Medieval Russia Research Paper

The article, “European Feudalism” by Deborah Symonds, is a brief analysis of the political economy found in Europe in and around the year of 1500, more commonly known as the medieval ages. During said period, little to no established form of modern governance was visible, leaving a barbaric and bloodlust culture to find a means to controlling areas of land. This culture, mixed with a heavily strong presence of the Frankish ruling style lead to a system in which a ruling class divided the power to rule among lesser noble people. The system of a warrior aristocracy left an often impoverish group of persons underneath them to provide crops, products and labor as a means of economic stability to an unstable economy. Throughout her article, Symonds touches on the key areas of how the society was governed and the relationships between classes of people.

The bases of feudalism is best described as a social system in Europe throughout the Middle Ages where individuals worked and battled for upper class who gave them protection and the use of the land in return for their services (Merriam-Webster). “Feudalism” is not a medieval term and not even a translation of a medieval concept (Abels 2010; Brown 2010; Bouchard 1998). In our day and time Feudalism would be difficult and baffling in several ways, but some may feel that we would benefit from it.

During the medieval times Kings had absolute power and the Catholic Church made sure God help the King retain this power. During this time feudalism was the structure that shaped society. In the feudalism structure the people that work the land the poor got cero power and live at the mercy of the barons. Barons where the owners of the land that people where let to work and make really low amounts of money while the baron sells and exchange the goods produced by the land and makes a fortune. At the end of the day the land belongs to the king and the king taxes the barons and collects money from all the land making him very, very wealthy and powerful.

During the middle ages the lack of protection and a stable government after the Fall of Rome created the need for a new political system. Feudalism was the political system that emerged and shaped the lives of people socially and politically. Manors were small communities that were made up of a castle, church, village, and land for farming. The structured society provided a place and responsibility for everyone. The feudal obligations showed that in exchange for one thing they would be provided with something else. Serfs and peasants would work and produce goods for the rest of the manor and in return had their land and promised protection. The vassals would need to obtain land from the Lord and in return would provide the Lord with military service, loyalty, and ransom if asked for (Doc. 4). To make clear the vassal’s specific allegiance to their lord whom they owed in for exchange for their fief they would take the Homage Oath (Doc. 2). This interdependent system required everyone to do their part and it created social classes that they were born into. Their daily lives were centered on the manor and that was how it stayed until towns began to

Russia emerged as a significant power during the 1500s through war. It fought its neighbors and expanded its territory aimlessly. Ivan the Terrible’s expansion brought him into contact with both Western Europe and the Ottoman Empire. Aiming to gain a port and outlet to the Baltic,

Feudalism was a political, economic and social system that exchanged land and loyalty in return for protection. It was a commerce of protection and goods, as seen in the feudal system diagram, there are different types of social classes that have arrows describing what they are trading and to whom they are trading (Document 4). In the late ninth century, peasants gave food and service to the knights in exchange for protection. The knights gave military service in exchange for shelter and defense. The lords gave military aid while the king gives them fief and peasants etc.

In the 1900’s Russia was a world superpower. But the only port, Port Vladivostok, was only accessible in the summer seasons of Russia. But Japan’s fort, Fort Arthur, was open all year long. Russia, who looking to expand out farther, asked Japan if they could use Fort Arthur for their Navy, and maritime trades. Russia even went as far as to set up a neutral buffer zone in North Korea on the 39th parallel to negotiate. Japan however misunderstood this and took it as a threat, bombing their own fort, and starting the first great war of the 20th century.

The transition from the Medieval period to the Early Modern period is marked by a few significant factors. These new discoveries were just the beginning of the potential of what the world would eventually become today. These events are the invention of the printing press by Johannes Gutenberg in 1450, the discovery of the New World in 1492 by Christopher Columbus, and the use and importance of gun powder. These new findings changed the way people lived and how they communicated with others.

Although the Middle Ages are mostly known as a dark period in Europe, progress was still made in the field of thinking. The rediscovery of Greek philosophy, the creation of universities, and crisis in the church directly led European societies to the Renaissance era, a time of rebirth.

Nicholas Romanov II was born on the 18 May 1868 and came into reign in 1894 becoming Tsar of Russia, continuing the Romanov rule since 1613. His coronation celebrations saw huge crowds lining the streets (as seen in source 1). As in the past all Tsars were believed to be chosen by god to rule and Tsar Nicholas II was no exception, the people of Russia saw him as their ‘Little Father’. During his first years of Tsar, Russia was ranked among the world’s greatest powers; it was a time of peace and prosperity.

Middle Ages has also known by it's called "Dark Ages". It is approximately during 500-1500 AD, which is right after the fall of Roman Empire. The reason why it's called Dark Ages, because during that time period, there is very little literature was made, technologies seem went backward, people don't have a common language to use. The Middle Ages can be subdivided into three parts: early, high, and late Middle Ages. There are a lot of violence, chaos, and wars at that time. And mostly is related to the religions. A lot of poverty, famine, and one of the most severe disease happened.

Monarchs owned the land and he would divide the land that he did not need up between the men who were called lords in return for loyalty to him in times of war. The lords enlisted soldiers who were called knights to be the fighting force in these wars. The lowest people in the feudal system were called peasants; these people farmed the land to provide food and provided other services for the kingdom in exchange for protection.

Russia and England both had feudal systems in the medieval ages that help establish monarchies. The Russian feudal system, much like England’s consisted of the ruler (King/Prince), nobles, peasants, and serfs (though in England the peasants had rights unlike the serfs in Russia). Feudal systems helped create a sense of organization within an empire or kingdom which helped in the establishment of monarchs in both Russia and England.

Kievan Rus is known for being a major trade partner. Due to the expansion of trade, kiev became the most important trade centre and chief among the communes; therefore the leader of kiev gained “control” over the surrounding area. The greatest power belonged to all the princis. Kievan Rus controlled three main trade routes of the Eastern Europe. They spoke dialects of the Old East Slavic language, and had a russian ethnicity.

The feudal system of the time operated on the premise of peasants or serfs, and thanes, or lords. The lords owned the land, and the peasants worked on it. In turn, they received the protection