Christianity in Feudalism

(Originally written March 13, 2006 in book 24)

Class Notes

Western Empires Barbarian Rulers

Britain controlled by the Angles & Saxons
Gaul controlled by the Franks
Italy controlled by the Ostrogoths
Spain controlled by the Visigoths
North Africa controlled by the Vandals

The conversion of Clovis (Frankish King) of the Merovingians to Catholicism allies the Roman Emperor (in Constantinople), the Bishops and the Merovingians.

The Merovingians defeat the Arian Germanic tribes in southern Gaul. The Visigoths (Spain) convert to Catholicism out of their best interest.

The Roman Catholic Emperor recognizes Clovis as the ruler of Gaul.

The Ostrogoths are defeated by Justinian and are driven out of Italy.

Between 500 - 1000 in Continental Europe we see increasingly decentralized government and a move to rural society

Political stability in the west is obtained by forming a small clan around a great warrior.

500-1000

The political system was feudalism (which is debatable, but serves to identify it)

Political center is no longer the big city; it is the castle.

Feudalism: King controls all the land in his territory, wars are fought on horses with your own house and weaponry.

Only form of wealth is land.

Economic collapse at fall of Rome.

Knights are given a plot of land to fight for a king, which is formed by serfs.

Barons are given large grants of land by the king. The Barons give loans to lower nobility.

Process of Feudalism:
Kings give Barons land
Barons give Kings knights
Barons give the lower nobility land
Lower nobility serve as knights under the Baron and fight for the king

A good king can control the powerful lords under them

500-1000: decentralization, collapse and feudalism

A miniature ice age occurs in this time, causing lower agricultural output and thus, famine

Peasants farm for the nobles. The nobility is the knights. The military is a military-aristocracy.

The king has homage paid to him by the high nobility.

High nobility (Dukes and Barons) are obligated to provide the king with a certain number of mounted knights. They have to dish out some of their lands granted to secure said number of fucking knights.

Wars occur on every level. King vs. King, Barons vs. Barons, Nobility vs. Nobility.

The knights under are obligated to serve their higher ups.

Economic Feudalism

Manorialism

The knights, the lower nobility, the nobility, the barons and dukes all have land. This land is worked by the peasants. The peasants do not fight in war or own land. They owe their lord their labor, and a certain percentage of their crops and their tithe to the Church.

Trade is facilitated by bartering goods.

The peasant class grows between 500-1000 in order to finance the nobility and warring aristocracy.

The late 800's see the Norseman and Hungarian tribes wreak havoc upon the feudalistic system. The local lords have to fight and take back power from the king to survive.

These lords in turn became more powerful and the kings cannot reel them back in. It takes generations for the kings to reign in power.

Feudalism is not a caste system. Knights can rise higher and obtain land or more land. Noblemen can become Barons.

When missionaries come into these feudal territories they face the sever political instability, dealt with poor people and sometimes a lord may be a pagan and kill the missionary.

Ireland

410 - Romans leave Britain
430 - Patrick converts Ireland. Britain reverts to Paganism out of the political instability
563 - Columba (Irish missionary to Britain)