Feudalism During The Middle Ages

You may have heard of the Middle Ages and Feudalism, but you might not know a lot about it. Some people think that the Middle Ages is just a random period of time, but actually, it is the period of time after the fall of the Roman empire. Feudalism during the Middle Ages had its advantages and disadvantages. It caused unfairness to the lowest rank, it provided military service and protection, and it also provided economic stability.

Feudalism is “a political, military and social system in the Middle Ages, based on the holding of lands in fief” (Dictionary). The feudal system relies on a very strict hierarchy. There are fewer people working on the lord’s land and the land that had usually been the main source of the economy was now valueless. The foundation of feudalism relied upon was broken, which lead to the end of the feudal system. Also, the medieval people believed that the church has a direct context to God. However, the churches were not able to provide an explanation of the plague or stop the plague from happening. Because of this, their authority and power were questioned by many followers and many of them lost faith in God and turned

Feudalism was a contrasting system dealing with political and military relationships existing among members of the higher social class, Kings, Lords and other owners of large lands in Western Europe during the Middle Ages. The Feudal system started by the granting of fiefs, chiefly in the form of land and labor, in return the lord would receive political and

The societal mindset that was prevalent in medieval Europe, feudalism, phased out due to the bubonic plague and the religious beliefs of the people.

When Louis the Pious’, the son of Charlemagne, empire was divided, the subsequent actions of his sons led to the necessary creation of a new social and political structure. The structure that was embraced across western Europe became known to historians as feudalism. According to historians and legal scholars, feudalism is categorized as a political system in which warriors and religious figures swore their than allegiance, in the form of of loyalty, aid, and military assistance to the most powerful noble, in the area. In exchange for their allegiance, these warriors and religious figures, better known as vassals, were given protection and material reward, often in the form of a fief, from their lord (UWS, 234-235). Another important aspect

The rise of Feudalism was a direct result of insecurity that caused by several significant historical factors. At first, the collapse of Roman Empire that led to prolonged unrest and power struggles was essentially a reason for why Europe was divided into many small states. The frequent fights among those states made people suffered from violence and insecurity. Even though Charlemagne united those states and Europe lasted for a period time of peace, Holy Roman Empire

Feudalism was a diplomatic system. This system helped the “nobles” buy land. According to the text, “Feudalism was a political, economic, and social system in which nobles were granted the use of land that legally belonged to the king. In return, the nobles agreed to give their loyalty and military services to the king.” (Document 1) Feudalism was a system that traded different items or artifacts that helped different parts of the system. In Document 1 a chart is shown that explains how the trades works. “The King would grant land to the Nobles and in return the Nobles would provide money and knights to the King.” (Document 1 Chart) Feudalism resulted in placing a high value on the importance of trade. Everyday the Nobles would acquire land and give the King back money and knights. According to Document 1, “The peasants or serfs worked the land for the knights and nobles and in return serfs received protection and

Medieval Europe, which lasted from about 500-1300 CE, originally was filled with Germanic invasions and threats from groups such as the Islamic Caliphate, the Magyars, and the Vikings. The constant instability from these external threats eventually demanded for a new system of government, which for Europe was feudalism. This system of government would last for centuries, until the eventual rise of towns and trade around Europe began the downfall of feudalism. Japan, although geographically independent of Europe, developed a similar system in around 1300 CE, which lasted until around 1600. After any strong central power fell off, warring clans needed to bolster their military prowess, so military leaders began to hire samurai to fight the opposition.

Feudalism was a model of government during medieval Europe, it centered on a military hierarchy. At the top was the lord, who would offer usage of his lands in exchange for military service (Wheeler), this man would become known as a vassal. This system of hierarchy was a key part within the feudalistic society. A unified government was not part of the feudal system due to the fact that the government always consisted of agreements between individuals instead of between nations or citizens (Wheeler). Each lord was a ruler of his own lands and could only control the vassals under his subjection. Due to the centralization of the economies within the lord’s lands, trade and economic growth was often subdued.

For feudalism caused many things to be corrupt and unfair within society. Feudalism was a tool for the rich and those who had land (Shark). So the feudal society gave the rich an upper edge, where they had the best advantages. Feudalism, although, gave those who weren't rich or powerful (serfs) little protection and prosperity (Shark). As the feudal system gave the rich power, to balance society, it took power from the peasant class, leaving the majority of people (serfs) hard lives. Although, feudalism was still a very effective and important system because it made society function well. Feudalism was based of of the feudal contracts between lords and vassals (who were usually knights) (Biel 9). These feudal contracts kept the system from falling apart, because the two classes must do what they agreed. Also, the king was in the top of the social chain. If an overlord/king wanted to bring together an army in his name, he sent out an announcement which called all of his lower lords and vassals who then prepared themselves for war, and they summoned their own men who lived within their land (Nardo 28). The feudal contracts and systems allowed for the king to have an army when he needed it, and this then allowed for society to have money (for contributing to the army) and protection. It was a system that didn't create social justice, but it created social cohesion (Shark). Meaning, the feudal society was totally unbalanced, but it worked as a functioning system of rule. Therefore, feudalism was an unbalanced system that, still, kept society functioning and

Feudalism: A social structure that influenced and guided economics, politics, warfare, and classes/social interaction in the Middle Ages.

Amid Medieval circumstances in Europe, the state was composed on the rule of feudalism, and the connection amongst ruler and vassal ended up noticeably key to social association. Feudalism prompted the advancement of more noteworthy social hierarchies.

This semester I have learned a lot of things about the cultures of Medieval Europe, the Medieval Islamic Empires, and the age of European exploration that I think has shaped today’s world. I learned all about how things were in Medieval Europe, Islam, China, Renaissance, and Exploration. This semester I learned about the Feudal System in Medieval Europe, I learned about the encomienda system, and I learned about the five pillars of Islam. All of these things greatly shaped today’s world and are very important pieces of our history.

Manorialism was the economic element of feudalism during the Middle Ages and a manor was a lord’s piece of land or estate where they employed serfs to maintain and cultivate the land. In exchange, he gave the serfs protection and housing as long as the serfs fulfil their labor obligations and pay taxes. This arrangement allowed the landless serfs and peasants to have safe and permanent housing while also benefiting the lord with labor and other economic services. Manors varied in their sizes and many lords had more than one manor. The lord’s manor included the manor house, church, cottages where the peasants lived, mill, woodland, the pasture and the lord’s demesne which was the farmland. The peasants would grind the grain for the manor in the mill and a

In Medieval times during the 10th and 13th centuries, a form of political and social organization called feudalism was a way of life that had great effect on people of the time and on the modern world. Feudalism was developed because of the weakness of Europe and it's kings. The word feudalism comes from the word fief, which was the land held on condition of feudal service, similar to an estate (English). The fiefs bound together lords and vassals. Feudalism was a structure in which a lord divided his land into smaller parts to give to lesser lords (“Feudalism”).