The Artios Home Companion Series Unit 8: The Feudal System Teacher Overview AFTER Charlemagne’s empire was broken up and Norsemen began to raid, Europe’s rulers needed to find a way to protect their lands and people from invading marauders and other enemies. Over time the feudal system developed, by which powerful lords offered protection to lesser lords, expecting service in return. Castle – a traditional symbol of a feudal society (Orava Castle in Slovakia) (By Wojsyl - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=101646) Reading and Assignments In this unit, students will: Complete two lessons in which they will learn about the rise of the feudal system, and feudal warfare, journaling and answering discussion questions as they read. Define vocabulary words. Medieval to Renaissance: Middle School Unit 8: The Feudal System Page 97 After each day’s reading, a wonderful time of exploration will be spent on the suggested websites dealing with feudalism and William the Conqueror or reading one of the library resources suggest the teacher or parent. ▪ 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/ Be sure to visit www.ArtiosHCS.com for additional resources. 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 homage vassal recompense fealty adherent villein William the Conqueror serf Lesson 2: none Homage of Clermont-en-Beauvaisis Medieval to Renaissance: Middle School Unit 8: The Feudal System Page 98 L e s s o n O n e History Overview and Assignments The Feudal System “The root idea [of feudalism] was that all the land in a country belonged to the King, who held it from God alone; but of course no one man, king although he might be, could farm the land of a whole country. Therefore he gave it to whomsoever he would; but he did not give it outright, nor did he give it without recompense. The King as overlord merely gave to any man he wished to reward the use of the land during his lifetime. In return the subject promised to be faithful to his king, and to help him in his wars. This was done with solemn ceremony.” – Henrietta Elizabeth Marshall Vocabulary homage vassal recompense fealty adherent villein serf Key People, Places, and Events William the Conqueror Discussion Questions 1. Describe the rise of feudalism. 2. What were the positive results of feudalism? 3. What were the negative results of feudalism? William the Conqueror statue at Falaise, France, sculpted by Louis Rochet Medieval to Renaissance: Middle School Unit 8: The Feudal System Page 99 Reading and Assignments Review the discussion questions and vocabulary, then read the article: The Feudal System. Narrate about today’s reading using the appropriate notebook page. Be sure to answer the discussion questions and include key people, events, and dates within the narration. Define each vocabulary word in the context of the reading and put the word and its definition in the vocabulary section of your history notebook. Explore the library resources suggest by your teach and 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/ Be sure to visit www.ArtiosHCS.com for additional resources. Adapted for Middle School from the book: The Story of Europe by Henrietta Elizabeth Marshall The Feudal System When in 911 A.D. the pirate king, Rollo the Viking, was transformed into Robert, Duke of Normandy, he did homage to his superior, Charles the Simple. Although, as legends say, he may have refused to kiss the King’s feet, in all probability he, or one of his followers for him, knelt before the King, put his hands in the Kings’ hands, and vowed to be his man. This is the original meaning of homage, the word being derived from homme, the French for man. Homage in the Middle Ages We have no record of the exact ceremony performed by Rollo. But we know that some To trace the rise of feudalism, or to such ceremony must have taken place, for explain all its various phases and the feudal system was already in force in modifications in various countries, would France. By this ceremony Rollo was be impossible in a short space. Broadly, installed as Duke of Normandy; but the land feudalism was the name given to a peculiar did not become his in absolute possession. form of government founded on the holding It still belonged, in theory at least, to the of land by military service. It was a result of King, who bestowed it on Rollo as a fief, and the wild confusion into which all the in accepting this fief Rollo became the countries of Western Europe were thrown vassal or servant of the King (vassalis). upon the breakup of the Carolingian Medieval to Renaissance: Middle School Unit 8: The Feudal System Page 100 Empire. It was developed partly from old chief who received their land directly from Roman custom and partly from barbarian the King. They, in their turn, divided their custom. land and granted it in fiefs to lesser lords, The root idea was that all the land in a who did homage not to the King but to country belonged to the King, who held it by them. They again divided their land among right from God alone; but of course no one still lesser lords. And so it went on, from man, king although he might be, could farm highest to lowest, from the King who, in the land of a whole country. Therefore he theory, possessed all the land, down to the gave it to whomsoever he would; but he did poor knight who did homage to some petty not give it outright, nor did he give it lord for a few acres. without recompense. The King as overlord Besides undertaking to furnish him with merely gave, to any man he wished to a certain number of soldiers in time of war, reward, the use of the land during his the vassal had other obligations toward his lifetime. In return the subject promised to lord. The chief of these were aids. These be faithful to his king, and to help him in his aids were sums of money which the overlord wars. This was done with solemn ceremony. had the right to ask on four occasions: Kneeling before the King the subject placed namely, upon the knighting of his eldest his hands within those of the King and son, upon the marriage of his eldest vowed to be “his man.” The King then kissed daughter, upon his departure for a Crusade, and raised him to his feet, and the act of and for his own ransom, should he happen homage was complete. to be taken prisoner in battle. The vassal was also bound to come when called upon to help his lord with advice. In theory a vassal was put in possession of a fief for his lifetime only; but, in general, fiefs descended from father to son. For when a holder died his eldest son did homage for the fief and swore fealty to his overlord as his father had done before him. If, however, a holder died without direct heirs, then the fief returned into the possession of the overlord. Or should a Bayeux Tapestry - Scene 23: Harold swearing oath on vassal fail in his duty, or prove a traitor to holy relics to William, Duke of Normandy his overlord, then the fief was forfeited, and Next, with his hand upon some holy the overlord took possession of it again — if relic, or upon the Gospels, the vassal took he could. the oath of fealty and swore to be true to his The chief return which the overlord gave overlord. This being done, the King gave his to his vassal for the military help and aids vassal a sod of earth and the branch of a tree promised by his vassal was protection. And as a sign that he was now in possession of the rapid growth of the feudal system is due the land for which he had done homage. It greatly to the need of this protection. was only the great vassals or vassals-in- In the lawless times which had followed Medieval to Renaissance: Middle School Unit 8: The Feudal System Page 101 upon the breakup of Charlemagne’s empire, rebelled against his authority he found it the small landowners had been at the mercy hard, or even impossible, to subdue them. of the great. The land was full of marauding barons, and might was considered right. If a William the Conqueror and the man was not strong enough to defend his Feudal System life or his goods with his sword, another The feudal system made a strong central took it. It was easy enough for a baron, with government impossible, and the lands in twenty retainers at his back, to swoop down which it flourished most became little more upon a poor knight who had but five, and than a collection of independent and having slain him, to take possession of all tumultuous states, each one of which was, in his goods and lands. So rather than lose effect, a miniature kingdom in itself.