Europe in the Middle Ages 5th Century-16th Century Roman Empire—Middle Ages—Renaissance

Europe after the Fall of Rome Rome founded in the 8 th Century BC and survived until the 5 th Century AD Roman Empire was vast and extended across much of Eurasia and parts of northern Africa Rome had a very developed infrastructure and society  Roads and trade routes, universities, public baths, arenas, libraries

Europe after the Fall of Rome Area that was vacated by the Romans was taken over by other groups  Ostrogoths in Italy  Visigoths of the Iberian Peninsula  Franks and Burgundians of modern day France and Germany (Gaul)  Angles and Saxons of Britain  Vandals of North Africa Feudalism

Superintendent Ass’t Superintendents Building Principals Teachers/Support Staff Students

Feudalism King Noble/Knight Knight/Noble Serf Flea Vassal/ Lord Lord Vassal/ Lord

Feudalism What is feudalism?  A system of intertwining allegiances  Created for the security of the lord and the vassal…and the serfs or peasants King gave land (fief) to a noble in return for loyalty and fidelity (fealty) Nobles often did the same thing with another noble or knight At the very bottom of the structure, the serf or peasant, who essentially just worked on rented ground for his/her entire life

Feudalism King Noble Knight Serf Flea Vassal/ Lord Lord Vassal/ Lord

Feudalism “What the peasants (serfs) produce in a year, the lords waste in an hour.”

Feudalism and The Church Early on, the Christian church was very involved in feudalism.  Bishops and abbots became wealthy vassals to powerful lords  Interests of the lords were not always that of the LORD…so Pope Gregory VII separated the Church from the feudal system and exerted his control over kings and lords through a process called an interdict Interdict- no sacraments to a group of church goers of a particular area The massive poor could revolt and cause chaos, thus the king or lord often did as the church wanted  “The meek shall inherit the Earth”

Journal Entry Write a page entry as a poor medieval serf struggling to get through the day. In the entry, include details about the knights, lords, king, and the church. Discuss the effect that each one plays in your life. (or doesn’t) Also think about the factors that helped this system (feudalism) develop in Europe. Make sure that in the entry you discuss the basic structure of the social and political system of Feudalism. Use your textbook as a reference  Pg: ,