The Early Middle Ages

Middle Ages

The years between CE 400s and 1500s are called the Middle Ages Also called the Medieval period

This period is seen as a transition in the development of western culture Took place in Europe

Foundations of Early Medieval Society

Classical heritage of RomeChristian beliefsCustoms of Germanic tribes

Background Information

The decline of Roman influence in Western Europe left people with little protection against invasion, so they entered into feudal agreements with land- holding lords who promised them protection.

Feudal AgreementsAs we have seen repeatedly, when power falls, chaos often follows. With the decline of the Western

Roman Empire (the power), western Europe fell into complete chaos.

Germanic Invasions shattered Roman protection over the Empire.

Germanic InvasionsIn 476, the last of the Western Roman Empire vanished.One of the major reasons for the decline and fall of Rome was the Germanic Invasions

Those invasions continued into the Medieval period, also known as the Middle Ages.These invaders were the Angles, Saxons, Magyars and Vikings.

Germanic Invasions

Germanic InvasionsThey greatly influenced the development of Europe.

Germanic InvasionsAngles and Saxons came from the European continent (current day Germany) and settled in England

Anglo Saxons

Germanic InvasionsMagyars came from Central Asia and settled in what is now Hungary

Germanic InvasionsVikings were raiders that would make raids into Europe, steal everything they could, and then go back to Scandinavia. They rarely settled. Later they migrate to

Russia. Known for their ship-building and navigation skills

What was the Result of these Invasions?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_KWEMmbHjM&index=6&list=PLF78AEA66545C9BCE Invasions disrupted tradeTowns declinedStrengthened the Feudal system

Rise of Feudal Agreements

Roman protection is goneRoman towns are in decline, losing population rapidly.Remember, Roman towns developed to support trade with the Roman legions stationed at forts, protecting the borders.

From This

To This

Rise of Feudal Agreements

Without any central government, those towns started to die and people drifted away.Add to this mix, the Germanic barbarians wandering the countryside causing trouble.These people had no written laws and elected kings to lead them.

Rise of Feudal Agreements

People were looking for leadership and protection.Local strongmen who commanded small armies often provided that protection

Rise of Feudal Agreements

The agreement part came when people agreed to work the land of the local strongman in return for protection. “I’ll farm for you and you won’t let

the bad guys get me.”Each side had responsibilities and benefits.

Medieval SocietyThree social classes grew out of this initial chaos and reorganization: Nobles Clergy Peasants

NoblesRuling class, top of the pyramid, the strongmanKings, lords, vassals, and knights were all types of nobility.

ClergyClergy – Church officials Priests, monks, nuns,

the Pope.Could come from the nobility or the peasant class.

ClergyObviously, clergy that came from nobility were ranked higher in the church than peasant clergy.

PeasantsLowest class, also the largestApproximately 95% of the entire population of Europe at this time were Peasants.

PeasantsThree guesses as to what peasants did for work…..

Peasants

FARM!!!

Farming

Unlike the Mediterranean land which had dry soils the land in Western Europe had nutrient rich soilAlso had plenty of timber, underground mineral deposits and seas for riches. Could trade through large rivers and mountain streams could turn water wheels.

PeasantsPeasants had no powerThey lived dirty, difficult, short lives of unending work, mostly farm work.

Peasants

Although they mostly farmed Peasants performed chores around the manor houseMany went hungry in winter months Disease killed many and few peasants lived beyond the age of 35http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIfDhHIy-Wo

PeasantsTwo Types of Peasants

1. Serfs – People who were tied to the land, could not leave the land of their lord. The lord had complete power over the serf.

Similar to a slave, but could not be sold off the manor (lord’s land)

PeasantsTwo Types of Peasants

2. Freemen – only 2% of the peasant population were freemen. They were frequently skilled laborers who would be hired to do work for the lord.

Nobility & Feudal Obligation

Remember, there is no central government during the early Middle Ages.Created a system called Feudalism

Feudalism is a system in which a powerful noble grants land to a lesser noble – a set of mutual obligations between a lord and vassal In exchange for land the lesser noble

promised loyalty, military assistance, and other services

Nobility & Feudal Obligation

Nobility & Feudal Obligation

This is called the Lord-Vassal Relationship (Feudal Contract). Lord – noble man who

granted land Vassal – received land,

expected to be loyal, provide military support and pay ransoms to free Lords

Nobility & Feudal Obligation

Fief – the lot of land granted to a vassal by a lord

World of Nobles

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pygLvyDdewU&list=PLF78AEA66545C9BCE&index=2

Nobility & Feudal Obligation

Knight – landless noble (often the second or third son of a noble) who was trained to fight for a living – professional warrior

Chivalry

Definition: Chivalry is a code of conduct A system of rules that dictated a knight’s

behavior toward othersKnighthood To be a knight, a boy had to belong to the

noble class and pass training Knights were expected to be courageous in

battle and fight fairly http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=8ZrE1mVcB2k&index=9&list=PLF78AEA66545C9BCE

Nobility & Feudal Obligation

A person could be both a lord and a vassal at the same time…and often washttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QV7CanyzhZg&index=16&list=PLF78AEA66545C9BCE

King or Monarch

King’s Vassals

LORDS

Vassals to lower lords

Peasants

WarfareFor nobles, war was an opportunity for glory and wealth Warfare was a way of life Feudal Justice – trial by battle, oath taking, or trial by ordeal

Manorial system

The Manorial System was the primary economic system during the Middle Ages (rigid class system)

Nobles gave peasants the right to work land on their manors in return for a fixed payment (usually 1/3 of the manor land)

Manorial system

Manor – a large farm estate with houses, land, woods, pastures, fields, and villagesManors were self-sufficient (provided for themselves!)

Medieval ManorThey were totally self-sufficient, producing everything they needed right on the manor.During the Middle Ages, trade was nearly non-existent.

Wheat Field

Fallow Field

Mill

Church

Lord’s Manor House

Well

Blacksmith Shop

Lord’s Oven

Peasant’s Houses

Kitchen Garden

Peas, Oats, Barley, Beans

Life in a Manor

Peasant Life Very hard life – spent long hours in the fields Little time for leisure activities Life expectancy was short due to hunger,

disease, and war Noble Life Lived in castles that served

as a fort for protection Not a luxurious life – disease

Medieval Manorhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNQ3EEYRnTcManors, often with castles, provided protection from invasion, first establishing and then reinforcing the feudal system of allegiance for protection.

Medieval ManorCastles were not pretty mansions filled with luxuries where princesses waited to be saved by handsome princes.Castles were fortresses, defensive fortifications designed to withstand months of siege and keep out invadershttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oXuEA5mwIw

Noblewomen

Noblewoman had to take over the duties of her husband on the manor when he was off fightingWomen had little rights since land was passed to eldest son of familyIf husband dies before the wife retained land

Review Questions

Answer the following questions on a separate sheet of paper.

Review Questions

1. In feudalism what does the Lord grant to the Vassal?

2. What is the code of conduct that Knights fought and lived by?

3. Describe life as a peasant.4. What did the Vassal have to give to the

Lord in the feudal system?5. What was the manorial system?