Chapter 4 The Middle Ages Flashcards
How was land owned and society organised?
The Feudal System.
Who was at the top of the feudal system? What did he own?
The king. The king owned all the land but as they couldn’t farm all this land themselves so he gave land to nobles and important members of the clergy. He also kept a part of the land for himself.
Who were the vassals?
Vassals were either lords with titles such as earl or count. Others were members of the clergy such as bishops or abbots.
Who were the knights?
The vassals gave some of their land to the knights in return for their loyalty and the promise to fight in battle. Knights rode on horseback.
What two groups were the peasants made up of?
Serfs and freemen.
Who were the Serfs?
A person who belonged to the lord and farmed his land. He could not get married or leave the estate without the lords permission.
Who were the freemen?
A man who paid rent and tax to the lord for land but could travel as he pleased.
How much land did some serfs farm? What was this land called?
30 acres. The area of land a serf had to farm was called a villein.
What period was the Middle Ages? When did it start and end?
It lasted from AD 500 to AD 1500.
What were the Middle Ages also known as?
The Medieval period.
Why did people in the Middle Ages work for the lord in return for protection?
Travel and Trade became very hard as Bandits and Outlaws attacked people.
What is the order of the feudal system?
King
Nobles, Clergy (Vassals)
Knights
Freeman serfs (Peasants)
What is a demesne?
Percentage of the land that the king keeps for himself.
What was a manor?
A manor was a small village owned by the local lord or knight.
What was the manor house?
The manor house is where the lord lived. It was usually at the edge of the village.
What was in the center of the village?
The church was in the centre of the manor village. The priest lived in a house beside it. The priest lived in a house beside it. He said Mass for the peasants every Sunday.
What was the name of the tax the peasants payed to the church called?
The tithe
What is the commons?
The commons is where all the peasants animals grazed.
Why did the manor locate near forests and rivers?
For wood and water supplies
What was the alehouse?
The alehouse is where poor people drank beer.
What was a tavern?
Like an alehouse but sold wine.
What was the bailiffs house?
Where the bailiff lived. He was chosen by the lord and looked after law and order as well as tax on the lord’s estate.
How was the land of the manor divided?
It was divided into three big fields and the commons
What was the open field system?
In the system each year one of the three fields were left fallow with nothing growing in it. While crops were grown in the other fields. This meant the soil would be rested, and to be fertile again next year. Every year a different field was then left fallow.
How many rooms did a medieval house contain?
1 or 2
Who made the peasants clothes?
The peasants made their own clothes.
What were their clothes made from?
They were made from linen or wool
What did poor medieval women wear?
Long dresses usually made from wool, their headdress was called a wimple.
What were medieval shoes like?
They were made from leather and were pointed
What did they stuff the shoe’s long toes with?
Horse hair
When was it and what did peasants eat for breakfast?
Dawn. A lump of dark bread with ale
When was it and what did peasants eat for lunch?
11am. Dark bread, cheese and ale or cider
When was it and what did peasants eat for their main meal?
5pm. Pottage (vegetable soup mixed with oatmeal), bread, cheese and ale or cider.
What were some of the pastimes of medieval peasants?
Noughts ,Crosses, droughts, wrestling and chess.
Who looked after law and order?
The bailiff
Who did everyone in the land owe allegiance to?
The king
What were common crimes?
Poaching on the lords land and or getting drunk and starting fights.
What was a common punishment for small crimes?
Fines
What were the stocks?
The offenders legs and hands were locked between planks of wood. Passers by spat at them or threw things at them.
What was a pillory?
Like the stocks but held the head and hands.
What was a ducking stool used for?
It was used as a punishment for women who gossiped or nagged. They were tied to a chair and lowered into the water over and over.
What was the punishment for murder, arson or robbery?
Men were hanged but women were burnt at the stake
What was the most common punishment for witchcraft?
Being burnt at the stake.
What happened if an accused person didn’t present himself before the lord?
He was declared an outlaw and all their goods and property belonged to the king so they had to leave their home and live as an outcast.
Why did outcasts form together in bands? Name an example of a famous outlaw?
As the punishment was quite common. Robin Hood.
What did a lord use a castle for?
To defend himself and his people.
What were the first castles called?
Motte and bailey castle
Explain the construction of the motte and bailey?
The lord would get his peasants to erect a small hill called a motte.
On the top of the motte they would build a wooden fort.
Below there was a large enclosure called a bailey.
If the enemy attacked they would go up into the motte.
What were motte and bailey castles replaced by? When?
When the lord had control of the local countryside he replaced the motte and bailey with a stone castle.
What was the keep?
The keep was the main building in the castle. This is where the lord and lady lived.
What were the battlements?
The battlements were at the top of the keep. All day long soldiers kept watch on the battlements looking out for enemies. They were designed so a soldier could fire an arrow than hide behind cover.
What were the curtain walls?
Outer walls of the castle which surrounded the entire castle.
What were turrets?
Turrets were strong towers along the walls.
When was the drawbridge raised?
The drawbridge was raised at night or when an enemy approached.
What was a portcullis?
A portcullis was an iron grille that could be lowered in front of the gate.
What were the ramparts?
The ramparts ran along the top of all the walls. They were wide enough for soldiers to walk along.
What was the moat?
The moat was a ditch around the castle walls filled with water often part of a nearby river and stream.
What was the open space in front of the keep called? (Give 3.)
The Bailey, the courtyard and the bawn.
What were the latrines?
The latrines were the toilets of the castle. They were usually in the corner of one of the towers of the keep.
What were the stables?
Where the knights horses were kept.
What were pigeons used for?
Pigeons were used for food and to carry messages