Introduction to Feudal Europe

1. FEUDAL
EUROPE
troubled
The beginning of a
and dangerous lifestyle.
http://web.educastur.princast.es/proyectos/ji
mena/pj_isabelan/doc/amedia.htm

2. Origins
• Death of Charlemagne in 814, last Emperor of Western Roman Empire
• Wars between succesors
• Muslim invasion in the South
• Viking attacks in Central Europe
• Other invasions (Bulgarians, Hungarians and Slavs)

3. Why do Kings lose power?
• Cannot defend their territory on their own
• Give land (fief) in exchange for allegiance to the crown (an oath
of loyalty)
• Nobles (counts and dukes) governed their own territories with
absolute independence

4. Who took decisions then?
•Royal Council formed by:
•Nobles
•Ecclesiastical authorities

5. Key words, match them
English Spanish
• fief • alianza
• feudal Lord • reserva
• woods • mansos
• allegiance • bosques
• pastures • cosecha
• harvest • estamentos
• demesne
• pastos
• holdings
• Señor feudal
• estates
• feudo

6. Key words, match them
English Spanish
• fief • alianza
• feudal Lord • reserva
• woods • mansos
• allegiance • bosques
• pastures • cosecha
• harvest • estamentos
• demesne
• pastos
• holdings
• Señor feudal
• estates
• feudo

7. Monty Python - clip True or false?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=fvwp&NR=1&v=5X
d_zkMEgkI
1. The 1st peasant is an old woman 1. False
2. The king says he was voted to be king 2. False
3. Peasant 2 is not happy with his social status 3. True
4. The lord of the manor appears to receive the king 4. False
5. The peasants look wealthy and healthy 5. False
6. The lord expects respect 6. True
Could you correct the false statements?
1) No, he is a 34 year old man
2) No, he says he got his sword & crown by divine power
4) No, he does not appear at all
5) No, they look poor and unhealthy

8. Who are they? Who are the two priviledged
estates?
noble
clergyman peasant

9. The fief
• Feudal economy based on agriculture
• Fief was a large area of land
• Owners were lords:
• king, nobles or the clergy
• Land divided in:
• Demesne used by the lord with:
• residence
• land for cultivation
• pastures
• woods for hunting
• Holdings small plots rented by the peasants, payment was:
• 10% of harvest to the lord
• work in demesne

10. Place vocabulary in the correct place
Demesne
The fief The fief
Woods
Holdings
Holdings
Castle
Communal pastures
Village
Pastures
Demesne
Woods Village
Plots
Wind Pasture Windmill
mill
Castle Plots

12. Who are they? Who are the two priviledged
estates?
noble
clergyman peasant

13. Social classes: the three ESTATES
Nobility Clergy
• Military duty • Religious duty
• Defended their territory • Prayed for the souls of the
• Did not pay taxes population
• Did not pay taxes
Peasants
• Providers duty, produced foods and goods
• Carried out manual work
• Paid taxes
• Had not priviledges

14. What were the social relationships like?
• Translate the speech bubble:

15. What were the social relationships like?
• Translate the speech bubble:
• Señor, los campesinos
dicen que simplemente
les explotas.

16. What about the peasants?
What is the
expression in English?
• They had to seek protection from nobles, they
became their vassals - protección
• They worked the land - ligados/atados
- siervos
• They were the majority of the population - vasallos
• They paid taxes on their produce - tierra
- impuestos
• Some were free men and some serfs (tied to the - mayoría
land) - buscar

18. The fief - organisation

20. Feudalism in Europe:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LtbFQEXRBU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Je_KwUUP7l8

21. Feudal-vassal relationship -Bond
Lords
Vassals

23. In most of medieval Europe, society was
dependent on the "feudal" system, which was
based on allocation of land in return for service.
The king would give out grants of land to his
most important noblemen (barons and bishops),
and each noble would have to promise to loyally
follow him and supply him with soldiers in time
of war. They did this at a special - kneeling
before the king, he swore an oath with the
words "Sire, I become your man." The nobles
then divided their land among lower lords, or
knights who also had to become their
vassals(servants). In the lowest spot in society
sat the peasants who worked on the land itself.
They had almost no rights, tiny pieces of
property - and no vassals