Class Notes
Chapter 14 Section 1 Outline
FEUDALISM AND THE MANOR SYSTEM
Name: ___________________________ Period: _______ Date: ________
***Knight: A man who received honor and land in exchange for serving a lord as a soldier
I.
The Middle Ages
A. Middle Ages: The years between ancient and modern times
1. Ancient times ended A.D. 500
2. Modern times began A.D. 1500
B. Medieval: Referring to the Middle Ages
1. Medieval comes from Latin words that mean “middle ages”
C. The Collapse of the Roman Empire
1. The Middle Ages began with the collapse of the Roman Empire in
Western Europe
2. The Roman Empire was replaced by many different small kingdoms
3. Reading and writing were in danger of disappearing from Europe
a. Many of the invading people could not do either
D. Charlemagne Reunites Western Europe
1. One of the invading groups of the Roman Empire were the Franks
a. They claimed Gaul (present-day France)
b. The name France comes from the word “Franks”
2. In A.D. 768, a skilled military leader named Charlemagne became
king of the Franks
a. Charlemagne expanded his kingdom by conquering weaker
kingdoms, which turned into an empire
b. Ruled empire for 50 years
c. Worked hard to keep empire united
d. Accomplishments
i. Established schools to promote learning and culture
ii. Spread the Christian religion
iii. Issued money and improved the economy
3. After Charlemagne died, the empire was divided among his three
sons
a. They fought one another, which weakened the empire
b. Other groups attacked the empire, such as the Vikings
Class Notes
E. Attacks from the North
1. The Vikings came from the far north of Europe (present-day
Denmark, Sweden, and Norway)
2. Characteristics
a. Skilled sailors
b. Tough warriors
c. Used surprise when attacking enemies
3. Pros and Cons
a. Pro: Reopened trade routes to Mediterranean lands
b. Con: Burned and looted many European towns
Q&A Time!
Why did Charlemagne’s empire fall apart?
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II.
Feudalism: A Kind of Government
A. There were many problems during the Middle Ages
1. Charlemagne’s empire fell apart
2. Western Europe was again divided into many small kingdoms
3. Viking attacks were a constant threat
B. People of Europe had to find a way to defend themselves and to organize
their communities
C. The Feudal System
1. Feudalism: A system in which land was owned by kings or lords but
held by vassals in return for their loyalty
a. Power belonged to those who controlled the land (landowners)
i. Nobles
ii. Barons
iii. Princes
b. Share of land (fief) went to each vassal, who promised to follow
the landowner’s laws and to fight for him
D. Feudal Duties
1. Chief Duty of Lords
a. Promised to treat their vassals with honor
b. Protected their vassals and their land
c. Asked his vassals’ advice before making laws or going to war
2. Chief Duty of Vassals
a. Expected to raise and lead armies that would fight for their lord
b. Many were knights (professional horse soldiers who led other
men into battle)
Class Notes
c. Appeared at the lord’s court when commanded to do so
d. Paid taxes (crops) to lords
Q&A Time!
What did lords give vassals in exchange for the vassals’ loyalty?
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III.
The Manor System
A. Feudalism was the way medieval Europe organized power and government
B. Manorialism was the way they organized their economy
C. Manor: A large estate that included farm fields, pastures, and often an entire
village
D. Manor house-Where the lord of the manor lived
E. Lords and Manors
1. Manor was part of fief
2. Most manors were far from towns, villages, and other manors
a. Had to be self-sufficient, or able to supply their own needs
b. Food, clothing, and other items were made on manor
3. Lord of the Manor
a. Was a vassal of a king or a more powerful lord
b. Depended on the wealth his manor provided
c. Ruled over his manor, including the people
d. Made rules and acted as judge
e. Decided who would oversee the farming and other daily work
f. Collected taxes from the peasants who lived on the manor
F. The Role of Noblewomen
1. Went to other noble families for training
2. Took her place as lady of the household
3. Jobs/Responsibilities
a. Managed the household
b. Performed necessary medical tasks
c. Supervised servants
4. When her husband was away fighting, she often served as “lord of
the manor”
Q&A Time!
Why did manors have to be self-sufficient?
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Class Notes
IV.
Peasants and Serfs
A. Majority of people of medieval Europe were peasants
1. Peasants-Group of people who made their living as farmers and laborers
B. Characteristics of Peasants
1. Were often very poor
2. Did all of the work on the manors
3. Farmed the lord’s fields to raise food for his household
4. Only allowed to farm a small strip of land for themselves
5. Had to give part of own harvest to their lord
C. Tied to the Manor
1. Serfs: Peasants who were considered to be part of the manor
2. When a noble was given a manor as part of his fief, its serfs became
his
3. Characteristics of Serfs
a. Could not leave the manor
b. Could not get married without noble’s permission
c. Treated like property, but not slaves
d. If saved enough money to buy a plot of land, could become a
free peasant
e. Most serfs remained serfs their whole lives
D. A Hard Life
1. Medieval peasants worked hard for most of their lives
a. Farmed own fields and those of their lord
2. Peasants lived in one-room huts with only a single opening for a
window
3. For heating and cooking, built a fire on the dirt floor
4. Smoke filled the hut
5. Ate simple foods
a. Black bread
b. Cabbage
c. Turnips
d. Not much meat (animals were reserved for the lord)
6. Mattresses were cloth sacks stuffed with straw
Q&A Time!
What was life like for medieval peasants?
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