The Organization of feudal society
In the face of invasions by Vikings, Muslims, and Magyars, kings and emperors were too weak to maintain law and order. In response to this need for protection, a new political and social system called feudalism evolved.
Invasions of europe, 700-1000:
Feudal Society:
Feudalism was a loosely organized system of rule in which powerful local lords divided their landholdings among lesser lords. In exchange, lesser lords, or vassals, pledged service and loyalty to the greater lord.
- Everyone had a place in feudal society.
- Below the monarch were the most powerful lords who held the largest fiefs. Each one of these lords had
vassals in turn had their own vassals.
- In many cases, the same man was both vassal and lord - vassal to a more powerful lord above him and lord
to a less powerful vassal below him.
- Below the monarch were the most powerful lords who held the largest fiefs. Each one of these lords had
vassals in turn had their own vassals.
- In many cases, the same man was both vassal and lord - vassal to a more powerful lord above him and lord
to a less powerful vassal below him.
Lords and vassals:
- The relationship between Lords and vassals was established by custom and tradition.
- A lord granted his vassal a fief, or estate. Estates ranged a few acres to hundreds of square miles and
included peasants to work the land, as well as any towns or buildings on the land.
- Besides granting the estate, the lord also promised to protect his vassal. In return, the vassal pledged
loyalty to his lord and also agreed to provide the lord with 40 days of military service each year, certain
money payments, and advice.
- Because vassals often held fiefs from more than one lord, feudal relationships grew very complex.
- A vassal who had pledged loyalty to several lords could have serious problems if his overloads quarreled
each other.
- To solve this problem, a vassal usually had a liege lord to whom he owed hid first loyalty.
- A lord granted his vassal a fief, or estate. Estates ranged a few acres to hundreds of square miles and
included peasants to work the land, as well as any towns or buildings on the land.
- Besides granting the estate, the lord also promised to protect his vassal. In return, the vassal pledged
loyalty to his lord and also agreed to provide the lord with 40 days of military service each year, certain
money payments, and advice.
- Because vassals often held fiefs from more than one lord, feudal relationships grew very complex.
- A vassal who had pledged loyalty to several lords could have serious problems if his overloads quarreled
each other.
- To solve this problem, a vassal usually had a liege lord to whom he owed hid first loyalty.
Knights:
- A knight is a mounted warrior who provides protection and military service to the vassals.
- Many nobles trained from boyhood to become a knight or mounted warrior.
- At around age 7, boys would be sent to the castle of hid father's lord where he would learn to ride and right.
- Boys would be expected to keep their armor in good condition. Training was difficult and discipline was
strict.
- Any laziness was punished with an angry blow or even a severe beating.
- At about age 21, the boy would be ready to be a knight.
- As the fierce fighting of the early Middle Ages lessened in the 1100s, tournaments, or mock battles, came
into fashion.
- A powerful lord would invite knights from the surrounding area to a tournament to enter these contests of
fighting skill.
- At first, tournaments were as dangerous as real battles, and captured knights were held for ransom.
- In time, they acquired more ceremony and ritual.
- Many nobles trained from boyhood to become a knight or mounted warrior.
- At around age 7, boys would be sent to the castle of hid father's lord where he would learn to ride and right.
- Boys would be expected to keep their armor in good condition. Training was difficult and discipline was
strict.
- Any laziness was punished with an angry blow or even a severe beating.
- At about age 21, the boy would be ready to be a knight.
- As the fierce fighting of the early Middle Ages lessened in the 1100s, tournaments, or mock battles, came
into fashion.
- A powerful lord would invite knights from the surrounding area to a tournament to enter these contests of
fighting skill.
- At first, tournaments were as dangerous as real battles, and captured knights were held for ransom.
- In time, they acquired more ceremony and ritual.