What would you do if all the supermarkets, fast food restaurants and stores closed? Where would you go and what would you do to feed yourself and your family?

The Development of Feudalism

The 1,000 year period of time after the fall of Rome in 476, is a time known as the Middle Ages. It is also called the Medieval Period which is just the Latin way of saying middle (medium) and age (aevum). During this time many small kingdoms developed in Europe. They would often fight with each other for land.

Geographic features make up the borders of Europe. The Atlantic Ocean on the west, the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and the Ural Mountains to the east.

There are many rivers and streams throughout Europe, so river travel played a key role in trade and communication throughout the continent.

Most of Europe has mild weather with good rainfall, which allowed farms and forests to thrive. The large amount of forests and farmlands shaped the life of Medieval Europe. People were able to take and produce what they needed from the land.

The political and cultural landscape of Europe changed a lot after the fall of Rome. Instead of one unifying government, there were many Germanic kingdoms dominating the land. This meant no large government or trade systems.

The Germanic tribes did not emphasize learning and the educated middle class disappeared. Schools ceased to exist. The achievements of the Greeks and Romans in art and learning were mostly forgotten. Trade stopped too, so many people moved to the country and started farming instead.

Decline in the size and power of governments Reduction in long-distance trade Disappearance of cities and rise of rural (country) villages and farms Growth of a lot of Germanic kingdoms

One thing that survived in Europe after the fall of Rome was the Christian church. Many of the Germanic tribes converted to Christianity which helped it spread. The Franks and their powerful leaders played a large role in this.

In 486 a Frankish leader named Clovis invaded Rome and defeated the last Roman army in Gaul. He converted to Christianity and most of his subjects converted too.

Charlemagne built a European empire greater than any known since the Roman empire. He established new laws, brought order by having powerful landowners govern the different regions, and forced his subjects to convert to Christianity.

When Charlemagne died in 814, his empire started weakening and breaking apart. Many groups fought for the land and barbarians, like the Vikings, invaded. This violent time led to the development of Feudalism. It developed to help protect nobles and control the lower classes.

The European Feudal system can be described in 3 words: “Land for Loyalty” The noble Lord would grant land to Knights who would swear loyalty and protect those lands. Peasants would work the land and produce crops and livestock for the Knights and their Lord. With groups like the Vikings attacking often, Knights were needed to defend the land and protect the nobles and their property.