Middle Ages - Outline 3 Flashcards
What does the nobility consist of?
Composed of the lords, knights, kings, and noble women
What was the role of the lord within the fief?
Had total authority; collected rent; center of justice (enforced laws and gave out punishments)
What are the noble women’s main duties / rights?
overall had few rights compared to noblemen; Married at 12 years old, and the father selected the husband; Generally were homebound (in some cases that supervised the estate; had some power); did needle work and made medicine
What were some of the types of the entertainment the nobility shared?
Tournaments - Mock battles; Hunted; Archery; Falconry
What were the stages in becoming a knight?
Started as a page (assistant) at age 7; Next became a Squire which assisted the knight and practiced using weapons; Finally reached knighthood once he proved himself in battle
What was the code of chivalry, and what did it consist of for the knights?
Chivalry provided a basis for good manners; proved o be a step in advancement for civilization; CONSISTED OF: brave in battle; fight fairly; keep promises; defend the church; treat women of noble birth in a courteous manner
What is manorialism?
A combination of the wealth of lords and nobles and the labor of peasants; It was essentially a system of agricultural production
Difference between Manorialism and Feudalism?
Feudalism is more so a military system while manorialism is focused on the economics between lords/peasants
What was a manor and what did it consist of?
The land owned by the lord including its home; CONSISTED OF: varied in sizes from several hundred to thousand acres; Lords Manor house; Pastures for livestock; fields for crops (MOST IMPORTANT); forest areas for hunting; village for peasants
What were the obligations/duties for the peasants?
Farm the lords land; make various payments of goods (anything used on the manor had to be repaid to the lord); obligated to set aside a number of days per years to provide various types of labor; farmed or heard sheep/grazed animals; Rarely let the manor
Why weren’t serfs considered slaves?
Although they were bound to the land and only leave with the lords permission, could not be bought or sold
There was a improvement in farming, as a result of this what happened?
Population increases
What was the benefit of a heavier plow?
The heavier plow meant less time was needed in the fields and this created a surplus of goods
What was the benefit of the 3-field system?
It provided more crops and helped to preserve the soil and allowed bettie quality crops and a wide range of types
What were some of the hardships of the peasants?
Intense of warfare (regardless of the lords protection, they were not protected); they generally had short lifespan (didn’t live past age 40/commonly died due to famine/drought)
