Medeval Society
Midieval Society was very different from today. They had a social pyramid based on not only the money you made, but the job you had.
There were monarchs, lords, ladies, knights, and serfs who were all part of this interesting society. There were different towns and castles that these Europeans lived in.
Feudalism Explained
The Medieval Europe social pyramid:
- This is the social structure in medical society, it's called feudalism. It is 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.
Monarch
What were the duties of Medieval Kings of England? Short, concise biographies of the Medieval Kings of England. From 1066 -1154 the Normans ruled the English after their victory at the Battle of Hastings. There are biographies and timelines of the Norman Kings, and even a Queen, of the Medieval Times, one of the most exciting periods in the History of England and Europe. Starting with the Battle of Hastings and the Norman Conquest in England - when William the Conqueror effectively took all of the lands from the Saxon English and gave them to French nobles. The Kings and Queens of England in Medieval Times included Richard the Lionheart and the great Plantagenet English Kings from King Henry II (1154-1189) to King Edward III (1327-1377). The Hundred Years War between England and France. The Medieval Kings and Queens of the Royal Houses of Lancaster and York and the Wars of the Roses. The English Medieval Kings cover the periods from 1066 - 1485. |
Lords and Ladies
A Lord was given land by the king. The lord was expected to pay taxes to the king and provide soldiers when needed. To do that, the lord was given absolute power over his fief. Within it, a lord's word was the law. Whatever the lord said, the people had to do.
A Lord also needed a wife who was called a Lady. Her job was to take care of the manor, run the house, and most importantly to have children. Women in medieval times had no rights. They were property. They belonged to their father, husband or even eldest son. This is not to say some women didn't take charge, but the law said they were property. |
Knights
The Medieval period was dominated by the feudal system and the role of the Medieval knights and their servants. Articles about their life, living conditions, clothing, weapons, training, armor, tournaments and jousts of the Medieval Knights can be found in this section. When we think of the Medieval times the first thought often takes us to the Medieval knights and their ladies. It was the duty of a Medieval Knight to learn how to fight and so serve their liege Lord according to the Code of Chivalry. But this was an extremely violent era in European and English history. Weapon practise included enhancing skills in the two-handed sword, battle axe, mace, dagger and lance. A Knight would be expected to guard a Castle and support his liege lord in Medieval warfare. Details of the life of Medieval knights in a castle, together with castle warfare, are covered in the section about Medieval Castles.
|
Serfs
A medieval village or manor usually contained several classes of laborers, consisting of serfs and peasants. There might be a number of freemen, who paid a fixed rent, either in money or produce, for the use of their land. Then there were serfs who laboured in the lord's household or at work on his domain. Most of the peasants were serfs or villeins. The other labourers were called Cottagers or small holders. Under feudalism the lords and nobles of the land had certain rights over Medieval Serfs and Peasants which included the right of jurisdiction, which gave judicial power to the nobles and lords and the right of hunting.
|
Life in the Towns
Following 1000, peace and order grew. As a result, peasants began to expand their farms and villages further into the countryside. The earliest merchants were peddlers who went from village to village selling their goods. As the demand for goods increased--particularly for the gems, silks, and other luxuries from Genoa and Venice, the ports of Italy that traded with the East--the peddlers became more familiar with complex issues of trade, commerce, accounting, and contracts. They became savvy businessmen and learned to deal with Italian moneylenders and bankers. The English, Belgians, Germans, and Dutch took their coal, timber, wood, iron, copper, and lead to the south and came back with luxury items such as wine and olive oil. With the advent of trade and commerce, feudal life declined. As the tradesmen became wealthier, they resented having to give their profits to their lords. Arrangements were made for the townspeople to pay a fixed annual sum to the lord or king and gain independence for their town as a "borough" with the power to govern itself. The marketplace became the focus of many towns.
|
Medieval Castles
European Castles have caused wars; inspired fairytales; and defined entire nations. Europe is the birthplace of the castle, and is home to the vast majority of 'authentic' castles in the world. Although European castles have passed their heyday, there are still tens of thousands of castles dotted across mainland Europe. Some are disappeared', others are in ruins, and some again are luxury homes. Let's get stuck in and explore some of the greatest castles in Europe. |