Feudalism

Feudalism

the dominant social system in medieval Europe, in which the nobility held lands from the Crown in exchange for military service, and vassals were in turn tenants of the nobles, while the peasants (villeins or serfs) were obliged to live on their lord's land and give him homage, labor, and a share of the produce, notionally in exchange for military protection.

Serf

(Middle Ages) a person who is bound to the land and owned by the feudal lord

Vassal

A knight who promised to support a lord in exchange for land

Knight

A man who received honor and land in exchange for serving a lord as a soldier.

Pope

Head of the Roman Catholic Church

Crusades

A series of holy wars from 1096-1270 AD undertaken by European Christians to free the Holy Land from Muslim rule.

Black Plague

A disease that engulfed Europe during the Middle Ages. It killed about one-third of the population and was carried by fleas. Because of this, the feudal system died out.

peasant

a member of a class of persons who are small farmers or farm laborers of low social rank

fief

land granted by a lord to a vassal in exchange for loyalty and service

villein

A person who is bound to the land and owned by the feudal lord

fealty

obligated loyalty or faithfulness

fealty oath

An oath of loyalty, a vassal promised loyalty and military service to the lord.

persecute

to treat cruelly or harshly because of political, religious, or other differences

Roman Catholic Church

the Christian Church based in the Vatican and presided over by a pope and an episcopal hierarchy

Sacrament

sacred ritual of the Roman Catholic Church

Pilgrimage

A journey to a place considered sacred for religious purposes.

Natural Law

God's or nature's law that defines right from wrong and is higher than human law

religious order

a brotherhood or sisterhood of monks, nuns, or friars

baptism

Sacrament by which God cleanses all sin, and one becomes a member of the church.

confession

acknowledging and telling one's sins to a priest

penance

atonement for sin

Confirmation

The ceremony where a person affirms their Catholic beliefs and becomes a member of the Catholic church

Matrimony

marriage

Extreme Unction

A term that means "last anointing." It once referred to the time that the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick is received just before death. It is accompanied by a final reception of Holy Communion called Viaticum.

Eucharist

A Christian sacrament commemorating the Last Supper by consecrating bread and wine.

gong farmer

Responsible for cleaning out the castles sewage pits with a shovel and bucket.

fuller

A launderer whose job it was to clean or to thicken cloth (with urine) to make it compact, like felt.

fletcher

makes arrows and bows

cooper

barrel maker

apothecary

a person who prepared and sold medicines and drugs

guild

A medieval organization of crafts workers or trades people.

castle

A large fortified building used as a residence and defense structure, prominent during the medieval period.

motte and bailey

A type of fortification consisting of a wooden or stone keep situated on a raised earthwork called a motte, accompanied by an enclosed courtyard or bailey.

keep, noun

The strong central tower of a castle, used for residential and defensive purposes.