Question: What do you 'think'? How did people of different classes 'think' differently?

The Middle Ages was a turbulent time of change and conflict. The world has ripped apart after the Roman Empire fell. During this time, the people of Europe were broken down into classes. Each class was different from the next and they all had different rights. The classes that were higher up the social pyramid were more powerful and thought that they were superior to the lower classes.

In the middle ages the knight was one of the top people in society. A knight was trained to fight from a young age and owned land. They had a castle that was built for protection of themselves and the peasants that worked their land. They had a great variety of foods in their diet and had many other goods at there disposal that the lower classes didn't have. The knights and nobility were governed a feudal system (http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/history/middleages/knight.html). This is explained when a source from this period says, ” It is right that those who offer to us unbroken fidelity should be protected by our aid. And since such and such a faithful one of ours, by the favor of God, coming here in our palace with his arms, has seen fit to swear trust and fidelity to us in our hand, therefore we decree and command by the present precept that for the future such and such above mentioned be counted with the number of antrustions. And if anyone perchance should presume to kill him, let him know that he will be judged guilty of his wergild of 600 shillings” (http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/feud-oath1.html). A noble man that wanted to own land had to go to his lord. He would pay homage to that lord and could control the area of land that his lord gave him. The vassal’s land was called a fief. He might have to pay taxes to his lord. If the vassal wants to he can let another man control a part of his land. This would make the vassal the other man’s Lord. This process was known as feudalism. There was no social mobility so you stayed in your class. Each person had a coin value depending on class and if they were murdered that value had to be paid to the family (http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/history/middleages/feudal.html). The Lords and knight were on top and thought of themselves as superior. This type of government was not fair to the lower classes.

The merchants were below the lords and knights. They worked in the town and made or traded goods. The towns were built on the lord’s land. All the people living there had to pay taxes to the Lord. The middle class was created after there was a smaller need for farmers caused by increases in their productivity. The free people formed towns and created a new form of living. There were markets and stores were the middle class worked and sold goods ( http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/history/middleages/town.html). The Canterbury tales tell about a carpenter that was in the merchant class. It says, “A wealthy lout who took in guests to board, And of his craft he was a carpenter. A poor scholar was lodging with him there, Who’d learned the arts, but all his phantasy, Was turned to study of astrology” (http://www.canterburytales.org/canterbury_tales.html). This shows that the merchant class could be wealthy but still couldn't move up in society. The merchants were subject to the laws of their Lord.The feudal system is not fair to the merchants. They were more privileged than the peasants but still didn't have all the rights that they should have received.

During this time the Church was extremely powerful. It was stronger than any Lord. It helped to unify Europe after the Roman Empire fell. The pope led the church and if you didn’t follow him then he could let your soul go to hell. This scared many of the people and they made sure to follow the Church. The people that were devoted to God were nuns and monks. They lived a simple life filled with prayer and obedience(http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/history/middleages/church.html#monks). The Canterbury tales tell what one monk believes. It says,” LUCIFER. With Lucifer, though he was angel fair, And not a man, with him will I begin; For though Fortune may not an angel dare, From high degree yet fell he for his sin, Down into Hell, and he lies yet therein. O Lucifer, brightest of angels all” (http://www.canterburytales.org/canterbury_tales.html). This shows how focused the monks and nuns were on getting to heaven. Nothing other than getting to heaven mattered to them.

The lowest social class was the peasant. The peasants were at the bottom of the social structure and not respected by anyone. He was owned by his lord and could be bought and sold. He had to do what his lord wanted him to do. They were not at all equal to the nobility. They had very little possessions of their own and were treated as property. They were paid for using the land and only could sell the extra crops that they grew. The peasants were usually farmers or craftsmen (http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/history/middleages/peasant.html). According to primary sources from the Middle Ages, the peasants were fined heavily for marriage. The source says, "the payment of merchet was exacted from serfs at marriage. When the serf married a woman from another estate the indemnity was called formariage, but if he neglected to pay, he suffered confiscation of his goods. Serfs under the jurisdiction of unscrupulous bailiffs suffered heavily by these fees" (http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/600Merchet.html). The peasants were treated unfairly and often revolted against the Lord. The peasants were destined for a life of farm work and service to their Lord.

The three social classes are radically different from each other. The Lords and knights were on top. In the middle class were merchants and monks. At the bottom were the peasants. These social classes are extremely unfair. There is no social mobility so the peasants, merchants, and monks can’t move up. Also each person was given a cash value and the lower class people were worth less. The upper class people looked down on the lower class people. The disparities between classes was much greater in the Middle Ages than it is today.

Sources:

Pope Gregory the Great: Payment of Merchet, C. 600. Web. 14 Apr. 2010. http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/600Merchet.html.

"Chaucer's Canterbury Tales ~ Presented by ELF." Chaucer's Canterbury Tales ~ Presented by The Electronic Literature Foundation. Web. 29 Apr. 2010. http://www.canterburytales.org/canterbury_tales.html.

"The Church." Monks. Web. 29 Apr. 2010. http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/history/middleages/church.html#monks.

"Feudalism." Knights. Web. 29 Apr. 2010. http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/history/middleages/feudal.html.

"Medieval Sourcebook: "Feudal" Oaths of Fidelity." FORDHAM.EDU. Web. 29 Apr. 2010. http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/feud-oath1.html.

"Medieval Towns." Merchants. Web. 29 Apr. 2010. http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/history/middleages/town.html.

"The Peasant's Realm." Web. 29 Apr. 2010. http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/history/middleages/peasant.html.

Picture Source:

"File:Cleric-Knight-Workman.jpg." Wikimedia Commons. Web. 29 Apr. 2010. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cleric-Knight-Workman.jpg.