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feudalismFeudalism was a system of governing where an upper class (nobility) has certain well-defined responsibilities to the king in return for the use of land (fiefs) exploited with the labor of a peasantry (serfs). The relationships in the feudal system resemble a pyramid. The lowest vassals are at the base and the lines of authority flow up to the peak of the format, the king. Lords and vassals were networked together in a web of mutual obligations. The vassals owed their lords a specified number of days annually in military service and in protecting the castle. At the top of the pyramid was the lord, which meant that he accrued much of the benefits. He was the owner of all the land within his designated region. Feudalism was a contractual agreement among the upper classes by which a lord gave land to his men, vassals, in return for military services. The contract was verbal, which often leads to disputes in duties and obligations. There were no solid borders placed upon territories held by a lord. The boundaries of ownership were constantly changing hands. The entire area of the kingdom was broken up into smaller pieces of land. The smaller pieces of land were called fiefs. The lord or overlord granted them to the vas . . .
In the early feudal system Armies of soldiers, who were really farmers and herdsman’s, were defending the land in the beginning of feudalism. To think that society could be ruled on the bases of verbal commitment and trust was extraordinary. The constant division of land and ownership due too subinfeudation and inheritance, would further lead to the decay of the feudalism. The bond between lord and vassal allowed wealthy landowners the ability to field an army quickly when needed. They lived together in strategic locations, often placed on a hilltop fortification. The land the church received was give by nobles but it had to perform its feudal duties. “The process of division and subdivision was known as subinfedudation”. Centralized government exposes the shortcomings of feudalism. The lords expected his vassals to attend his court in order to give him advice and to participate in judgments of cases concerning other vassals. The influence remains in present day Europe. Problems in inheritance became a severe weakness. It became apparent that a full time fighting force was needed. Common topics in this essay: | |||
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