5.1 Lords and vassals

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5.1 Lords and vassals

Succescriteria

You can explain:

•  how Charlemagne became a powerful king and emperor of a large empire
• how Charlemagne ruled his empire
•  how there was political division after Charlemagne’s death
•  causes and consequences of insecurity in Europe
•  what position knights had in society

The Frankish Kingdom

Reign under Clovis (5th century) and Charlemagne (8th century):

• Warrior culture
• Using the Christian faith
• System between lords and vassals

Read 5.1

- Try to explain what the system between lords and vassals means

- Done? Do exercises 1 to 5

Homework

• What? Make assignment 1 to 5 from section 5.1
• How? In your workbook
• Help? Ask your teacher :)

Try to explain what the system between lords and vassals means

McDonald's

Imagine that you are the boss of McDonald's. Then you have 37,000 restaurants in 120 countries.

It is, of course, very difficult to manage all these restaurants on your own.

So what is a good solution to this problem?

You let some people help you! You lend the restaurants to 120 people who arrange everything in their country! They get to choose, for example, what is on the menu and how it is advertised. In exchange, they only have to give you a part of the money.

That's also how Charlemagne ruled the Frankish empire!

The feudal system

• Charlemagne asked for help from the nobility
• He gave authority over a territory to nobleman
• The area remained Charlemagne's, but they were allowed to loan it.
• We call this the feudal system or feudalism

You could become a count or a duke:

• Count: The boss of a small area, a county. This was less important
• Duke: The boss of a large area, a duchy (e.g. Brabant). This was very important

Who does it belong to?
Has to supply soldiers

1. Lord
2. Vassal

Who does it belong to?
Allowed to speak the law

1. Lord
2. Vassal

Who does it belong to?
Gives a territory in loan

1. Lord
2. Vassal

Who does it belong to?
May keep the income of a territory

1. Lord
2. Vassal

Who does it belong to?
Does not want the loan to become hereditary

1. Lord
2. Vassal

The agreement - of the feudal system

The lord

Keeps the territory, but loans it to a nobleman.

The vassal

May loan the territory and:

- Governs the area

- Speaks law in it

- Supplies soldiers for the lord

- May keep income from the territory

- Must be loyal to the feudal lord

The person who gives a territory in loan.

The person recieves a territory in loan.