To combat the Vikings and other invaders, many European rulers enlisted the aid of
             nobles under system known as feudalism. The nobles pledged their military assistance and
             their loyalty to the rulers in return for land and protection.
             The land a noble received was called a manor. Each manor was a self-sufficient
             estate, which included a manor house, pastures, fields, and a village. Most of those who
             lived in the manor were serfs, men and women bound to the land by their labor. Serfs were
             required to work their lord's land in exchange for a share of the crops they grew and for
             protection from attack by outsiders.
             Feudal society operated under a rigid class system. At top of society was the noble
             class. Noblemen spent their days managing their estates, hunting, or engaging in battle.
             Men held most of the power, although some women obtained positions of influence by
             inheriting land from male relatives. Most noblewomen married in their early teens and
             generally had large families. They spent their days directing the servants in such duties as
             cooking, cleaning, spinning, weaving, brewing, and caring for livestock.
             Life for serfs was more difficult than it was for nobles. Most spent their days in
             unending physical labor. Both men and women worked in the fields, and women had to
             perform the household tasks as well. Although the lords received the serfs, many also
             required their workers to pay them fees, such as marriage or inheritance taxes.
             Some serfs were able to obtain freedom, but most remained tied to the land. They
             were considered property and their status was passed on to their children. Most serfs lived
             in small one-room cottages. Their diet consisted mainly of soup, bread, and ale, with some
             occasional meat. Life was difficult and short. Few serfs lived beyond age 40.
             Most of the people living in feudal Europe had no sense of national identity and
             little awareness of the outsid...