Feudalism

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The Development of
Feudalism
in Western Europe
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Introduction You will be viewing a series of
slides that help explain the development of
feudalism in Western Europe. You will be expected
to view each slide carefully, write down some
basic notes on the slide and answer the
Interactive Assignment questions that conclude
each section of the slideshow
3
Charlemagnes Rise To Power The Franks
were a Germanic people living along the Rhine
River. Their society consisted of loosely
united smaller groups whose primary loyalties
were to their family clan rather than a
central government. Clovis was the ruler of
one of these groups. After experiencing defeat
after defeat, he gave in to his wifes pleas and
tried praying to the Christian God. He won his
next battle and converted to Christianity. This
served to unify his kingdom because the Pope, the
Church and the Christian Romans living among the
Franks supported him.
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Charlemagne gained control of the Frankish
kingdom. He had two main goals he wanted to
unite all of western Europe under his power and
he wanted to convert all the Germanic people to
Christianity. He accomplished his goals primarily
through war. His army used cruel and brutal
methods to force conquered people to convert. He
fought against the pagan Saxons to the north and
the Muslims of Spain in the South. In the end, he
almost doubled the size of his kingdom and was
powerful than any ruler since the Roman
Empire. On Christmas Day in 800, Pope Leo III
crowned Charlemagne declaring him the new Holy
Roman Emperor. Charlemagne was annoyed at this
gesture, because he believed his power came from
God, not the Pope.
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Charlemagnes strong ties to the Church helped to
give his empire unity. The empire was organized
into self-sufficient manors. Charlemagne used
counts to watch over his kingdom. The counts had
three main jobs to maintain a small army loyal
to the emperor, to collect taxes and to settle
disputes. Minstrels traveled throughout the
empire performing songs that glorified
Charlemagne. Charlemagne made his palace at
Aachen a new center of learning. A school to
train the children of royal officials to work in
the Church or palace was established. Grammar,
logic and mathematics were taught. Scholars from
all over Europe taught at his school. He himself
kept a writing tablet at his bedside in order to
practice his handwriting. His three grandsons
divided the kingdom upon his death. It weakened
the empires unity and caused its collapse.
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Charlemagnes rise to power 1. Who were the
Franks? (background, location, values and
leaders) 2. What accomplishments is Charlemagne
credited with? 3. What happened to the empire
after Charlemagnes death? 4. What three things
led to Charlemagnes rise to power?
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Charlemagnes Rise to Power
God himself has made me king.
I crown you Holy Roman Empire.

• Germanic people
• Lived along the Rhine River
• Loyal to kin
• Clovis converted to Christianity in 481

• Created large empire made of self-sufficient
  manors
• Counts kept order in his kingdom
• Made Aachen a center of learning

• Kingdom divided into three parts after
  Charlemagnes death
• Division weakened empires unity and caused the
  collapse of the Frankish kingdom

He brutally put down a Saxon revolt.
He prevented Muslims from expanding into Europe.
He converted Germans to Christianity through war.
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Viking Raids
The Vikings lived in the Scandinavian
lands of northern Europe. They lived in small
villages in homes made of logs with
figures of dragons carved onto the building
posts for decoration Scandinavias coastline
and harbors were well suited for trade and
fishing. As a result, many Vikings took to life
on the sea. In their language a viking was a
pirate, and to go a-viking meant to go on an
adventure overseas. They raided manors and
monasteries along the northern European coast to
obtain money and goods. These sea raiders sailed
on massive ships, long and narrow with the bow at
the front carved in the shape of a dragon. They
slept in leather sleeping bags and used copper
pots to cook meals along the shores where they
stopped.
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Vikings were traders and explorers. The men were
adventurous and opened new water and trade routes
as they traveled. Eric the Red reached Greenland.
Sagas, or stories, tell of Leif Ericson crossing
the Atlantic Ocean and reaching the coast of
North America, naming it Vinland. Using battle
axes, swords and spears, the Vikings raided many
parts of Europe. Metal helmets and shirts made
from iron rings covered by a large piece of cloth
protected them. Their greatest weapon was
intimidation. The massive longships, which took
the form of a dragon, terrified the people of
Europe. The prayer, From the fury of the
Norsemen, Good Lord, deliver us!, was repeated
many times. Europeans under attack would offer
the Vikings land or gold rather than attempting
to fight against or flee from them.
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The Vikings were separated into smaller tribal
units ruled by a jarl or military leader.
Household included 20 to 30 relatives living
together. Viking culture centered around war.
When it was time to go to war, men communicated
by using bonfires. Boys were taught the value of
physical strength and girls learned how to sew
and care for the home. Men purchased women to
marry and they could sell their wives if they
changed their minds. Married Viking women were
given respect. They were in charge of the
household, had the right to own property and seek
a divorce. They were also looked to as healers -
growing herbs to use as medicines. The Vikings
worshiped pagan gods that fit their lifestyle.
Their gods were looked on as extra-powerful
humans. Sacrifices of crops and animals were used
to persuade the gods to act in their favor.
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Viking Raids 1. Who were the Vikings?
(lifestyle, government, values, education and
religion) 2. Where did they raid and why were
they successful? 3. What was the impact of the
Vikings on Europe?
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Viking raids

• Lifestyle was based on the sea. Vikings were
  pirates. To go a-viking meant to go on an
  overseas adventure. Men and women wore long hair.
  Married women were respected.
• Government tribal units ruled by jarls
• Values Culture of war --gt blood feuds were
  common
• Education was not important
• Religion worshipped many gods by crop and animal
  sacrifices

• Raided coastal villages throughout Europe,
  plundering, killing, burning and taking
  possessions.
• Europe was weak after Charlemagnes empire fell
  apart.
• Viking longships and weaponry intimidated people
  of Europe.
• Vikings were experienced sailors, traders and
  explorers.

NORWAY
DENMARK
We can not stop the Viking raids without a strong
central government

• Viking power of intimidation kept Europe in a
  state of terror.
• Europeans looked to local lords to protect them.
• These raids contributed to the development of
  feudalism.
• Viking culture influenced some aspects of life in
  Europe.

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Medieval Castles
Early castles were primarily for protection due
to the absence of a strong central government.
Each lord, and the people who served him, needed
to take care of themselves. The castles served as
both protective fortresses and general
residences. Early castles are referred to as
motte and bailey castles because the castle was
built on top of a motte, a mound of dirt and rock
constructedin order to raise the level of the
castle to provide protection against invaders.
The keep was the stronghold of the castle. Inside
the bailey were the kitchen, stables, workshops,
barns, a chapel and residences of peasants and
workers. A drawbridge connected the motte and
bailey. These early castles were uncomfortable,
crowded places to live. Winters were cold, and
there was no hot water or plumbing. Fresh water
was difficult to find. Herbs were thrown on the
floors to hide the bad smell.
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As time went on, stone walls replaced walls made
of earth and wood. Castles walls had ventilation
slits called arrow loops to allow fresh air into
the castle, while allowing defenders to shoot
their weapons from the windows and still be
protected. Newer castles kept many of the same
structures of the early ones. Great square tower
keeps served as the main residence and fortress.
A dungeon below ground was used for storage and
as a holding cell for captured knights. The first
story housed the servants, and the second story
was the lords residence. In the main hall a fire
was always burning that is where the lords
family might sleep and eat. The third story of
the keep usually included the lords private
rooms. Turrets (small towers on the main wall of
the castle) were a popular addition. At the top
of each were parapets, a low wall that protected
the towers edge. Knights could stand along this
walkway and shoot crossbows, drop cauldrons of
boiling oil, and otherwise defend against an
approaching enemy. The drawbridge was built
across a moat. Portcullises were used for added
protection. These grills could be lowered quickly
preventing an enemy from gaining entrance into
the castle.
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Medieval Castles What were the differences
between a motte castle and early stone castles of
the 12th and 13th centuries. (construction,
buildings, enclosures)
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• Wooden
• Built on a mound of dirt and rock for protection
  against invaders

• Stone walls

• Keep (stronghold)
• Bailey (workshops, kitchen, stables, houses
• Drawbridge

• Dungeon
• Hearth
• Turrets (watch towers)
• Parapets (protective ledges)
• Portcullis (gate)

• Uncomfortable
• Cold in winter
• No plumbing
• Odors (used herbs to hide the smell

• Cold
• Damp
• Well water

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Life On a Manor Feudalism was motivated by
the need of the people for protection
in the midst of a war-like culture, with
no strong central government to
provide order. The system operated around
the manor, the castle and farming
estate of a lord. In feudalism, services
were given in exchange for land. It was based on
a system of hierarchy. At the top of the system
were the clergy and kings. The clergy were
religious leaders who taught and spread
Christianity. Even though monarchs (kings) were
still looked to as the highest power, they lost
power to the lords.
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The next sector of society was the nobles, or
lords. They had the power to rule over their own
land. Lords lived on the manor in a castle. They
spent their time hunting, going to battle in
defense of the king or manor, and checking to
make sure the serfs were doing their work.
Ladies, wives of the lords, were busy having
children, cooking, sewing and supervising
servants. Ranking beneath the lords were the
vassals nobles who were less powerful. Vassals
were trained knights who had begun studying the
art of warfare at the age of 7. They promised to
follow the code of chivalry, respect women, aid
persons in trouble and fight fairly in battle.
Land, divided into fiefs, was awarded to vassals
in exchange for a vassals promise of loyalty and
military service. This would take place in a
ceremony called the act of homage.
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The lord promised to help provide for the care of
the vassal. If a lord was kidnapped during a
battle, the vassal was obligated to pay the
ransom, an amount of money given to kidnappers in
exchanged for the lords freedom. At the base of
the feudal structure were the peasants. The
majority of peasants were serfs. Some peasants
were known as freemen. They were able to pay the
lord for the use of his land and were able to
leave the manor at any time. Serfs were peasants
who were prisoners on the land which they worked
for the lord. They lived in small, one-room
cottages built of stone, sticks and mud, with a
straw roof. They were not allowed to move from
the land or marry without the lords permission.
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Lords could not force a serf off the land, and
serfs were not required to provide military
service. The serfs swore homage to their lord.
They worked very hard and had no hope of ever
improving their lives. Many tried to escape to
villages, towns or other manors.
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• Life on a Medieval Farm
• What was feudalism?
• How were each of the following people involved in
  the social structure of feudalism.
• Monarchs and clergy
• Lords and nobles
• Knights and vassals
• Peasants (freed men and serfs)

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Life on a Manor

• Lived in castles
• Powerful clergy included
• Hunted, defended the manor, oversaw serfs and
  settled disputes

• Became weaker after Charlemagne
• Remained the highest authority

• Freemen paid lord for use of land and could move
  around
• Serfs worked land for the lord
• Serfs were poor and were prisoners of the manor

• Trained warriors who studied warfare from the age
  of seven
• Followed the code of chivalry
• Exchanged military service for fief