The Middle Ages Flashcards
Feudal system
Was how society was organised in the Middle Ages
Middle Ages / medieval period
A time after the Roman Empire from AD 500 - 1500.
Demesne
The land that the Lord owned was called a demesne.
Vassals
Were the Kings followers
Knight
Were warriors who rode into battle on horseback.
Serf
A serf was a peasant who was tied to the the lords land . He could not leave or marry without permission from the Lord.
Freeman
If a serf could run away and not be found for a year he will become a freeman. A freeman could travel and marry as they pleased.
Manor
Was a small village in which peasants and Knights lived in
Tithe
Was the tax that the peasants had to pay to the priest.
Fallow
Means that a field was left without anything growing in it for a year and then they would use it again the next year.
Commons
Was where the peasants animals grazed
Open field system
Was the peasants farming method. It worked like this : the farmland was split into two. Then it was divided into strips for each peasant to farm.
Bailiff
The bailiff was a person who watched over the land and tried to catch any serfs running away.
Sanctuary
If a person was being chased by the bailiff. They could run into the monastery. The bailiff could not arrest them in a monastery.
Forge
Was where the blacksmith worked.
Crop rotation
Was when one field was left fallow for one year and the other field was used for crops. The next year, the field that was used for growing crops is left fallow and then the other field was left fallow.
Motte and Bailey
A motte and Bailey was the first type of castle in the Middle Ages.
The motte was the hill and the Bailey was the small enclosure at the bottom.
Moat
Tench dug around the castle which was sometimes filled with water.
Keep
The main building of a stone castle.
Battlements
Were at the top of the keep. A soldier would’ve guarded the battlements all day.
Curtain walls
Were the outer walls of the castle.
Turrets
Were strong towers along the walls
Portcullis
Was an iron grille that could be lowered in front of the castle gate
Drawbridge
Was a bridge over the moat which was closed at night or during battles.
Ramparts
Ran along the top of the walls. Soldiers could walk along them.
Latrines
Were the toilets in the castle.
Trenchers
Food was served on wooden plates or big slices of bread called trenchers.
Wimple
They were the headdressof women’s clothing.
Hawking
Was when someone took a hawk to hunt wildfowl and small mammals.
Jousting
Were mock battles acted out by Knights.
Dowry
Was money given to a woman before her wedding to give to her groom.