RBSE Class 11 History Notes Chapter 6 The Three Orders

These comprehensive RBSE Class 11 History Notes Chapter 6 The Three Orders will give a brief overview of all the concepts.

RBSE Class 11 History Chapter 6 Notes The Three Orders

→ Western Society was divided into three orders from the 9th-16th century.

→ During the 9th to 16th century the three orders of the European Western Society were the following :

• The Clergy,
• The Nobility,
• The Peasantry.

→ The clergy was regarded as the regent of the God upon the earth and given special honour and respect in the middle age western society.

→ Clergy enjoyed special kinds of privileges and were exempted from paying tax.

→ The nobility also enjoyed a respectful position in the society. People belonging to this order of the society were appointed on higher posts in the administration, army and the church.

→ The peasanty consisted of majority of population. They had to pay heavy taxes.

→ The IIIrd order of the European Society had to toil very hard labour to meet their both end needs.

→ The most important features of the middle age western European society was the rise of the institution of feudalism.

→ Two sections of third order were :
(a) Free Peasants,
(b) Serfs.

→ Free peasants have to deposit a fixed land revenue to the lords.

→ Majority of the western European society belonged to the serfs. The life of the serf was like a hell.

→ Many restrictions were imposed on the serf while t1 e free peasants were free from such restrictions.

 

→ Serfs were not allowed to leave their eatable and were also denied to offer prayers in the church.

→ Serfs were ill-treated and were forced to labour 12 to 16 hours per day.

→ Feudalism was regarded as the central pillar of the Medieval European Society.

→ Feudalism is a German word which stands for a land or an estate. 

→ According to W.T. Hones, feudalism was a system by which lords granted their vassals land in exchange for military service and personal loyalty.

→ In the words of H.F. Zieglar, feudalism may be defined as political and social order of societies that decentralise public authority and assigned responsibility rather than vest them in central authority or government.

→ Feudalism originate in France and then spread to other countries of Europe like England, Germany, Italy, Spain, Austria, etc.

→ The church had deep influence on the Medieval European Society and had controlled over the man’s life from cradle to the grave.

→ Pope lived in the Rome and was the supreme authority in the church’s institution.

→ Towns begun to rose on the European landscape in 15th century.

→ Venice, Genoa, Florence, Paris, London, Frankfurt, Milan, Amsterdam, etc., towns became into prominence in the 15th century medieval Europe.

→ The use of money helped to overcome the drawbacks of the Barter System.

→ St. Benedict Monastery was established in 529 CE in Italy. It was prepared by Saint Benedict.

→ Cluny Monastery was established by William I in 910 CE.

→ Feudalism began to decline in the 16th century and paved the ways for the rise of Nation State in Europe.

→ Foundation of the nation state laid first of all in England with the establishment of Tuder Dynasty in 1485 CE by Henry VII.

→ French, German and Russian Revolutions occurred respectively in 1789, 1848 and in 1917 CE.

→ The word ‘feudal’ comes from feud which originally meant a fief or land held on condition or service. In a feudal society, land was the source of power.

→ Feudalism originated in the 8th and 9th centuries.

→ First of all in western Europe the feudal system developed.

→ The main division in feudal society was between ‘feudal lords’, who either got a share of the peasants, produce or had peasants to work on their lands without any payment, and ‘Peasants’, who worked on the land.

→ Early History of France

Early History of France
481	Clovis becomes king of the Franks.
486	Clovis and the Franks begin the conquest of northern Gaul.
496	Clovis and the Franks convert to Christianity.
714	Charles Martel becomes mayor of the palace.
751	Martel’s son Pepin deposes the Frankish ruler, becomes king and establishes a dynasty. Wars of conquest double the size of his kingdom.
768	Pepin succeeded by his son Charlemagne/Charles the Great.
800 .	Pope Leo III crowns Charlemagne as Holy Roman Emperor.
840 Onwards	Raids by Vikings from Norway.

→ Eleventh to Fourteenth Centuries

Eleventh to Fourteenth Centuries
1066	Normans defeat Anglo-Saxons and conquer England
1100 onwards	Cathedrals being built in France.
1315-17	Great famine in Europe
1347-50	Black Death
1338-1461	Hundred Years War between England and France
1381	Peasants’ revolts.

→ The New Monarchy

The New Monarchy
1461-1559	New Monarchs in France
1474-1556	New Monarchs in Spain
1485-1547	New Monarchs in England