Summary 4.3, 4.4 and 4.6
4.3 Life in the countryside
Living off the land
- The end of the Roman empire also meant the ending off the protection by the Roman government and army.
o Nearly all Roman towns were plundered during the mass migrations.
It also wasn’t safe in the countryside.
Different kinds of farmers
- Many passant farmers asked protection by a rich farmer of lord, so they could be safe.
o In exchange for that they surrender the property rights of their land.
This is how a an influential farmer could obtain much land, this property was called a domain.
- A domain consisted out three parts, wastelands, the agricultural land and all the produce.
o The farmers could hold a part of the produce themselves.
- This is how farmers became serfs.
o Serfs could not leave the domain without permission.
- The serf had to do all kinds of jobs for the lord, called servile duties.
o The whole system of lords, farmers and servile duties is called the manorial system.
After all, everything resolved around the lord’s manor.
Some farmers did stay independent.
Lords
- Frankish monarchs, such as Clovis, often rewarded their most important warriors with one or more domains.
They had assisted the king in capturing the land and protecting the church.
o The lords had multiple privileges.
- Farmers had to pay a ‘tax’ to the church, they had to give 10% of their harvest to the church.
- Lords also had the rights to eat pigeons or the hunt on the wastelands, serfs couldn’t do this.
4.4 The spread of Christianity.
From pagan gods to Christianity
- Part of the Frankish Kingdom’s population already became Christians in the time of Rome.
o Many people in the regions of Germany still believed in pagan gods, such as Donar (god of the weather
and thunder)
o They worshipped stones, holy trees and springs. Christians called these people pagans.
- Frankish kings and clerics wanted to convert these pagans and these pagans.
o Wherever they were successful, monks such as Boniface founded monasteries and convents.
- These people totally lived in faith, these people spread Christianity, they forbade pagan customs and feats.
o It didn’t work, many people still celebrated pagan feast-days.
- The church chose another way: Pagan customs and feasts were linked to important Christian events.
- Clovis was king of the Franks, those who invaded France and stayed there.
o He was a Pagan but became and forced of his subjects to become Christian.
- This was Christianity was the most important religion in the middle ages.
o This was very, very important!
- But why would he do so?
o Clovis wanted the Cristian Church to help him rule, because they could write.
4.3 Life in the countryside
Living off the land
- The end of the Roman empire also meant the ending off the protection by the Roman government and army.
o Nearly all Roman towns were plundered during the mass migrations.
It also wasn’t safe in the countryside.
Different kinds of farmers
- Many passant farmers asked protection by a rich farmer of lord, so they could be safe.
o In exchange for that they surrender the property rights of their land.
This is how a an influential farmer could obtain much land, this property was called a domain.
- A domain consisted out three parts, wastelands, the agricultural land and all the produce.
o The farmers could hold a part of the produce themselves.
- This is how farmers became serfs.
o Serfs could not leave the domain without permission.
- The serf had to do all kinds of jobs for the lord, called servile duties.
o The whole system of lords, farmers and servile duties is called the manorial system.
After all, everything resolved around the lord’s manor.
Some farmers did stay independent.
Lords
- Frankish monarchs, such as Clovis, often rewarded their most important warriors with one or more domains.
They had assisted the king in capturing the land and protecting the church.
o The lords had multiple privileges.
- Farmers had to pay a ‘tax’ to the church, they had to give 10% of their harvest to the church.
- Lords also had the rights to eat pigeons or the hunt on the wastelands, serfs couldn’t do this.
4.4 The spread of Christianity.
From pagan gods to Christianity
- Part of the Frankish Kingdom’s population already became Christians in the time of Rome.
o Many people in the regions of Germany still believed in pagan gods, such as Donar (god of the weather
and thunder)
o They worshipped stones, holy trees and springs. Christians called these people pagans.
- Frankish kings and clerics wanted to convert these pagans and these pagans.
o Wherever they were successful, monks such as Boniface founded monasteries and convents.
- These people totally lived in faith, these people spread Christianity, they forbade pagan customs and feats.
o It didn’t work, many people still celebrated pagan feast-days.
- The church chose another way: Pagan customs and feasts were linked to important Christian events.
- Clovis was king of the Franks, those who invaded France and stayed there.
o He was a Pagan but became and forced of his subjects to become Christian.
- This was Christianity was the most important religion in the middle ages.
o This was very, very important!
- But why would he do so?
o Clovis wanted the Cristian Church to help him rule, because they could write.
