1. Feudalism Feudum = Contract

2. ProvidesIn return for Great Lord (Suzerain) Land & Military service & ProtectionDues Local Lord (Vassal)

3. ProvidesIn return for Local Lord (Vassal) ProtectionWork on lord’s field LandMake roads Common grazingGive produce of land ForestPay rent and taxes Mill, forge, ovenUsing lord’s mill, forge, & oven Freemen & Serfs (90% of pop.) RightsResponsibilities

5. The Manor Demesne = Lord’s private land Open fields = divided into long narrow strips Common pasture = for grazing cattle and sheep Meadow = produce hay Forest = Supplied wood for fuel and timber

7. Problems of the medieval manor The situation: Food was often scarce. Land was unproductive. Poor weather could result in disaster.

8. The soil was not fertile. Primitive wooden plows and simple mattocks don’t mix the lower and the top layers together to enrich the land. Few farm animals = manure was scarce.

9. Long narrow strips of land were redistributed from time to time. Discouraging improvements (rocks, weeds, manure)

10. Crop rotation on the manor No crop was sown on fallow land. 2-field system 3-field system 1/2 to 1/3 of the land was left unproductive!

11. Technological improvement in the late Middle Ages Iron became more plentiful. Some iron tools were invented which made farming easier.

12. Iron plowshare

13. Harrows

14. Axes

15. Chains

16. Scythes

17. Oxen were gradually replaced by horses. The shoulder collar made it possible for horses to pull the plow with all their strength. Horseshoes allowed horses to work for longer periods.

18. Watermills and Windmills

19. All of these technological improvements made the manor more productive.