Middle Ages Medieval Europe Background The Middle Ages
Middle Ages
Medieval Europe Background The Middle Ages were a dark age for Europe. Near constant invasions and scant resources required that Europeans develop a new system for living. This system included all aspects of life, social, political, and economic. It was called Feudalism
Feudalism was a social, political, and economic system that dominated all aspects of medieval life. The economic portion of feudalism was centered around the lord's estates or manor, and is called manorialism. A lord's manor would include peasant villages, a church, farm land, a mill, and the lord's castle or manor house
Manorialism Manors were self sufficient; all economic activity occurred on the manor. This meant that little to no trade occurred during this time period. Most of the peasants during the Middle Ages were serfs. Serfs were given land to farm in exchange for service to their lord. Service included working in the fields, maintaining roads and the manor, or military service in during wars. . The lords had responsibilities also under this system. In return for the services and taxes paid by the peasants, they provided land protection to them. Lords also had to pay fees and give service to high lords and the king. Feudalism affected all levels of society
The Feudal System Kings Give large land grants to Upper Lords called fiefs Give Protection Receives money, military service, and advice Upper Lords Give land grants to Lesser Lords Give Protection Receives money, military service Lesser Lords Give land grants to knights Receives money, military service Knights Give land to peasants/serfs Receives crops, labor Peasants/ Serfs Receives land to farm Pays with labor, crops
Comparison of Feudalism in Europe and Japan Nobility Warriors Code of Conduct Europe Japan King, lord, lesser lord Knights Emperor, shogun, daimyo Samurai Chivalry Bushido Both practices developed in response to the need for security and stability everyone had well-defined social roles helped preserve law and order
The Age of Charlemagne Around 800 Western Europe was briefly unified. A Christian pope, proclaimed him “Emperor of the Romans” reviving the idea of a unified Christian world but widening the split between Eastern and Western Christinanity
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