24 April 2017 EQ – What is feudalism & why was it needed? Bellringer – 17.1-17.2 Review Sheet (grab from the front table as you come in) Understanding the social system of the Middle Ages Notes Video (if time) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCPp7XWZfHo Homework – Read Chapter 17.3 Assessment on Thursday over Chapter 17.1 – 17.3

Feudal Society Political Structure

CONSTRUCTING THE PYRAMID OF POWER The Church – The glue that holds the feudal society together. In the Middle Ages the church dominated everyone’s lives. . King LOYALTY AND SERVICE LAND Powerful Nobles LAND AND PROTECTION LOYALTY AND MILITARY SERVICE Lesser Nobles (Knights) LABOR PROTECTION Serfs, Freemen & Peasants

Vocabulary Nobles/lords - Below the king (vassal of the king), they controlled most peoples' lives. Vassal - a knight who promised to support a lord in exchange for land Homage – ceremony in which a man became a vassal of a lord Knight - A soldier of high military rank – on horseback (normally gives 40 days military service)

Vocabulary Fief – Usually land given in exchange for loyalty Serf - A serf was bound to a lord and manor for life to work the land Freemen – skilled workers who paid rent and could leave the land as they wished Manor - manor consisted of a manor house, a village(s), and up to several thousand acres of land Feudal Contract – An agreement between lords and vassals in which land was exchanged for service

The Medieval Set-up The king controls his land and kingdom, but he needs protection. There isn’t tons of money available, so he uses land instead! The king then splits his land up between his lords (usually nobles, or related in some way to the king!) They must provide loyalty and service to the king for the land or it will be taken away! The land is called a fief. The lords then split their fiefs into manors and assign a knight to each. The knight provides military service to the lord and king and protects the lower people living on the manor. Under the knights are the peasants, serfs, and freemen who live on the manor.

Life on a manor https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCPp7XWZfHo

CONSTRUCTING THE PYRAMID OF POWER King LOYALTY AND SERVICE LAND Powerful Nobles LAND AND PROTECTION LOYALTY AND MILITARY SERVICE Lesser Nobles (Knights) LABOR PROTECTION Serfs, Freemen & Peasants

Let’s see how much you remember! REVIEW Let’s see how much you remember! Everyone owed loyalty to the ________ _______ were really the most powerful. They got _______ from the king. Lesser nobles (knights) gave _________ _________ in return for land _______ were bound to the land. They worked in return for ____________. __________ were skilled workers. They paid rent to the ______ and were free to move if they wanted to.

Check Your Answers Everyone owed loyalty to the king. Nobles were really the most powerful. They got land from the king. Lesser nobles (knights) gave military service in return for land. Serfs were bound to the land. They worked in return for protection. Freemen were skilled workers. They paid rent to the nobles and were free to move if they wanted to.

THE END HISTORY NOTES