development of feudalism in the middle ages

Historians dispute whether or not this systemic change was a gradual one. The difference between serfs and other peasants is that other peasants usually had ownership of their own small lands whereas serfs were denied home ownership.įeudalism came about as the main eco-political system in England between the 5 th and 6 th centuries. Within the peasant group were serfs who were essentially slaves of the nobility and would work for them in return for using their lands for farming. The Peasants: Finally, the lowest tier of the feudal system was the peasants who were usually farmers by occupation.

The Knights: The third tier included knights who offered protection to the monarch and nobility in return for payment and military service.The lords who had jurisdiction over these lands were often referred to as vassals. The Nobles: Second to the monarch were the nobles who then received land directly from the monarch to live on and manage on his/her behalf.All people within the land must pledge loyalty to the monarch. The Monarch: The monarch (King or Queen) of the kingdom was at the top, with possession of all the lands.The structure of the feudal system consisted of a clear and structured hierarchy to generate organized social stratification and power distribution: It is mostly concerned with land distribution and management which, in turn, determined the power dynamics and relationships of different members of the society.įeudalism originated and was most prominently implemented in Medieval Europe. ‘Feudalism’ or a ‘feudal system’ refers to the socio-political and economic structure by which certain historic societies organized themselves.

Development of feudalism in the middle ages