Medieval Manors
The manor system of the Middle Ages was the main form of government for the common people. Manors were located on fiefs owned by the nobles. The king gave these pieces of land to the nobles, and the nobles would give smaller pieces of land to the knights in exchange for protection. This system worked very well. The lord had complete power over everything and everyone on his manor. He made laws and the people on it had to follow.
The noble and his family lived in manor houses. This was a "mansion" you could say, and the peasants worked for the family and served their every wish. Manors had to be self sufficient, or run on their own. Everything that anyone needed had to be produced on the manor. The serfs and peasants who worked on the land also lived on the land in poor shacks with a small garden, and if they were richer, a cow or goat. Life for the nobles was very good, but for the peasants, it was much, much harder.
The noble and his family lived in manor houses. This was a "mansion" you could say, and the peasants worked for the family and served their every wish. Manors had to be self sufficient, or run on their own. Everything that anyone needed had to be produced on the manor. The serfs and peasants who worked on the land also lived on the land in poor shacks with a small garden, and if they were richer, a cow or goat. Life for the nobles was very good, but for the peasants, it was much, much harder.
Manors had lots of land.
“File:Site of Stainsby Manor - 1 - geograph.org.uk - 1629509.jpg” Wikimedia Commons. Web. May 6, 2014 http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Site_of_Stainsby_Manor_-_1_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1629509.jpg
“File:Site of Stainsby Manor - 1 - geograph.org.uk - 1629509.jpg” Wikimedia Commons. Web. May 6, 2014 http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Site_of_Stainsby_Manor_-_1_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1629509.jpg
Peasants always worked.
“File:Les Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry octobre detail.jpg” Wikimedia Commons. Web. May 6, 2014
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Les_Très_Riches_Heures_du_duc_de_Berry_octobre_detail.jpg
“File:Les Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry octobre detail.jpg” Wikimedia Commons. Web. May 6, 2014
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Les_Très_Riches_Heures_du_duc_de_Berry_octobre_detail.jpg
Manors sometimes had streams running through them.
“File:Fiddleford Manor - geograph.org.uk - 79011.jpg” Wikimedia Commons. Web. May 6, 2014
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fiddleford_Manor_-_geograph.org.uk_-_79011.jpg
“File:Fiddleford Manor - geograph.org.uk - 79011.jpg” Wikimedia Commons. Web. May 6, 2014
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fiddleford_Manor_-_geograph.org.uk_-_79011.jpg