How and why it developed

• Invader attacks (850-950)

• Rulers and warriors made agreements

  • Charles the Simple → king of France

    • Granted Vikings a huge piece of French land

    • Became known as “Northmen's land” (Normandy)

    • Rallo in turn, pledged loyalty to the king

  • ↑ agreements known as feudalism

Who’s who (serf, lord, vassal, knight, king)

• King → owns all the land of an area 

  • lords are given portions of this land

  • Lords own this portion of land

• Lord → someone who owns land

• Vassal → someone who pledges loyalty to the lord

  • receives fief

• Knights → mounted horsemen

  • military service in exchange for fief

• Serfs → people who couldn’t leave where they were born

  • Bound to land

    • ≠ slave

  • Couldn’t be bought or sold

  • Any produce from their work belonged to the lord

• 

How it worked (fief, fealty)

• Fief → land that a lord grants/gives to someone

• Fealty → loyalty (oath of loyalty)

• Lord grants someone (a noble) land (fief) → person becomes vassal → swears loyalty to lord (fealty)

The role of each participant

• count/lord

  • Owns land

  • Collections taxes

  • Grants liberties

  • Holds a defensive attitude

• Vassal

  • Serves the lord

• Knights

  • People who fight

  • Protect the lords/kings

  • Military men

• Serfs

  • Bound to the land

  • People who worked the land

  • Owned by the lord

  • Owes the lord the produce that they make

    • Grain

    • Money (if marrying off daughter)

    • Animals