The End of Feudalism and Rise of Nation-States

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The End of Feudalism and Rise of Nation-States
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The Decline of Feudalism

• After the Hundred Years war, both the English
  and the French monarchies and their kings gained
  greater power and took complete control of their
  governments.
• The Medieval Feudal system worked well for many
  hundreds of years but the decline of feudalism
  occurred and was due to a number of events which
  occurred.
• Feudalism was based on the division of land by
  the king to nobles and vassals in return for
  their military service.
• Land was the main source of the economy and was
  dependent on the peasants who worked on the land.

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Reasons for the Decline of Feudalism

1. Strong feelings of nationalism in both countries
   facilitated the break from the feudal system.
2. Allegiance shifted from local lords to the king.
3. This was the beginning of nations People were
   bound together by a common government, language,
   culture and set of ideas.

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Reasons for the Decline of Feudalism

1. The Crusades and travel during the Middle Ages
   opened new trade options to England
2. England started to move from land based economy
   to a money based economy
3. The Black Death - reduced the population of
   England by one third.
4. The Peasants Revolt - Peasants realized their
   worth and demanded changes.

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Reasons for the Decline of Feudalism

1. Peasants moved away from the country into towns
   they were eventually allowed to buy their freedom
2. Land was rented and the rights of lords over
   labor decreased
3. A centralized government was established

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The Standing Armies

• The decline of feudalism came when rich nobles
  were allowed to pay for soldiers rather than to
  fight themselves.
• Life changed and Mercenaries were hired from all
  over Europe. The Mercenaries had few allegiances,
  except to money, and these paid fighting men were
  feared throughout Europe.
• The threat of the Mercenaries led on to the
  employment of professional, trained soldiers -
  the Standing Armies and ultimately the end of
  Middle Ages feudalism in England. 

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The End of Feudalism in England

• Under feudalism the King was answerable to the
  Pope.
• At the end of the Middle Ages King Henry VIII
  clashed with the Pope and England subsequently
  broke with the Catholic church of Rome and the
  power of the Pope.
• This led to the establishment of the Church of
  England and the Dissolution of the Monasteries.
• It was the final 'nail in the coffin' of the
  Medieval Feudal System, feudalism, in England.

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• Do in groups of three. To be handed in
• Define the word monarchy. (check glossary)
• England
• Which family formed the first great monarchial
  dynasty in England? From whom were they
  descended?
• Describe the function on the juries?
• In 1086, what was recorded in the Doomsday Book?
  How was this information used?
• Describe the changes and measures taken by Henry
  I to increase his power.
• Describe the rebellion in 1215 against Prince
  John and explain the nature of the Magna Carta.
• Parliament (in England)
• Why did William the Conqueror start the Great
  Council? Who made up the council? How did the
  Magna Carta change that function?
• Define the word Parliament in the 13th century?
• What was the Model Parliament?
• Define the House of Lords and the House of
  Commons.
• France
• Who founded a dynasty that would rule France for
  three hundred years despite powerful feudal
  lords?
• How did the Capetians (Hugh Capet and his
  descendents) add to their rather small
  landholdings?
• Describe Philip Augustuss efficient royal
  bureaucracy (a group of individuals who governed
  departments) which strengthened royal power and
  weakened that of feudal lords.
• The Estates General (in France)
• What was the Estates General and who formed it?