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Power And Stability In The Middle Ages Essay

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Power and stability in the Middle Ages were maintained through the hierarchical feudal social system, but it changed over time due to various factors. Birth of feudalism began in Europe from Charlemagne and William the Conqueror to England after the victory over King Harold Godwinson. This system was characterised into three large categories – the powerful, the spiritual and the powerless.

The upper class were very powerful and had many privileges. A king controlled large areas of land and were able to give away the land for loyalty and protection. He “offered protection to the peasants…but he also exerted his power over them (Source D)”. William’s reign was long and stable, as he spread out his Norman lords so they could not rebel against him. The king also needed an army for protection and control over his land. As a result, he would pay nobles to provide knights for his legion. Nobles and knights required …show more content…
During the Middle Ages, most of the people were Christians and believed in God. In many occasions, the church was richer and more powerful than the king. In order to get their way, the church exercised fear through Christianity. Source I was an extract of a book by an abbess called Hildegard of Bingen. The extract was a recount of a vision of hell and was very bias and exaggerated. It was used to control the believers into obeying orders. Repetition of the word fire depicted hell as a place of torture and excruciating pain. Another form of spiritual power was the act of excommunication. If you were excommunicated, you were separated from the “society of all Christians” and excluded from “the bosom of our Holy Mother (Source J).” Excommunication was a horrifying act as you were cast away from salvation and into hell. In 1077, Pope Gregory excommunicated King Henry IV for three days. The church was omnipotent but they required the peasants and serfs to feed the monks and

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