Feudalism was the main political and economic way of life in medieval times. Monarchs, like kings and queens, maintained their control and power through the support of other powerful people called lords. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essayLords have always been men who owned extravagant homes, called manors, and estates in the country. These men pledged their support to the king, including providing troops, money, food and more. They often supplied and financed the king's wars. Lords provided part of their lands to vassals, or tenants, in exchange for their support of the Lord. Vassals were usually required to perform guard duties, and later paid fees to acquire mercenaries (hired soldiers). The vassals belonged to a class slightly higher than that of the peasants. In exchange for protection, land to work, and housing, peasants provided the lord with labor or a share of the produce or livestock from his land. In the Middle Ages, there was a well-defined structure in society. You were born into a class of people and generally stayed in that class your whole life. Working hard has not changed your status. Your clothing, your food, your marriage, your home, etc., have been determined for you. After the rank of king, the hierarchy consisted of nobles, knights, (religious) clergy, traders and peasants. One of the most unifying elements of the Middle Ages was the Roman Catholic Church. All classes and ranks of the people – nobles, peasants and merchants – were deeply affected by the rules of the Church. The clergy were the religious people of the Middle Ages. After the pope, in order of rank, were the bishops, priests, monks and nuns. In the latter part of the Middle Ages, the pope, as head of the Church, had great influence over the king and complete control over the clergy. In the late Middle Ages, people were taxed heavily to support the Church. In exchange for their tax money, they received the "path to eternal life" and happiness after leading often short and difficult lives. The children were taught basic prayers and taught to attend church each week. The Roman Catholic Church was the largest unifying organization in medieval Europe. She touched everyone's life, regardless of their rank, social class or where they lived. Religion in the Middle Ages was dominated by Christianity. This is the era when the great cathedrals of Europe were built and the Catholic Church founded its universities. In the Middle Ages, the Catholic Church was the only Church in Europe. The laws of the land and leading roles in government were all in the hands of the main leaders of the Church, such as bishops and archbishops. It was a time when the powers vested in the pope were so great that he could even excommunicate a king for wrongdoing. From birth to death, the lives of medieval people were entirely dominated by the Church, and many religious institutions gained power and wealth. In medieval times, the only recognized religion in Europe was Christianity, in the form of the Catholic religion. The life of medieval people in the Middle Ages was dominated by the Church. From birth to death, whether a peasant, serf, noble, lord or king, life was dominated by the Church and medieval religion. Various religious institutions, such as monasteries and convents, became bothimportant, rich and powerful. The lives of many medieval figures, including various orders of monks and nuns, were devoted to the Catholic Church and religion. It was also a time of great change in the Christian Church. The conflicts of the Crusades led to the split between the Christian Churches of the East and the West, called the Great Schism of 1054. The practices of the Catholic religion were called into question and the beliefs of men such as Martin Luther ( 1483 - 1546) gave rise to a new religion called Protestantism which led to a new division in the Christian Church called the Protestant Reformation. In the Middle Ages, religion was everything. It was not uncommon for people to go to church every day and pray five times a day. People believed that all the good things in life were due to God's generosity and that the bad events of the time were due to their sins. Medieval religion was extremely important and even doctors of the time were also well versed in religion. From the 11th to the 14th century, medieval clothing varied depending on the social status of the people. The clothing worn by the nobility and upper classes was clearly different from that of the lower classes. Medieval clothing provided information about the status of the person wearing it. Clothing and fashion in the Middle Ages was dominated and heavily influenced by the kings and queens of the time. Only the rich could dress in fashionable clothes. Peasants wore stockings or tunics, while women wore long dresses with sleeveless tunics and wimples to cover their hair. Sheepskin coats, woolen hats and mittens were worn in winter to protect against cold and rain. Leather boots were covered with wooden patens to keep the feet dry. Outer clothes were almost never washed, but linen underwear was washed regularly. The smell of wood smoke that permeated the clothes seemed to act like deodorant. Peasant women spun wool to make the threads that were woven to make these clothes. Many of the things we enjoy today were quite expensive in the Middle Ages or were simply not available for the average home. Glass was one of those items. Houses did not use glass to block their windows. They were little more than cutouts in the wall, and they were often small, sparse, and were closed in the evening. Although people didn't really fear break-ins or thefts like they do today, wild animals and bad weather are what threatened homes. There was also a threat of looters and the windows were small so that people who lived in the house could see what was outside, but it would be difficult for those who were outside to see inside. of the house. The average medieval house was extremely small and housed the entire family. They rarely had finished floors, many of them having dirt or straw floors which added to the humidity. Most houses consisted of only a few rooms in which the entire family resided. It wasn't just their sleeping quarters, but also their cooking, sleeping, and space where they spent time as a family. Most family time was extremely limited since most peasant homes contained both parents and children, the whole family worked in order. to help provide for the needs of the entire family. This meant that it was usually early to go to bed and early to rise, and they had little time left.