Feudalism was the main way of political and economic life in the medieval era. Monarchs, such as kings and queens, maintained 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 Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Lords have always been men who owned extravagant homes, called manors and country estates. These men would pledge their support to the king, including providing troops, money, food, and more. They often supplied and financed the king's wars. Lords gave some of their land to vassals, or tenants, in exchange for their support of the Lord. Vassals generally had to serve as guards and subsequently paid a fee to acquire mercenaries (soldiers for hire). Vassals belonged to a slightly higher class than peasants. In exchange for protection, land to work, and a place to live, farmers provided the Lord with labor or a portion of the produce or livestock raised from his lands. In the Middle Ages, there was a definite structure in society. You are born into a class of people and generally remain in that class all your life. Working hard didn't change your status. Your clothes, your food, your marriage, your home, etc., have been determined for you. After the rank of king, the hierarchy consisted of nobles, knights, clergy (religious people), merchants and peasants. One of the most unifying elements of the Middle Ages was the Roman Catholic Church. All classes and ranks of the population – nobles, peasants and merchants – were deeply affected by the decisions of the Church. The clergy were the religious people of the Middle Ages. After the pope, in order of rank, there were bishops, priests, monks and nuns. In the latter part of the Middle Ages, the pope, as head of the church, had much influence over the king and total control of the clergy. In the latter part of the Middle Ages, people were heavily taxed to support the church. In exchange for their tax money they received the “way to eternal life” and happiness after leading often short and difficult lives. The children were taught basic prayers and to go to church every week. The Roman Catholic Church was the largest unifying organization in medieval Europe. It touched everyone's lives, regardless of rank, class, or where they lived. Religion in the Middle Ages was dominated by Christianity. It is the era in which the great cathedrals of Europe were built and the Catholic Church created its universities. During the Middle Ages, the Catholic Church was the only church in Europe. The laws of the land and major roles in government were all in the hands of major church leaders such as bishops and archbishops. It was an era when the powers acquired in the hands of the Pope were so great that he could even excommunicate a king for a misdeed. From birth to death, the lives of medieval people were dominated entirely by the church, and many religious institutions acquired power and wealth. During the Middle Ages, the only recognized religion in Europe was Christianity, in the form of the Catholic religion. The life of medieval people of the Middle Ages was dominated by the church. From birth to death, whether a peasant, a serf, a noble, a lord or a king, life was dominated by the church and medieval religion. Various religious institutions, such as monasteries and convents, became important, wealthy and powerful. The lives of many medieval figures, including various orders of monks and nuns, were dedicated to the Catholic Church and religion. This was also a time of great change in the Christian church. The controversies ofCrusades led to the division between the Eastern and Western Christian Churches, called the Great Schism of 1054. The practices of the Catholic religion were questioned and the beliefs of men like Martin Luther (1483 - 1546) gave rise to a new religion called Protestantism which led to further division in the Christian Church called the Protestant Reformation. During the Middle Ages religion was everything. It was not unusual 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 evil events of the time were due to their sins. Medieval religion was extremely important, and doctors of the time were also well-versed in the religion. From the 11th to the 14th century, medieval clothing varied depending on people's social position. 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 during the Middle Ages were dominated and heavily influenced by the kings and queens of the time. Only the rich could dress in fashionable clothes. Peasant men wore stockings or tunics, while women wore long dresses with sleeveless tunics and wimples to cover their hair. Sheepskin cloaks, hats and woolen gloves were worn in winter to protect against the cold and rain. The leather boots were covered with wooden patinas to keep the feet dry. Outer clothing was almost never washed, but linen underwear was washed regularly. The smell of wood smoke permeating his clothes seemed to act like a deodorant. Peasant women spun wool into threads that were woven into the fabric for these garments. Many of the things we take advantage of today were quite expensive during the Middle Ages or were simply not available to the average home. Glass was one such object. The houses did not use glass to block the windows. They were little more than cutouts in the wall, and were often small, sparse, and boarded up in the evening. While people didn't really fear break-ins or robberies like they do today, wild animals and bad weather are what threatened homes. There was also the threat of looters, and the windows were kept small so that people living in the house could see what was outside, but it would be difficult for those outside to see inside the house. The average houses of the Middle Ages were extremely small and housed the entire family. They rarely had completed floors, many of them had earth or straw floors which increased the humidity. Most homes consisted of only a couple of rooms in which the entire family resided. This was not only their sleeping area, but also the kitchen, resting area and the area where they spent time with their family. Most family time was extremely limited as most peasant homes contained both parents and children, the entire family working in order to help support the entire family. This meant that we generally went to bed early and rose early, with little time left in between to try to work on school or bond with family. The houses of the rich were a big difference from the houses of the peasants. Since in the Middle Ages the houses owned by wealthier people were sometimes visited by royalty, they were often much larger than those of peasants. Many of the wealthier titled families were often even named homes by the royal family, and as the homes often went with the title, the homes were extremely large and well developed, including large windows,.