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Vassalage

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Manorialism

  • Economic/social organization of the laborers and peasants
  • Serfs cultivated all of society’s food
  • ~ 90 percent of the population

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Feudalism

  • Economic/social organization of the elite
  • ~ 5 percent of the population
  • Lay officials and high clergy

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Feudalism Factors

  • About 1050
  • Agricultural improvements
  • What is needed for farming to function at a high capacity?
  • No more invasions!

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Feudalism Defined

  • Patron-client relationship between two free men
  • What does that mean?
  • Lords and vassals
    • Roles within feudalism

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Vassals

  • Comes from Celtic word meaning servant
  • Free person
  • Willingly put themselves under a lord

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New War Equipment

  • Equipment and materials become increasingly expensive
  • Chain mail arises!
  • Bigger horses!
  • Specialized warriors

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Which different groups of people were invading at the end of the Carolingian Empire?

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Milieu

  • Vikings were invading
  • Weaker kings would flee to stronger kings
  • If accepted they enter into quasi-familial bond

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Act of Homage

  • Established relationship between vassal and lord
  • Exchange kiss of peace
  • Swear fealty
  • “Joining of hands”

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Obligations of Vassal

  • Material and military aid
  • Legal number of days at war
  • Provide counsel to lord
  • Cannot refuse service

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Obligation of Lord

  • Offers protection
  • Supplies vassals
  • Came to vassal’s aid in court
  • Provide fief

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Fief

  • Land given to vassals by lord
  • Also includes whom?
  • Lord would give vassal clod of dirt as symbol
  • Only returnable in two circumstances

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Subinfeudation

  • What would you try to do with valuable land that you’re not using?
  • Permitted vassals to have their own vassals
  • Allowed sale of land

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Liege Lord

  • Vassals could get multiple fiefs
  • Could serve multiple lords
  • What problems do we see start to arise here?

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Castles!

  • Lords bought heavily fortified buildings
  • Moats began becoming increasingly popular
  • Lords offered shelter
  • Castles evolved from wooden towers to huge stone fortresses!