Invaders

1
Invaders

• Carolingian empire began to fall apart after
  Charlemagnes death in 814.
• Divided among his grandsons into east Frankish
  lands, West Frankish lands, Middle Kingdom.
• Invasions lead to demise of old Carolingian
  world.

2
Attack on Europe

• Muslims attacked southern coast.
• Magyars, a people from southern Asia moved into
  central Europe.
• Vikings of Scandinavia were the most far reaching
  of attackers.

3
Vikings

• Great ship builders
• Ships held about 50 men.
• Could float in shallow water.
• Allowed them to move up rivers and attack inland.

4
Vikings

• By the mid ninth century they had begun to build
  various European settlements.
• 911 one of the Frankish rulers gave one of the
  bands of Vikings land at the mouth of the Seine
  river. (Normandy)

5
Development of Feudalism

• Vikings and other invaders pose a great threat to
  the safety of Europeans.
• People began to turn to the Nobles for
  protection.
• New political and social system called feudalism

6
Vassalage

• Warriors swore oath of loyalty to leaders.
• Leaders took care of warriors needs.
• A man who served in military capacity was known
  as a vassal.

7
Knights

• Heavily armored cavalry with long lances.
• Knights had great social prestige.
• Nobles would grant Vassals a piece of land to
  fight for them.

8
Feudal Contract

• Relationship made official by a public ceremony.
• Fief grant of land
• Feudalism became increasingly complex.
• Vassals could have vassals, and those vassals
  could have vassals.

9
Feudal Contract

• Lord-vassal relationship was an honorable one,
  made between free men.
• Relationship between the lord and his vassal
  characterized by a set of unwritten rules.
  (feudal contract)

10
Feudal Contract (vassal obligations)

• Military service (40 days a year)
• Financial payments on several days a year.
  Including knighting of eldest son and marriage of
  eldest daughter.
• Ransom, should the lord be captured.

11
Feudal contract (lords obligations)

• Granting of land.
• Protection in military.
• Defense in court.
• Nobles included kings, dukes, counts, barons,
  and even bishops, and archbishops.

12
Tournaments

• Twelfth century tournaments were held as a way to
  prepare knights for battle, and show off their
  fighting skills.
• Jousting

13
Chivalry

• A code of ethics knights were required to uphold.
• Defend the church and defenseless people
• Treat captives as honored guests.
• Fight only for glory and not materials.

14
Aristocratic Women

• Women were not allowed to own property.
• Often women could control the actions of the men.
• Women were responsible for running the household
  while the men were off fighting.