Chapter 13 Section 2 Feudalism in Europe

Vikings Vikings were Germanic sailors from the wintry, wooded region known as Scandinavia. Vikings worshiped warlike gods and chose nicknames like Eric Blood axe or Thornfin Skull splitter.

Leif Ericson According to ledged a Viking named Leif Ericson (Eric the red), explored a large land mass west of Greenland they called Vineland. Leif Ericson and other Vikings most likely reached north America years before Columbus. Vikings gradually accepted Christianity and stopped raiding villages and terrorizing Europe

New Social Order Feudalism- the political unit in which nobles are granted land in the name of the king. In return they gave loyalty to the king, military service and protection for the people who live there.

The Feudal Pyramid Lord- landowner who granted land called a fief Knights- mounted warriors who pledged to defend vassals land for a fief. Church official- official church of the lords land Peasant- lower class laborer who tended the lords field. Serf- lowest of the peasants, who could not leave the place in which they were born. Vassal-person receiving fief usually a noble

The Manor System Manor- the Lords estate (home) The Lord provided the peasant /serfs with housing, land to work on and protection from bandits. In return the serfs tended the lord’s land, cared for it’s animals and gave the lord a portion of their product, while paying taxes.

Manor Cont… The manor was self- sufficient, meaning all they needed to survive was found on the Lords land. The Peasants/serfs paid a tax to use the lords mill to ground their grain and paid a tax to marry. Peasant/serfs also paid a tithe, a tax of 1/10 of their income to the church.

Manor cont.…. Peasants lived in one or two room cottages with dirt floors. At night pigs would be brought in to sleep on the floor to heat it up. To sleep, families slept together on a pile of straws often crawling with insects. Diets consisted of mainly vegetables, coarse brown bread, grain, cheese and soup.