The Feudal System

The Middle Ages

(1684120033)
 CONTENTS
THE FEUDAL SYSTEM
ORIGIN OF FEUDALISMS
KNIGHTS AND LORD
FIEFS AND VASSALS
DRAWBACKS TO THE FEUDAL SYSTEM
MEDIEVAL POWER STRUCTURE
THE MANORIAL SYSTEM
 The Feudal System
Feudal and manorial systems governed
life and required people to perform
certain duties and obligations

Feudal system (feudalism)  system of

exchanging land for service
 Origins of Feudalism
Originated partly as a result of Viking and Muslim
invasions

Kings unable to defend their lands and the lands of

their nobles

Nobles had to find a way to defend their lands

Built castles, often on hills

NOT elaborate structures  usually build of wood,

used as a place of shelter in attacks
 Knights and Lords
Nobles needed trained soldier to defend
the castles
Knights most important  highly
soldiers
Mounted knights in heavy armor were the
best defenders
But its expensive! Had to maintain
weapons, armor, and horses
Knights demand payment for their services
 Fiefs and Vassals
Knights were often paid in land
Land given to a knight for service was
called a fief
Anyone accepting a fief was called a
vassal
A person from whom he accepted a fief
was his lord
Got all that?
 Feudal Obligations
Knight’s Duties Lord’s Duties

• Provide military Give land

service Protect from attack
• Remain loyal and Resolve disputes
faithful between knights
• Give money to
the lord on
special occasions
 Drawbacks to the Feudal
System
Lord and Vassal

Europe’s feudal system was complex

Person could be both lord and vassal

Some knights with large fiefs gave smaller pieces of

land to other knights  created many levels of
obligations

One knight could serve many lords

 Drawbacks to the Feudal
System
Fealty to the King
Almost everyone in the system served more
than one lord
Everyone is supposed to be loyal to the king 
not always a reality
Some powerful nobles ignored their duties as
vassals
Feudal rules can change depending on time
and place
Medieval Power Structure
 The Manorial System
Lords, Peasants, and Serfs
Manors owned by wealthy lords or knights
Peasants farmed manor fields
Given protection, plots of land to grown own food

Serfdom
Most peasants on a farm were serfs  tied to the manor
Not slaves but could not leave or marry without lord’s permission

Free People
Manors had some free people who rented land from lord
Landowning peasants  skilled workers like blacksmiths or millers
Also had a priest for spiritual needs