1. Knights, Castles, and Kings…Oh My!

2. The Middle Ages The time period between Ancient and Modern times No European countries exist Without boundaries, kings need help protecting their land

3. Feudalism A form of government based on loyalty Designed to protect the king’s land Used throughout Europe, the Middle East and Japan Feudalism looks like a pyramid

4. The Feudal Pyramid: SERFS AND FREEMEN

5. The Feudal Pyramid: LESSER NOBLES (KNIGHTS) LABORPROTECTION SERFS AND FREEMEN

6. The Feudal Pyramid: LESSER NOBLES (KNIGHTS) LABORPROTECTION POWERFUL NOBLES SERFS AND FREEMEN LAND AND PROTECTION LOYALTY AND MILITARY SERVICE

7. The Feudal Pyramid: LESSER NOBLES (KNIGHTS) LABORPROTECTION POWERFUL NOBLES KING SERFS AND FREEMEN LAND AND PROTECTION LAND LOYALTY AND SERVICE LOYALTY AND MILITARY SERVICE

8. Feudalism: Break it Down To help protect his land, the king gives chunks of land to nobles that he trusts Fief: Chunk of land given to a noble by the king In return, the nobles stayed loyal to the king and paid him with crops from his manor

9. The Manor: A Noble’s Fief

10. All in a Knight’s Work To protect their fief, nobles give pieces of their fief to knights that they trust In return, knights followed a code of chivalry (honorable behavior), stayed loyal to their noble, fought to protect their noble and paid him with crops from his land

11. Serf’s Down Serf = Peasant (Lowest class in the Feudal pyramid) Forced to work for the nobles Forced to stay on the manor where they lived Forced to pay nobles with crops, in return, they get protection from the noble’s knights https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCPp7XWZfHo

12. The Power of the Church The teachings of the Roman Catholic Church taught people to accept their place in the feudal pyramid The Church taught that it was the soul that mattered so hardships faced during life would lead believers to eternal life in heaven