1. Medieval Feudalism

2. Invasions, 800s-900s Vikings, Muslim, Magyars
Destroyed Carolingian Empire
Results?
Chaos
Further decline of population, trade and agricultural production
Strong prey on the weak
Lords (i.e., the strong) began carving up the land among themselves

3. Birth Europeans scared, in constant danger
Offered their only resource—their labor—to the local lord
In return, the lord provided them protection
Over time, this relationship solidified into a governing system

4. Definition of Feudalism
Decentralized system of governing and landholding
Based on elaborate system of obligations and loyalties between lords and vassals
Existed by 1000 C.E.

5. Lord
Gave
Land
Received
Loyalty
Military service
Controlled only as much land as he and warriors can personally defend
Feudalism provided him with army of vassals to do it

6. Vassal Gave Received Oath of loyalty 40 days of military service
Retinue of soldiers
Received
Portion of lord’s land to house, clothe, feed, defend himself

7. Fief LAND a lord gives his vassal
Vassal defends and rules fief in lord’s name
Fiefs became hereditary (still technically lord’s property)
Vassals built castles where they lived and defended fief

8. Feudalism’s Complexities
Every lord was a vassal
SUBINFEUDATION
Vassals divided up their fiefs into smaller fiefs
Give them to vassals of their own
Creates the retinue of soldiers his lord requires
Vassals could hold numerous fiefs, from different lords (supposedly had a LIEGE LORD)
Vassals could and did switch allegiances, fought against lords
Kingmostly a fancy title
System created private armies all over Europe

9. Rollo’s
Fief
Realm of Lord
Charles The
Slow
Fief
Charles’
Personal
Land
Fief
Fief
Fief
Oddo’s
Fief
Paul’s
Fief

10. God
King
Lord
Lord
Vassal
Vassal
Vassal
Vassal
Vassal
Vassal

11. Manorialism Medieval economic system
Fiefs supported lords, vassals, serfs (everyone)
Manors located on fiefs (several manors on a fief)
Manors self-contained and self-sufficientprovided everything lords and serfs needed
Manor House/Castle
Village (houses, bakery, mill, blacksmith, church)
Farmland
Serfs (15-30 families)

12. A Medieval
Manor

13. 3 Orders of the High Middle Ages
Those Who Fight
5-10%
Those Who Pray
5-10%
Burghers?
Those Who Work
80-90%