Introduction to Feudal Europe

1. UNIT 3
FEUDAL EUROPE
Social Studies
2ºESO
Almudena Corrales Marbán

2. 1. THE FEUDAL SYSTEM
1.1. INTRODUCTION
The feudal system was a political, economic and social system that
predominated in Western Europe between the 10th and the 13th
centuries.
By this time, the Carolingian Empire was desintegrated, and as a result
of that, kings armed men (noble men) and gave them land.
At the same time, Europe suffered from a series of attacks in the 9th
century. Foreign invaders like Muslims, Magyars and Vikings.

4. FOREIGN
INVASIONS

5. 1.2. THE ACT OF HOMAGE
La ceremonia del homenaje
VASSAL. The vassal swore
fealty/loyalty to his lord and provided
him with help, this meant: troops and
advice.
LORD. The lord provided the vassal
with protection and resources: a fief
(land), which was the main source of
income.
KING. The king was never a vassal
but he lost some of his power.

6. 2. THE FIEF
EL FEUDO
The fief, this means the LAND of the lord or manor´s land was divided into
two parts.
THE DEMESNE AND THE TENEMENTS OR HOLDINGS
1. DEMESNE. Land that was exploited directly by the lord. It consisted
of farmland, pastures and wood. It was farmed by serfs. The lord
was also the owner of the mill, the press and the oven. All the
peasants had to use and pay for the services if they needed to obtain
products.
2. TENEMENTS OR HOLDINGS. Plots of land the lord gave to free
peasants in exchange for rent or part of the harvest, and for carrying
out different services for the lord on his land

9. 3. THE FEUDAL SOCIETY
Note for the teacher:
visit page 481. Book
Modern World History.
Available on the blog:
LIBRARY

11. THE LIFE OF A…..
LORD RELIGIOUS ORDER PEASANT
• The lord lived in a castle.
• The castle had a wall
around and it was reinforced
by towers.
• The keep (homage tower)
was his residence. And the
main rooms were covered
with tapestries. He slept in a
bed while the rest on straw
mattresses placed on the
floor.
• The lord’s entertainment
consisted on hunting and
joustng.
• The Church was very
important in medieval life.
• The first monasteries
were founded from the
5th century ownwards.
• The life of the monks
were determined by
regulations, which cover
edevery aspect of their
lives.
• Monks shared their
time between prayer,
manual labour
(cultivate drops) and
intellectual work (copy
ancient manuscripts)
• The life o a peasant was
very hard.
• He spent most of his life
time working in the fields.
• They lived in small houses
made of clay and straw for
the roof.
• They rested on the floor,
that was covered with straw
as well. Some animals were
kept inside, like mules
(mulas) to warm the rooms.
• Food was scarce. They
didn’t eat meat regularly.

12. 4. ECONOMY
• The economy was mainly based on agriculture and livestock and
both activities were organised around the fiefs.
• Trade was not very active because communications were cut off
due to the frequent wars.

13. THE MAIN ECONOMIC
ACTIVITIES WERE
AGRICULTURE LIVESTOCK TRADE
• Principal economic activity.
• Crops like cereals ( wheat,
barley, oats) and pulses
(leguminosas)
• Low agricultural
productivity.
• Why?
• Roman wooden
plough
• Basic tools
• Two year crop rotation
• Main cattle: pigs, cows and
sheeps.
• Sheeps milk and wood
• Cowsmeat, milk, hides.
• Poultry: hens and ducks.
• Bee-keeping (apicultura) was
important.
• Horse breeding was a regular
activity.
• Horses were their mean of
transport.
• Foreign trade by sea
• They traded with
wine, salt, textiles,
cereals, weapons and
iron tools.
• Products were sold in
markets and fairs.
• Some peasants sold
their surplus.
(excedente)
• Trade was weak due to
dangerous routes.

14. 5. RELIGION
Religion played a very important role in all aspects of life.
5.1. THE CHURCH
• It was very important in medieval life. During the barbarian invasions the
bishops were often the only authority in a locality, while the former
authorities fled or died in the fighting against the invaders.
• The first monasteries were founded from the 5th century onwards in
Western Europe and the first religious orders were established, like the
Benedictines.

15. • The lives of the monks were determined
by a set of regulations (Rule of St.
Benedict) which covered every aspect of
their daily lives: time they could spend
resting, working, eating.
• Monks shared their time between:
 PRAYER: Communally or privately.
 MANUAL LABOUR: work the land.
 INTELLECTUAL WORK: copying
manuscripts.

17. 5.2. THE CRUSADES
• The religious sentiment was the main reason for the
crusades.
• The crusades were military expeditions formed by
thousands of Christians of all ages and social classes,
from peasants to kings.
• Their objective was to recover the Holy Land, which
had been conquered by the Muslims.
• In the year 1095, Pope Urban II called on Christians
to recover the Holy Land, so the first Crusade began.
• The military orders grew out of the crusades. They
were orders consisted of knights, who were, at the
same time!, monks.

18. Pope Urban II also read that letter. Shortly after this appeal, he issued a call for
what he termed a “holy war,” a Crusade, to gain control of the Holy Land.
Over the next 300 years, a number of such Crusades were launched.
Goals of the Crusades The Crusades had economic, social, and political goals
as well as religious motives. Muslims controlled Palestine (the Holy Land) and
threatened Constantinople. The Byzantine emperor in Constantinople appealed
to Christians to stop Muslim attacks. In addition, the pope wanted to reclaim
Palestine and reunite Christendom, which had split into Eastern and Western
branches in 1054.
In addition, kings and the Church both saw the Crusades as an opportunity
to get rid of quarrelsome knights who fought each other. These
knights threatened the peace of the kingdoms, as well as Church property.
TO KNOW MORE…….

19. • Among the first military orders were the Order of the Temple
and the Order of the Teutonic knights.
5.3. PILGRIMAGES (peregrinaciones)
From the 10th century, the Church, began to promote pilgrimages to
places considered to be Holy by Christians.
• ROME
• JERUSALEM
• SANTIAGO
Why are these cities so important? Find the information in
your student’s book and write it down in your notebook.

20. 6. ARCHITECTURE AND ART
Romanesque style expanded to Christian Europe from the 10th century to
the 13th century.
The main features are: (Las principales características son)
• Religious art
• Developed in rural areas
• Monastic orders and pilgrim routes, like Saint James Route in
Spain, helped it to spread throughout Europe.

21. • Buildings: churches, monasteries
• Materials: stone and wood (ceilings)
• Vaults (bóvedas): barrel and groin vaults.
• Arches: semicircular.
• Walls are thick (gruesos) and reinforced on the
outside with buttresses (contrafuertes)
• Use of pillars (squared)
• Basilical plan, latin-cross plan with apses and
ambulatory.

22. • Frequently used on the exterior of the
buildings (churches) in tympana and capitals
(en tímpanos y capiteles).
• Adapted to the architectural frame (adaptación
al marco)
• Didactic purpose
• Themes: Pantocrator, Evangelists, Christ,
Virgin with Child.
• Figures were rigid, static and inexpressive,

23. • Mural painting. This is called fresco technique.
• Didactic purpose.
• Same themes as sculpture.
• Plain colours.
• Scenes depicted have no depth (no tienen
profundidad ni perspectiva)

24. Describing pictures of art
I have chosen picture letter…………………………………………..This picture
represents……………………………….It was built/made during
the………………….century and it belongs to
the…………………………………….style. It is located
in……………………………,……………………………
This building/sculpture /painting is made
of……………………………………..it has……………………….. and
……………………………………In its interior we can see characteristic
elements of the …………………………style,
like……………………………………and…………………………….
It was done with the purpose of………………………………
In
conclusion………………………………………………………………………
…
From my personal point of view/I believe/ in my
opinion……………………………………