1. The Decline of the Roman Empire & the Rise of Feudalism
The Middle Ages
The Decline of the Roman Empire & the Rise of Feudalism

2. Barbarians Ruled Western Europe
By 500 A.D. Western Roman Empire fell to barbarian tribes:
Visigoths controlled Spain
Ostrogoths controlled Italy
Franks controlled Gaul (France)
Vandals controlled North Africa
Angles, Saxons, Jutes battled for Britannia
Celts ruled Ireland & Scotland

6. The Middle Ages
After the fall of Rome, Western Europe entered the Middle Ages from A.D.
Reasons for the rise of Middle Ages:
No Roman emperor to make rules
No Roman army to protect people
No common language to unite them
No longer citizens of a common empire; people now loyal to family members (clan) or feudalism
Latin blended with barbarian languages to make Italian, French, Spanish, etc.
The “Dark Ages”
The “Medieval” era

7. Decline of Civilization
Constant warfare among the barbarian tribes & the Romans made it too dangerous to trade:
With no trade, towns & cities became useless
People built to farming villages to make food & find protection
Priests became the only people who could read & write

8. Self-sufficient farmers
No Roman Government?
Without the Roman Government, how are things different in Western Europe:
Trade?
Food?
Safety?
Leadership?
Language?
Religion?
No more trade
Self-sufficient farmers
Dangerous fighting
No emperors
Different languages
Polytheism

9. Without a centralized government, how does a society function?

10. Feudalism Feudalism began in Europe as a way to offer protection:
Feudalism is a series of agreements between lords & knights in which lords offer land in exchange for loyalty & military protection from knights
Lords built castles to protect peasants from outside invasions

11. Some peasants were serfs & could not leave the lord’s estate
Feudal Structure
Knights were specially trained soldiers who protect the lords & peasants
Some peasants were serfs & could not leave the lord’s estate
Kings had land but very little power
Lords (also called Nobles) were the upper-class landowners; they had inherited titles (“Duke,” “Earl,” “Sir”)

13. Medieval Castles

14. If you don’t own land or have money, how do you survive?

15. Manorial System
The manorial system produced the food for people to eat:
Lords allowed peasants to live on their land in exchange for a portion of the food they grew
Peasants agreed to pay “rent” to the nobles in exchange for shelter & protection
Peasant life was difficult: they were dependent upon the lords & got lots of diseases

17. I am the King!! I have so much land!!

18. I think I’ll build myself a castle, but I have no power so maybe I should give fiefs to some lords

19. Thank you king for this fief
Thank you king for this fief. As your loyal lords we will oversee this land

20. We will fight for the king and provide him with food from our lands, but this territory to too large.

21. Let’s pick the best land to build our homes on, then let’s give fiefs to some vassals!!

23. Thank you lords for this fief
Thank you lords for this fief. We promise loyalty, military service, & a portion of our food

24. Let’s pick the best land to build our homes on!!

25. Aren’t we going to need protection, too?

26. Oh yeah, let’s give fiefs to some knights also!

27. Let’s allow serfs to do all the work & provide us with food
Let’s allow serfs to do all the work & provide us with food! We will gain their work & loyalty

28. Thank you vassals for allowing us to live on this land
Thank you vassals for allowing us to live on this land. We provide you loyalty, military service, & a portion of our food

29. According to the code of Chivalry, I will forever protect my lord & vassal, my God, and my sweetie-pie at home!

31. The Power of the Christian Church
Many people in Western Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire were polytheistic but Christians converted many “barbarians”
In this time of chaos, the Christian church emerged as a stable & unifying force in Western Europe

32. The Power of the Christian Church
Catholicism became the dominant religion in Western Europe:
Without a common government to hold everyone together, the Church filled an important role in peoples’ lives
The Catholic Pope became the strongest political leader in Western Europe

33. The Power of the Christian Church
Each territory in Western Europe had a monastery (where monks lived) & provided order for the feudal manors:
Local priests were important because the church taught that all people are sinners & need God’s forgiveness
Christians paid a tithe (percentage of their food as a tax to the church)

37. Europe’s Feudal State
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