Medieval History – Semester 2 – Final Exam Study Guide – Section 3 – Flashcards

-Life was harsh -Men/women/children worked for long hours -Disease & starvation was common -Not many people lived over the age of 35 -Had bread/vegetables, never meat

-A loosley organized system of rule in which powerful local lords divide their land holdings among lesser lords -Vassals/lesser lords pledged service & loyalty to a greater lord -Fief= estate/land -A fief was land and any peasants/slaves/buildings on it -Aristocrats held the land and main function was military service -Chivalry failed (became part of medieval legacy)

-Manor= the lords estate -Most manors included 1-2 villages -Peasants/serfs worked on manor's -Serfs weren't slaves but weren't free -The manor was self sufficient -Backbone of economic life -Peasants grew food and did heavy labor -Serfs were tied to coil and seldom to their masters

-an exchange of pledges -Political/legal relationship between lords/vassals were based on the exchange of land/loyalty/military service -Lords/peasants tied together by mutual rights/obligations

-A code of conduct that the knights followed -Knights had bravery, loyalty, fairness ; truthfulness -Knights protected women/peasants -Troubadours=wandering musicians who sang about brave deeds of a knight