Feudalism (lecture)

Europe after Charlemagne

•Charlemagne’s death marked
the end of a strong, central
government in Western
Europe

•Series of invasions destroy the
Carolingian empire

•Major invading groups:

•Vikings

•Magyars

•Muslims

Angles and Saxons

•Angles and
Saxons: from
continent to
England

•Filled power
vacuum in Britain
after fall of Rome

•This is where

“Anglo-Saxon”
comes from

•Terrorized by…

Vikings

•Seafaring people
from Scandinavia

•Warriors-longboats

•Explorers-reached
Newfoundland

•Plundered
monasteries until
converted to
Christianity

Magyars

•Early Hungarian people,
once hired as
mercenaries by the
Byzantines

•Converted to Christianity

•By the 900s, had reached
Gaul and southern Italy

•Fight and pillage like
Vikings

•defeated by Saxons,
forced into central
Europe

•Attacks cease in 955

Feudalism

•people no longer trust that a king
can protect them from invaders

•Look to local rulers with their own
forces

•Anyone with land and the ability to
raise an army had power

• nobles exchange land for loyalty
and military aid

Feudalism

lord

vassal

Feudalism

lord

vassal

The Noble Life

•lord – total
authority, collect
rent, settle disputes

• lady – active but
limited

• worked in lord’s
absence

• could not inherit
land, but got land as
part of dowry

• regained land rights
if husband died first

Knights

•mounted warriors
who began
training at 7

• As warfare
decreases,
tournaments start

•Tournaments
mimic battle and
carry the same
glory for the victor

Chivalry

•Knights had “three
masters” under
chivalry

1.

Feudal lord

2.

Heavenly lord

3.

Lady

• Ideal knight is loyal,
brave, and
courageous

Manor Life

• manor – self-sufficient estate
w/ village, land, peasants

• serfs – peasants who were
bound to the land

• lord/peasant relationships
similar to feudal ones with
lords and vassals

Manor Life

lord

peasant

farmland,
protection
manor

farming,
work,
payments