1. The Middle Ages:
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Myth and Reality

2. The Middle Ages: The Myth
We think of knights in shining armor, lavish banquets, wandering bards, kings, queens, bishops, monks, pilgrims, and glorious pageantry.
In film and in literature, medieval life seems heroic, entertaining, and romantic.

3. The Middle Ages: The Reality
In reality, life in the Middle Ages, a period that extended from approximately the 5th century to the 15th century in Western Europe, could also be harsh, uncertain, and dangerous.
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4. Prelude to War Alfred the Great Edward the Confessor
878 CE – Defeats Danish Vikings and pushes them into Northern England
Many settle in France, Normandy
Edward the Confessor
Dies without an heir
Creates problems about who will replace him

5. Conflicting Claims Harold of Wessex William of Normandy
Harold claimed Edward pronounced him king with his dying breath
Harold named king
William of Normandy
2nd cousin to Edward
Visited with Edward in 1051 – was promised the throne
Because of conflicting claims for the throne, the Normans invade, leading to the rise of feudalism

6. Feudalism
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7. The Feudal System
Under the feudal system, the king awarded land grants or fiefs to his most important nobles, barons, and bishops, in return for their contribution of soldiers for the king's armies.

8. Manorialism:
Peasants worked the land and paid dues in return for the use of land
Lord was expected to provide protection for his peasants
Middle Ages system that organized rural economy and society
Economic part of feudalism
All aspects of life were centered on the lord’s manor including the village, church, farm land and mill
Involved a hierarchy of reciprocal obligations that exchanged labor or rents for access to land
Gave Lord of manor political/ governmental power over his peasants

9. The Manor
Most people lived on a manor, which consisted of the castle (or manor house), the church, the village, and the surrounding farm land.

10. * More Information

11. Self-Sufficiency
Each manor was largely self-sufficient, growing or producing all of the basic items needed for food, clothing, and shelter.
To meet these needs, the manor had buildings devoted to special purposes, such as:
The mill for grinding grain
The bake house for making bread
The blacksmith shop for creating metal goods.

12. Isolation
These manors were isolated, with occasional visits from peddlers, pilgrims on their way to holy shrines, or soldiers from other fiefdoms.

13. MEDIEVAL LIFE Cooperation and Mutual Obligations KING
FEUDALISM: POLITICAL SYSTEM
Decentralized, local government
Dependent upon the relationship between members of the nobility
Lord and his vassals administered justice and were the highest authority in their land
MANORIALISM: ECONOMIC SYSTEM
Agriculture the basis for wealth
Lands divided up into self-sufficient manors
Peasants (serfs) worked the land and paid rent In exchange for protection
Barter the usual form of exchange
KING
LORDS (VASSALS TO KING)
KNIGHTS (VASSALS TO LORDS)
Fief and Peasants
Military Aid
Food Protection Shelter
Food Protection Shelter
PEASANTS (SERFS)
Pay Rent
Farm the Land
Homage
Military Service
Loyalty

14. Literature Moving from Old to Middle English French influence
Romance became popular
Chivalry, hero-knight, noble deeds, & courtly love
Imaginary settings, disguised identity, mystery & suspense
* For Example - The Legend of King Arthur

15. The Catholic Church
The Catholic Church was the only church in Europe during the Middle Ages, and it had its own laws and large income.
Church leaders such as bishops and archbishops sat on the king's council and played leading roles in government.

16. Pilgrimages
Pilgrimages were an important part of religious life in the Middle Ages.
Many people took journeys to visit holy shrines such the Canterbury Cathedral in England and sites in Jerusalem and Rome.

17. The Canterbury Tales
Chaucer's Canterbury Tales is a series of stories told by 30 pilgrims as they traveled to Canterbury.

18. Leading to the End…
Pilgrimages to the Holy Land initiated trade between East and West
Returning Pilgrims held and attended “Market Fairs” to sell goods they acquired in the East
Eventually this led to establishment of permanent Market Towns
Merchant “middle class” was born, existing outside of the Feudal System
The merchant class became wealthy, and with wealth comes power…

19. Tradesmen
With the advent of trade and commerce, feudal life declined. As the tradesmen became wealthier, they resented having to give their profits to their lords.

20. Boroughs
Arrangements were made for the townspeople to pay a fixed annual sum to the lord or king and gain independence for their town as a "borough" with the power to govern itself. The marketplace became the focus of many towns.

21. Town Governments
As the townspeople became "free" citizens, powerful families struggled to gain control of the communes or boroughs. Town Councils were formed.

22. The Merchant Class
The new merchant class included artisans, masons, armorers, bakers, shoemakers, ropemakers, dyers, and other skilled workers.
Merchants to Guilds

23. Guilds
Guilds were established to gain higher wages for their members and protect them from competitors. As the guilds grew rich and powerful, they built guildhalls and began taking an active role in civic affairs, setting up courts to settle disputes and punish wrongdoers.

24. The First Companies
The population of cities swelled for the first time since before the Dark Ages. With the new merchant activity, companies were formed. Merchants hired bookkeepers, scribes, and clerks, creating new jobs.

25. The Printing Press
Printing began in 1450 with the publication of the Bible by Johannes Gutenberg. This revolutionized the spread of learning. Other inventions of the time included mechanical clocks, tower mills, and guns.

26. The Birth of the Renaissance
The inventions of Leonardo da Vinci and the voyages of discovery in the fifteenth century contributed to the birth of the Renaissance.

27. Fall of Feudalism Attributed to these four things:
Magna Carta – *
Rise of Cities
Black Death *
Hundred Years War

28. References
Adapted from the Annenberg Media/Learner.org website “The Middle Ages”
“Manorialism.”