Feudalism

, also known as the system, is the combination of the legal, economic, military, and cultural customs that exist in much of. Broadly defined, it is a way of structuring society around relationships that derived from the holding of land in exchange for service or labor.

The feudal system is a political, social, and military system whereby all land is owned by the, who grants some or most of it as s (or foeffs) to s. Fiefholders who hold directly from the sovereign are called. They in turn grant fiefs to lesser vassals, and so on for several layers. In exchange for the fief and its revenues, the fiefholder provides military service to the person who granted it (his ). The process of territorial division is called. Each fief-grant is an individual contract between landholder and liege, involving service roughly proportional to the value of the fief. A knight’s is the amount of land considered sufficient to support one knight. In most cases, a knight’s fee is equivalent to a. The knight must report for duty with his liege, at his own expense, for a fixed period each year, usually 2–3 months.

Overview
Feudalism is a system whereby all land is owned by the (or head of state) who will grant s (or foeffs) in exchange for military service. In this way, the king, while surrendering the revenues and other benefits from extensive territories, provides for the defense of the, and for local and regional government. The rights, privileges, titles and obligations pertaining to fiefs are. The great magnates of the kingdom are called “” because they hold their lands directly from the king; their fiefs are styled and s. Landholders will themselves grant fiefs to lesser persons; this process of breaking a fief into smaller fiefs is called “”.

When a accepts a fief, he owes  to, and becomes a  of the person  who bestowed it. Each grant of land is an individual contract between leige and vassal, involving service that is roughly proportional to the value of the land granted. Land is valued on the basis of how much revenue it can produce for the vassal in one year. On this is normally 4 per, perhaps less if the land is deemed “poor”. Land worth 1000-1500d annually must provide one fully equipped, or (cash) of 20%. A “knight’s fee”, with revenues of 4800-7200d yearly, must provide a mounted knight or scutage of 20%. If personal service is given, as opposed to scutage, it is due for 30-60 days each year. Service will either be in the of the leige, attendance at his court to give counsel, or whatsoever he deems fit and honourable. If a fief has to be defended against external attack, military service above and beyond normal service is required.

In addition to service, a liege has certain other claims he can make on a vassal. He can demand up to 20% of annual revenue (10% is common) as a contribution to the of his eldest daughter or to offset expenses when his eldest son is knighted or for payment of  should he ever be taken prisoner by an enemy. He can, and usually will, levy death duties (s) of up to 25% on the of a deceased vassal. In keeping with his duty to defend and administer justice in his domain, he may summon vassals to his court to account for their actions, and if appropriate, punish them with fines, take back the fief held, banish, or even pass sentence of death on an offending vassal. The s of tenants in-chief are often of political importance and of vital concern to the king. Similarly, tenants-in-chief are very interested in the s of their own vassals. Thus a leige also has the right to forbid and/or arrange the marriages of his vassals. Finally, a fiefholder has the right to expect the loyalty and support of his vassals.

At the bottom of the feudal pyramid are the s who work the land. In return for protection, justice, and security of life and land, they owe service in the form of agricultural and other labour, including (in time of pressing need since they are not reliable troops) duty in the. They are bound to the land and may not leave it without permission. They too are subject to payment of the special taxes mentioned above; a herot of the best animal is common and serfs whose daughters wish to marry outside the village might have to pay a similar tax.

Etymology
Although it is derived from the word feodum or feudum (fief), which was used in ancient times, the term feudalism and the system which it describes were not conceived of as a formal  by the people who lived prior to the. The classic definition describes a set of reciprocal legal and military obligations which exists among the warrior and revolve around the three key concepts of s, s, and s.

A broader definition of feudalism, includes not only the obligations of the warrior nobility but the obligations of all three : the nobility, the, and the ry, all of whom were bound by a system of ; this is sometimes referred to as a “feudal society”.

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