O Feudalism it was an economic, political and social organization based on land tenure - the fief - that predominated in Western Europe during the late Middle Ages.
The lands and titles of nobility were donated by the king as a reward to the leaders for having participated in battles.
The manor was a large country estate that housed the fortified castle, villages, farmland, pastures and woods.
It originated in the Carolingian Empire, when the king needed allies to defend his extensive borders. From the century. IX When this empire disintegrates, what remains are several independent regions ruled by a nobleman.
Characteristics of Feudalism
feudal society
Society, in feudalism, was called estate because it was composed of social strata that differed by the privileges they had.
There was almost no social mobility and moving from one social status to another was practically impossible.
there were three social groups – nobility, clergy and servants.
Nobility
The nobility owned land and were named after feudal lords. These enforced the laws, granted privileges, traded with neighbors, administered justice, declared war, and made peace.
At the top of the nobility was the king, who had little political power, as this was divided between the monarch and the feudal lords. However, the monarch had prestige among other feudal lords.
Clergy
The Church became the most powerful feudal institution, as it owned vast tracts of land, as well as influencing social relations.
According to her, each member of society had a role to fulfill in their passage through the land. The noble's function was to protect society militarily, that of the clergy to pray and that of the servant to work.
In addition, medieval monasteries were responsible for preserving manuscripts on literature, philosophy and science, supporting travelers and welcoming the sick.
servants
The work was based on serfdom, with peasants tied to the land and subordinated to a series of obligations ranging from taxes and services.
On the other hand, feudal lords should protect them in case of attack.
In addition to the servants there were other workers such as:
- Villains: free men who lived in the village but could serve the feudal lord and were allowed to change property;
- Ministerial: they occupied the administration of feudal property and could ascend socially, reaching the status of members of the gentry.
- Slaves: they were generally employed in domestic service. At this time it was common for Christians to enslave Muslims and vice versa.
Living conditions in feudal domains were harsh and even the nobility did not live luxuriously.
The servants' lives were miserable in every way. Serfs and even feudal lords could neither read nor write, but the clergy was the only social group that had access to study.
Read more about the topic:
- feudal society
- State Society
- medieval church
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feudal economy
THE economy in feudalism it was characterized by self-sufficient production, as it was intended for local consumption and not large-scale commerce.
At the time of good harvests, surpluses were exchanged in neighboring fiefs or at fairs that took place in the cities. Trade often took place through the exchange of genres and not currencies; however, these existed and were issued by each manor.
feudal politics
Political power in the manor was exercised by the feudal lord, who owned an army, collected taxes and distributed justice. However, his obligation was to protect the serfs and, for that, he built a fortified castle, around which the community developed.
When a feudal lord needed support for war, he made alliances with less powerful nobles. Through an oath of allegiance - called "homage" - the feudal lord with more resources became suzerain and the other a vassal. In return, the latter received land or the rents from a toll or a mill, for example. However, for his part, the vassal should defend the suzerain and accompany him in case of conflict.
Important to remember that members of the clergy could be feudal lords. The monasteries, in addition to the religious building, had large tracts of land for their sustenance.
Learn more details at Suzerainty and Vassalage Relations in Feudalism
How did land concessions take place?
A manor could be obtained in the following ways:
- Concession of the king or a feudal lord: to compensate for the services of a nobleman or a distinguished knight and thus achieve allegiance;
- Weddings: ensured the fidelity of feudal lords and guaranteed that the land would remain in the same family;
- Wars: when the bonds of allegiance were broken, a family had no heirs or even because they wanted to expand their lands, it was common to wage wars to obtain more territories.
Crisis of feudalism
Feudalism underwent major transformations from the 13th century onwards.
At this time, the development of commerce and cities expanded the sources of income. As power was concentrated in the hands of a single king, towns and cities gained more autonomy. The sovereign, then, granted them various immunities, such as tax and legal exemption, which diminished the importance of the manor.
As a result, money began to acquire more value than land and production relations began to to be based on free and salaried work, and there was the emergence of new social layers, such as the bourgeoisie.
Population growth was one of the factors responsible for changes in the feudal production system. As the population grew, the need to expand the planting area and develop new agricultural techniques increased.
To increase the cultivated land, feudal lords began to encircle the communal lands, that is, the areas that were used by all serfs. Some of them leased the land, while others began to sell their freedom to serfs or to expel them from the manor, putting in their place salaried workers.
This ended up generating revolt among the peasants who responded violently. Another factor in the rural exodus was the growth of cities, which became more attractive to many serfs.
The process of changing the feudal system by capitalist system it was slow and gradual, and it came along with the commercial renaissance, monarchical centralization, and the rise of the bourgeoisie.
We have more texts on the subject for you:
- Middle Ages
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- Transition from Feudalism to Capitalism
- Renaissance: Characteristics and Historical Context
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