T1:L2 Graded Notes (Feudalism)

____ was a loosely organized system of rule in which powerful local lords divided their landholdings among lesser lords. In exchange, these lesser lords pledged service and loyalty to the greater lord

_____ __ _____ (1122-1204) was an heiress to the dukedom of Aquitaine. At the age of 15, she married the French royal heir, Louis VI, and became Queen of France. She went with him on a Crusade. Her second marriage was to Henry II of England. She had ten children and remained politically active until the age of 80.

____ were wandering poet or singer of medieval Europe, often stories about fair maidens and the attributes of chivalry.

The relationship between lord and vassal involved an exchange of pledges, known as the feudal contract. The more powerful lord would grant his vassal a ____, or estate. In addition to land, this included the peasants who worked that land, and any settlements within.

A vassal who pledges to several lords could have serious problems if these lords quarreled with each other. This would create a conflict of interest. To solve this problem, a vassal usually had a ____ ____ to whom he owned his first loyalty.

A woman's right to _____ was significantly restricted, although women did sometimes inherit fiefs. Land usually passed to the eldest son in a family. Women usually received land as part of their dowry.

____ required knights to be brave, loyal, and true to their word. It dictated that knights protect the weak, including peasants and noblewomen.

The heart of the medieval economy was the _____, or lord's estate. These included one or more villages and the surrounding lands. This is where the peasants lived and worked.

Most peasants on a manor were ____. They were bound to the land, but could not be bought or sold. Still, they were not free. They could not leave the manor without the lord's permission.

For peasants, hunger was common, especially in late winter when the harvest was exhausted. Disease took a heavy toll. Few peasants lived beyond the age of __.