code of Behavior Medieval
Form of gov’t based on landholding
Alliances between lords and vassals
Chivalry
Devotion to lord
Courage in combat
Respect toward women
Political Ideology
Manors
Self-sufficient communities
Mutual obligations
Code of Behavior
Medieval
Society
Economic System
Belief System
Church
Unifying force; power over everyday lives
Involvement in political affairs