Middle Ages Vocabulary

Lord

• One who gives land to vassals (knights) in exchange for service; he protects his land and people with the help of the knights.

• A free person who works on a manor in exchange for housing, protection, and use of the land.

• The political and social system of exchanging land for service.

Serf

• A person who is legally tied to the manor- he MUST work for the lord in exchange for housing and protection.

• A highly skilled soldier who fought on horseback (knights were usually vassals).

• An economic system built around large estates called manors.

Fief

• Land given to the knights in exchange for his services; which then makes the knight a vassal.

• The political and social system of exchanging land for service.

• Leader of the Roman Catholic Church.

Peasant

• A free person who works on a manor in exchange for housing, protection, and use of the land.

• Wars fought to regain the Holy Land from Muslims.

• An economic system in which the government owns and controls manufacturing and is responsible for planning the economy.

Knight

• A highly skilled soldier who fought on horseback (knights were usually vassals).

• The political and social system of exchanging land for service.

• A group of workers that made sure that members were equal.

Vassal

• One who accepts land from a lord; he gives service and often money to the lord.

• Men who lived in a religious community (can read and write).

• An economic system based on money.

Feudalism

• The political and social system of exchanging land for service.

• The leader of the Roman Catholic Church.

• An economic system in which the government owns and controls manufacturing and is responsible for planning the economy.

Manorialism

• An economic system built around large estates called manors.

• A highly skilled soldier who fought on horseback.

• A group of workers that made sure that members were equal.

Manors

• Land divided into farming communities. Large farm estates.

• One who accepts land from a lord.

• A person who is legally tied to the manor.

Socialism

• Economic system in which the government owns and controls manufacturing and is responsible for planning the economy.

• An economic system based on money.

• The leader of the Roman Catholic Church.