AP European History: Early Middle Ages Notes

THE GROWTH OF FEUDALISM - early middle ages 500 to 1000 - feudalism was the style of government - the feudal system was like a giant pyramid - Ruler was supposed to own all the land - but really the nobles owned it - were called vassals/servants of the crown - they promised to obey the Lord, or master and fight for him if necessary - the land given to the noble called a fief - nobles gave fiefs to those who became their vassals - who would promise to obey the lord and provide knights in time of war - but remember that the nobles were vassals to the ruler king, too - noble’s vassals had vassals of their own - gave fiefs to their vassals - could have several - therefore a noble might be both a lord and a vassal or even vassal to several lords - lords main duty was to protect the vassals - vassal expected to provide knights - also to pay the lord for a fief - also must feed the lord when he visits - which could cost an entire harvest - feudalism began W. Eur. after western empire died - during this time German kingdoms were weak - rulers d/n have strong armies - as a result, landowners built their own armies - local ones to defend them - farmers gave up their land to the landowners - in return for protection - some landowners got more land than they could use - gave it to non-landowners - in return for staying and farming it - large landowners became known as Nobles - German leaders would pay their soldiers w/food, shelter weapons and a share of the loot - when they conquered Rome, they were paid in land - in return for not fighting against the leaders - cavalry was very important part of feudalism - by mid-800's only armies w/cavalries won wars - to build strong armies, kings needed noble’s help - who had their own cavalries - would join king’s forces - and brought knights - soldiers w/armor - if rulers were strong, d/n need as much help from nobles - like Clovis and Charlemagne - but weaker kings needed this help - and this is how feudalism spread - they spent much time fighting each other - to get nobles to fight, had to give up some of their powers to them - after 830 Frankish kingdom attacked by Spain, northern Africa, Hungary and N. Europe - Frankish ruler forced to give up even MORE power - nobles now stronger than before - by 900 feudalism spread through most of Europe. - KNIGHTS - knights had a long training period - only sons of nobles could be one - at 7, sent to castle of parent’s lord - served as a page (helper) until 14 - taught religion, manners - sometimes reading, music - at 14/15 became a squire - assistant to knight - now real training begins - ride a horse, hunt, wear armor - and how to use weapons - at completion, w/be knighted in a ceremony - swore fealty to the lord he would serve - all knights followed a special code of life - chivalry - m/b brave and loyal - must fight for the lord - must treat people politely - must fight to defend Christianity - must protect farmers who lived on land - was beginning of today’s good manners - Feudal wars different from wars of today - armies much smaller - fewer weapons - fewer died b/c of armor - also tried to capture, not kill enemies - could be paid a ransom - people most hurt by feudal wars were commoners - lost homes and lives - to protect them, Popes created two new rules - Peace of God - illegal to harm farmers, traders, priests - Truce of God - illegal to fight b/t Wed. eve.& Mon. morn during certain times of year - so the church helped out here, too - feudal nobles lived in castles - at first simple wooden forts - by late mid-ages were large stone buildings - high towers, thick walls - usually built on hills surrounded by a moat - used drawbridge - if attacked, raised the drawbridge - gate made of heavy iron for extra protection - strongest part was the donjon - storerooms & rooms where lord & family lived - also had cells or rooms for prisoners - donjon = dungeon - most castles built were too difficult to capture - not until gunpowder & guns X2 was it easier - b/t 1300 and 1400 - castles were strong but uncomfortable - rooms dark b/c windows small - rooms were cold and dank - heat came from fireplaces used for cooking - floors made of stone covered w/straw - water came from a well in courtyard - rooms furnished simply - large boards used as tables - stools and benches were chairs - wooden chests stored clothes & bedding - beds on platforms and covered w/curtains - to keep drafts out - nobles were heavy eaters/drinkers - when not fighting, hunted and listened to singers - or played chess or dice - but favorite sport was fighting - in peacetime held tournaments (battle games) - sometimes seemed like real battles - knights c/b killed - but were exciting and many watched WORLD HISTORY NOTES 15 FEUDAL LIFE IN THE MANOR - during early mid-ages, most people in Europe farmers - lived on nobles’s land who was their lord - and farmed it for them - this land called a manor - most manors were large amts of land - and most included a village - w/a manor house, church, farmer’s huts, barns, and a mill to grind grain - lord lived in a castle - stayed in the manor house when visiting a village - two main groups lived in the manor - free people - owned or rented the land, but free to leave - serfs - largest of the two groups - they had no freedom - not allowed to leave w/o lords permission - had to pay for use of lord’s grain mill - pmts made in farm products, not money - required to work 2-3 days a week for lord - in return, given a hut to live in & some land - could use lord’s pasture for their cows, pigs - could gather wood from lord’s forest - and they were protected from enemies - by 1000 new farming tools were developed - the heavy iron plow - easier to cut through the hard soil - the use of horses not cows to pull plow - two inventions made this easier - iron horse shoes - protected horse’s feet - wooden horse collar - protected horse’s neck - could pull heavier loads - another innovation was the three-field system - instead of two field system - one field planted while other recovered - in 3 field system, field divided into 3 - 1 planted w/wheat, rye in winter - 1 planted w/oats, barley, beans, peas in spring - 1 left to recover - was used all over Europe by 1000 - increased the amt and diversity of crops grown - each field divided into strips - one third belonged to the lord - the rest divided among the serfs - got some land from each of the 3 field - so serfs had good land AND bad land - some land close to village, some far - serfs worked together to plant and reap each other’s crops - serfs huts had no windows - hole in roof let in air & light & let out smoke - bed, table, few stools and perhaps a chest - serfs ate whatever they raised - if crop bad (often) might go hungry - but serfs sometimes enjoyed themselves - d/n work on Sundays - or religious holidays - on these days, sang, danced, wrestled, played games WORLD HISTORY NOTES 16 ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH IN THE EARLY MIDDLE AGES - western Roman Empire became weaker during Early middle ages - rulers were weak - nobles had the real power - more & more people depended on the church - for protection - soon the Pope not only leader of the church - but the “Papal States” as well - large territory in N. Italy which included Rome - while some religious people turned to politics - some turned away from the “everyday” world - wanted to worship God in peace - these people were called hermits - some hermits became monks - Greek word monk = alone - groups of monks lived in settlements called monasteries - later women who wanted to do the same b/c nuns - lived in a nunnery - both nuns & monks had to give up everything - lived half life in work, half in prayer - could not marry - monks helped spread Christianity - both monks/nuns nursed the sick, care for poor - some started schools - some copied Greek&Latin books - to preserve the knowledge - some helped turn swamps/forests into farmland - some became artisans/craftsmen - glassmaking, stone & woodcarving, weaving winemaking - it was monks who invented brandy - burnt wine - nuns made fine lace and embroidery - as feudalism grew, nobles grew more powerful - by 900 rulers c/no longer protect church property - and nobles w/take it over - other nobles forced Pope to let them choose the church leaders for their property - a bishop or abbot - who in turn became a vassal of nobles - but rulers & nobles often chose people more interested in money, not religion - some bishops and abbots paid to be chosen - the church also grew weaker b/c church leaders d/n obey church rules - b/t 900-1000 Popes c/n improve conditions of church - but 1070's new Pope - Gregory the VII - said only Popes c/chose bishops/abbots - Henry IV, King of Germanic tribes refused to obey - Gregory asked German nobles to choose new king - unless Henry agreed to obey - nobles hated Henry - ordered him to obey the Pope - Henry agreed - went to all way to Rome - stood barefoot 3 days in snow until Gregory forgave him - but fights b/t leaders & church not over - Henry returned to Rome w/army - forced Gregory to leave Rome - 1122 agreement worked out - Concordat of Worms - concordat = agreement - Pope can choose bishops - but king has to approve - by 1070 most W. Europeans were catholic - church required all to obey certain rules - like take part in sacraments - if not, c/b excommunicated - forced to leave church