​When and Where

• ​The Dark Ages took place in Western Europe

• ​This was between the Fall of Rome and the European Renaissance

• ​Or roughly 476 - 1450 CE

​Feudalsim

• ​Feudalism is a way to organize economic, political, and military needs

• ​Economic = wealth and trade

• ​Political = government and leadership

• ​Military = Protection and Defense

​Fiefs and Vassals

• ​Land is the wealth!!!

• ​Kings and Nobles owned the land

• ​They would gift portions of land called fiefs to lesser lords known as vassals

• ​These vassals promised resources and military aid in return for their fief

• ​This is known as a feudal contract

​Manorialism

• ​Large fiefs were known as manors

• ​These manors were owned by lords who granted smaller fiefs to knights, who then leased the land to peasants known as serfs

• ​These serfs provided food and labor as rent

​Manors

• ​Larger manors were the size of entire towns

• ​Serfs working on the manor could not leave or get married with their lord's permission

• ​Serfs had two ways out

• ​Buy their freedom

• OR

• ​Run away without being caught for one year and one day