Geography of Europe: Where it all took place! Latitude Comparison

Warriors and Warbands in the West

• Period of change in Western Europe as barbarians were migrating in to areas given up by Romans

• As more barbarians moved westward, other tribes were forced to move

• Groups categorized by languages and little else• Celtic: Gauls, Britons, Bretons• Germanic: Goths, Frank, Vandals, Saxons• Slavic: Wends

The beginning…Early Middle Ages

• Decline of Roman Empire • Rise of Northern Europe • New forms of government • Heavy “Romanization” (religion, language,

laws, architecture, government)• Latin- “medium aevum” means “middle

age” and is source of English word “medieval”

Feudalism

• Increasing violence and lawless countryside

• Weak turn to the strong for protection, strong want something from the weak

• Feudalism= relationship between those ranked in a chain of association (kings, vassals, lords, knights, serfs)

• Feudalism worked because of the notion of mutual obligation, or voluntary co-operation from serf to noble

• A man’s word was the cornerstone of social life

A New Social Order: Feudalism• Social Classes Are Well Defined

– Medieval feudal system classifies people into three social groups

• those who fight: nobles and knights• those who pray: monks, nuns, leaders of the Church• those who work: peasants

– Social class is usually inherited; majority of people are peasants

– Most peasants are serfs—people lawfully bound to place of birth

– Serfs aren’t slaves, but what they produce belongs to their lord

Feudalism Pyramid

Slaves and Serfs

• Slaves made up of conquered peoples• Some treated harshly, while other were

treated fairly• Rural slaves became serfs, who worked

the land and provided labour for owner (in return from protection)

• Set up for system of feudalism

The Harshness of Manor LifePeasants pay taxes to use mill and bakery; pay a tithe to priest

(a church tax equal to one-tenth of a peasant’s income)Serfs live in crowded cottages with dirt floors, straw for beds

Daily grind of raising crops, livestock; feeding and clothing familyPoor diet, illness, malnutrition make life expectancy 35 years

Serfs generally accept their lives as part of God’s plan

Manors: The Economic Side of Feudalism

Manors: The Economic Side of Feudalism

• The Lord’s Estate– The lord’s estate, a manor, has an economic

system (manor system)– Serfs and free peasants maintain the lord’s

estate, give grain– The lord provides housing, farmland,

protection from bandits

Manors: The Economic Side of Feudalism

• A Self-Contained World– Medieval manors include lord’s house,

church, workshops, village– Manors cover a few square miles of land, are

largely self-sufficient

Manor Map

The Middle Ages And Christianity

Most people in the early Middle ages lived on a

manor.

A small church was

an important

part of each

manor.

The church saved education from completely disappearing after the fall

of Rome.

Christian priests learned to read an write. All books were handwritten.

Monks “Illuminating” Manuscripts

The church helped keep the knowledge of Greece and Rome from being

forgotten

The Church Had Power! Church leaders played a large part in

the feudal system. The church controlled about 1/3 of the

land in Western Europe. Tried to curb feudal warfare only 40

days a year for combat. Tried to curb heresies Crusades; Inquisition $$$: Tithe 1/10 tax on your assets given to

the church. Peter’s Pence 1 penny per person

[paid by the peasants].

You scratch my back… I’ll scratch yours….

• Church was granted favours by Roman Emperors / Kings (land, exemption from taxes, immunity in courts, positions in courts) and in return the Church would endorse kings to help secure their rule

• Kings looked to Church to supply educated administrators to help run kingdoms and in return kings would enforce laws that prohibited other religions

Late Medieval Town Dwellings

The Magna CartaKing John I Runnymeade “Great Charter” monarchs were not above the law. kings had to consult a council of advisors. kings could not tax arbitrarily.