Feudalism and Social Structure
Monarchs During Feudal Times
![Picture](/uploads/1/1/2/3/11231364/944981453.jpg?191)
-Monarchs were at the very top of he feudal system
-They were expected to provide protection and to keep order for their vassals
-Most monarchs believed in the divine right of kings, the idea that they have been given the right to rule by god
-But in reality, the power of the monarchs varied greatly
-Some had to word hard to keep control of the kingdoms
-Very few had enough wealth to keep their armies
-They all had to rely on their vassals, and especially on the nobles
-During the early middle ages, some lords grew so powerful that they governed their fiefs and independent states
-In these cases, the monarch really had very little power
-Monarchs in England had become quite strong during the Middle Ages
-A number of groups of Vikings, had invaded and settled in England ever since the Roman period
-By the mid eleventh century, it was ruled by the Saxons, a Germanic Viking tribe
-The king was descended from both Saxon and Norman(French)
-When that king died, there as confusion over who should become king
-When William conquered England from his cousin, Harold, he brought institutions from Europe with him
-By the start of the High Middle Ages, around 1000 C.E., he feudal system had stabilized much of Europe
-They were expected to provide protection and to keep order for their vassals
-Most monarchs believed in the divine right of kings, the idea that they have been given the right to rule by god
-But in reality, the power of the monarchs varied greatly
-Some had to word hard to keep control of the kingdoms
-Very few had enough wealth to keep their armies
-They all had to rely on their vassals, and especially on the nobles
-During the early middle ages, some lords grew so powerful that they governed their fiefs and independent states
-In these cases, the monarch really had very little power
-Monarchs in England had become quite strong during the Middle Ages
-A number of groups of Vikings, had invaded and settled in England ever since the Roman period
-By the mid eleventh century, it was ruled by the Saxons, a Germanic Viking tribe
-The king was descended from both Saxon and Norman(French)
-When that king died, there as confusion over who should become king
-When William conquered England from his cousin, Harold, he brought institutions from Europe with him
-By the start of the High Middle Ages, around 1000 C.E., he feudal system had stabilized much of Europe
Life of Lords and Ladies
![Picture](/uploads/1/1/2/3/11231364/212629096.jpg)
-Lords managed and defended land
-Except for fighting, noblewomen had the same jobs as the noblemen
-Lords and ladies enjoyed:
-Lords and ladies were the highest ranking in society
-Some lords had only one manor, while others have several
-Those with multiple manors stayed in one for a few months, then moved to the next
-The Lords acted like judges in court and could fine and punish people who broke the law
-Only men were part of the feudal relationship between lord and vassal
-Except for fighting, noblewomen had the same jobs as the noblemen
-Lords and ladies enjoyed:
- Hunting
- Hawking (hunting with hawks)
- Boarding games/chess
- Parties
- Embroidery
- Fine sewing
-Lords and ladies were the highest ranking in society
-Some lords had only one manor, while others have several
-Those with multiple manors stayed in one for a few months, then moved to the next
-The Lords acted like judges in court and could fine and punish people who broke the law
-Only men were part of the feudal relationship between lord and vassal
Becoming a Knight
-It takes about 13 years of training to become a knight
-At the age of 7, a boy leaves his home to stay with the Lord
-He starts as a page or servant, then over the years he slowly worked his way up til he was a knight, he becomes a knight around age 20
-The weapons you would use were sword, lance(throwing spear up to 15 ft long), battle axe, and mace(a club with heavy metal)
-The catagories of soldiers were Archer, Foot Soldier, and the Knights
-The Knight was the wealthiest out of the three soldier types
-Knight had lots of thick armour, and could plow through foot soldiers with virtually no scratches
-It was very expensive to be a knight
-A war horse back then cost equivalent to a small airplane
-Armor, shields, and weapons were very expensive too
-Becoming a knight was part of the Feudal Agreement
-At the age of 7, a boy leaves his home to stay with the Lord
-He starts as a page or servant, then over the years he slowly worked his way up til he was a knight, he becomes a knight around age 20
-The weapons you would use were sword, lance(throwing spear up to 15 ft long), battle axe, and mace(a club with heavy metal)
-The catagories of soldiers were Archer, Foot Soldier, and the Knights
-The Knight was the wealthiest out of the three soldier types
-Knight had lots of thick armour, and could plow through foot soldiers with virtually no scratches
-It was very expensive to be a knight
-A war horse back then cost equivalent to a small airplane
-Armor, shields, and weapons were very expensive too
-Becoming a knight was part of the Feudal Agreement
Peasants
![Picture](/uploads/1/1/2/3/11231364/282480268.jpg?290)
-Most people were peasants
-Peasants were legally classified as free or unfree, these catagories had to do with how much service was owed to the Lord
-Free peasants rented land to farms and owed only their rent to the Lord
-Unfree peasants (serfs) farmed the lord's fields
-Unfree peasants could not leave the lords' castle
-In return, the Lord gave them land for their own farms where they built crops and tended to livestock
-Every manor also hired carpenters, shoemakers, and smiths
-and other skilled workers
-Peasant women women worked with the men in the feilds when need
-Peasant women also cared for children and homes
-Peasants were legally classified as free or unfree, these catagories had to do with how much service was owed to the Lord
-Free peasants rented land to farms and owed only their rent to the Lord
-Unfree peasants (serfs) farmed the lord's fields
-Unfree peasants could not leave the lords' castle
-In return, the Lord gave them land for their own farms where they built crops and tended to livestock
-Every manor also hired carpenters, shoemakers, and smiths
-and other skilled workers
-Peasant women women worked with the men in the feilds when need
-Peasant women also cared for children and homes