feudilism

Feudalism origined out of the failure of the centralized government in the 9th century, which made Europeans insecure. Feudalism is a system of human relationships i.e. mutually beneficial personal agreements between people for the purpose of protection and justice. Agreements consisted of private contracts wherein one person accepted the position of being a dependant of another and this agreement was guaranteed by grants of land called fief.

In an ideal feudal society the ownership of all land was vested in the king. Beneath him was a hierarchy of nobles, the most important nobles holding land directly from the king, and the lesser from them, down to the seigneur who held a single manor. The p

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These peasants were known as serfs who were at the lowest level of feudal hierarchy. The Christian Church especially held sanction against breaking of oaths of fealty because the oath was usually sworn at a church in God's name over a holy artifact. These circumstances, as well as the increasing division of inheritances, all combined to destroy feudalism, slowly and inexorably. Often these leaders would die or fall to squabbling, and kingdoms would fall apart. It was by no means an easy was of life. Serfs were required to perform labor service on their lord’s land about three day a week, except during planting and harvesting season.

The lord and his lady were the rulers of the small feudal state, often giving direct allegiance to the monarch of the realm.

In return the older lord was obligated to see to the well-being and happiness of his vassals.

There was a formal procedure to connote the creation of a contract called the investiture ceremony.

A vassal who was found to have broken the oath would have their lands confiscated. The nobility was essentially a military class, with the knight as the typical warrior. This process was greatly accelerated in the 14th cent. olitical economy of the system was local and agricultural, and at its base was the manorial system.

Common topics in this essay:
MANORIALISM Feudalism, Eastern Europe, Spain England, OATH FEALTY, CLASS SYSTEM, MILITARY SERVICE, Christian Church, , DECLINE FEUDALISM, AD German, military service, oath fealty, lord vassal, vassal expected provide, lord allowed, lesser nobles, land vassal, slave serf, loyalty lord, lord broke oath, fealty oath, france spain,

Approximate Word count = 1522
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)

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