Europe’s Middle Ages After

King Charlemagne

Let’s Review…

Rise of the Franks

Under the leadership of Charlemagne

What remained after Rome fell?

After the fall of Rome, barbarians had taken over. Not much from Rome’s glory days were left. There was no central government or system of defense. Times were dark and dangerous. There was still:

Christianity

Germanic tribes converted and began to grow in power.

Created monasteries– The only places that kept literacy alive.

CharlemagneCharlemagne was a king who wanted to

restore Rome’s glory.

His Goals: Stop barbarian invasions and

spread Christianity

For his spread of the Christian faith, two

forces were needed:

– Spiritual – already existed as the Western

Church

– Secular – the political authority to rule

A New Chance for EmpireUnder his rule, the empire survived many

attacks. However, after his death things were

different…

Charlemagne’s grandsons Mess It Up

Feudalism

After his death, they fought over

the land and eventually split it up

into sections. His empire quickly

fell apart.

Lack of a single leader or

administration and the need for

protection from invaders led to a

new form of government…

Europeans Under Constant Attack

Vikings, Magyars, and Muslims raided Europe.

There was a need for order and protection.

Average people were not safe! Remember,

there is no government or soldiers right now.

Lords (aka the land owners) defended the

peasants. In return, the peasants worked the

land for the lords.

Let’s find out how this

Feudalism thing worked…

FeudalismOverview: Feudalism developed out

of peoples' need for protection

against invaders, and landowners'

need for defense. It was a system in

which powerful lords commanded the

obedience of less powerful nobles.

People received protection in

exchange for services or for turning

over total ownership of their land to

larger landowners. Hierarchies

developed: less powerful nobles

became vassals (persons under the

protection of a feudal ruler) of the

more powerful lords.

Feudalism Vocabulary lord—landowner, governed manor & castle – near

total authority within fief… He was in charge!

Fief (fife)—land granted to a vassal or knight to

oversee/ live on/ take care of

vassal—wealthy landowner who runs the fief for

the lord

knights—mounted horsemen who pledge to

defend their lord's lands in exchange for fiefs,

armored cavalry

serfs—bound to the land, could not leave it and all

their labor produced belonged to the lord

Feudalism

Political and

economic

system/

agreement

dependent on

land ownership

and personal

loyalty.

how Feudalism worked…Fifes or plots of land were given out for “services and loyalty” to nobles

Nobles gave out the right to work the land to

serfs

No central government (like a democracy,

monarchy,etc). Each manor had it’s own

hierarchy or levels of power and ran

independently. Peasants were loyal to the

lord they worked for. In exchange, they were

also taken care of.

Castles

Roles of Feudalism

A manor was the area of land (fief) over

which a lord had control.

Serfs owed their lord three days of work each

week; such as farming, tending animals,

maintain the manor.

Also paid to grind grain, get married, or

anything else that required the lord’s approval.

As we mentioned, the Lord’s role was to

govern/ run the manor, provide housing,

farmland, and protection.

KnightsKnights were the

warrior class in

charge of defending

the manor.

Armed and armored.

Chivalry was their

code of conduct.

– Loyal

– Brave

– Courteous

Roles of Feudalism

18

Constructing the Pyramid of Feudal Power

LESSER NOBLES(KNIGHTS)

LABOR PROTECTION

POWERFULNOBLES

KING

SERFS AND PEASANTS (FREEMEN)

LAND ANDPROTECTION

LANDDLOYALTY ANDSERVICE

LOYALTY ANDMILITARY SERVICE

LOYALTY ANDMILITARY SERVICE

LABOR

LOYALTY ANDSERVICE

Serfs pay to grind their grain at

the mill…Water mill- Outside how it works-

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=old+water

+mill&&view=detail&mid=448D593D6842D750F

B83448D593D6842D750FB83&FORM=VRDGA

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Water mill- inside how it works-http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=mill+to+gr

ind+grain+into+flour&&view=detail&mid=05A3B

BB61F7F2699A17405A3BBB61F7F2699A174&

FORM=VRDGAR

Manor System- What it looked like…

Video Clip

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6vum

9IsDp8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQq6O

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