1. Medieval Europe/ Middle Ages
Unpleasant time – known as the Dark Ages  
Constant invasions in Western Europe
People left the cities
Moved to the countryside
Led to a new way of living.
Roman Empire
Middle Ages
Renaissance

2. William the Conqueror He was from France (Duke of Normandy)
He became King of England after winning the Battle of Hastings
He was not popular with the people
He needed help to rule England and to control the people

3. William the Conqueror He introduced feudalism to England
He built castles to intimidate
(frighten) the English people.
Knights forced English citizens
to obey him
Dover Castle

4. Feudalism William divided up England into large areas of land
He gave land to nobles who had fought with him in battle
Nobles called barons, earls, and dukes

5. Feudalism Barons (nobles) divided up their land and gave some to
Knights who also fought in battle
Knights swore an oath to the barons
Knights collected taxes when told to, and provided protection

6. Vassals Feudalism is the political and social structure of society
King was the most important person in society
All nobles were vassals of the king, and had duties to perform.
Knights were vassals of the nobles.
Serfs were vassals of the Knights.
The relationship between lords and vassals made up a big part of the political and social structure of the feudal system.
Based on ties of loyalty and duty among nobles
Nobles were both lords and vassals
Ties were made official by the “act of homage”
Fiefs were given to vassals by lords
Lords gave vassals the right to govern the people who lived on their fiefs
Lords promised to give protection to the vassals
Breaking the feudal contract could mean loss of land
Vassals had certain duties to perform for the lord.
Helped the lord in battle
Participated personally in military service 40 – 60 days a year
Gave money when the lord’s daughters married and when sons were knighted
Paid the lord’s ransom or took his place if he was captured
Attended the lord’s court
Provided food and entertainment when the lord visited
All nobles were ultimately vassals of the king.
Nobles provided the king with knights to form an army for defense and conquest
Because of this, the real power belonged to the nobles.

7. CONSTRUCTING THE PYRAMID OF POWER
SERFS AND FREEMEN

8. CONSTRUCTING THE PYRAMID OF POWER
LESSER NOBLES
(KNIGHTS)
LABOR
PROTECTION
SERFS AND FREEMEN

9. CONSTRUCTING THE PYRAMID OF POWER
POWERFUL
NOBLES
LAND
LOYALTY AND
MILITARY SERVICE
LESSER NOBLES
(KNIGHTS)
LABOR
PROTECTION
SERFS AND FREEMEN

10. CONSTRUCTING THE PYRAMID OF POWER
KING
LOYALTY AND
SERVICE
LAND
POWERFUL
NOBLES
LAND
LOYALTY AND
MILITARY SERVICE
LESSER NOBLES
(KNIGHTS)
LABOR
PROTECTION
SERFS AND FREEMEN

11. Manorialism
A manor is a self-sufficient community with a castle, a church, and farmlands.
All economic activity occurred on the manor
Little or no trade outside of the community

12. Manorialism
Without trade, economic production and distribution of resources/products occurred within the Manor.
Introduction of business practices:
Partnerships
Guilds
Apprentices

13. Serfs Peasants were called serfs. Serfs were given land to farm
In return, serfs
worked in the fields
built and fixed roads
fought in wars. 
Serfs were not slaves
Serfs were bound to the land

14. Serfs

15. Middle Ages - Knights
Chivalry- a knight’s code of honor

16. Video

17. Middle Ages - Castles

18. Lords and Nobles

19. What is a Knight? Knights were vassals to the Nobles.
Training began at age 7, as a page, under the guidance of the lady of the manor
Became squires at age 15 and were trained by other knights
Those deemed worthy were “dubbed” knights
Almost all nobles were knights
Society made up of three groups – nobles, clergy and peasants
and townspeople
Knight’s training:
Began at age 7 as a page
Under guidance of the lady of the manor
- Taught courtly manners, sometimes reading, music, dancing – all
the necessities of a noble
- Ran errands and served her in return
Also began serving the knights performing simple tasks
Became a squire at age 15 and placed under guidance of a knight
- Taught the skills of knighthood, especially horsemanship and combat skills.
- Followed knight into battle and helped him if he was wounded or fell off his horse
If proven to be a good fighter he was rewarded by being made a knight
- Special ceremony known as dubbing
Knights were expected to follow certain rules known as the code of chivalry
Knights trained for war by fighting each other in tournaments
Most popular form of entertainment during the Middle Ages
Popular event was joust

20. Workers on the Manor
There were two groups of peasant workers on the manor
Freemen- skilled workers who paid rent and could leave the manor whenever they wished.
Serfs – workers bound to the land by contract with the nobles. (They had no freedom .)
There were two groups of workers on the manor
Freemen:
Usually had a skill needed by others on the manor
Included seneschals and bailiffs who helped run the manor
- Seneschals looked after fiefs
by visiting each regularly
- Bailif made sure peasants
worked
- Towns (called shires) also had
peace-keepers known as
reeves
Serfs:
Required to work the noble’s land
Also worked their own land and gave a part of their crops to the noble
Had no freedom – they were the noble’s property
Peasants had no political power

23. Vocabulary Activity Activity Terms
Write a sentence with the pair of words.
Medieval, Feudalism Vassal, Knight Serf, peasant Knight, Chivalry William the Conqueror, feudalism

24. Feudal Contract: page 24 Play ROCK PAPER SCISSORS best of 5
Winner = LORD, Loser = SERFLORDS need
SERFS need
Food
Housing
Clothes
Other basics
LORDS need
Labor
Everything done for them

25. On PAGE 25
Draw a diagram of streets in Medieval London