What Role Did Medieval Church Play In Medieval European Life
The king could grant pieces of land to other nobles in exchange for their service and loyalty to him. When a vassal received a fief, they agreed to take on certain responsibilities to their lord. Fiefs were pieces of land, with laborers bound to it, that were granted to vassals (Smith, Andrew 1). In England all the land belonged to the sovereign prince, but he granted fiefs to his barons and the barons granted portions of their fiefs to knights (Smith, Andrew 3). The granting of a fief was a contract that was sealed with an Oath of Homage (Smith, Andrew 1). The person who granted someone a fief became lord over them and the person who was granted a fief became a vassal (Smith, Andrew 1). The most important role of vassals was serving their
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People lived their entire lives according to the church. The church played a huge role in education and daily life (Hinds 14). All Medieval christians marked important stages of life with the sacraments of the church (Hinds 14). After the fall of the Roman Empire, Europe was a mess (Richardson).They could not defend themselves and there was no trade (Richardson). The church was the only institution to survive the fall of Rome (Richardson). Everyone in the church could communicate because no matter where they lived, all church officials spoke Latin (Richardson). Because of this, most people turned to religion and the church for hope (Richardson). The church was the only organized institution in Europe so they tried to instill order on everybody else. They came up with the idea of an order in the universe and that not all people are created equal (Richardson) and everything has a given place on God's hierarchy (Melani). This philosophy was called the Great Chain of Being. The items that were higher on the hierarchy had less "matter" and more "spirit" and lower items had more "matter" and less "spirit" (Melani). Inside groups on the chain there were sub-hierarchies (Melani). They said that nobles were better than serfs (Richardson). To fight this order would be going against God so very few people in medieval Europe tried to fight it (Melani). The system of feudalism was created based on the Great Chain of Being
People lived their entire lives according to the church. The church played a huge role in education and daily life (Hinds 14). All Medieval christians marked important stages of life with the sacraments of the church (Hinds 14). After the fall of the Roman Empire, Europe was a mess (Richardson).They could not defend themselves and there was no trade (Richardson). The church was the only institution to survive the fall of Rome (Richardson). Everyone in the church could communicate because no matter where they lived, all church officials spoke Latin (Richardson). Because of this, most people turned to religion and the church for hope (Richardson). The church was the only organized institution in Europe so they tried to instill order on everybody else. They came up with the idea of an order in the universe and that not all people are created equal (Richardson) and everything has a given place on God's hierarchy (Melani). This philosophy was called the Great Chain of Being. The items that were higher on the hierarchy had less "matter" and more "spirit" and lower items had more "matter" and less "spirit" (Melani). Inside groups on the chain there were sub-hierarchies (Melani). They said that nobles were better than serfs (Richardson). To fight this order would be going against God so very few people in medieval Europe tried to fight it (Melani). The system of feudalism was created based on the Great Chain of Being