History of Ancient Civilizations

Edad Antigua

• The Edad Antigua period spans from the 25th century BCE to the 5th century CE.
• This period is divided into four etapas: Paleolítico, Neolítico, Edad de los Metales, and Antigüedad clásica.

Edad Media

• The Edad Media period spans from the 5th century to the 15th century.
• This period is divided into two etapas: Alta Edad Media and Baja Edad Media.
• During the Alta Edad Media, Europe experienced a deep political, economic, and social crisis.
• The economy was based on subsistence, and trade was almost non-existent.
• The Catholic Church was the only institution that maintained order and culture during this period.
• In the Baja Edad Media, Europe began to recover slowly, with population growth, urban development, and trade revival.
• New forms of art, literature, and science emerged during this period.
• The Catholic Church's power was challenged by the emergence of national states.

Régimen Feudal

• The feudal system was a political, economic, and social system that dominated Europe during the Edad Media.
• It was based on the relationship of vassalage, where a lord feudal granted a fief to a vassal in exchange for loyalty and military service.
• The feudal system was characterized by a strict social hierarchy, with the king at the top, followed by nobles, and then serfs.
• The system was in crisis by the 14th century due to factors such as the Hundred Years' War, the Black Death, and the rise of the bourgeoisie.

The Feudal System

• The feudal system emerged as a combination of vassalage and fief.
• The system of land tenure and personal service became widespread throughout Europe.
• The ceremony of becoming a vassal and receiving a fief was formal, involving an oath of fealty and the symbolic granting of land.

Obligations of Vassalage

• The lord owed the vassal protection and support.
• The vassal owed the lord military service, advice, and financial contributions.

The Rise of Feudal Power

• Over time, the concept of a fief evolved to encompass not only land but also functions and public rights.
• Counts, once royal appointees, became vassals who ruled by feudal law, limiting the king's power.

Regional Feudal Authority

• Each lord ruled his own fiefdom, with powerful dukes and counts effectively acting as kings within their territories.
• Lower-ranking vassals also held positions of authority, wielding powers that were previously part of the centralized Roman Empire.

The Role of the Church

• The Church acquired substantial land holdings through donation and inheritance, making bishops and abbots both religious leaders and powerful feudal lords.
• The Church's landholdings expanded over time, growing to encompass nearly one-third of European agricultural land.

The Feudal Social Order

• Medieval society was structured into three estates: nobility, clergy, and peasantry.
• The nobility held power and privilege, the clergy enjoyed spiritual authority, and the peasantry provided labor.
• This rigidly defined social order remained largely fixed, although individuals could attain higher social status through military or religious service.

La Villa

• The feudal regime was an organization of political power that regulated the rights and duties of lords and vassals.
• The economic base of the feudal regime was the village, which was an organization of agricultural work, peasant life, and relationships between peasants and the lord of the village.
• The village had its origins in the forms of exploitation of the late Roman Empire and the conditions that arose as a result of the invasions.

The Lord of the Manor

• The lord of the manor could have hundreds of villages, while a small one could have dozens.
• The most important feature of the village was the manor house, which was often a fortified castle.

Land Ownership and Peasant Work

• The lands of the village were divided into two parts: the lord's land or "reserve", and the plots or "mansus" granted to peasants.
• Peasants had to work on the lord's lands two or three days a week, and had to provide their tools and oxen.
• There were also common meadows and forests, over which the lord retained some privileges.

Life and Culture

• The lord's life developed in the castle, which was a noble residence.
• Life was quiet, and the windows were small.
• They ate simple foods: bread, meat, and drank beer and wine.
• Entertainment consisted of hunting, arms tournaments, comedians, and minstrels who sang of love and chivalry.

Chivalry

• Chivalry was originally being a warrior but became a special and honorable state.
• Knights were trained in the art of chivalry, and nearly all nobility aspired to such status.