History:The Medieval Times Flashcards
Feudalism
The system of land ownership where rulers (king,lords)divided land among their followers in return for loyalty and taxes.
Peasants
The people who worked on a lord’s land.
Oath of chivalry
Sworn by a knight to be loyal to his lord , protect the poor and weak and be brave in battle.
Open field system
The system of farming where peasants were each given strips of land to farm in large fields .
Fallow
Leave the land uncultivated (not used for growing crops)for one year so that the soil could recover its nutrients.
Commons
Used for grazing the animals that belonged to the peasants.
Tithe
The payment of one tenths of a peasant’s annual income to the Church.
Charter
A contract whereby a town was granted freedom to run its own affairs but paid taxes to the king.
Guild
An organisation of skilled people who worked in the same trade.
The feudal system
King gives the lands to a lord (nobles)called a FIEF.The nobles give the lands to knights.Then the knights give the lands and protections to the peasants.The peasants give food and services to knights.The knights give protection and military services to the nobles.The nobles then give the king money and knights.
What is a motte?
A motte is the high mound (hill).
What is a bailey?
A bailey is the courtyard below the motte.
Defensive features in a pre Medieval Castle
It was surrounded by a wooden fence for protection.
A moat (trench with water) surrounded the castle.
A drawbridge led across the moat.
Battlements
A path on the top of the walls.
Turrets
Towers built on the wall for defence.
Portcullis
An iron gate raised to allow people to enter or leave.
Gatehouse
Controlled the portcullis and drawbridge.
What is a battering ram used for?
A battering ram was used to break in the castle gate.
What is a mangonel used for?
A mangonel was a giant catapult used to hurl stones.
What is a ballista?
A ballista was a giant crossbow.
What is a siege tower used for?
A siege tower was a mobile wooden tower used to scale the walls of the castle.
Stages of becoming a knight
*PAGE:Age 7: fostered by another lord .Learned singing,dancing and good manners.
*SQUIRE:Age14:He helped his lord dress for battle.Learned how to ride a horse and fight with a sword.
*KNIGHT:Age 21:He became a knight in the dubbing ceremony.He promised to obey his vows of chivalry.He became skilled in battle and at tour aments.
Stages of becoming a craftsman
*AGE 14:a boy became an apprentice who worked with a master without pay.
*AGE 12:he became a journeyman who travelled with his craft from town to town.
*He was allowed become a master craftsman if he made a masterpiece.He could then open his own workshop.
Monk
A boy became a novice monk before taking solemn vows to become a monk (poverty, chastity and obedience) at the age of 15.
