Most people know that the feudal system controlled property ownership in England after the Norman conquest of 1066, but without a real understanding of what that really means. Feudalism was a social as well as an economic system. The basis of English Feudalism was every persons position in a certain society was determined through ownership of land.
             Prior to the conquest, two types of land ownership were recognized in England: the celtic and the saxon. With the celtic land, all land was held by the sword. There was no legal institutions to protect the ownership of any land just how wel a man could fight to keep it. The saxon's land ownership stayed with the family. No matter what happened that land did not leave the family possession.
             William the Conqueror and his successors, claimed ownership of all the land in England, and everyone else obtained there land either directly or indirectly from the king.
             The king made agreements with his most important lords, they were given certain lands in exchange for services to the crown. The lords were usually tenants in chiefsnd the services they did was normally military related.Anyone that was below the king the gave land to other people in exchange for services were called vassals.
             Two ceremonies were performed: homage and fealty. These were the most significant features od the feudal relationships. Homage was the oath where the vassal became the man of the lord. Land could even be held without homage. Women could not give homage, but they could receive it.Ecclesiastics could not give homage since they were already the men of god. Fealty was only a promise to be faithful and honest. This was a part of every homage ceremony. Everyone who held land had to pledge fealty.
             Economic tenures were didived into three categories: military, economic, and religious. Military tenures were three types. Knight service required the vassal to provide armored knightsin a number appropriate t...