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Feudal Society Political Structure. OBJECTIVES. Our lesson today is on the political structure of the feudal system and the importance of the relationship between lords and vassals knights and serfs during the Middle Ages. Topics of Discussion. Why was feudalism necessary?
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OBJECTIVES Our lesson today is on the political structure of the feudal system and the importance of the relationship between lords and vassals knights and serfs during the Middle Ages
Topics of Discussion • Why was feudalism necessary? • Relationship Between Lords and Vassals • What is a Knight, squire and page? • Life in a castle compared to life on a manor • The Feudal Contract • Constructing the Feudal Pyramid of Power
Relationship Between Lords and Vassals • The relationship between lords and vassals made up a big part of the political and social structure of the feudal system • Vassals had certain duties to perform for the lord • All nobles were ultimately vassals of the king.
What is a Knight? • Almost all nobles were knights • Training began at age 7, as a page, under the guidance of the lady of the manor • Became squires at age 15 and were trained by other knights • Those deemed worthy were “dubbed” knights
Workers on the Manor • There were two groups of peasant workers on the manor • Freemen- skilled workers who paid rent and could leave the manor whenever they wished. (They usually had a skill needed by others on the manor.) • Serfs – workers bound to the land by contract with the nobles. (They had no freedom - they where the noble’s property.)
The Manorial System • The feudal system was a political and social system. A related system governed medieval economics. This system was called the manorial system because it was built around large estates called manors. Serfdom Free People Lords, Peasants, and Serfs • Most peasants on farm were serfs, tied to manor • Not slaves, could not be sold away from manor • But could not leave, marry without lord’s permission • Manors had some free people who rented land from lord • Others included landowning peasants, skilled workers like blacksmiths, millers • Also had a priest for spiritual needs • Manors owned by wealthy lords, knights • Peasants farmed manor fields • Were given protection, plots of land to cultivate for selves
A Typical Manor • Most of manor’s land occupied by fields for crops, pastures for animals • Middle Ages farmers learned that leaving field empty for year improved soil • In time, practice developed into three-field crop rotation system Rotation Small Village • Each manor included fortified house for noble family, village for peasants, serfs • Goal to make manor self-sufficient • Typical manor also included church, mill, blacksmith • One field planted in spring for fall harvest • Another field planted in winter for spring harvest • Third field remained unplanted for year
Daily Life in the Middle Ages • Life in a Castle • Life in Middle Ages not easy, did not have comforts we have today • Early castles built for defense not comfort • Few windows, stuffy in summer, cold in winter, dark always • Space • Nobles had to share space with others, including soldiers, servants • Private rooms very rare • Main room the hall, large room for dining, entertaining • Bedrooms • In early castles, noble family bedrooms separated from main area by sheets • Later castles had separate bedrooms; latrines near bedrooms • Wooden bathtub outside in warm weather, inside near fireplace in winter
Life in a Village Despite discomforts, life in a castle was preferable to life in a village. The typical village family lived in a small wooden one-room house. The roof was made of straw, the floor of dirt, and the furniture of rough wood. Open holes in the walls served as windows. Bedrooms Meals • Most families slept on beds of straw on floor • All shared one room with each other, animals • Most glad to have animals to provide extra heat in cold winters • Peasant families cooked meals over open fire in middle of floor • Typical meal: brown bread, cheese, vegetables, occasionally meat • No chimneys, house often full of smoke; fires common The family rose before dawn. Men went to work in the fields; women did chores. During harvest, the entire family worked in the field all day.
Feudal Contract LORDS GIVE SERVICE TO GIVE PROTECTION TO VASSALS
CONSTRUCTING THE PYRAMID OF POWER SERFS AND FREEMEN
CONSTRUCTING THE PYRAMID OF POWER LESSER NOBLES (KNIGHTS) LABOR PROTECTION SERFS AND FREEMEN
CONSTRUCTING THE PYRAMID OF POWER POWERFUL NOBLES LAND AND PROTECTION LOYALTY AND MILITARY SERVICE LESSER NOBLES (KNIGHTS) LABOR PROTECTION SERFS AND FREEMEN
CONSTRUCTING THE PYRAMID OF POWER KING LOYALTY AND SERVICE LAND POWERFUL NOBLES LAND AND PROTECTION LOYALTY AND MILITARY SERVICE LESSER NOBLES (KNIGHTS) LABOR PROTECTION SERFS AND FREEMEN
REVIEW Let’s see how much you remember! • Everyone owed loyalty to the ________ • _______ were really the most powerful. They got _______ from the king. • Lesser nobles (knights) gave _________ _________ in return for land • _______ were bound to the land. They worked in return for ____________. • __________ were skilled workers. They paid rent to the ______ and were free to move if they wanted to.
Check Your Answers • Everyone owed loyalty to the king. • Nobles were really the most powerful. They got land from the king. • Lesser nobles (knights) gave militaryservice in return for land. • Serfs were bound to the land. They worked in return for protection. • Freemen were skilled workers. They paid rent to the nobles and were free to move if they wanted to.
THE END HISTORY NOTES
