Chapter 6: Life And Death In Medieval Times Flashcards
Feudalism
Rulers divided land among their followers in reture for loyalty and taxes
Bailff
Responsible for collecting taxes and keeping law and order
Farming
They practised crop rotation
Fallow
Farm land empty for one year so that the soil could recover its’s nutrients
Tithe
A tenth of their income to the local priest
Freemen
They had to pay a tithe and they could marry and leave the manor as they wished
Serf
They essientially belonged to the lord, they worked 6 days a week and could not leave the manor or marry without the lords permission
Motte
A small artificial hill
Becoming a knight
Becoming a page at 7
Squire at 14
Knight at 21
Oath of chivalry
To stay loyal to his lord, protect the poor and weak and be brave in battle
Charter
A contract from the king where the town was granted freedom to run its own affairs but had to pay taxes to the king.
Guilds
Organisation of people who worked in the same trade
Becoming a monk
A boy could become a monk at 15. He learned latin and had to follow strict rules. He then swore his solemn vows. He then shaved the crown of his head.
Friars
Monks traveling around the countryside or set up friaries in towns
The impact of the Black Death
The feudal system declined.
Peasants were given more land and a reduction in taxes because there were fewer them to do work
The failure to find a cure for the Black Death. Meant that doctors began to question their practises
Many people people began to lose faith in Christianity because they prayed for him and he did not answer their prayers
Peasants
The people who worked on a lords land. Serfs were the property of the lord and had very few rights. Freemen had more freedom, but still had to pay rent, taxes and tithes
Open field system
The system of farming where peasants were each given strips of land to farm in large fields
The commons
A large field on the manor where the peasants’ animals grazed
Masterpiece
A piece of work presented to the guild to judge if someone was good enough to become a master craftsmen.
Christendom
The ‘kingdom of Christ’, referring to Europe
Rule of St Benedict
The strict set of rules that monks lived by
