Western Europe
Important
People/Groups
Important
Facts about
the
Development of Feudalism
Important
Dates
Important
Places
Social
Structure
Political
Structure
Economic
Structure
Important People/Groups:
1. Charlemagne - The first Holy Roman Emperor who established the Carolingian Empire and played a crucial role in the development of feudalism.
2. William the Conqueror - The Duke of Normandy who invaded England in 1066 and established the feudal system there.
3. Lords - The nobles or landowners who held power and granted land (fiefs) to vassals in exchange for military service and other obligations.
4. Vassals/Knights - Warriors who swore allegiance to a lord in exchange for land and protection.
5. Serfs - Peasants who were bound to the land and worked for the lord in exchange for protection.
Important Facts about the Development of Feudalism:
1. Feudalism emerged as a system of social, political, and economic organization in Western Europe during the Middle Ages.
2. It developed as a response to the instability and invasions that followed the fall of the Western Roman Empire.
3. Feudalism was characterized by the exchange of land (fiefs) for loyalty, military service, and other obligations.
4. The system was hierarchical, with the king at the top and various levels of vassals below.
5. Feudalism provided a framework for social order and protection during a time of constant warfare and political fragmentation.
Important Dates:
1. 476 CE - Fall of the Western Roman Empire.
2. 800 CE - Charlemagne is crowned Holy Roman Emperor.
3. 1066 CE - Norman Conquest of England by William the Conqueror.
Important Places:
1. The Carolingian Empire - Charlemagne's empire that encompassed much of Western Europe.
2. England - Where the feudal system was introduced by William the Conqueror.
3. France - A key region where feudalism developed and evolved.
Social Structure:
1. The king/monarch held the highest position of power.
2. Below the king were the lords/nobles who controlled and owned large estates (fiefs).
3. Knights and vassals were under the lords and would render military service and other obligations.
4. At the bottom of the social structure were the serfs, who were tied to the land and worked for the lord.
Political Structure:
1. The king/monarch held supreme authority and granted land to lords in exchange for loyalty and military service.
2. Lords held power over their own territories and granted land to vassals in exchange for similar obligations.
3. The feudal system created a decentralized political structure, with power being distributed among multiple lords.
Economic Structure:
1. The economic strength of feudalism was based on land and agriculture, with the lord overseeing the production and extraction of resources from the land.
2. Serfs were responsible for working the land and producing goods, while the lord would provide protection and a share of the output.
3. Trade was limited, and most economic activity was localized within the manors and estates controlled by the lords.