Middle Ages Feudalism: Vocabulary

serf

•  

  An unfree peasant who farmed the lord’s land and couldn’t leave the lord’s estate

•  

  A free peasant who farmed the lord's land and could leave the estate anytime they wanted

•  

  A person who could become a knight anytime they wanted

•  

  A person who could become a noble if they did good deeds

feudalism

• The economic and political system of medieval Europe in which people exchanged loyalty and labor for a lord’s protection

• To take control of a person or thing by force

• The process of spending wealth to maintain an army

• One of the most important forms of military technology

hierarchy

• A system of organizing people into ranks, with those of higher rank having more power and privileges

• A highly effective way of dealing with disease

• A code of ideal behaviors that knights follow

• The highest type of European noble, ranking just below a prince

Roman Catholic Church

• The church headed by the emperor in Constantinople

• The Christian church headed by the pope in Rome

• The group of Romans responsible for running Colosseum events

• A group of churches that hated Christianity

pope

• The religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ

• The belief that God gives monarchs the right to rule

• The bishop of Rome and supreme leader of the Roman Catholic Church

• Another name for William, Duke of Normandy

divine right of kings

• The right to be born

• The belief that god gives monarchs the right to rule

• The ability to become the pope or church leader

• A person of high rank by birth or title

fief

• A ruler such as a king or queen

• Land granted by a lord to a vassal in exchange for loyalty and service

• A person who is known for taking things that did not belong to them

• A person of high rank by birth or title

manor

• A large estate, including farmland and villages, held by a lord

• A small hut that peasants often lived in

• A deep wide ditch, often filled with water

• A covering that knights often put over their shins to protect against enemy arrows

noble

• An unfree person who works the land

• To solve an important problem

• A person of high rank by birth or title

• A system of organizing people into ranks

monarch

• A ruler, such as a king or queen

• An unfree peasant

• A person who works the land

• The leader of the Roman Catholic Church