Feudalism and the Manor Economy
With the
invasions of Vikings, Muslims, and Magyars, kings and emperors were too weak to
maintain law and order
The response to
this situation was the realization of the basic need for protection which
evolved into a decentralized political structure known as Feudalism
Feudalism was a
loosely organized system of rule in which powerful local lords divided their
landholdings among lesser lords known as vassals
Vassals pledged
their service and loyalty to the higher lord
The relationship
between the lords and vassals was based on the exchange of land for not only
loyalty but also military service
Feudal contract
was an exchange of pledges between the lord and vassal
The vassal was
granted a fief (estate), which included peasants/serfs to work the land
In return the
lord pledged protection to the vassal
The vassal also
agreed to provide 40 days of military service per year and certain payments
throughout the year
All contracts
had a place in the power structure; many times lords were vassals to higher
lords or to multiple lords at one time
If all of these
lords went to war, then the vassal had a liege lord to whom he owned his first
loyalty
Warfare was a
way of life in the Middle Ages
Rival lords
battled constantly for power and resources
Many began
training as a knight (mounted warrior) early; at the age of 7 a boy was sent to
the castle of his father’s lord to learn the art of riding and warfare; he
learned to keep his armor and weapons in good, working order
Discipline was
strict and a lazy “bound boy” could end up with a severe beating
After becoming a
Squire and being apprenticed to a knight; he would be dubbed a knight during a
public ceremony and here he would pledge himself to his lord
Knights were
constantly training for war and participated in mock battles and in tournaments
to prove their skill and bravery
These are the
days of the development of powerful fortified homes called castles; their
purpose was to provide a living place for lord and his family as well as a
protection to the peasants/serfs, etc. during times of attack
Over time these
castles became large and covered several acres of land
By 1100s castles
had high walls, towers, and drawbridges over motes – making them harder to attack,
so the enemy developed siege tactics to try and starve the castle into
surrendering – some time it worked
When it did not,
then there were attacks with battering rams, siege towers, ladders, etc. to
scale the walls; catapult was invented to launch burning balls of straw into
the castle complex to start fires, also handy for throwing the heads of your
enemy back to their comrades to destroy their morale and will to keep fighting
The invention of
the cannon ended the need for castles as they could knock down the walls of
your castle; castles were still built but more for a show of wealth and power
than for protection
Women in the Middle Ages
Assumed role of
the lord when he was away fighting or away on business
She was expected
to oversee the vassals and if necessary go to war against another lord to
defend the estate
Eleanor of
Aquitaine
Inherited the
land of her father very young; she was the daughter of the Duke of Aquitaine
Married at the
age of 15 to the French heir to the throne
He became King
Louis VII and she became queen of France
She accompanied
him on the 2nd Crusade with her own suit of armor and fighting by
his side
He tired of her
and divorced her; she retained control of the lands inherited from her father
In 1152, she
married Henry II of England
1173, she aided
her sons in an attempt to overthrow Henry
When it failed,
she was imprisoned
Once Henry died,
her son Richard the Lion-Hearted became king and released her from prison
She ruled
England in his place while he went Crusading
She was unusual
in her time
Rights to
inherit were restricted with the eldest son receiving the property
Marriage
negotiations could last years over the dowry a woman would bring to the
marriage
A widow was
allowed to retain property for her lifetime
Girls were sent
before the age of 10 to live with friends or relatives to be trained how to
weave and spin, as well as supervise servants
Few women
learned to read or write
They were
expected to have many children and be
dutiful to her husband
Chivalry
·
In the
later Middle Ages, knights adopted the conduct of Chivalry, which required a
knight to be brave, loyal, and true to their word
·
They
agreed to fight fair in warfare and to treat captured knights well
·
This
conduct only applied to nobles and not commoners
·
Knights
were expected to protect the weak, such as the poor, less fortunate, and women
·
This
idea placed women on a pedestal to be protected at all cost
·
Many
knights had their bravery sung about and placed in epic stories and poems by
Troubadours, who were traveling musicians who made a living by entertaining the
nobility from castle to castle
·
Few
knights were actually able to live up to these high ideals, but it did
establish a code of expectations
Economic
System
v The manor – the lord’s estate – included
one or more villages, which provided housing to the peasants
v Serfs were bound to the land, they were not
slaves, but according law could not leave the manor without the lord’s
permission; if the manner was sold or went to another lord, then the serfs went
with it
v Lords and Peasants were bound by mutual
rights and obligations
v Peasants/Serfs:
a)
Worked
several days per week on the lord’s land
b)
Repaired
the lord’s bridges, buildings, fences, etc.
c)
Had to
have the lord’s permission to marry
d)
Paid
the lord a fee when they inherited their father’s acres or when they used the
local mill to grind their grain
e)
Other
“special” payments were due to Christmas and Easter
f)
Payments
were in products
g)
Had the
right to farm land for themselves
h)Had lord’s protection from raids and
warfare
i)
They could
not be forced to leave the manor
j)
In
theory, they were guaranteed food, housing, and land
v The manor was self-sufficient – everything
they needed was produced there
v Village consisted of cottages, huts, water
mill, a church, and the lord’s manor house
v Each family and the lord had lands divided
into strips of good and bad land – all received parts of each one
v Beyond the fields were pastures for animals
v All woods and the animals contained therein
belongs to the lord and the peasants were not to take any wood or animals
without the permission of the lord; if they did, they could expect harsh
punishments
v Peasants worked long hours daily, except
Sunday
v Hunger was common when the fall harvest had
been consumed and the spring crops were not yet ready
v Diseases were a constant thread and most
peasants did not live beyond the age of 35
v Diet was mostly bread and vegetables;
seldom ate meat unless it was a special holiday or festival
v Received a week off at Christmas and Easter
Lived in two room huts or cottages
