Medieval Life

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Medieval Life
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• Development of manor and feudalism
• Decentralization of political authority
• Transition to a barter economy
• Development of more distinct vernaculars
• Dominance of Catholic Church

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• Economy was agrarian
• 90 of people were peasants

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Serfdom
a condition of servitude to an economically or
politically more powerful person.
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The Manor
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The Early Middle Ages
Barter economy
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The Early Middle Ages
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Gifts Presents
Mandatory gifts on holy days
(holidays) Eggs at Easter Chicken at
Christmas
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Serfs could not leave land without lords
permission status as serfs was hereditary
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The Early Middle Ages

• Serfs werent allowed to
• hunt in woodlands adjoining the manor
• cut firewood
• graze livestock
• or do other things on common lands without lords
  permission

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The Early Middle Ages
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The Early Middle Ages
Noblemans diet was excessively meaty
especially as hunting became a substitute or
practice for war
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The Early Middle Ages
Growth of towns during the High Middle Ages
(particularly after 1100) challenged feudal
order Why?
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The air of the city makes one free
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Nobility
1 and 10 of population was noble
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The Crusades

• Turks and Muslims were trying to take over the
  Holy Land
• Pope agrees to help
• Why??

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The Crusades

• Too many young nobles with nothing to do!!
• Too much violence in western Europe
• Nobility thought they could become rich
• Reunite western and eastern Christianity

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The Crusades

• Motives for those who went to fight
• Religion
• Greed
• Adventure

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The Crusades

• The 1st Crusades
• Constantinople 1097
• 10,000 European nobles
• Christians took over Jerusalem 1099

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The Crusades

• 2nd Crusade
• 1187 Muslims re-conquered Jerusalem
• 3rd Crusade
• 1189 to 1192
• Unsuccessful for the Christians

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The Crusades

• Results
• Politically and religiously failed
• Remained in Muslim control
• Created trade with the East
• New trade routes

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The Middle Ages

• Merchants
• 5 population
• Trade, artisans

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Medieval Women

• Catholic Church
• Viewed women as morally weaker than men
• Married women expected to be subservient to
  husbands
• Misogynistic

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Medieval Women

• Nuns and convents
• Cloistered women
• Needed a dowry
• mother superior
• In charge of convents

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Medieval Women

• Household
• Home-based businesses
• Worked with husbands and fathers
• Excluded from learned professions

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The Black Death

• Epidemic began in 1347
• Began in Sicily, Venice, Genoa, Pisa

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The Black Death

• Bubonic plague
• High fever
• Black boils on the skin
• Highly contagious
• Different strands develop
• Air-borne

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The Black Death

• Spread quickly in medieval cities
• WHY?

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The Black Death

• Causes
• Fleas on rats
• Rats were everywhere!
• No one suspected they were the problem

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The Black Death

• Medieval causes??
• Corruption in the atmosphere
• Fumes from earthquakes
• Gods wrath for sin
• Jews

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The Black Death

• Remedies
• Moderation in life
• Live it up!
• Amulets
• Fire
• Quarantine

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The Black Death

• Consequences
• Villages annihilated
• Small labor supply left
• Rents declined
• Church politically weakened