1. Feudalism What is it? 1) Political and social system of Middle Ages
2) New way to get soldiers
3) System of vassals

2. What is a vassal?
Someone who is given use of land in return for military service
See handout
A vassal can be vassal to more than one lord (subinfeudation)

3. Feudal Contract Both men must be nobles (free men and knights as well)
Unwritten rules that determined relationship between lord and vassal
Lord has land and wants military service
Vassal wants land and will fight
Made official by public ceremony (homage)

4. Homage 1) Oath of fealty (made by vassal)
Always stated in the negative, i.e. “I will not…”
2) Investiture of fief (done by lord)
3) Kiss

5. Obligations Lord 1) Protection (physical and legal)
2) Guardianship (of minors)
3) Justice (if vassal is accused)
A) Trial by battle
B) Compurgation (oath taking)
C) Trial by ordeal

6. Obligations Vassal 1) Military Service (40 days/year)
2) Counsel (attend court, judge peers)
3) Relief (1 year’s income – payment to become vassal)
4) Aids and Dues (hospitality, financial costs, etc.)

7. Manorialism Manorialism = economic system of Middle Ages
Most people lived on a manor (at least in the early Middle Ages); Consists of:
Seigneur (Lord of the Manor) holds fief containing manors which is…
Land worked by serfs – some free (all legally bound to work the vassal’s land) –*disregard much of what book says about peasant life span

8. Life of Nobility Most of Middle Ages activities centered around war
Actual fighting or hunting (practice for war) or tournaments (play war)
Families
Husband head of family – marriages often made to advance one’s wealth and land

9. Knights Chivalry Age 7 = page Age 12-14 = squire
Age 18 (usually) = knight
Marked by grand ceremony

10. Castles, Peasants, and Cities (oh my)

11. Where people lived
Not everyone lived in castles (most lived on a manor)
Castles for nobility (usually only for Kings)
Not all large, stone structures
First castles = motte and bailey
When weaponry changes, castles change
Not cozy, comfy places to live
Become ineffective at end of 100 Years’ War because of…

12. Life in Castles
No soap, deodorant, toothpaste, and perfume hard to come by
Draftiness (motte & bailey had problems with rain)
Tapestries on walls, animal skins on windows
Light frequently from torches (no chimneys until 12th-13th century)
Floor covered with rushes (straw)
Food not so good (no forks!)

13. Economy Changes
By trade begins to revive (the Crusades stimulate desire for products such as high quality cloth, silk, spices, sugar, etc.
Trade Fairs
Trade leads to revival of cities (walled structures) which leads to decline of feudalism (peasants can leave because they have a place to go)
Trade creates 3 important developments: a manufacturing system, a banking system, and the practice of investing capital (p. 259)

14. Towns and Cities Townspeople had at least 4 basic rights 1) Freedom
2) Exempt status (no serf service)
3) Town Justice
4) Commercial privileges
Creates organization of guilds

15. Cities Crowded, dirty places
Generally small since walls were expensive to build
Fire danger great (wooden houses with candles for light and heat)
Bad smell (animal and human waste)
Bad water
Few baths (closed down because of public nudity)
Disease, such as…

16. Black Death 1348-1350 Kills 1/3 of Europe’s population (20+ million)
3 forms of Black Death
Bubonic (60%), Pneumonic (90%), Septicemic (100%)

17. Spread of Plague
Blamed on Jews, witches, foreigners, or punishment of God
Really spread by
1) Well-meaning stupidity (processions and public prayers, going to church, getting together with people)
2) Attitude towards cats (agents of Satan)
3) Change in rat population (brown rat replaces black)