Feudalism and Medieval Households

1
Feudalism and Medieval Households

• The Three Categories of Society
• Those Who Work Peasants or Serfs
• Those Who Fight Knights
• Those Who Pray Clergy Religious
• Feudalism An Economic System
• a set of social relations based upon protection
  through service

2
Stabilizing Medieval Europe, 700-1000
3
Stabilizing Medieval Europe

• New Economic order
• Feudalism
• Manorialism
• The Role of the Catholic Church
• Regulating Marriage
• Regulating Sexuality
• Blessing Secular Rulers

4
Medieval Manor

• Evolved from Latifundium and Need for Protection

5
Castle Fortification
6
Manor House Fortification Wealth
7
Peasant House
8
Peasant House
9
Characteristics of Feudalism

• Ancient slavery ends as a labor system
• An economic system which does not require cash
  exchange or extensive markets
• People bound together in terms of obligations and
  terms of service
• loyalty, homage and fealty govern relationships
  between lord and vassal, peasant and lord

10
Patterns...

• 25-50 peasant families support one knight
• 90 of the population are peasants
• Peasants owe 3 days/wk of service fees to lord.
  Fees are required to marry, to inherit
• Knights owe 40 days/year service to lord to fight
  and must supply armaments, horses, etc.

11
Patterns, cont.

• Farm output is about 10 of todays midwestern
  farm.
• Peasants (serfs, not slaves) are bound to land
  but have rights to the land
• Manors are economic and military units, with
  fortifications for defense (a castle), may also
  be controlled by monastic order or church.

12
Catholic Church

• Regulates Sexuality through confession see
  handout on the penitentials.
• Organizes marriage by enforcing rules of monogamy
  and exogamy