![]() First and most importantly, he had to provide "aid", or military service. The vassal, in turn, had two obligations to the lord. Another obligation that the lord had to fulfill was to protect the land and the vassal from harm. ![]() Since the lord had not given the land away, only loaned it, it was still the lord's responsibility to maintain the land, while the vassal had the right to collect revenues generated from it. One of those obligations was its maintenance. In addition, the lord sometimes had to fulfill other obligations to the vassal and fief. The lord foremost was obligated to grant a fief or its revenues to the vassal the fief is the primary reason the vassal chose to enter into the relationship. Once the commendation was complete, the lord and vassal were now in a feudal relationship with agreed-upon mutual obligations to one another. Oath of fealty comes from the Latin fidelitas, or faithfulness, which means that the vassal will remain faithful to the lord. In homage, the vassal would promise to fight for the lord at his command. This was done at a formal and symbolic ceremony called a commendation ceremony comprised of the two-part act of homage and oath of fealty. The obligations and relations between lord, vassal and fief form the basis of feudalism.īefore a lord could grant land, or fief, to someone, he had to make that person a vassal. In exchange for the fief, the vassal would provide military service to the lord. Feudalism is defined by how these three elements fit together.Ī lord was a noble who owned land. Three elements existed and characterize the period: lords, vassals and fiefs. What is feudalism? see also Feudal society and Feudalism (examples) ![]() Because feudalism is a modern concept, to understand what feudalism is, it is helpful to understand the history of the term since its invention, the key definitions of feudalism used by various historians, and recent modern interpretations and revolts.īecause feudalism was practiced very differently across time and place, one of the best ways to understand Feudalism is to look at specific examples described in Feudalism (examples). Even though the word components are from the Middle Ages, the concept of feudalism was not invented until the 17th century, in the modern era. ![]() The word "feudalism" was invented in the 17th century, based on the Late Latin feudum, which was borrowed from Germanic *fehu, a commonly used term in the Middle Ages which meant fief or land held under certain obligations by feodati. No matter what, all scholars agree the term only applies to Medieval European history and its usage outside that context, as a pejorative description of "backwardness", is inappropriate. Still others since the 1970s have re-examined the evidence and concluded Feudalism is an unworkable term and should be removed entirely from scholarly and educational discussion (see Revolt against the term feudalism), or at least only used with severe qualification and warning. Since at least the 1960s historians have often included a broader social aspect, adding the peasantry bonds of Manorialism, referred to as a " Feudal society". However other definitions of feudalism exist. It refers to a general set of reciprocal legal and military obligations among the warrior nobility of Europe during the Middle Ages, revolving around the three key concepts of lords, vassals and fiefs. The definition described in this article is the most senior and classic definition and still subscribed to by many. In order to begin to understand feudalism, a working definition is desirable. Defining feudalism is difficult because there is no generally accepted agreement on what it means.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |