Richard's tactics ensured success at the siege of Acre and on the subsequent march south, Saladin's men being unable to harass the Crusader army into an impulsive action which might not have gone their way.
Feudalism - The Pyramid of PowerThe pyramid of power which was the Feudal system ran to a strict 'pecking' order - during the Medieval period of the Middle Ages everyone knew their place. The order of rank and precedence in the Medieval Feudal System was as follows:The PopeThe KingNoblesKnights / VassalsFreemenYeomenServantsPeasants / Serfs / Villeins
Feudalism PyramidFeudalism in the Middle Ages resembles a pyramid, with the lowest peasants at its base and the lines of authority flowing up to the peak of the structure, the king. Under Feudalism the King was only answerable to the Pope. Feudalism was based on the exchange of land for military service. Life lived under the Medieval Feudal System, or Feudalism, demanded that everyone owed allegiance to the King and their immediate superior.
Feudalism Pyramid - Fealty and HomageDuring the Middle Ages a portion of land called a fief would be granted by the King. This reward would be granted to him by his lord in exchange for his services. The recipient of the fief would be one of his vassals. The fief, or land, was usually granted following a Commendation Ceremony. The commendation ceremony was designed to create a lasting bond between a vassal and his lord. Fealty and homage were a key element of feudalism.
Feudalism was based on the belief that the land belonged to God - but that the Kings, who ruled by Divine Right, managed the land and used it as they wished. However, under the Feudalism pyramid the King was answerable to the Pope. The Pope, as God's vicar on Earth, had the right to intervene and impose sanctions on an unjust King. Under the feudalism pyramid the Pope had the power to pronounce judgement against a King, depose a King, forfeit his Kingdom, put another King in his place or excommunicate a King.
Feudalism was the system of loyalties and protections during the Middle Ages. As the Roman Empire crumbled, emperors granted land to nobles in exchange for their loyalty. These lands eventually developed into manors. A manor is the land owned by a noble and everything on it. A typical manor consisted of a castle, a small village, and farmland
During the Middle Ages, peasants could no longer count on the Roman army to protect them. German, Viking and Magyar tribes overran homes and farms throughout Europe. The peasants turned to the landowners, often called lords, to protect them. Some peasants remained free, but many became serfs. A serf was bound to the land. He could not leave without buying his freedom, an unlikely occurrence in the Middle Ages. Life for a serf was not much better than the life of a slave. The only difference was that a serf could not be sold to another manor.
or safety and for
defense, people in the Middle Ages formed small communities
around a central lord or master. Most people lived on a manor,
which consisted of the castle, the church, the village, and
the surrounding farm land. These manors were isolated, with
occasional visits from peddlers, pilgrims on their way to the
Crusades, or soldiers from other fiefdoms.
n this "feudal" system,
the king awarded land grants or "fiefs" to his most
important nobles, his barons, and his bishops, in return for
their contribution of soldiers for the king's armies. At the
lowest echelon of society were the peasants, also called "serfs"
or "villeins." In exchange for living and working
on his land, known as the "demesne," the lord offered
his peasants protection.
Serfs could buy their
freedom from the manor, but where
would they get the money?
If a new lord
took over the
manor, he would need the serfs for labor.
Peasants
were free to leave if they wished
Peasants worked the land and made
the goods in exchange for protection.
Other than that,
their life was just like a serf's life.
A few peasants escaped the
hard work on the farm by joining the church. But most lived and died
on the manor where they were born.
Everyone had to pay taxes to the lord
To pay the crop tax, some crops went
to the lord, and some they kept. To pay the bread tax, some bread they
made went to the lord, and some they kept. To pay the coat tax, some
of the warm coats they made went to the lord, and some they kept.
Everything was paid in barter. Coinage or money did not exist on the
manor.
People believed that the only
way to get to Heaven was to follow the teachings in the Bible.
The
common people could not read or write.
The priest told them who
they must marry and when. You had to do everything the priest said if
you wanted to get to heaven.
peasants and serfs were mostly content with their lot.
work kept
everyone on the manor fed and comfortable, including themselves.
They were not slaves. These people
could not be bought and sold. But they could not leave the manor without
permission.
Nobles ate rich and fancy food prepared by the servants.
About 20 percent
of women
and 5 percent
of babies died during childbirth.
There were plenty of toys and games.
Medieval children had dolls, spinning
tops, rattles,
hobby horses,
blocks, balls,
whistles and puppets. Little girls
had glass jewelry for dress-up, while little
boys played
with wooden
soldiers, whips, toy horses and
wooden swords.
Royal children learned a few
manners, a little reading, writing and dancing.
At age
7, boys were sent to another castle to begin learning
to become
a knight.
At age 7, girls were sent
to another castle to learn to become a lady.
Marriages were never based on love. They were
arranged by the parents and often involved
land issues and
strategic bonds.
Girls as young as age 12
were married to anyone who met the requirements
of the girl’s
parents. Grooms could be from 20
years to 50 years old.
Women
sewed, took care of children and ran the estate.
It's a good website, honestly when you think about these things in modern-day society you can just go to the doctor or the dentist or get a washcloth for headaches but they couldn't do the things we do now back then...