What happened after the Fall of the Western Roman Empire MK 2016
Background: * The Roman Empire split into two Empires, Eastern &Western. * The Western Roman Empire was under constant attack by barbarian tribes. * In 476 AD. The capital city of Rome was captured and the last emperor of the Western Empire was overthrown. * With the end of the Roman government, civil authority ended. Law and order no longer existed. * Infrastructure ( roads, bridges, aqueducts ) was destroyed. * Most cities were looted and burned. * Re-distribution of food from the countryside to the cities had stopped.
Picking Up the Pieces The Roman practice of Latifundia, which had been bad for the Roman Empire, becomes the cradle of a new civilization in Western Europe. These large self-sufficient farms became sanctuaries for people leaving the destroyed cities. New rules regarding working and living would have to be made on the farms to meet the new needs of the people and the land owners. The Land owner wanted loyal workers, and the people wanted protection.
The New Social Arrangement: New arrivals (unskilled at farming) need protection, food, shelter Land Lords who owned the land need protection, work, loyalty In order to give each group what they needed, Contracts (agreements) were made. Over time these agreements became understood as the way things were, and no legal documents or paperwork was needed. This new social order becomes the foundation of society in Europe for 1,000 years. (In France it lasts for 1,336 years)
This is Feudalism Lord (landlord, lord of the land)- grants land Fief The land give in exchange for loyalty and service Vassal The person who receives the fief and owes loyalty and service to his lord. A person could be a vassal to more than one lord causes confusion
Feudal Knights Knights are the trained, armored fighters who protect the lord. The young son of a noble starts as a page age 7 learns to serve From ages 12 18 the young man becomes a squire learns to fight About the age of 18 the squire becomes a knight. Knights swear loyalty to their lord and follow the code of conduct called chivalry. Tournaments are job interviews for knights seeking vassalage.
Social Structure and Feudal Contract Provide $, Protection and loyalty Who then Provide $$$, Knights and loyalty Who then Provide protection and loyalty to Who then Provide food, loyalty and service to The Pope Kings Queens Nobles Lords Knights Peasants Serfs Gives authority to Who then Give land to Who then Give some of the land to Who then Give protection too
The Manor The land owned by a noble or a highly-favored knight. He was known as the Lord of the land (landlord). The Lord lived in the manor house or a castle. The land around the castle that belonged to the lord was called the manor. This becomes the center of life in feudal Europe. The peasants were born, lived and died on the land. Their Lord was their government, enforcer of the law and provider of all physical things. The Christian Church provided the spiritual needs, and supported compliance with this system.
The Manor The Lord s Manor house or castle The village church Sheep graze on the common land The blacksmith made iron tools Serfs grew individual vegetable gardens Serfs worked collectively to harvest crops The mill ground wheat into flour.
The Castle A Roman farmer s home, a manor. Wealthy Romans who owned large farms hired people to manage the farms known as landlords. During the empire these were comfortable places for the landlord to live. Motte & Bailey & Keep After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, farmers needed protection from roaming barbarians and rival lords. The landlord s family would live in the motte and in times of danger move up into the keep on the bailey.
The Castle Lord s Bedchamber A castle toilet Great Hall As the need for protection grew, Lords built larger and stronger Keeps surrounded by stone walls. This became a castle. Castles were dark, damp, foul smelling places to live. Protection/safety were the goals of a castle, not comfort.
Serfs and Peasants Peasant: Serf: A person who owned his land or was free to have a trade such as a blacksmith, wheel wright, or cooper. They paid 10% of their money to the church and 10% of their crops to the local lord. They were not bound to one manor; they could be as mobile as their trade allowed. A person who lived on the lord s land. He was not free to move or leave the land that he farmed for the lord. Serfs were considered part of the manor like a house, tree, cow or rock. But Serfs could not be forced off the manor and were not slaves. Serfs made up 90% of Feudal populations.
Peasant & Serf Life Houses were usually simple one room buildings made of the easiest building materials in the area; mud, wood, or stone. All had thatched roofs. (straw) Farm animals shared the house with the people at night. Waddell and Dobb Stone wooden
Peasants cooked once a week to save fuel. The food was kept in jars for use during the week. The type of food eaten depended on where the peasants lived. Peasant & Serf Life Cheese and curd from milk Adults ate ½ a loaf of bread a day Pottage was an oatmeallike food that contained whatever was available to put in the pot Vegetables from the peasant s garden Meat was a treat. In the spring, suckling pig. Old chickens in the summer. Rabbits and small creatures when possible, and fish if near water.
Had to do: *Work the Lord s land before they work their own land. *Build/repair roads, bridges, and fences on the manor. *Gather firewood. *Pay taxes: inheritance tax, property tax (taille), head tax, mill and oven tax. *Go to war if their Lord goes to war. *Attend church and pay the church tax (tithe) Peasant & Serf Life
Peasant & Serf Life Health & Hygiene
Farming In the Roman times farmers would leave ½ of their land fallow each year. They would grow crops on the other ½. The Three Field System divided the land into thirds. 1/3 planted in the fall with winter crops rye and winter wheat 1/3 planted in the spring with oats, barley, and lentils 1/3 would be left fallow. 1 st crop of the season spring barley 2 nd crop of the season winter wheat This increased the food production by 16% Fallow field used for grazing.
Medieval towns were: Small Crowded Dirty Fire-traps Polluted Unhealthy Built around a church or cathedral Provided workers and services for the church Peasants, not serfs, lived in towns Manufacturing center Towns and Guilds Towns were located next to rivers for transportation of goods Guilds were: Exclusive Organized Strict Enforcers Merchant guilds Craft guilds Created to preserve and protect the rights of their members Set prices for services and goods
Technology and Invention FARMING Heavy plow Made it easier to plow thick European soil Horse shoes Kept horses feet from rotting and gave them more traction INDUSTRY Windmills Grind large amounts of grain into flour Sawmills Water -powered saw blades that improved and sped up lumber production HOUSEHOLD Chimney allows for cleaner and safer venting of smoke from fires Spinning Wheel Improves the speed and quality of producing thread.