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Jessica Mai
Mr.Jaracz
Honors World History
21, December 2014 Middle Ages Project

The growth of royal power
During the High Middle Ages, royal power in the monarchy became hereditary, since

inheritance of the throne was less violent and disputed at the time than elections
.
They also created royal courts and justices to fix arguments over property and repress crime. This legal jurisdiction, along with military, in order to enforce judgement, became important parts of royal power. All lords were supposed to act in councils or "courts" with their vassals. For the kings, representatives of townspeople, clergy, and nobles were summoned to royal councils. From these councils, departments of government such as the judiciary, exchequer, and military command emerged. These councils also were the origins of parliaments. Parliaments, or representative assemblies, began to sprout all over Europe during the thirteenth century. Kings called for parliaments in order to publicize and explain their policies, as well as to raise money, more conveniently. Kings often allowed people to speak up and point out issues or complaints. Most parliaments were considered to represent three collective estates ­­ the clergy, nobles, and burghers of chartered towns. Eventually, England's Parliament developed distinctly from the others, with two houses ­ the House of the Lords, a combination of the first two estates, and the

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House of the Commons, which included knights, burghers, and peasants.
Monarchs in europe sat at the top of society but who’s who in monarchy? First off, there’s the emperor.
In Europe,
Charlemagne
became emperor of the Holy Roman Empire in 800. Next came the kings and queens, the Queen however dominates her husband since she inherited the title. Queen
Elizabeth's husband is Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Then along with the prince and princess, they’re often children of the monarch(in england), and therefore royalty, as opposed to nobility, but those holding the title can vary in rank. Lastly was the duke and duchess. Originally all English dukes were of royal blood. When sons of kings came of age they were typically given the title duke. Now a duke is the highest of the five degrees of English nobility. A baronet is not included among the peerage, but the title can be inherited. Below a baronet, is a knight, which is a title of honor rather aristocracy.
Feudalism is the ruling social system in medieval Europe, in which the nobility held lands from the Crown in exchange for military service, and vassals were in