1. Chapter 10, Lesson 2 Feudalism and the Rise of Towns
It Matters Because:
The organization of society in medieval Europe affected nearly every aspect of people’s lives.

2. The Feudal Order
Feudalism rose out of need for protection from invasion and raid
Nobles collected taxes, governed and protected people living on their land
People provided service in return, such as fighting in the army or farming
By 1000, hundreds of feudal territories existed, but few nations
Feudalism depended on loyalty and sense of duty
Lords owned land and had political power
Vassals were lower-ranking nobles who served a lord
A vassal took an oath of loyalty to his lord
In return for his service, a vassal received land from the lord
A vassal’s land was known as a fief
Knights were low-ranking vassals
Warriors who fought on horseback

3. Nobles and Knights
Before days of Kings, lords were most powerful men in Europe
Knights united with lords to defend society
Knights followed code of chivalry – knights must be brave, obey lord, respect noble women and defend the church
Knights trained for war by competing in tournaments - tests of strength and skill
Castle was the center of the medieval manor
Castle keep was the central building, home of the lord and his family

4. The Medieval Manor
Medieval manor was a community that produced everything it needed
Land worked by peasants
Consisted of castle, farmland divided into fields, and a peasant village
Two classes of peasants – freemen and serfs
Freemen paid nobles to work land, had lawful rights
Most peasants were serfs – tied to the manor, could not own property
Lords were expected to protect peasants on the manor
Serfs worked lord’s land and their own, gave portion of crops to the lord, and paid lord for use of village mill, bread oven, winepress

6. Peasant Life Peasants lived in simple cottages in villages
Peasants worked year round
Planted, weeded, harvested fields
Sheared sheep and slaughtered livestock
Peasants stopped work to attend church on Sundays and on feast days
Peasant women worked in fields and kept home

7. Improvements in Farming
Manors produced only enough food to support itself
Eventually, new technology and farming techniques increased the amount of crops a manor could produce
Heavy wheeled iron plow allowed farming deep in clay soil
Horse collar allowed horses to pull plow
Water and wind mills provided power to grind grain into flour
Three-field system and crop rotation allowed soil to restore nutrients
Fallow field went unplanted and restored nutrients to soil

8. Growth of Towns and Cities
Europe changed quickly and drastically when Rome collapsed
Trade declined
Roman bridges and roads were neglected and fell to ruin
Law and order disappeared in many places
Most people spent their entire short lives in the village where they were born
By 1100, feudalism made Europe safer
Nobles repaired roads, arrested bandits, enforced law
New technology made farming and manufacturing easier
Population grew for first time since fall of Rome
Nobles demanded luxuries from East Asia (sugar, spices, silks, dyes)

9. Wealthy Trading Centers
By 1200, many Italian cities became trading centers
Built fleets of trading ships & controlled trade with Byzantines
Flanders (in present-day Belgium) became trading center on northern coast
Merchants came from all over Europe to trade for wool
Trade fairs established in northern France
Merchants came from all over Europe to barter goods
Merchants soon began demanding gold and silver coins rather than trading for goods
Led to beginning of banking in Europe

10. Medieval Cities As cities grew, a new middle class grew
Merchants, artisans, etc., gained wealth and became leaders in growing cities
Men in cities elected city councils, lawmakers, and judges
Nobles often owned surrounding territory, expected to control town affairs
Townspeople wanted freedom to make own laws & fought nobles for basic rights
Cities built inside stone walls, with buildings and people tightly packed
Could be unsanitary, as smoke from fireplaces filled the air and sewers were often open

11. Guilds Craftsmen of different products formed groups called guilds
Group of similar craftsmen that controlled business in towns
Set prices, for products and services & standards for quality
Guilds decided who could enter a trade
Young hopeful artisans called apprentices worked & trained under a master craftsman