Paragraph One:
- What role do you have in Medieval Europe? (lord, knight, or serf)
- How was your role in society determined?
- What are your basic responsibilities?
- What are your overall feelings about life in your social class?
Paragraph Two:
- Discuss the advantages and disadvantages about living as a member of your social class.
- What is your relationship like with members of the other two groups?
- How can your life be improved?
I am a knight in Medieval Europe. Of course, my role in my society was determined by birth; my ancestors were all knights. My basic responsibilities as a knight are to protect my lord and his property. I feel honored to have my social class because I am depended on by wealthy people and I have worked for many years to become a knight. I was a page at age 7, and then I gradually became a squire. Then, I began to excel in fighting so I was rewarded my knighthood in the ceremony of the dubbing.
ReplyDeleteThe advantages of being a knight are: I receive many acres of land from my lord, I get to protect lords, priests, nuns, and lords, and I carry armor which is extremely protective. The disadvantages of being a knight are: I have to train and fight often, I have to carry armor that weighs at least 31 pounds, and I constantly risk death in order to make a living. I have a great relationship with my lord because he pays me to protect his property. I do not get along with the peasants because I sometimes kill peasants, burn their crops, destroy their tools, and trample their vineyards in order to get items for my lord. My life can be significantly improved if my lord would give me money as well as acres of land. In short, I definitely need a larger salary to buy my necessities.
Dear Diary,
ReplyDeleteMy important role in medieval Europe is a serf. This role for me was determined because both of my parents were serfs and I was born into it. I am not allowed to leave my lord’s estate because serfs are also unfree peasants. One of my responsibilities is to pay taxes yearly for being allowed to stay on the estate called “head money.” Or my lord could demand a tax of tallage. Also if I ever wanted to get married I would have to pay a fee called a merchet. Some of the jobs I have to do are raise crops and tend livestock, carpentry, shoemaker, smith also known as metalwork, and other skilled jobs. Some women will work in the field when needed, but mostly care for their families. Overall, I hate my social class because we have to do all this work and then pay the lord to live here and get married, and more than half of us don’t want to live here but we have to. That’s what I think of my social class.
Some advantages of living in my social class are that I have a home to live in and I can care for my family. In addition, in return for my labor, I received a small plot of land for my own to farm. Some disadvantages of living in my social class are that I have to pay taxes even if I don’t want to live on my lord’s land, I have to do all this work for my lord, and I have to pay to get married. Also, I have to grind my own grain in the lord’s mill; however, the lord can keep as much of the grain as he wants for himself. My house is also very small and dark inside. My relationships with the other social classes aren’t so big. First of all the only two I have any interaction with are knights and lords. My relationship with lords is because I work and live on their land, and it’s not so good because they make me pay taxes. I sometimes have interaction with the knights because my lord pays them to protect their estate. It’s ok with the knights because I don’t really talk to them much. My life can be improved if I work really hard and then I might get rewarded. That’s what my average life is like as a serf.
Bill Frey
Erica M.
ReplyDeletePeriod 4
Diary of a serf
Dear diary,
I am a serf and most of the wealthy people determine me as a "peasant". now i am basically responsible in giving the knights their food. What is unfair is that I don't get any food at all!!! I am the one that gives the food, but I can't get any of the food, unless I want to die. Obviously, I don't. Everyday, I feel like I am a useless person, a person that can not defend themselves. A person that is nothing but a food giver and is treated like in the lowest class. I also feel like a slave and I can't just do whatever I want. I wish I was never a serf.
Some disadvantages in being a serf is that you are under the orders of the lords. You can not even buy your own freedom. Also, you can not leave your lord and you have to pay for extra taxes. Now the reason why I can't just walk away from my lord is that because whatever you are born to be, you stay like that forever. You have to do every single thing that your lord commands you to do. Another reason why I HATE being a serf is because I don't have much a say. There are many disadvantages and not really much any advantages. Now, my relationship with the other members are really disagreeing. I really don't get along with the lords, well obviously I don't, since they are very strict and bossy... they are so lazy and can't do their own things. We, serfs have to risk our lives to do everthing. The knights, however, are really nice.(WELL, NOT REALLY THAT MUCH!!!) They help us and secure us when the attackers attack. My life can not really be improved because I have no say in the goverment and because whatever you are born to be, you stay like that forever. Like I said before, I wish I was never a serf!!!
I am King Ryan S in Europe. I was born into my class in 1200. I am responsible for all the land I own, making sure there is no rebellion, keeping Nobles loyal to me, and hiring people to defend my land and people. I feel I have a great life in my social class because I am treated well and am able to have an enormous amount of money.
ReplyDeleteThe advantages of being a king are of course the money, the power, and the land. Some disadvantages are the risk of being assassinated and keeping the people happy because the people demand so much. I am friendly with the Nobles but, Serfs do not like me that much because I spend too much time keeping the Nobles happy and not enough time keeping the Serfs happy. I think life for me can be improved by slitting my time equally between the Nobles and Serfs.
Dear Journal,
ReplyDeleteWell as you know, I am a serf. Which by the way is very unfair becuase I was born into my role in society. I basically take care of all of my land all day long. I also have a loyalty commitment to my noble as well as my monarch. I have to produce foor for the lords/nobles and food for the knights that protect them.
Some advantages of being a serf though, are getting protecting from the knights. But, because I am one of the lowest classes, I dont have as many huge responsibilities as the lords and knights do. Everyone relies on me. But dont get too excited. There are disadvatages. Dont belelive me? Well for instance, I am practially tied down to my land, and with all of the crops i am growing, the nobles are allowed to take as much as they want. My relationship with the knights is kind of awkward because we are both working for the nobles yet they have to protect me, and I have to produce food for them. The nobles however, are pretty bad to me. They keep collecting all of the food i grow and not pay me anything. All they do is listen to the monarch and keep collecting taxes. Its time they stand up for themselves and everyone else below them. Obviously, my life can be improved. For example, if I was actually allowed to decide my role in society, I would be so much happier! But,who am I kidding? I was born a serf and I'll die a serf, all thanks to feudalism
-Maddy L.