The high middle ages and feudalism

1. Which of these characteristics does not belong to feudalism?

• a) It was based on small self-sufficient agricultural territories.

• a) It did not depend on the kings; the nobles held the power.

• a) Although it became well established in the Middle Ages, it was enforced for many more centuries.

1. Who helped the monarchs with their governmental tasks?

• a) The counts, barons, marquises and dukes.

• a) The nobles who formed part of the court, the royal officials and their army, which consisted of the group of soldiers formed completely of vassals.

• a) Their serfs.

1. What was the consequence of the insecurity that existed in the Medieval world?

• The kings increased their military spending.

• The peasants abandoned the fiefdoms and took refuge in the cities.

• Many people sought the protection of the most powerful nobles and abandoned the cities.

1. Why was the commendation ceremony performed?

• To make a person the vassal of a more powerful noble.

• To make a squire a knight.

• To honour a person for their actions.

What were the differences between the lives of the privileged and the unprivileged?

• The privileged lived in a castle, whereas the unprivileged lived on the fiefdom.

• The way they dressed, the work they did and what they did in their free time.

• The language they spoke: the privileged spoke Latin and the unprivileged spoke Romance languages.

Why was the economy called a subsistence economy?

• Because it enabled them to survive.

• Because they only produced enough to survive.

• Because the resources were used to aid the population.

Who paid taxes under this feudal system?

• The nobles and the peasants.

• Only the peasants and the city inhabitants.

• The Church, the peasants and the city inhabitants.

Why did people go on long pilgrimages?

• To escape dangerous regions and reach less dangerous ones.

• Because they believed that travelling to places where relics were kept demonstrated their faith.

• Because they enjoyed travelling and the natural environment.

Which tasks did the members of a military order perform?

• Only military tasks.

• Religious and military tasks.

• They commanded the army.

Were the crusades successful in meeting their objectives?

• Very successful, as they conquered territories which then remained under Christian control.

• To a certain extent. On the one hand they conquered Jerusalem and controlled this zone for centuries, but on the other, they were finally expelled.

• They were a failure because they were driven back by the Muslims.