Unit 2 Middle Ages VOCAB

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Feudal System

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A social and economic system in medieval Europe where land was owned by lords who allowed vassals to use it in exchange for military service and protection.

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Serf

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A peasant who was bound to work on a lord's estate (tied to the land).

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Chivalry

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A code of conduct followed by knights in medieval Europe, emphasizing values such as bravery, honor, loyalty, and respect for women and the weak.

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Tithe

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A portion of a person's earnings, typically one-tenth, that is given to support the church.

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Common Law

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A legal system based on court decisions and customs, rather than written laws.

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Black Death

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A devastating pandemic that swept through Europe in the 14th century, caused by the plague.

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Crusades

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A series of religious wars from the 11th to the 13th centuries, where European Christians sought to reclaim the Holy Land from Muslim control.

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Magna Carta

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Document signed in 1215 that limited the power of the king and established certain legal rights for nobles and, eventually, all citizens.

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Manor System

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An economic system in medieval Europe where a lord's estate (manor) was the center of agricultural production. The lord owned the land, and serfs worked it in exchange for protection and a place to live.

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Holy Roman Empire

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A multi-ethnic complex of territories in central Europe that existed from the early Middle Ages until its dissolution in 1806.