FEUDALISM AND MANORIALISM
FEUDALISM: A SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT IN MEDIEVAL EUROPE CHARACTERIZED BY LANDLORD NOBLES WHO HAD RESPONSIBILITY TO THE KING IN RETURN FOR THE USE OF LAND
MANORIALISM: A COMMON ECONOMIC SYSTEM IN MEDIEVAL EUROPE Feudalism grew up in an age of disorder, when the central government was helpless to protect the people. Its beginnings can be traced to the breakup of the ancient Roman Empire. There was great confusion during the barbarian invasions, which began at the end of the 4th century. In 410 Rome fell to Alaric, a Visigoth chieftain. In 476 the Western Roman Empire came to an end. This date or 500 is commonly taken as marking the end of ancient times and the beginning of the Middle Ages. On the ruins of the Roman Empire there arose small barbarian kingdoms. The kings warred constantly with one another. Charlemagne, king of the Franks, tried to build a Christian empire modeled on that of Rome. He was crowned Holy Roman emperor in 800, but when he died there was no strong ruler to take his place. (See also Charlemagne.) The roads and bridges the Romans had built eventually fell into decay. Money almost disappeared, making it impossible for kings to pay their officials and soldiers. Barbarian invasions continued. From the north came Scandinavian pirates—the Northmen, or Vikings. In the south Mohammedans terrorized the coasts of Italy and France. People were at the mercy of invaders and marauding bandits. Lacking a strong central government, each district had to look out for itself. People naturally sought the protection of their nearest powerful neighbor. In time of trouble his wooden blockhouse or stone castle served as a refuge for both the villagers and their flocks. Lords, Vassals, and Knights Feudalism was based on ties of loyalty and duty among members of the nobility. Nobles were both lords and vassals. A lord was a high-ranking noble who had power over others. A vassal (VA • suhl) was a lower-ranking noble who served a lord. In return, the lord protected the vassal. The tie binding a lord and his vassal was declared in a public ceremony. The vassal took an oath and placed his hands between those of his lord. "Sir, I enter your homage [service] and faith and become your man by mouth and hands [that is, by taking the oath and placing his hands between those of the lord], and I swear and promise to keep faith and loyalty to you against all others.” A vassal helped his lord in battle. In exchange for the vassal's military service, a lord gave his vassal land. The property granted to a vassal was known as a fief (FEEF). Many lower-ranking vassals were known as knights (NYTS). They were armed warriors who fought on horseback. In early medieval times, warriors in Western Europe mostly fought on foot. In the 700s, knights began to use a foot piece called a stirrup. Stirrups allowed an armored warrior to sit on a horse and attack while he held a lance, or long, heavy spear. Nobles and Knights in Medieval Society During the Middle Ages, nobles were the most powerful people in Europe. Great lords had more land and wealth than ordinary knights. Yet, a shared belief in the feudal order united lords and knights in defending their society. Knights followed the code of chivalry (SHIH • vuhl • ree). These rules stated that a knight was to be brave and obey his lord. A knight was also required to respect women of noble birth, honor the Church, and help people. Many of today's ideas about manners come from the code of chivalry. Knights trained for war by fighting one another in tournaments, or special contests. The most popular event was the joust. Two knights on horseback carrying lances galloped toward each other and tried to knock each other off. Nobles were often at war and away from their castles. In their absence, their wives or daughters ran the estates. Nobles, knights, and peasants (or farmers) depended on the land for everything they needed. The lands of a fief consisted of manors. A manor was a farming community that a noble ran and peasants worked. It usually consisted of the noble's castle, the surrounding fields, and a peasant village.
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