When the Capetians ascended the throne their power was very limited, they did not control the entire kingdom but only the Ile de France region. They also had to ensure their heredity, but gradually the Capetians managed to restore royal authority and strengthen their power. For its part, the Church regained the spiritual monopoly of the West where the Manichean vision of the Devil and God has never been stronger.
The vassal's oath to the lord
"Everyone knows I have nothing to feed and clothe myself. It is for this reason, my lord, that I have asked for your mercy, and you have kindly granted me the favor of placing me under your protection. I do so on condition that you give me something to live for, in exchange for my services... As long as I live, and although I remain free, I will serve you faithfully. But in exchange, I will remain under your power and protection for the rest of my life. »
Expansion of the feudal system
The Carolingian Empire was at the origin of an artistic renaissance, which collapsed under the Norman invasions. However, the Normans adopted the feudal system, they even exported it to Sicily and England. The feudal system was even used in Spain by Muslims. The Crusades exported it to the Latin seigneuries of the East. In the 12th century, the fiefdoms were the most important in northern and central Europe. They would give birth to the modern regions and major states. The feudal system remained in place for nearly half a millennium. For centuries, European regions lived in a climate of peace and prosperity, this did not exclude wars between barons, but the people rarely had to endure looting and plundering.
The hierarchy of the nobility
- Prince
- Duke
- Marquis
- Count
- Viscount
- Baron
- Knight
- Squire
Different conditions for the people
Craftsmen: They are the most favored, they were in charge of working with iron, copper, wood, wool... They obtained a workshop and a house from a lord and had to make tools for him in return (weapons in general). But they remained free men.
The Alleutiers: Many of the farmers who cultivated the Lord's fields were also free. It was the alleutiers who owned an alley (free land without the control of a lord). However, they needed protection, and thus demanded the support of an army from a lord. In exchange, they provided the suzerain with part of the harvest and had to carry out chores (free work): repair of a castle wall, construction of a bridge, harvesting... They also had to pay a tax to use the furnace or the seigneurial bridge. But despite these heavy burdens, it resulted in an agreement between free men.
Serfs: Much more modest than the others, they were attached to a land and a lord, so they were not free, but they lived in much less harsh conditions than we think. This "servitude" provided them with security and stability.
The rural world
Rurality is the nerve of the system, it is the basis for economic survival. Indeed, industries are not very present, they were reduced to the manufacture of weapons, fortresses, cathedrals... And interregional trade barely existed. The majority of peasants remain free men in their homes, slavery was limited to the royal court and vassalage. The farmers sowed by hand and used oxen to cultivate. Every year, land was left fallow (not cultivated) to make it fertile. But very quickly, the peasant's conditions deteriorated. The weather became wetter and colder in the 13th century, the harvests were poor. Soon, there was no longer enough sun to extract salt from the seawater, the meat was no longer preserved. Thus, diseases appeared: typhoid, dysentery and plague, they were added to the famine that pushed some people to eat dogs, cats and even their own children.
The chivalry
Breaking with the Frankish tradition of sharing the kingdom among the sons, the feudal lord made his eldest son the sole heir to the fief. The other sons received a sum of money, armor, a horse trained for combat, a squire and a sword. With this baggage, they ventured out on the roads, and with the help of God and their sword could they conquer a fief. They were the first knights. It was under the influence of the Church that knighthood was created, a military and almost religious order, difficult to access. Its members had to be committed to serving the good, justice and honor.
The knight's initiation
Only the sons of nobles could become knights. Rare exceptions were made for the "Knights of the Sword" who obtained this title for their courage on the battlefield. But the applicant had to undergo a long apprenticeship. From the age of seven or eight, the youngest child became a page and served the Lord as a noble servant. At the age of fourteen, he became a squire, carried his shield (shield representing the coat of arms), became his assistant on the battlefield. At the same time, he learned how to handle weapons and how to ride the horse with his shield and heavy spear. He trained to dodge blows with the quintain (a wooden mannequin that pivoted on an axis). The training usually lasted seven years.
The investiture of the knight
The knight's investiture ceremony traditionally took place on Ascension Day (forty days after Easter). The lord provided the knight's expensive equipment. The day before the ceremony, the applicant wore a white shirt and a red tunic, the color of blood. At nightfall, the knight spent the night kneeling in front of the altar of the chapel praying. At dawn, a trumpet sounded to announce the beginning of the ceremony. During Mass, the chaplain recalled the duties of the knight. After communion, the future knight's horse entered the chapel. Then, with his hand outstretched above the Gospel, the young man solemnly swore to respect the rules of chivalry. He would then put on his armor (guy ropes, armor, armbands, leggings). Then the Lord struck with the flat of the sword, the shoulders and the head of the knight (dubbed). The Lord then pronounced these words: "In the name of God, of Saint Michael and Saint George, I make you a knight. Be brave, loyal, generous. "The knight put on his helmet, grabbed his spear and jumped on horseback. This ride was the symbol of his wandering around the world where he will have to uphold justice, defend the faith
End