Notes

• Feudalism: a political, military and economic system based on land-holding and protective alliances

- in other words: the system is based on personal loyalty to people who can help you

• The Feudal Pyramid 

King

The most powerful Vassals
(nobles and bishops)

Knights- mounted warriors who received fiefs for defending their lord's land)

Peasants (mostly serfs)
landless, powerless, money less, rights-less, just working the land for "the man" (their lord)

• Mind your manors

manor- the lord's estate

-the lords manor house

-a church

-some workshops

-15-30 families

all on a few square miles

• How harsh is it?

 peasants are poor and pay high taxes

-tax or grain

-tax on marriage

-church taxes (tithe=10% of their income)

-They live in crowded cottages

-Live with animals and insects

-eat very simply