The Artios Home Companion Series Unit 8: The Feudal System

Teacher Overvie w

AFTER THE Fall of Rome and the conquests and raids of the Vikings, the people of Europe needed protection and security. It was out of this need that the feudal system arose. Lesser and would pay tribute to more powerful nobles in exchange for their protection. While this may sound good in theory, the resulting system had its disadvantages, such as abuse of the poor. In this unit we will study the effects of .

Miniature from the Queen Mary Psalter, c. 1310, of men harvesting wheat with reaping-hooks. It is a depiction of socage (paying rent in the form of labor) on the royal (the land which was retained by a of the manor for his own use and support) in feudal England.

Reading and Assignments Based on your student’s age and ability, the reading in this unit may be read aloud to the student and journaling and notebook pages may be completed orally. Likewise, other assignments can be done with an appropriate combination of independent and guided study.

In this unit, students will:  Complete one lesson in which they will learn about the feudal system.  Define vocabulary words.  Explore the following websites: ▪ The - The Feudal System: http://www.angelfire.com/hi5/interactive_learning/NormanConquest/t he_middle__ages.htm ▪ Britain’s Bayeux Tapestry: http://www.bayeuxtapestry.org.uk/  Visit www.ArtiosHCS.com for additional resources. Medieval to Renaissance: Elementary Unit 8: The Feudal System Page 76 Leading Ideas God orders all things for the ultimate good of His people. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. — Romans 8:28

Vocabulary Key People, Places, and Lesson 1: Events chaos moat

Sections of the 1066 Medieval Mosaic (Bayeux Tapestry re-creation) in Geraldine, New Zealand

Medieval to Renaissance: Elementary Unit 8: The Feudal System Page 77 L e s s o n O n e

History Overview and Assignments The Feudal System

IN THIS LESSON we will discuss how the feudal system was organized and how it worked. The feudal system arose out of the common man’s need for protection, and the lords’ and kings’ need for men to work their land and serve in their military. While this system of government may have served a need in its day, it worked to the detriment of many. The common man did not own land in the feudal system. It also allowed many conflicts and wars to break out between different nobles who sought after wealth and power. The feudal system arose out of desperation, but it lasted for centuries.

A Medieval castle – the traditional symbol of a feudal society

Reading and Assignments

 Read the article: The Feudal System.  Define each vocabulary word in the context of the reading and put the word and its definition in the vocabulary section of your notebook.  After reading the article, summarize the story you read by either: ▪ Retelling it out loud to your teacher or parent. OR ▪ Completing an appropriate notebook page. Either way, be sure to include an overview of key people, places, dates, and events in your summary.

Medieval to Renaissance: Elementary Unit 8: The Feudal System Page 78  Explore the following websites: ▪ The Middle Ages - The Feudal System: http://www.angelfire.com/hi5/interactive_learning/NormanConquest/t he_middle__ages.htm ▪ Britain’s Bayeux Tapestry: http://www.bayeuxtapestry.org.uk/  In order to understand the sequence of events, go to the Bayeux Tapestry website above and examine the tapestry scene by scene. Make your own “tapestry” by either drawing or painting the events of 1066 scene by scene.  You can also make a timeline of the events of 1066.  Be sure to visit www.ArtiosHCS.com for additional resources.

Vocabulary Key People, Places, and homage vassal Events fealty fief chaos moat William the Conqueror

Adapted for Elementary School from the book: The Story of Europe by Henrietta Elizabeth Marshall The Feudal System

In the year 911 A.D., Rollo of the Vikings military. Rollo became a vassal of the King. became Robert, Duke of Normandy. He did A vassal is a servant. homage to Charles the Simple. Charles was Feudalism is a type of government. King of the Franks. At the homage service it Feudalism began after the end of the is said that Rollo would not kiss the King’s Carolingian Empire. All of the countries in feet, but he promised to be the King’s man. Western Europe were in chaos. Feudalism The word “homage” comes from the French came from both Roman and barbarian word for man. The French word for man is customs. In a feudal system, a person could “homme.” Doing homage meant to be loyal live on a piece of land if he promised to serve and belong to someone more powerful. in the military. There was nothing written at the time All of the land in a country belonged to about Rollo’s ceremony. But we know it the King. But the King could not farm all the must have taken place, for the feudal system land in the country. He gave it to other was in use at this time in France and Rollo people to live on and farm. But he did not became the Duke of Normandy. He and his give it completely. He let people use his land people lived in the area of France called if they promised to be loyal to him. They Normandy. This land did not belong to him, promised to help the King in his wars. This though. It still belonged to the King. The promise was made during a special King gave it to Rollo as a fief. A fief is a piece ceremony. The person knelt before the King of land given to someone to use. In return and placed his hands in the King’s hands. the person would serve in the King’s He vowed to be the King’s man. Then the

Medieval to Renaissance: Elementary Unit 8: The Feudal System Page 79 King kissed the man and raised him to his the would keep the land. An feet. The act of homage was complete. The overlord could also take the land away if a person was now the King’s vassal. vassal did not perform his duties. Next, the vassal would put his hand on a The would give aids and military holy item. He may have put it on a book of help to the . The overlords would the Gospels. He took an oath of fealty. This give protection to the vassals. Protection meant he would always be true to the King. was greatly needed at that time. Powerful The King then gave his vassal a chunk of sod men took advantage of poorer men. and a tree branch. They showed that the Sometimes weaker men would even be man was now in charge of his part of land. killed for their land. Only great vassals or vassals-in-chief got There were still some nobles who owned their land straight from the King. These their land. They were afraid of getting killed men then divided the land. They gave the by robbers, so they often chose to give their land in fiefs to other men. A fief is a section land over to an overlord. Then the nobles of land. These men were called lesser lords. would hold the land as a fief, and would also The lesser lords did not perform homage to have protection provided by the overlord. the King. They did homage to the vassal-in- The feudal system seemed like a good chief. These lords divided the land again way to keep an army together. Kings often among even lesser lords. This went on over went to war and needed an army to be and over again. At the end of the chain was ready. With the feudal system there were the poor man. This man did homage to a always soldiers ready to fight. From the lesser lord for a few acres of land. greatest vassals to the lowest, men would A vassal had many responsibilities to his come to fight. lord. He had to provide a certain number of In truth the feudal system was not a soldiers if there was a war. He also had to good system. Only the vassals-in-chief paid give aids to his lord. Aids were amounts of homage to the King. The other vassals just money. The overlord could ask for aids in paid homage to their overlord. To some four situations. One was when his eldest son people the King did not seem as powerful as was knighted. Another time was when his the overlord. Sometimes the overlord would eldest daughter got married. He could ask be stronger than the King. At times they for money if he set out on a Crusade. Last, rebelled against him. It was hard for the the lord asked for aids for his own ransom. King to fight them. This was needed if he became a prisoner during a war. The vassal also had to give William the Conqueror advice to his lord if he was asked. and the Feudal System The fief was supposed to belong to a A strong government could not work vassal only until he died. But fiefs were often well in a feudal system. The countries where passed down from father to son. When a it was popular were not strong. They vassal died his eldest son would do homage became just a group of smaller states. Each for the fief. He would now have the same state was like a tiny kingdom. overlord as his father. Sometime a vassal England did not have this problem. After died without anyone to inherit the fief. Then William the Conqueror invaded England in

Medieval to Renaissance: Elementary Unit 8: The Feudal System Page 80 1066 and became king, he made sure it overlord. He also had to give the lord some would not happen. As duke of Normandy he of his harvest and his cattle. was already powerful. He might have been stronger than the French king. He decided Tournament and Feudal Warfare that no English vassal would be as strong as The feudal system split the world into him. He gave his Norman vassals land in two groups. The upper class was made up of England. He did not give any large amount knights and kings. The lower class held all in one place but would give the vassals little the workers. There were levels of rank pieces of land all across the country. This within each class. It was almost impossible made it hard for a vassal to gather an army. to move up in the ranks during feudal times. The vassals could not rebel as easily. Also, Working was for the lower classes. The William made all vassals swear fealty to upper classes fought in wars. Sometimes him. Even the lowest vassal swore to be there was no real war going on, and the loyal only to William. upper classes would make war games to The overlord had complete power in his keep themselves busy. These pretend fief. He was the ruler. He was the judge. He battles were called tournaments. could decide whether one of his vassals lived Tournaments were usually fought in or died. He could make war if he wanted to. front of the King or some great lord. The Men who were rich were usually soldiers put on their full armor and carried soldiers, or knights. Being a priest was their dull weapons. The knights would ride on other choice. Most decided to be soldiers. horses straight at each other. They did not Simple knights on up to the King were try to kill each other. They tried to knock the soldiers. They were not supposed to work other soldier off his horse. The who with their hands. They did not have much to knocked off the most opponents was the do, but they wanted adventure. So they winner and received a prize. would go off to war whenever they could. Sometimes tournaments were less Below the richer men were the workers. formal. Young men pretended to fight in There were many classes of workers. The tournaments for fun. They acted out a lowest were outlaws and serfs. The serfs pretend war and fought with dull weapons. were the lowest people in feudal society and They even used horses. Sometimes a large were considered part of the land. When a crowd came to watch these tournaments. fief was passed on the serfs were passed The sons of noblemen practiced their war with it. They were considered property, like skills this way. cattle. They could not get married or move Tournaments were meant to be a game, to another town. The serf had no rights. but they were also meant to help knights Serfs could be sold by their overlord. They work on their skills. Sometimes could even be killed if their overlord decided tournaments became more deadly than real to do so. battles, and many soldiers died while The was the highest form of serf, competing in tournaments. but he could not leave the land either. He In war the soldiers did not try to kill their usually rented his house and paid his dues enemies. They tried to knock them off their by working a certain number of days for the horses just like in the tournaments. They

Medieval to Renaissance: Elementary Unit 8: The Feudal System Page 81 did not do this because they wanted to save lives. They did this because they could make money. If they captured a knight alive, his vassals would pay a lot of money for his ransom. They would not pay anything if he was dead. The feudal wars were not honorable. They were not about freedom or high ideals, but about greed and power. Men gained land by fighting. If a man was not strong Cistercian Abbey of Sénanque enough to defend his land, someone else took it from him. The weakest men died, The Truce of God while the strongest men got stronger and There were a few churchmen who fought richer. wars, but most of the churchmen were Every neighbor was a possible enemy. unhappy about all the fighting. These Castles were built with strong walls for clergymen created the Truce of God. They defending against attacks. The castles were worked hard to put it into practice. The built on hills. This made it hard to attack Truce of God was a rule by which people them and easy to defend. Thick stone walls could not fight from Wednesday evening were built around the castles, and moats through Monday morning. War was also were dug and filled with water to surround banned on Lent and Advent. Other holy them. The moat could be crossed only by a days were also war-free. The Truce was drawbridge. The castles were so strong that broken many times, however. The Church there was almost no way to defeat them. The was powerful enough to sometimes punish only way to do so was to starve the people people who broke the truce. inside. As a result sieges were common in The Church became even more powerful feudal wars. during the feudal period. The fact that it could enforce the Truce of God shows its Feudal Estates of the Clergy power. Kings were supposed to keep their Many abbeys and monasteries were also kingdoms peaceful, but they could not do it. forts, for they also had to defend against The Church came in to keep the peace enemies. There were many men who were instead. The Truce of God was carried out clergy as well as feudal lords. Some until the thirteenth century. Then the kings clergymen tried to add to their monastery’s gained more power, and the “King’s Peace” land. They would fight wars to get more took over for the Church. land. They did this instead of ministering to people.

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