Question

in the manor system, the upper class did what?

Answer 1

They had obligations both up and down the social heirarchy. Upward, they generally owed the king service in times of war, either personally or by supplying armed knights from among his own tenants.

Downward, they were obliged to keep the peace and enforce order and justice among their own tenants and fiefholders.

Answer 2

Oops, sorry, you asked what they did, too. What they'd mostly do is occupy themselves with keeping order and dispensing justice amont the tenants, meaning they had to mediate disputes, enforce contracts, officiate over transfers of property and important marriages, establish and support markets, and preserve traditional rights to the commons, e.g. to forests for firewood, grazing lands, et cetera. Generally this would involve a lot of administrative work, record-keeping, investigation, holding hearings and issuing orders, consultation, and the occasional use of armed force.

The more ambitious might attempt to improve their lands, and the welfare of the people on them, by collective building projects, like new bridges, dams, castles, clearing of fields, the construction of smithies or workshops.

Their relationships with other barons and the king would mean a certain amount of consultation and attention being paid to what was going on on a nationa level, e.g. who might be allied with whom, and who might be invading, and what the defences migth be. This would contribute to a lot of training for war and battle, as well as travel to and consultation with other barons, or the king. Plenty of entertaining, then.

Obviously the less responsible barons would also spend a lot of time goofing off, or intriguing with other barons to better their position within the country, or working with the king on acquiring land from other countries, or even intriguing with barons in other countries against the king. Lots of room for adventure, and misadventure.

Answer 3

thank you soo much!! :)