Medieval Europe
The Feudal System
The “Three Orders” Church Nobility Others “Those Who Pray” “Those Who Fight” Others “Those Who Work”
The Feudal Hierarchy King Great Lords Lesser Lords Knights Peasants
King Great Lords Lesser Lords Knights Peasants Nobility
Entered between King and Lords OR between Lords The “Feudal” Contract Entered between King and Lords OR between Lords Loyalty (Service) LORD Land (Fief) VASSAL
King Great Lords Lesser Lords Knights Peasants Land & Legal Privileges
Loyalty King Great Lords Lesser Lords Knights Peasants Military Service, Dues, and Work Obligations
Additional Details Result of local threats of Vikings and nomads Allowed local reaction by lords Nominally ruled by a king Really a patchwork of feudal contracts Weak Central Authority No way to enforce loyalty of lords
King Great Lords Lesser Lords Knights Peasants Knights & Chivalry
What is a Knight Mounted Soldiers Began training at 7 Wore full armor and used great weapons Other soldiers used bows/spears with little to no armor Often fought in tournaments Followed Code of Chivalry
What is Chivalry? Comes from French Word Cheval, or Horse Merger of German Warrior Culture and Christian Ideals designed to direct it fierceness toward just causes.
The Values of Chivalry Christian Orthodoxy Defense of the Church Defense of the Weak Love of Country Courage in the face of an enemy Show no mercy toward infidels Faithfulness to Duty Honesty / Keeping One’s Word Generosity Defense of Just Causes
Also, Castles were a thing!
Medieval Manor Most people were serfs Lived on a manors Agricultural Laborers who were tied to the land Think Spartan Helots Guaranteed protection and livelihood Lived on a manors Land belonged to a lord
Medieval towns: charters granted directly from the monarch existed outside of the feudal hierarchy.