Feudalism – How it Worked
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Feudalism began between the 8th and 9th centuries. It was first recognized in France,
and later spread to most countries of western Europe. When Charlemagne died there
was no strong ruler to take his place. That was when feudalism was established as the
main system of government and way of life in Medieval Europe. Europe was politically
divided. It was hit by several invasions of the Vikings, the Magyars, Muslim pirates, and
others. People could no longer look to a central ruler for protection. They had to seek
the protection of the lords, who had armies of their own. To expand ones power and
wealth, lords would make alliances with other nobles. A lord would grant land to another
noble in exchange for protection and military services. This grant was called a fief.
Those who received the fiefs were called vassals. Within the fief, the vassal was the
highest authority. Fiefs could be various sizes. Some were single estates just big
enough for a knight and his family. Others were large. As big as an entire country or
province.
The vassals promised the lord military services. Military service was their main
obligation. This service was usually limited to 40 days a year. Vassals also owed
The Essay on Medieval Europe
1. What characteristics defined medieval west Europe? 2. How did manorialism affect the legal, social and economic position of the serfs? 3. How did feudal monarchs organize power? How was their power limited? 4. What problems did the medieval church face and how did it solve them? 5. What changes occurred in agriculture, towns and commerce after 1000? 6. What social, economic, religious and ...
payments called aids on certain occasions. When a lord’s oldest daughter married, the
vassal made special payments as a gift. The vassal also had to pay for the arming of
the lord’s oldest son when he became a knight. Vassals pledged to pay the ransom for
their lord in the event of his capture during war.
A vassal’s son usually inherited his father’s responsibility to serve and pay aids. Before
receiving the fief, the son had to pay a fee called a relief. The amount of payment all
depended on the size of the fief.
The lord in turn, had obligations to his vassals. He promised the vassal protection and
could not deny the vassal’s claim to the fief. If at any time an outsider tried to steal
the vassal’s fief, the lord would join in with his other knights to aid him.
