What was Feudalism?

Summary

The video discusses the concept of feudalism, which emerged during the high Middle Ages (1000-1300 AD) to describe the hierarchical structure of land ownership and loyalty. In this system, land was granted by kings to lords in exchange for military support, creating a pyramid of relationships. However, historians now view this model as overly simplistic, noting horizontal ties and diverse services among vassals. The decline of feudalism began in the late Middle Ages due to kings' reliance on professional soldiers, the aftermath of the Black Death, and the rise of towns, culminating in the eventual abolition of feudal practices in Europe.

Takeaways

• 😀 Feudalism describes the societal structure during the high Middle Ages, approximately 1000 to 1300 A.D.
• 😀 The feudal system was based on land exchange for military and political support, with the king at the top of the hierarchy.
• 😀 Land was divided among various lords, each with vassals who owed allegiance to their overlords.
• 😀 The term 'fief' refers to the land granted to a vassal in exchange for services.
• 😀 Historians now view traditional feudal models as overly simplistic, as many relationships were horizontal among equals.
• 😀 The decline of feudalism in Europe was influenced by the rise of professional soldiers, reducing kings' reliance on lords for military support.
• 😀 The Black Death in 1348 decreased the population, giving surviving peasants increased bargaining power and autonomy.
• 😀 The growth of towns, which operated outside the feudal system, diminished the nobility's power and contributed to the rise of urban classes.
• 😀 Feudalism gradually declined from the 14th century onwards in England, with formal abolition not occurring until 1660.
• 😀 Other countries, such as France and Russia, abolished feudalism much later, with remnants in the British Isles persisting until 2000.

Q & A

What is feudalism and when was it first described?

Feudalism is a term used to describe the social structure during the High Middle Ages, specifically between 1000 and 1300 A.D. It was first popularized in the 19th century.

How was land distributed under the feudal system?

Under the feudal system, most land was owned by the king and some by the church. The king distributed large estates to great lords (tenants in chief) in exchange for military and political support.

What role did vassals play in the feudal system?

Vassals were those who received land from a lord. They were obligated to provide military and political support to their overlords in exchange for the land.

What was the significance of the term 'thief' in the context of feudalism?

In the feudal system, the land granted to a vassal was called a 'thief,' reflecting the complex relationships of landholding and obligations between lords and vassals.

How did the Norman Conquest affect feudal relationships?

After the Norman Conquest, it became common for lords to hold lands in both England and France, leading to overlapping allegiances where even the king of England was a vassal to the king of France for certain territories.

Why do historians consider the traditional feudal model simplistic?

Historians view the traditional feudal model as simplistic because it suggests all loyalties were vertical and hierarchical, ignoring the horizontal relationships and alliances among equals that also existed.

What factors contributed to the decline of feudalism in Europe?

The decline of feudalism was influenced by several factors, including kings relying less on great lords for military support, the effects of the Black Death which increased peasant bargaining power, and the growing economic importance of towns.

When was feudalism formally abolished in England?

Feudalism was formally abolished in England with the Tenures Abolition Act of 1660.

What was the timeline for the abolition of feudalism in other European countries?

France abolished feudalism after the 1789 Revolution, while Russian peasants were not freed until 1861.

When were the last traces of feudalism abolished in the British Isles?

The last remnants of feudalism in the British Isles were abolished by the Scottish Parliament in June 2000 with the Abolition of Feudal Tenure Act, which took effect in November 2004.