The Feudal System: Relationships That Built Society 

The feudal system played an important role in the dynamic structure of societies in the Middle Ages. From kings to lords, to serfs, all were critical in the organization of medieval government. 

The Feudal Society in Medieval Europe (3)

What is the Feudal System?

Feudalism was the medieval model of government. Between the 9th and 14th centuries, it was a mixture of legal, economic, military, cultural, and political customs that flourished in medieval Europe. These customs formed a military hierarchy that structured society around relationships (4). These relationships were based on the trading of goods and military service for land. As seen in the image above, the serfs were at the bottom of the hierarchy. They provide food and services to the lords that are above them. The lords provided protection and military service to the nobles above them. The nobles provided money, soldiers, and loyalty to the king. In return, the king granted land to the nobles and lords that were below him. Then, the nobles and lords granted protection and land to the serfs who worked for them (1). All who were a part of this system both gave something and got something in return. This made for a mostly fair system that was beneficial to all that were in it. In addition, these arrangments were between individuals, not nations or countries (6). Meaning if you were a lord,  you could have loyalty to multiple different kings in different countries at the same time. 

Vassalage

Before a lord can grant land to someone he had to make that person a vassal. To do so, a formal and symbolic ceremony called the commendation ceremony was held. This ceremony acted as an act of homage and an oath of fealty (4). This meant that both the lord and whomever he was granting land to, pledged their allegiance to each other. Once the ceremony was complete, the lord and the vassal were in a feudal relationship with agreed obligations (4). These relationships were seen as sacred and were not to be broken. The vassals did many things for the lord that they served. They aided with or provided military service, attended their court, and could even provide counsel for major decisions (4). 

David Bruce, King of Scotland, acknowledges Edward III of England as his feudal lord (1346) (2).

Consequences and Effects on Society

Due to the interconnected relationships, there were many consequences and effects feudalism had on medieval society. This type of system discouraged unified government (6). All of the arrangements were between individuals, so there were no national or country-wide ties. This, in turn, created very localized groups of communities that owed loyalty to a specific local lord (1). Those who were vassals worked with and interacted with only each other. This was due to them all working on the same land and having loyalty to the same lord. These servants, or serfs, worked on the land given to them by the lord they served. However, they did not have many rights or freedoms. For example, they were not allowed to move or change occupations without having permission from their lord. In addition, the lord had a monopoly over them and claimed about 1/3 to 1/2 of their produce for taxes (6). The serfs often felt overworked and underappreciated by the lords that they worked for. Over time, a permanent class divide was established between those who owned land and those who rented it (1). Those who owned land saw themselves as "above" the people who did not, which led to tension between the relationships. Eventually, this attitude discouraged trade and economic growth (6). This was the start of the decline of feudalism. 

The Decline of Feudalism

There were many downsides to the feudal system which led to the eventual decline of feudalism. The whole system was based on relationships and loyalty (1). Individuals had to rely on each other to keep their loyalty and reciprocate benefits. However, loyalties became confusing and sometimes even conflicting (1). For example, if a serf had loyalty to two different lords and those two lords were at war with each other, who does the serf give their favor to? Another reason for the decline of feudalism during the Middle Ages was the sudden decline of population (1). This is mainly due to the bubonic plague that swept through all of Europe. Things like the plague and war caused a chronic shortage of people able to do labor. This also led to the growth of large towns and cities as people moved away from the countryside to find better success. So, the hierarchy that was feudalism, which was fueled by relationships between many people, slowly crumbled. 

This video provides a brief overview of what feudalism was and how it was used to govern society during the Middle Ages. 

1. Cartwright, Mark. "Feudalism." World History Encyclopedia, 22 Nov. 2018, www.worldhistory.org/Feudalism/.

2. Froissart, Jean. David Bruce, King of Scotland, acknowledges Edward III of England as his feudal lord (1346). Wikipedia, https:en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commendation_ceremony. Accessed 14 Sept. 2023. 

3. Netchev, Simeon. The Feudal System in Medieval Europe, 16 Mar. 2022, www.worldhistory.org/image/15424/the-feudal-society-in-medieval-europe/.

4. Wikipedia Contributors. "Feudalism." Wikipedia, Wikipedia Foundation, 30 Jan. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feudalism. 

5. "What Was Feudalism?" Www.youtube.com, www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfXholnOS9E. 

6. Wheeler, Kip. "Feudalism." Cn.edu, 2018, web.cn.edu/kwheeler/feudalism.html