History 2149A/B Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Middle Ages
9 Nov 2016
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Nobles (who were wealthy and own large estate) needed to earn their nobility, as well as having a birth-right. If a noble lost his wealth, he was no longer a noble. Some areas of nobility required both parents to be nobles. Knights" are elite military servants in (cid:883)(cid:882)th/11th century. Status rises in 12th century and they are now considered low level nobles instead of serfs. By this time, the status of a knight becomes dependent on lineage. There is also intermarriage between higher-level nobles and knights. There are varying degrees of status in the nobility of knights. As for members of the nobility other than knights, their nobility typically lasts for. 3-6 generations, due to the fact that it is subject to their wealth, which is bound to decline at some point. It is more difficult for knights to maintain wealth, thus, for them nobility typically lasts 1-2 generations. The importance of mounted soldiers in combat increased.
