The Feudal lord provides the Vassal with land. The Vassal, in return, vows to fight for the Feudal lord, or serve him in various ways. The serfs who are mostly poor will be needing protection as well as a place to live in (err-- land). Thus, the serfs are usually required to pay taxes or till the vassal's land or serve the vassal.
The reciprocal relationship between the feudal lord, vassal, and serf shows that neither can live without the other. Land, on the other hand, is given much importance because a thousand years ago, everybody wanted/needed land. (Territory was a necessity)
A. Power was based on class relationships
A. Power was based on class relationships
Feudalism
Healthy relationships, unity and virtue!
it happened to allow the castle ages
Feudalism
Feudalism was of vital importance in dailey life in Medieval Europe.
TRUE! Feudalism is a series of complicated lord-and-vassal relationships between nobles, but the living conditions of serfs under the feudal system are hugely important to Western history. The overall squalor of the lives of the serfs (lower classes) contributed to the rapid spread of diseases like the black plague, the eventual re-emergence of major population centers, and the prevalence and importance of the Catholic church.
all the people knew their roles in a rigid class system
Feudalism can be considered a political system because it established a hierarchical structure of power and land ownership that defined relationships between lords and vassals. In this system, lords granted land in exchange for loyalty and military service from vassals, creating a decentralized form of governance. This arrangement not only dictated social order but also influenced local and regional politics, as authority was often localized and fragmented. Thus, feudalism shaped political authority and governance through personal allegiances and land-based power dynamics.
a oath of loyalty and a pledge of military service.
Feudalism is typically divided into two main periods: the early feudalism, which emerged in the 9th century, characterized by a decentralized political structure where local lords held power over land and peasants, and the high feudalism, which peaked in the 12th to 13th centuries, marked by a more organized hierarchy with stronger monarchies and formalized relationships between lords and vassals. Early feudalism laid the groundwork for land-based power dynamics, while high feudalism saw the development of more complex systems of governance and social organization.