Middle Ages Research

Jayden Ortega

Encounters 6

Ms. Damante

April 17, 2025

Middle Ages Essay8

Introduction

The middle ages was amazing time and a lot of amazing things happened.

Feudalism

Feudalism was the system that could grant people service.According to Britain Express “The social structure of the Middle Ages was organized around the system of Feudalism. Feudalism in practice meant that the country was not governed by the king but by individual lords, or barons, who administered their own estates, dispensed their own justice, minted their own money, levied taxes and tolls, and demanded military service from vassals” Ducksters.

 The feudal system was organized by the local lord. On the website it said “Usually, the lords could field greater armies than the king. In theory, the king was the chief feudal lord, but in reality, the individual lords were supreme in their own territory. Many kings were little more than figurehead rulers. A small village would form around the castle which would include the local church. Farms would then spread out from there which would be worked by the peasants” Ducksters.

 Although it was a government system followed by all, because some of the peasants had a rough life and had no option if they wanted to survive because they barely had food and the Feudal system never gave them enough food to be full. Additionally, the other peasants were considered free and could own their own businesses like carpenters, bakers, and black smiths. Additionally, this shows that the system was never fair and, never will be because the Feudalism system does not exist no more

Feudalism ended when the black death  infected almost every worker. Additionally, the hundred year war affected the end of the feudal system by military practices interacting with the relationship with peasants. In addition, it affected the area or space of the feudal system which probably changed the way the system worked and they probably needed to do some changes and, then the system was never the same and people stop following the rules.

Black Death

The black death is named due to its physical disease and its effect on the worlds history. According to Ducksters “The plague likely started in Asia and traveled westward along the Silk Road. The disease was carried by fleas that lived on rats. Historians think that black rats living on European merchant ships caught the disease, eventually bringing it to Europe.” The total number of deaths that the black death caused was 75 million.

 Everybody thought it was caused by the black rats because they live in ships and brought it into Europe and Asia and the disease runs through everything of Asia and Europe killing and affecting people even covering people with dark blotches. According to Ducksters, “It's hard to imagine how scary life was in the Middle Ages during the Black Death. By the time the disease ran its course, it had killed at least one third of the people in Europe and probably more. In Paris, France it's estimated that around 800 people die a day. There were so many dead that they couldn't bury them. They had to carry them to massive pits.”

 The black death caused people 150 years  to recover from the disease. Additionally, people would try to do anything to get a away as possible from the black death to even moving from Asia and Europe. 

Everyone would shut their door to not get infected by the disease. Additionally, they would do anything in that time like burn down houses, buildings, even villages just to find the disease. According to Ducksters, “As you might expect, there was panic. Many people were sure it was the end of the world. People locked their doors and tried to hide in their houses. However, this did little good in cities where rats, and therefore fleas, were everywhere. They also burned down houses and even entire villages to try and stop the disease.” 

Knight Templar

King Edward III believed that he was the rightful heir to the French crown through his mother Isabella. He first laid claim to the when he was fifteen years old and King charles lV of France died without a male hair. Instead of Edward, the French chose Philip to be their king. Additionally, the army of King Edward III was led by his son and valiant Edward was named “The Black Prince”. According to Ducksteers, “In the 1350s, the army of King Edward III was led by his son, the valiant Edward the "Black Prince". The Black Prince became a famous hero to the English and was known for his chivalry. The Black Prince led the English to major victories over the French. At the battle of Poitiers, the Black Prince captured King John II, the current King of France.” If the English never had the Black Prince they would have never had any victory against the French. The reason Friday the 13th it seems to be a unlucky day its because the Grandmaster of the Knights Templar got arrested. According to Knights Templar “This section of the Middle Ages details the emergence of the Religious knight, 7 their achievements, accomplishments and their decline on Friday the 13th, in October 1307 when Jacques de Molay, the Grand Master of the Knights Templar, and 60 of his senior knights were arrested in Paris. This day is remembered in history - it is the reason Friday 13th is deemed to be unlucky.”Additionally,  .When King Henry became king of England in 1413, he once again laid claim to the throne of France. He invaded France and won a decisive battle at Agincourt where with only around 6,000 soldiers he defeated a much larger French force of around 25,000. Eventually, the French gave in and King Charles VI named Henry as the heir the throne. Soon many of the Europeans kings were in debt to the Templars banks. Their wealth and power led to their downfall when King Philip the fair of France attacked and the order which led to the terrible events of Friday the 13th, in October 1307 and the death of the Grand Master, Jacques de Molay and the destruction of the order.

Conclusion 

In conclusion, the Middle Ages was an amazing time and a lot of amazing things.

Works Cited 

“All About History’. allabouthistory.org/history-of-black-death.htm Accessed January 27, 2025.

Black Death Ducksters. www.ducksters.com/history/middle_ages_black_death Accessed February 12 2025

 Hundreds years of war Ducksters.www.ducksters.com/history/middle_ages/hundred_years_wa 

r.php Accessed February 19, 2025

Knight Templar.  www.lordsandladies.org/knights-templar.htm Accessed January 27, 2025

“Middle Ages Feudal System.” Ducksters. www.ducksters.com/history/middle_ages_feudal _system.php  

Accessed 22 February 2023. 

Ross, David. “Feudalism and Medieval Life.” Britain Express. www.britainexpress.com 

/History/Feudalism_and_Medieval_life.htm Accessed 7 February 2023.