Feudalism

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Feudalism

• Mr. Ermer
• World History
• Miami Beach Senior High

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Frankish Decline Invaders

• Carolingian Empire split in three after
  Charlemagnes death Western Frankish, Middle,
  Eastern Frankish kingdoms
• 800-900 western Europe invaded from 3 sides
• Muslims attack from south, Magyars from east,
  Vikings from north
• Magyars People from west Asia, moved into
  central Europe and settle on plains in Hungary,
  invade West
• Vikings Germanic Norsemen of Scandinavia

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Invasions of Europe A.D.800-1000
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The Vikings Terror From The North

• Invaded the European mainland in search of new
  trade, treasures and adventure
• Sacked villages and towns, destroyed churches,
  easily handle small local armies
• Warriors with excellent ship building skills,
  allowing them to sail inland on rivers and attack
• By 850, Vikings build settlements in Europe
• 910 western Frankish king gives Vikings lands at
  the mouth of the River Seine, named Normandy
• Frankish king required Vikings to convert to
  Christianity, making them a part of European
  civilizationnot the enemy of it

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The Vikings
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Development of Feudalism

• Lack of large, central governments makes it hard
  for communities to defend themselves
• Regular people turn to landowning aristocrats to
  protect them in exchange for service, this system
  is called Feudalism
• Warriors swear loyalty to a land-owning leader,
  fight for themvassals
• Leaders (Lords) would provide for vassals needs

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The Feudal System
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The Lords Land
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The Art of War

• Frankish warriors wore chain-mail armor, throwing
  spears
• Bigger horses, and development of stirrups,
  allowed for armored soldiers, carrying long
  lances to act as battering rams, from armored
  horseslater known as knights
• Eventually knights were base of aristocracy
• Horses, weapons and armorexpensive lords give
  some land to knights in exchange for loyalty
• Little trade in Europe, means land power

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Weaponry of the Middle Ages
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Feudal Society

• To become a vassal, a man performs act of homage
  to his lord
• Land given to vassals, known as fief, become
  political domain of that vassal (almost kingdom)
• As Carolingian world collapses, fiefdoms rise
• System becomes more complex, as vassals have
  vassals who answer to them, who have vassals
• The Feudal Contract unwritten rules determining
  the lord-vassal relationship

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Nobility of the Middle Ages

• Society dominated by men concerned with war
• Nobleskings, lords, dukes, counts, barons and
  bishops who held large estates of land power
• Differences in wealthdifferences in power
• Young knights, with no land or responsibility,
  have nothing to do but fight and train for war
  giving rise to tournaments where knights can show
  off skills
• To stop abuses of power, Catholic Church
  introduces an ideal of civility called chivalry
• Chivalry code of ethical behavior for knights to
  uphold etiquette politeness

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Chapter 4, Lesson 1 Review

• On page 67, write and answer questions 1-5