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The Feudal System During The Middle Ages

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The feudal system, also known as a social class placement, was the staple of the Anglo-Saxon lifestyle. In the feudal society, receiving land as an individual required obedience to the king, while in exchange, the king provided protection. Kings, knights, peasants, and everyone in between had specific jobs and freedoms due to their social class. As the Middle Ages approached, major changes in Anglo-Saxon feudalism became apparent.
The feudal system worked as a pyramid in Anglo-Saxon times. At the base were the peasants or Thegns, and at the very top were the kings. The sections in between contained those that vowed loyalty to those above them, such as vassals, knights, and earls. In the eleventh century, descendants of a ministerial class served the king. Below the ministerial class were the earls; Earls would serve the king in addition to the ministerial class. As the lowest class, the Thegns, or servants, had little freedom and owed much debt to their masters and would pay it off with personal and military services. Being the largest group, the Thegns had two subsections within their class. Some Thegns were able …show more content…

These farms were part of an estate that included a castle and a small village, surrounded by woods, meadows, and pastures. The landlord kept serfs, and these serfs obtained the same agreement as in the Anglo-Saxon period: obedience to the king resulted in the king’s protection. Serfs performed tasks such as farming and blacksmithing. Like the Thegns, serfs had few freedoms, but in contrast, they were not slaves. Limitations on these individuals included being unable to leave the property without permission or marry someone from another manor. As the late Middle Ages approached, many serfs became freemen, able to own land either by renting or owning little debt to a feudal lord. Compared to the Anglo-Saxon time period, the Middle Ages brought more freedoms to the lowest

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