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.
Page
Is the first stage to become a knight. The father would send his son to different castle to serve the lord there and learned how to fight.
Squire
When the boy was 14, he became a squire. He carried the lords weapons into battle and learned to fight on horseback.
Dubbing
Was the ceremony where a squire became a knight.
Chivalry
Was a promise to be loyal to god and to protect his family
Toll
Was what a person had to pay to get through the gates of a medieval town.
Curfew
In a town a bell rang out from the church for people to turn off all fires. This is because all houses were made from wood.
Leprosy
Was a common skin disease in medieval towns since nobody washed themselves
Black Death
Was a plague that raged across Europe and killed many townspeople and was highly contagious
Charter
A charter was a legal documenting which the king agreed to let a town to run its own affairs
Guild
Each craftsperson had to belong to a guild. There was a bakers guild,a fishmongers guild and so on.
Apprentice
Was the first stage in becoming a craftsman. When a boy was seven, he joined a master craftsman and worked without pay.
Journeyman
When the boy was fourteen he became a journeyman. He could leave his old master in search for better wages.
Master craftsman
He had to produce a masterpiece and pay a heavy payment to the guild to become a master craftsman. Most men could not afford this and never got to be a master craftsman.
Romanesque
Was the first style in which churches were built. The door was decorated with round arches. It was very dark and gloomy inside.
Gothic
Gothic was a newer style of decoration. There were often carved statues at the entrance and had a magnificent stain glass window.
Flying buttresses
Were used to support the weight of the roof.
Dormitory
Was where the monks slept in a monastery.
Refectory
Was where the monks ate.
Cloister
Was where the monks walked and prayed.
Scriptorium
Was where monks copied manuscripts.
Infirmary
Was where monks looked after the sick.
Chapter house
Was where the monks discussed the buisness of the monastery and elected the abbot.
Novice
When a boy joined a monastery, he was known as a novice.
Tonsure
When a boy became a monk he had a haircut called a tonsure which was a bald patch on the middle of his head
Matins
Was the monks early morning prayer where they would pray or sing
in the church.
Vespers
Were evening prayers
Compline
Were the final prayers of the day at night time.
Abbot
Is the leader or in charge of the monastery.
Prior
Is the person who fills in for the abbot when the abbot is travelling.
Almoner
An almoner looked after the poor when the visited.
Hosteller
Hostellers looked after travellers.
Friar
Friars travelled around working with the poor.
Apprentice
Was the first stage in becoming a craftsman. When a boy was seven, he joined a master craftsman and worked without pay.
Journeyman
When the boy was fourteen he became a journeyman. He could leave his old master in search for better wages.
Master craftsman
He had to produce a masterpiece and pay a heavy payment to the guild to become a master craftsman. Most men could not afford this and never got to be a master craftsman.
Romanesque
Was the first style in which churches were built. The door was decorated with round arches. It was very dark and gloomy inside.
Gothic
Gothic was a newer style of decoration. There were often carved statues at the entrance and had a magnificent stain glass window.
Flying buttresses
Were used to support the weight of the roof.
Dormitory
Was where the monks slept in a monastery.
Refectory
Was where the monks ate.
Cloister
Was where the monks walked and prayed.
Scriptorium
Was where monks copied manuscripts.
Infirmary
Was where monks looked after the sick.
Chapter house
Was where the monks discussed the buisness of the monastery and elected the abbot.
Novice
When a boy joined a monastery, he was known as a novice.
Tonsure
When a boy became a monk he had a haircut called a tonsure which was a bald patch on the middle of his head
Matins
Was the monks early morning prayer where they would pray or sing
in the church.
Vespers
Were evening prayers
