02b_Ch13-European Middle Ages: Feudalism in Europe

Timeline: 9th - 11th C

FQ: Why did a feudal society emerge in Western Europe during the Middle Ages?

Main Idea: The exodus of urban populations after the collapse of Rome and the internal movements of
people caused by marauding Vikings created a situation crying for stability. Medieval Europe needed a
stabilizing social system that ensured security by xing Europe's population. Feudalism, a political and
1
economic system based on land-holding and protective alliances, emerges in Europe.

CCSS...

I. Feudalism
### A socio-economic system based on the ownership of land. Bonds of loyalty/ service are derived from
such ownership. Loyalty to polis or empire (or any other centralized political entity) disappears. 'Public
affairs become private. The Church and State become linked politically, socially, and economically.

A. Not the same throughout Europe. Iberia, England, Frankish Kingdom, and Italy have varying
forms of this system. There were some general traits that are held in common, however.
1. Local Protection emphasized rather than a centralized military
2. Local Provincial government rather than a centralized government
3. Self-Sufciency rather than reliance on trade
4. Population is xed to a locale (Inhibits movement).

B. Feudal Hierarchy
1. Lord Vassal: The bond of vassalage is built upon the investiture of a ef. The ritual of
investiture, like that conducted by Charles and Rollo, is a public#and solemn act. It
involves taking a loyalty oath and the ritualistic transfer of land. The aristocracy provided
the soldiers, while the land generated the income needed to acquire and maintain military
equipment and fund training.
### The aid provided by the vassal didnt always have to be military in form. In times of
nancial need, the lord could ask for nancial aid. The occasions when such aid was
expected included:
a. The knighting of the lords eldest son.
b. The lords eldest daughter gets married.
c. To pay the ransom of a captured lord.
In addition to this aid, a lord expected a degree of hospitality whenever he was in
the vicinity of a vassals manor/ estate.
2. King: The title usually granted to the feudal lord with the greatest amount of land, and
thus capable of awarding the most efs.

3. Knight: Vassals whose efs are too small to subdivide into additional efs. An inherent
weakness in the system is when a knight might swear loyalty to two or more lords in
order to get more efs. If those lords ever become enemies and call upon this knight for
service, the trouble that would raise are clear.

4. Serf and Free Peasant: Technically, this group of people was not part of the feudal
order because they had no land to dispose of in a feudal contract. However, their labors
are integral to the viability of the system. [Refer to the section on Manorialism, below]

5. The Clergy/ Church: Collectively, the Roman Catholic Church was one of the largest
landowning entities in Medieval Europe. The land could have been acquired via a nal
$
Fixing: Isolating and placing in one locale or level in society.
1
bequeath by dying Christians. Also, bishops could receive efs from lords as part of the
ofce (Lay Investiture). The clergymen dont have to ght when the lord summons them,
given the nature of their occupation. But, in their stead, a vassal of the bishop would
answer the call. Interestingly enough, some bishops have been known to ght as
warriors, as have some popes.

6. Some women may, via issues of inheritance, nd themselves as vassals. They would
their vassals answer the lords call to combat. Other, Non-warrior vassals could provide
secretarial services, legal aids, or act as chroniclers.

C. The Manor and Manorialism

2
### The economic heart of the Feudal system was the Manor. The principles under #which it
operated and supported the feudal order is called
Manorialism.

1. The Manors Design

a. May be comprised of the entire ef or a
portion thereof.
b. Often had a body of water (pond, stream,
river, etc.). This served as a food & water
source, as well as a power to run the lords
mill.
c. Portion was designated as crop land.
d. Portion was designated as pasture.
e. Portion designated as forest.
f. Early in the Middle Ages, a tower built on a
patch of high ground surrounded by a ditch
and wall served as the castle. In times of
crisis, it was behind these walls that the
manors inhabitants would ee to. Later in
this period, the economic resources and
political needs of kings results in the castle
many of us have come to envision from myth
and lore.

2. The Manors Labor

The peasant labor produced most of the manors needs. Exceptions included salt, iron,
millstones, etc. The quest for self-sufciency contributes to the #xing of populations.
a. Free Peasants
! Were not tied to the land.
! Could become serfs in times of crisis. For example, in exchange for
protection and/ or, a peasant could exchange his and his descendants
freedom.
b. Serfs
! Were tied to the land of birth.
! Ponder: Which applies best to the serfs circumstance
! You cannot leave the land of your birth
! You have the right to live your life on the land of your birth.
! Is this an issue of The Right to Stay or Freedom to Leave?
! Could not be Bought/ Sold
$
Feudal Manor c. 1200. From http://www.wwnorton.com/college/history/ralph/resource/manor.htm
2
Borrowed by Mr. V on 10 Feb.03
! Tax fee had to be paid when serf married.
c. Both Free Peasants & Serfs
! A percentage of the crops and livestock would be given to the lord each
year in exchange for the use of the land.
! They had to work on the lords personal land to produce crops for the
lords exclusive use.
! Crops were commonly=> wheat, Barley, Oats, and Rye. Very little meat
was included in the diet.
! Crop land was usually plowed in narrow strips (the plow made turns
difcult).
! Tax fee had to be paid for use of lords mill and ovens. Any effort to
bypass this would be tantamount to a crime.
! 10% tithe to be paid to Church.

3. The Village/ Town

a. Served as the home for permanent and transient artisans/ craftsmen/
tradesmen whose skills were needed on the manor.
b. Center of commerce that brought to the manor the few items that were not
produced by the manors labor.
c. Its walls was the rst line of defense in times of attack.

II. Summary: Why it matters now.

The rights and duties of feudal relationships helped shape todays forms of representative government.

Materials/Sources:#Refer to the course calendar for additional materials, assignments and pertinent due dates.
! World History: Patterns of Interaction
! Slide Presentation