Middle Ages Research Article from History Firsthand

This Study Guide consists of approximately 199 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more - everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of Middle Ages.
Encyclopedia Article

Middle Ages Research Article from History Firsthand

This Study Guide consists of approximately 199 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more - everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of Middle Ages.
This section contains 228 words
(approx. 1 page at 300 words per page)
Buy the Middle Ages Encyclopedia Article

By far the largest segment of European society was the serfs or peasants. Serfs were excluded from the feudal system, and for good reason. When a man became the vassal of a feudal lord, as his contribution to the contract he almost always brought with him arms, armor, and a company of armed fighters. Serfs lacked the weapons, training, and pedigree necessary to join the warrior elite. They were rural workers who, in exchange for protection and sustenance, were prepared to work the land for Europe's ruling feudal class.

Serfs lived on self-sustaining economic units called manors, which were part of the lord's domain. By law, serfs were the property of the lord. In fact, it was not uncommon for a serf to be sold like a slave. The land they tilled and the home in which they resided belonged to the lord of the...

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This section contains 228 words
(approx. 1 page at 300 words per page)
Buy the Middle Ages Encyclopedia Article
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Middle Ages from Greenhaven. ©2001-2006 by Greenhaven Press, Inc., an imprint of The Gale Group. All rights reserved.