Medieval Europe Summative Flashcards
Fall of the Roman Empire
Rome ruled much of Europe
around the Mediterranean
Sea for over 1000 years!
However, the inner workings
of the Roman Empire began
to decline starting around
200 AD.
The city of Rome finally fell
in 476 AD.
First impact of the fall of the Roman Empire
It allowed different tribes to expand their territories into Europe. This
movement led to the creation of new kingdoms and many battles.
Second impact of the fall of the Roman Empire
This period of uncertainty and
change led to many seeking
protection and hope through
religion. This allowed for the
spread of Christianity across
Europe and Islam in Asia.
The tension between these two
religions would eventually lead to
a large war known as the
Crusades.
Third impact of the fall of the Roman Empire
Roads built by the Romans across Europe were no longer
maintained and the movement of goods that was coordinated and
managed by the Romans fell apart. As a result, there was less travel
and trade.
Fourth impact of the fall of the Roman Empire
As there was constant war between kingdoms, Kings needed large
armies. This resulted in a new social system called Feudalism. We will
learn about this later.
Lords
Wealthy nobles under the system of feudalism
Vassals
People who offered their loyalty and their service to a lord in
return for his protection and the granting of land.
Feudalism
A set of legal and military customs that served to organise the
society of medieval Europe and Japan, under feudalism, a lord gave a fief
(parcel of land) to a person (called a vassal) in exchange for service and
loyalty.
What is the Feudal System?
As a result of the barbarian raids from aggressive groups from 476 and 800 CE, a time
commonly known as the ‘Dark Ages’, this period consisted of ongoing warfare.
Therefore, people had to find new ways to protect and provide for themselves.
As a result, they moved onto lands owned by wealthy and powerful lords, where they
could be protected by the lord’s private army and take shelter in his castle during
attacks.
As payment their people, called vassals, worked the land for him and tended his
animals.
Understanding the Social Hierarchy in Medieval Europe
Feudalism was a way of organizing a society through a hierarchy.
A hierarchy is a social structure that organizes people with the most important group
on top and others ranked beneath.
In a feudal society, everyone from the king to the poorest peasant had certain rights
(things they could expect) and responsibilities (work they had to perform in return).
In a feudal system, a person could not change their social position.
For example: If a person was born as a peasant, they died as a peasant. Peasants
could not become nobles, no matter how hard they worked or how intelligent they were.
Minstrels
Medieval singers and musicians who typically wandered
around the countryside performing at events (often as part of a
small group).
Jesters
Medieval comedians who joked and ‘played the fool’ at
occasions such as banquets and fairs; they typically wore a multi-pronged floppy hat with bells on it.
Food for the rich
The rich would eat:
* A range of meats, fish, fruit, soft
cheese, eggs, vegetables, sauces,
soups, salads, white bread, pies and
tarts, and ornate sweet dishes called
subtleties.
* With their food, they drank ale, wine
or mead (a brew made from honey
and water).
Food for the poor
The poor would eat:
* Simpler and a less varied diet.
* This included stews, grainy, bread,
vegetables and fruit (when
available), milk, hard cheese,
porridge ate their main meal for the
day while working in the fields.
* They ate very little meat – they were
too poor to own and raise animals.
* Hunting for game (wild animals) in
the lord’s forests was forbidden.
They hunted for rabbits and birds in
the fields.
Entertainment for men
Hunting, falconry (Training falcons to attack small animals) and playing chess
were enjoyed. Hunts were typically conducted in the woods and forests surrounding
feudal manors.
Entertainment for women
Entertainment included embroidery, stitching tapestries or listening to
musical performances.
Entertainment for the poor
Did not have many opportunities for entertainment. During special feats
(harvest time), there might be dancing, dice, throwing, ball games and wrestling.
Children
Hopscotch and hide-and seek
Fashion for wealthy and poor
Wealthy: Clothes were custom-made by tailors using silk, satin or velvet.
Poor: Crudely made from coarse cloth, which was woven by peasant women
from hand-spun wool or linen.
Wealthy women
Typically wore long, trailing garments with elaborate sleeves
and ornate headwear, such as veils.
Wealthy men
Commonly wore tunics, stockings, decorated cloaks and fancy
hats.
Hygiene for the wealthy
Could afford the luxury of a long, hot bath. This was called a ‘stew’.
Scented oils, rose petals or herbs such as rosemary and spearmint were added to the water
Hygiene for the poor
Personal hygiene was very basic.
Peasants washed in a dish of cold water.
Wood was a scarce and valuable resource for the poor, so it was not wasted on heating water
for washing.
Who enforced the law
Heresy
The act of doing something in serious conflict with the teachings of the
Church
Treason
The act of betraying one’s own country or ruler
Trial by ordeal
The legal system of early Medieval Europe was based on the concept of ‘guilty
until proven innocent’.
An accused person swore their innocence as an oath before God.
Sometimes the oath of the accused was tested using trial b ordeal. There were
three types of ordeal – see next slide.
Ordeal by fire
the accused held a red-hot iron, put an arm in fire or walked across burning coals. If after three days, the burn was not healing cleanly, they were seen to be guilty.
Ordeal by water
The accused placed an arm in boiling water. As above, if the burn was not healing cleanly after three days, they were seen to be guilty. Ordeal by water could also involve the accused being bound and tossed into a river. If they floated, they were seen to be guilty. If they sank, they were seen to be innocent and hopefully dragged out before they drowned.
Ordeal by combat
Nobles who had been accused of a crime would fight their accuser.
Charter
A formal document in which a person in authority states that certain
rights or responsibilities are granted to others.
Magna Carta
Meaning ‘Great Charter’; a document signed in 1215 by England’s
King John and his nobles – it outlined the rights of the people and meant that
the king would thereafter be expected to rule according to the law.
The Magna Carta
The Magna Carta marked a significant legal development legal development in
England because it required the monarch to be subject to the will of others,
not just to God.
No longer could a king rule exactly as he saw fit.
This is seen as one of the first steps towards the development of legal and
political rights for ‘the people’ and the start of modern democracy.
The Magna Carta also abolished trial by ordeal, and no more could people be
condemned, tortured or killed on the grounds of suspicion or rumour.
Clergy
The priests or ministers of a religion, especially the Christian Church.
Mass
An act of worship in the Catholic Church
Excommunicated
Being cut off from the church community (including
participation in communion and confession); a religious punishment.
