Chapter 3 Section 2 Feudal Society

1. Define: feudalism, knight, lord, vassal, feudal contract, fief, chivalry, troubadour.
Feudalism--system of rule by local lords who were bound to a king by ties of loyalty; developed in Western Europe during the Middle Ages.
Knight: mounted warriors who served for a lord, a greater noble.
Lord: a greater noble than a knight
Vassal: a lesser lord who divides his land among his own vassals.
Feudal Contract: the rules that evolved from the ways a lord governs his knights, vassals, and peasants.
Fief: estate
Chivalry: the code of conduct for a knight
Troubadour: wandering poets
2. How did the stirrup affect that nature of warfare?
The stirrup allowed people to sit on horses comfortably, so that they could concentrate more on the war ahead of them.
3. a. What duties did a vassal have?
The duties of a vassal was to give his lord military service, around 40 days a year. He would also serve his lord on holidays and special occasions.
b. What were the responsibilities of a lord?
A lord gives the vassal the rights to his fief, and he performed the ceremony whenever a fief was granted.
4. a. Where did feudalism develop first?
feudalism developed out of German customs
b. Where was feudalism weakest?
It is weakest where the loyalty of the peasants was concerned.
5. List three cuases of feudal warfare.
Nobles want the lands of the other's. Powerful lords competed for more power. It was all for Greed, honor, and family feuds.
6. How did the treatment of women change in the 1100s?
The code of chivalrly placed them on a pedestal as object to be cherished and protected. Troubadours wrote poems and songs about them.
4.