Shayne Bontempo
Pre AP World History Period 5
DBQ Project
March 1, 2010
Background Information
The Middle Ages occurred from the 5th through the 16th centuries. This was a time of
disease, change in centralized government and great faith. The Middle Ages have been known
for all their accomplishments and downfalls; The Age of Feudalism, The Dark Ages, etc.
Feudalism greatly shifted the way the government worked. It gave power to the wealthy and
land to the middle class. Contracts were made between the lords and vassals, receivers of the
fiefs (land). Great loyalty was involved. The Middle Ages were also known as the Dark Ages.
There was a lot of warfare and disorder to be had during this time. Plagues went around and
killed thousands of people. Many names have been given to the Middle Ages, but what is the
most prominent name given?
Question:The Fifth to the Sixteenth Century, Middle Ages, have been called The Dark Ages and
The Age of Feudalism. Of the two which age do you think represented the time period better?
Document 1
Kimble, John. "History of Fuedalism -." Associated Content - associatedcontent.com. 1 July 2007. Web.
02 Mar. 2010. <http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/214175/history_of_fuedalism.html?cat=37>.
I, John of Toul, make known that I am the liege man of the (count and countess of
Champagne). . . . I will aid the count of Champagne in my own person, and will send
to the count and countess of Champagne the knights whose service I owe to them for
the fief which I hold of them. . . .”
Document 2
Munro, Dana C. "Primary Sources: DOCUMENTS ILLUSTRATIVE OF FEUDALISM." Sam Houston State
University - Texas - Carnegie Research Doctoral Univ. Web. 02 Mar. 2010.
<http://www.shsu.edu/~his_ncp/Feudal1.html>.
Grant of a Fief, A. D. I200.
I, Thiebault, count palatine of Troyes, make known to those present and to come that I
have given in fee to Jocelyn d'Avalon and his heirs the manor which is called Gillencourt,
which is of the castellanerie of La Ferte sur Aube; and whatever the same Jocelyn shall
be able to acquire in the same manor I have granted to him and his heirs in augmentation
of that fief. I have granted, moreover, to him that in no free manor of mine will I retain
men who are of this gift. The same Jocelyn, moreover, on account of this has become my
liege man, saving, however, his allegiance to Gerard d'Arcy, and to the lord duke of
Burgundy, and to Peter, count of Auxerre. Done at Chouaude, by my own witness, in the
year of the Incarnation of our Lord I200, in the month of January. Given by the hand of
Walter, my chancellor; note of Milo.
Document 3
Robinson, James H. "Disorder and Warfare according to the Annals of Xanten." De Re Militari: The
Society for Medieval Military History. Web. 01 Mar. 2010.
<http://www.deremilitari.org/resources/sources/xanten.htm>.
Disorder and Warfare according to the Annals of Xanten (844 -861)
857 - A great sickness prevailed among the people. This produced a terrible foulness, so
that the limbs were separated from the body even before death came.
Document 4
"The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle." The Online Medieval & Classical Library. Web. 02 Mar. 2010.
<http://omacl.org/Anglo/>.
An excerpt from The Anglo Saxon Chronicles
A.D. 793. This year came dreadful fore-warnings over the land of
the Northumbrians, terrifying the people most woefully: these
were immense sheets of light rushing through the air, and
whirlwinds, and fiery, dragons flying across the firmament.
These tremendous tokens were soon followed by a great famine: and
not long after, on the sixth day before the ides of January in
the same year, the harrowing inroads of heathen men made
lamentable havoc in the church of God in Holy-island, by rapine and slaughter.
Document 5
Contract of sale of the fiefs of Serradifalco between Don Antonio Moncada-D'Aragonia and Don Francesco Graffeo,
on June 6, 1617.First page of the act, Notary Gabriele Imperiale of Caltanissetta.
"Google Image Result for http://www.conigliofamily.com/images/Page39Figure700w.jpg." Google Images. Web.
02 Mar.
2010.<http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.conigliofamily.com/images/Page39Figure700w.jpg&i
mgrefurl=http://www.conigliofamily.com/SerradifalcoGiuseppeTesta.htm&usg=__dq0jkvqyIxomJuQgDJgHfrQYo
84=&h=1075&w=700&sz=359&hl=en&start=9&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=gtmdp4dhMDWpKM:&tbnh=150&tbnw=9
8&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dfeudal%2Bcontract%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DX%26rlz%3D1T4DKUS_en
US241US241%26tbs%3Disch:1>.
Document 6
Document 7
Web. 1 Mar. 2010.
http://www.declarepeace.org.uk/cap
tain/murder_inc/site/pics/feudal.jpg
Web. 1 Mar. 2010. <http://medievalcastles.org/blog/media/irish_castle.JPG>.
.
The Fifth through Sixteenth century, Middle Ages, have been labeled both as the Age of
Feudalism and the Dark Ages. The Middle Ages were filled with chaos, but the major cause of
that was the decentralized government and focus on feudalism. The Fifth through Sixteenth
Century should be labeled as the Age of Feudalism. The Middle Ages most represented the Age
of Feudalism because the feudal system dominated the military, social and financial aspects of
Europe.
During the Middle Ages the nobles could no longer depend on the King and his armies
to defend them during attacks. Feudalism originally started because of the Muslim, Magyar and
Viking invasions. Lords took the initiative to protect themselves. Castles were built on hills or
areas where it would be more difficult for invaders to attack. Rocky ledges and moats were built
around castles to keep them protected. (Document 7) Inside the castles knights were a necessity,
if the invaders destroyed the outside walls. Lords hired knights to protect the castles. “I have
granted to him and his heirs in augmentation of that fief. Jocelyn…has become my liege man,
saving, however, his allegiance to Gerald d’Arcy, and to the lord duke of Burgandy, and to Peter,
count of Auxerre.” (Document 2)When a fief was granted, both parties understood the physical
responsibility they owed to each other. In this document where a fief was granted, Jocelyn, the
vassal, was addressed and was to become the liege man to the lord. He had other loyalties and
promised to stay loyal to this lord as well if his castle became under attack. The physical aspect
of feudalism brought people together through fiefs.
Knights were not the only people enlisted by the lord to help protect the land. Vassals and
Surfs were hired to tend to the lord’s land. The difference in these two categories of land
overseers was the social class. Vassals had more power and were given more land. They could
divide the land, given to them by a lord, and grant it to peasants for loyalty. Surfs were tied to the
land. Unlike slaves, they could not be sold, but they had to stay with the land. Serfdom was
hereditary. When lords gave fiefs to vassals, they expected fealty, loyalty. “I, John of Toul …
will aid the count of Champagne in my own person, and will send to the count and countess of
Champagne the nights whose service I owe to them for the fief which I hold of them.”
(Document 1) John of Toul notes that when the nobleman for whom he is the liege man, needs
service, he will send knights that own fealty or loyalty to him. The knights, vassals and peasants
get paid for their service in a sort of trade.
Wealthy lords did not want to share their wealth, but still wanted people to work for
them. Instead of paying the knights and vassals in large amounts of money, the lords paid them
in land. The land given to them was called a fief. In return the vassals and knights gave them
fealty. If the lord was captured in battle the knight or vassal would also have to pay the ransom in
order to get them back. The knight also gave money to the lord on special occasions. Socially the
fiefs brought people together in strong trust.
The Europeans in the Middle Ages were focused on protection from invaders. For this
protection to occur, Lords needed knights. The lords could not focus on their land any longer and
acquired vassals to tend to the land. The system of feudalism was practiced by the majority of
Europeans. Whether they were at the top of the social class as lords or the very bottom as surfs,
feudalism was dependent on the citizens. The environment during the Middle Ages was not the
best, but not everyone was suffering. If you were to label the Middle Ages based on what
represented the majority of the people, the Middle Ages would be known as The Age of
Feudalism.
Bibliography
Document 1: Kimble, John. "History of Fuedalism -." Associated Content - associatedcontent.com. 1 July
2007. Web. 02 Mar. 2010.
<http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/214175/history_of_fuedalism.html?cat=37>.
Document 2: Munro, Dana C. "Primary Sources: DOCUMENTS ILLUSTRATIVE OF FEUDALISM." Sam
Houston State University - Texas - Carnegie Research Doctoral Univ. Web. 02 Mar. 2010.
<http://www.shsu.edu/~his_ncp/Feudal1.html>.
Document 3: Robinson, James H. "Disorder and Warfare according to the Annals of Xanten." De Re
Militari: The Society for Medieval Military History. Web. 01 Mar. 2010.
<http://www.deremilitari.org/resources/sources/xanten.htm>.
Document 4: "The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle." The Online Medieval & Classical Library. Web.
02 Mar. 2010. <http://omacl.org/Anglo/>.
Document 5: "Google Image Result for
http://www.conigliofamily.com/images/Page39Figure700w.jpg." Google Images. Web. 02 Mar.
2010.<http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.conigliofamily.com/images/Page39
Figure700w.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.conigliofamily.com/SerradifalcoGiuseppeTesta.htm&us
g=__dq0jkvqyIxomJuQgDJgHfrQYo84=&h=1075&w=700&sz=359&hl=en&start=9&um=1&it
bs=1&tbnid=gtmdp4dhMDWpKM:&tbnh=150&tbnw=98&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dfeudal%2Bc
ontract%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DX%26rlz%3D1T4DKUS_enUS241US241%26tbs
%3Disch:1>.
Document 6: Web. 1 Mar. 2010.
http://www.declarepeace.org.uk/captain/murder_inc/site/pics/feudal.jpg
Document 7: Web. 1 Mar. 2010. <http://medieval-castles.org/blog/media/irish_castle.JPG>.
.