The Middle Ages

1. The Middle Ages The Middle Ages 1066-1485

2. William—Duke of Normandy • Invades England in 1066 A.D. • Was cousin to King Edward of England—who died childless earlier that year; Harold, earl of Wessex had been crowned the following day. • Claimed that Edward had promised him the throne. • Sails the English Channel with a giant army in October 1066—Battle of Hastings (day-long battle). • Doesn’t want to conquer the Anglo-Saxons, just to govern them.

3. New Government • Combines the English (Anglo-Saxon) culture with the new government. • William gives land to all his Barons who had been loyal to him. • He makes a record of every piece of property—land, cattle, buildings—in a book called the “Domesday Book.” • Sets up an entirely new social system—Feudalism.

4. Feudalism • A political and military system based on religious concept of rank: King • All-powerful over-lord and landowner through “divine right” • Noble who had the power to grant land to vassals. Lord • Tenant who received land (fief) from a lord in exchange for military service and loyalty. Vassal • Armored warrior—vassals had to provide their lords with military service in the form of knights (the larger the fief the more knights). Knight • Peasants who worked on and were bound to vassals’ lands. Serf

5. Knights in Shining Armor

6. Heavily padded undergarment of leather • Mail shirt • Mail covered neck elbows, and other joints • Armor—breast plate, plate arm, leg, and foot pieces • Gauntlets constructed of linked plates covered the hands

7. Some suits of armor weighed 120 pounds! • Contained up to 200 custom-fitted iron plates or more • Held together by rivets, leather straps, hinges, turning pins, buckles, and pegs • Carried a variety of weapons: lance, dagger, sword, battle-ax, and club-headed mace

8. Dangers: • Limited ventilation lead to heat stroke. • Suffocation • Heart failure • Drowning • Falling—couldn’t get up from on their back

9. Knighthood • Because the primary duty of a male (above a serf) was military service, boys began training at a very young age. • When training was completed, he was dubbed, or ceremonially tapped on his shoulder • (originally a hard blow to test the boy’s courage) • Knighthood was the feudal ideal of loyalty and it was based on a complex system of social codes—and breaking them would undermine the knight’s position.

10. Chivalry • A system of ideals and social codes governing the behavior of knights. • i.e. never attacking an unarmed opponent. • Took an oath of loyalty • “Courtly love” - ideal form of love, where a knight would adore a lady—nonsexually. (**NOT physical love) • Wear his lady’s colors in battle and be inspired by her • She remains pure and out of reach

11. Medieval Women • “No voice, no choice” • Women had no political rights • The social standing of her husband or father determined the degree of respect she commanded • The only role of peasant women was childbearing, housework, and hard fieldwork • Women of higher stations would manage entire estates while husbands were at war or gone on business but when the men returned, it was back to normal