The Middle Ages Flashcards
Feudal system
The feudal system was how society was organised.
Middle Ages/ medieval period
A time between 500AD and about 1500.
Demesne
The land the king kept for himself.
Vassals
The kings followers.
Knight
They fought for the lords and in return the lords gave them land.
Serf
A peasant that was not allowed to leave the lords land or get married without his permission. They wren tied to the land. They had to give free labour to The Lord.
Freeman
Peasants who didn’t have to do free labour for The Lord, were able to get married, were able to travel but they had to pay rent.
Manor
Small village and farms owned by a local lord.
Tithe
The priest said mass for the peasants on Sunday and baptised and buried them. In return they gave him one tenth of their crops. This was called a tithe.
Commons
Is where all the peasants animals grazed together.
Open-field system.
He land was divided into two parts. One part was called the commons for the animals. The other part was where the crops grew. Each peasant had their own strip of land.
Fallow
A field was left fallow with nothing growing in it.
Crop rotation.
There were three fields. One of them was kept follow each year so the soil was good. Each year a dire rent field was fallow.
Pottage
A vegetable soup with oatmeal wich peasants ate for their main meal.
Bailiff
Had too oversee the village for The Lord and make sure everyone paid rent and taxes.
