The Rise of Feudalism

Describe the differences in the daily lives and responsibilities of lords and ladies, knights, and peasants.

Lords watched over the peasants, ladies cleaned and cooked, knights had to protect the lords, and peasants had to work for the lords.

What were the defining characteristics of each class?

Monarchs (top class) ruled their kingdom, divided the land, and governed their people. Lords (second layer) had castles and manors, governed their area, set laws, and raised an army. Knights (third layer) fought wars for their lords/kings, and competed in tournaments. Peasants (bottom class) worked on land and grew food for the people.

What social classes existed within the feudal system?

Monarchs, lords, knights, and peasants

What two challenges did people face after the collapse of the Roman Empire?

People had to work very hard to feed their families and protection was a constant concern.

Why and how did feudalism develop in Western Europe?

People needed protection from invaders, so they invented a system in which people of higher class provided protection to lower classes in return for their loyalty to them.

How did feudalism work?

People were bound to each other by promises of loyalty. Land belonged to monarchs and then divided the land he didn't want to the lords. Lords promised to help him in time of war. Peasants made food and did other services for the kingdom and rented land in exchange for protection from the lord.

How did monarchs justify and maintain their power?

They believed in the divine right of kings, meaning that God gave them the right to rule the people

How did Clovis and Charlemagne help spread Christianity?

Clovis lead Franks to Christianity by marrying a Christian woman and baptizing in Roman Catholic Church, so many of his followers became Christian. Charlemagne built an empire with the help of church and pope. Messages of God helped from church along with him becoming Holy Roman Emperor which caused lots of people to change to Christianity.