The Feudal and Manorial Systems Chapter 13 Section 3

The Feudal System Direct result of Viking, Muslim, and Magyar invasions Nobles needed protection, built castles on hills, easier to defend Knights, highly skilled soldiers on horseback, best defense nobles could have Knights needed payment, nobles gave them land Feudal System Fief, land given to knights knight became vassal noble became lord Chief duty: provide military service for his lord Knight’s oath of fealty, loyalty, to remain loyal to lord

The Feudal System FEUDAL OBLIGATIONS: Feudalism was built upon relationships of obligation and service A Knight’s Duties to His Lord: Military service/Protection Remain loyal and faithful  Give money on special occasions  A Lord’s Duties to His Knights: Give land Protect from attack Resolve disputes between knights

Battle of Hastings in 1066

A Complicated System Incredibly complex Lord & vassal at same time One knight could serve many lords Some nobles found themselves as powerful as the kings they were serving Power of king fades

The Manorial System Medieval economic system named after manors, or large estates it was built around Manors owned by wealthy lords or knights Lords too busy to farm own land, serfs, peasants legally tied to manor they worked for Serfs worked land in return for protection, not free to leave manor or marry without permission

A Typical Manor Most of land occupied by fields for crops and pastures for animals 3-field crop rotation system: one field planted in spring for fall harvesting, one planted in winter for spring harvesting, one left unplanted for a year Manor house for the noble family Village for peasants and serfs Church, mill, blacksmith Goal: Be self-sufficient

A Typical Manor  Manors were large estates owned by wealthy lords. Peasants and serfs lived and worked on manors. Most manors produced most of the food and other goods that people living there needed.

Daily Life in Middle Ages Life in a Castle: Built for protection, not comfort Dark inside Shared castle with servants and soldiers Carpets hung on walls, not used on floors Main room, the hall, used for dining & entertaining Noble family slept on one end of the hall Used hay for toilet paper, wooden bathtub in garden in warm weather, indoors near fireplace in cold weather Life in a Village: Small, 1-2 room cottages Packed dirt floor Few furniture pieces Straw used for beds Cooked meals over open fire in middle of floor Fires common Men & boys– worked in fields Women & girls– cooked, sewed, cared for animals, grew vegetables