GOVERNMENT
The Feudal System
For security and control, most areas in medieval times were feudalistic governments, set up by making small communities based around a central lord or nobleman. The majority of the population lived on a manor, which contained the castle, the church, the village, and the surrounding farm land. Each manor was isolated, with infrequent visits from nomads, pilgrims, or traders on their way to the Crusades.
Kings
A medieval king, the highest rank in a feudal system, had total responsibility for running his kingdom. His job was to judge and jury any problems that would arise, maintain the laws, and protect his land from invasion. The king gave grants of land, called fiefs, and servants or peasants to his best lords, in return for their aid with military affairs and their devotion to him; both good and bad agricultural land was distributed evenly. In contradiction to the king’s seemingly superior power and control, the king did work under the rules of the church, which was considered above all in importance in the feudal system; church leaders, such as bishops and archbishops, were more often than not on the king's council and played leading roles in government.
Lords
Lords, much like modern land lords, leased land to other individuals. Lords had complete authority and control over their lands and the people within it. Generally, a lord’s responsibility was to keep the manor running to its optimal efficiency, in terms of both business and agriculture. Along with this, the lords set the taxes for their lands and served the kings. Although they had general authority over others, the duties of the lords were very strict and demanding (Newman).
Knights
Below the lords on the socioeconomic level were the knights, or lesser lords, who received protection and land from a lord in return for their loyalty and military service. Knights were described as a class of lesser nobility ranked based on a code of chivalry, which were the basic rules and requirements that were expected of a knight (Norris). Essentially, knights were mounted soldiers who went on quests and adventures to serve and protect the manor.
Peasants
At the lowest of the Feudal system was the majority of the population, the peasants or serfs, who worked on the land and paid rent to the knights for food, shelter, and protection. Peasants, considered the lower class, were workers or farmers, with little to no education. Peasants received low income for a life time of labor. On the other hand, peasants were typically given several acres of land from the lords for personal use. For peasants, life was difficult and limited, they rarely left the land they lived on and seldom had days off.
Religion in the Government
In this society, religion was taken very seriously, even to the point that any and all festivals in the
Christian calendar brought breaks to the community and workplaces. The Christian religion was such a big part in this time period that the church was held above the king in means of power, control, and respect. Along with this, anyone who went against the "people of God", or the Christians, would considered evil or worshipers of the Devil. The biggest example was the treatment of Jews by the Christians. For more information on Jews and Christians in the Middle Ages, click the brown button below.
Overall
The feudal society was constructed by means of security and control (Hendrick). All branches of the system had a group of people they controlled and a group or individual who controlled them. This comes with the exception of the peasants, who ruled above no others, and the king, was ruled by no one, although, limited by the power of the church. This security came with the cost of freedom from the common man. In order to ensure the efficiency of the community and government as well as while maintaining the power of the church, most rights and freedoms were limited of the majority of the people in the middle ages. Mostly, the only people with power were the knights and the king. Even with that power, life in the Middlle Ages was not easy, it came with many jobs and responsibilities. The fact that the freedoms of the people along with the work it took to maintain the communities in the Middle Ages shows how medieval times were truly a time of hardships.
For security and control, most areas in medieval times were feudalistic governments, set up by making small communities based around a central lord or nobleman. The majority of the population lived on a manor, which contained the castle, the church, the village, and the surrounding farm land. Each manor was isolated, with infrequent visits from nomads, pilgrims, or traders on their way to the Crusades.
Kings
A medieval king, the highest rank in a feudal system, had total responsibility for running his kingdom. His job was to judge and jury any problems that would arise, maintain the laws, and protect his land from invasion. The king gave grants of land, called fiefs, and servants or peasants to his best lords, in return for their aid with military affairs and their devotion to him; both good and bad agricultural land was distributed evenly. In contradiction to the king’s seemingly superior power and control, the king did work under the rules of the church, which was considered above all in importance in the feudal system; church leaders, such as bishops and archbishops, were more often than not on the king's council and played leading roles in government.
Lords
Lords, much like modern land lords, leased land to other individuals. Lords had complete authority and control over their lands and the people within it. Generally, a lord’s responsibility was to keep the manor running to its optimal efficiency, in terms of both business and agriculture. Along with this, the lords set the taxes for their lands and served the kings. Although they had general authority over others, the duties of the lords were very strict and demanding (Newman).
Knights
Below the lords on the socioeconomic level were the knights, or lesser lords, who received protection and land from a lord in return for their loyalty and military service. Knights were described as a class of lesser nobility ranked based on a code of chivalry, which were the basic rules and requirements that were expected of a knight (Norris). Essentially, knights were mounted soldiers who went on quests and adventures to serve and protect the manor.
Peasants
At the lowest of the Feudal system was the majority of the population, the peasants or serfs, who worked on the land and paid rent to the knights for food, shelter, and protection. Peasants, considered the lower class, were workers or farmers, with little to no education. Peasants received low income for a life time of labor. On the other hand, peasants were typically given several acres of land from the lords for personal use. For peasants, life was difficult and limited, they rarely left the land they lived on and seldom had days off.
Religion in the Government
In this society, religion was taken very seriously, even to the point that any and all festivals in the
Christian calendar brought breaks to the community and workplaces. The Christian religion was such a big part in this time period that the church was held above the king in means of power, control, and respect. Along with this, anyone who went against the "people of God", or the Christians, would considered evil or worshipers of the Devil. The biggest example was the treatment of Jews by the Christians. For more information on Jews and Christians in the Middle Ages, click the brown button below.
Overall
The feudal society was constructed by means of security and control (Hendrick). All branches of the system had a group of people they controlled and a group or individual who controlled them. This comes with the exception of the peasants, who ruled above no others, and the king, was ruled by no one, although, limited by the power of the church. This security came with the cost of freedom from the common man. In order to ensure the efficiency of the community and government as well as while maintaining the power of the church, most rights and freedoms were limited of the majority of the people in the middle ages. Mostly, the only people with power were the knights and the king. Even with that power, life in the Middlle Ages was not easy, it came with many jobs and responsibilities. The fact that the freedoms of the people along with the work it took to maintain the communities in the Middle Ages shows how medieval times were truly a time of hardships.
POLITICAL life
The legal system and laws in the middle ages were used as guidelines designed to promote peaceful outcomes from conflicts or problems that arose in the government or society. The legal courts reflected the legal needs of the society it was designed for. Also, they reflected the importance or rural, or agricultural, life in their society. Legal codes were determined by both the king and the church. Sacred, or church related, laws displayed moral and religious expectations. Meanwhile, the secular, or non-religious, laws were designed to establish laws and punishments, which often consisted of torture and pain, for crimes effecting property or persons. The outcome of most trials was determined by a judge and witness, what seems as good example of equality. against this assumption, outcomes of disputes were sometimes determined by physical contests of the two opponents, this shows how much strength and power were valued in medieval times. Another factor in court that was against equality is the fact that a testimony coming from a wealthier or more powerful individual was more important than a testimony of the poor. This, becomes even more unfair considering that lower class citizens would often give things, like a testimony or gifts, to the wealthy and powerful in order to increase/benefit themselves, either in the job field or in social terms. Saying this, it was nearly impossible for a lower class citizen to win a case against a more wealthy or powerful individual. This unfair and unequal treatment in court displays how difficult and complicated life was for the poor or powerless in the Middle Ages: the age of hardships.
Town life
Towns in the Middle Ages varied in population anywhere from 10,000 to 100,000 people. The highly populated cities were surrounded by high walls with narrow streets and tall houses. During the daytime, the streets were busy with workers, such as traders, artisans, and merchants. On the other hand, streets were deserted at night while people took to their homes. The Middle Age cities had no garbage or sewer systems; therefore, the cities remained filthy and smelly. Although literature, art, and elaborate architecture were present and involved in trade and society, the waste that filled the streets along with the high populations caused town life to be noisy, crowded, and unpleasant.
personal and material life
Just like in any other society, one's personal materials and wealth determined what their day-to-day life would be like. The type of home a person had in medieval times was affected by the climate, the person's wealth, and possible nomadic ways. For medieval homes, luxury, although expensive, was desired and valued. Wealth was considered a privilege and people did their best to not waste any money, for the reasoning that it was so limited. Housing value in medieval times was primarily based off of luxury and agricultural, or how well the land could grow crops and support livestock, wealth. The value of agricultural wealth and the effort put in to not waste money shows how the medieval population was self-sufficient, growing their own food and saving money for important purposes. In the fight against famine and illness, people would eat inexpensive but healthy food several times a day. Along with the efforts to save money citizens would typically use large wells that collected water during the rainy seasons and then save that water for the dry season. The self-sufficient of the people applied to their survival in the city rather than to their socioeconomic level in the society, which was revealed by ones clothing and appearance. Self-presentation was a large factor in a person’s central role in society and personal interactions. Fashion was seen as the location of morality and displayed the difference between the wealthy and the poor along with determining socioeconomic classes, appearance suggested what people were like. For example women were expected to dress modest otherwise they would be considered impure and simple. Clothing was also affected by religion and personal taste. A cultural highly constructed by ones appearance and belongings made life in the Middle Ages more difficult, complicated, and harder than it could have been.
