Feudalism in the Middle Ages

The Concept of Feudalism

• Feudalism is a term coined in the 19th century to describe the social structure of the High Middle Ages (1000-1300 A.D.)
• A feudal system was characterized by the exchange of land and services

The Structure of Feudalism

• Most land in the kingdom belonged to the king and the church
• The king parcelled out large estates to great lords (tenants-in-chief) in exchange for military and political support
• Great lords then parcelled out smaller portions of land to lesser lords, who did the same to local lords, and then to peasants
• The system can be represented as a pyramid with the king at the top

Feudal Vocabulary

• A king or lord who gave land to a lesser lord became the latter's overlord
• The person receiving the land became the vassal of the person who granted it
• The land itself was called a fief

Critique of the Pyramid Model

• Historians think the pyramid model is too simplistic to explain medieval political culture
• Many feudal relationships were horizontal among equals, rather than vertical
• The kinds of services given in return for land varied (labor service or rent for peasants, alliance for landowners)

Decline of Feudalism

• Medieval kings grew less reliant on their great lords to provide soldiers for their armies
• The Black Death (1348) reduced the population available to work the land, giving survivors increased bargaining power
• The growing economic importance of towns outside the feudal system contributed to its decline
• Feudalism declined in England from the 14th century onwards and was formally abolished in 1660

Test your knowledge of Feudalism in the Middle Ages! Explore the structure of society, the exchange of land and services, and the role of kings and lords in this quiz. Discover the key elements that defined this system and how it shaped medieval society.