[HISTO 101] Middle Ages: Feudalism

476 AD

When was the start of the fall of the Roman Empire?

Visigoths; Franks

When the barbarians took over Europe the _____ took over Spain while the _____ took over France.

Ostrogoths; Saxons

When the barbarians took over Europe the _____ took over Italy while the _____ took over Germany.

Celts; Angles

When the barbarians took over Europe the _____ took over Ireland while the _____ took over England.

Dark Ages

This is the term used to describe the period when the forces of darkness overwhelmed the forces of light.

barbarians; Roman Empire

forces of darkness: _____; forces of light: ______ _____

no central government

This was the direct of the fall of the Roman Empire which influences the political situation during the medieval era.

Feudalism

This developed as the primary principle of governance and operated without strong centralized states.

personal bongs, military service, and localized authority

Feudalism relied on these in the absence of centralized states.

local strongmen offered protection in exchange for service and loyalty

This was the principle upon which feudalism is founded on.

nobles

This is the term used to describe the element who controlled military forces, fortified positions, and delegated the protection of the land.

lords, liege, and suzerain

Give the three other terms used interchangeably with nobles.

to protect the land

This was the primary duty of the nobles.

feudum

What is the Latin word from which Feudalism comes from?

grant of land

What is meaning of feudum? 

vassal

This is the element of feudalism used to refer to the lesser lord who places his lands under the protection of a greater lord.

fief

This is the element of feudalism used to refer to the land that the vassal places under the protection of a greater lord.

feud

This is the other term used to refer to the fief.

customary law, religious sanctions, and elaborate rituals

Feudalism is a formal relationship between lords and vassals that are governed by (there are 3):

Homage

This is the ceremony where the vassal offers his land to the lord for protection.

homme

Homage comes from the French word “homme” meaning man.

Oath of Loyalty/Fealty

This is the oath made by the vassal, kneeling down, to the greater lord.

Investiture

This is the ceremony by which the lord invested the vassal with a fief.

lump of earth, lance, or a charter

In order to document the grant of fief the lord will hand the vassal (there are 3):

serve in the lord’s army, stay in the lord’s court to help guard it, contribute money for ransom and dowry, and to entertain the lord whenever they visit his lands

These are the duties of the vassal to his lord:

40 days a year

How many days must a vassal serve his lord’s army?

outlaws on the land

This is the direct effect of the breakdown of law and order during the Middle Ages.

collapse of trade

This is the direct effect of merchants refusal to conduct trade during the Middle Ages.

This is the direct