Relationships between the Levels
Establishing Order
By the High Middle Ages (about 1000 CE), feudalism was completely developed and the Europeans benefitted from it. Feudalism established a strong social order that provided protection and safety. Under feudalism, Europeans were linked to each other with promises which helped both parties, up and down in the hierarchy. The feudal system was just like an ecosystem - without one level, the entire system would fall apart. The hierarchies were formed up of 4 main parts: Monarchs, Lords/Ladies (Nobles), Knights, and Peasants/Serfs. Each of the levels depended on each other on their everyday lives.
The Role of Monarchs
Medieval monarchs filled out the role at the top of the feudal system. The king/queen had total power over all the assets and determined how much land he would provide his lords and vassals. The monarchs were expected to help support the vassals below and provide protection/order for them. To fulfill this expectation, monarchs provided money to his lords in exchange for loyalty and service.
However, in some places during the Early Middle Ages, great lords grew very powerful and ruled their fiefs as independent states. In these cases, the monarch did not have much power over those "states" and only had the role of a symbolic ruler with less power than the lords.
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The Role of Lords and Ladies
Lords, also called the Lord of the Manor, were members of the nobility, known as the highest class in the medieval society. It was the lord's job to manage and defend his land and the people who worked it. The lord appointed officials to make sure villagers and peasants carried out their duties, such as farming his land and paying rent in the form of crops and other foods. Some lords held posts in the king's government and assisted the king in acting as the advisory. In return of the land the lords got from their king, they were given certain responsibilities and roles in order for the feudal system to work out:
Theoretically, only men were part of the feudal relationship between lord and vassals. However, ladies had a strong role in the feudal relationship as well. However, it wasn't uncommon for noblewomen to hold fiefs and inherit land. Except for fighting, ladies basically had the duties that the lords had.
- They had to serve the royal council.
- They had to provide the King with knights to defeat any kind of war.
- They had to provide food and other necessities to the king.
- They had to pay taxes and fees to the king if he needed them.
Theoretically, only men were part of the feudal relationship between lord and vassals. However, ladies had a strong role in the feudal relationship as well. However, it wasn't uncommon for noblewomen to hold fiefs and inherit land. Except for fighting, ladies basically had the duties that the lords had.
The Role of Knights/Vassals
Knights were usually vassals of more powerful lords. A vassal was the second-in-command to their feudal lord. They had to live their life following a stringent code of behavior called a chivalry. This idea of chivalry showed what actions the knights were expected to follow, especially to the benefits of the lord. Some of these promises included being loyal to the Church and lord, be just and right, and to protect the helpless. Chivalry also included showing helpful and kind acts to women.
The relationship of lord and vassal was very important in the middle ages. As mentioned above, vassals were granted land from their lords to look over and control. If the vassals and knights failed to follow the duties and/or did not stick to their chivalry, they were automatically stripped of their position and their land.
The relationship of lord and vassal was very important in the middle ages. As mentioned above, vassals were granted land from their lords to look over and control. If the vassals and knights failed to follow the duties and/or did not stick to their chivalry, they were automatically stripped of their position and their land.
The Role of Peasants
Since most people in the Middle Ages were peasants, peasants formed the majority of the feudal system. Though they didn't have a relationship like vassals and lords, they were necessary in the entire feudal structure by helping work out the land. Their labor freed lords and knights to spend their time preparing of war or fighting. They also were not allowed to marry without the permission of their lords. There were two kinds of peasants: free and unfree. Free peasants rented land to farm and owed only their rent to the lord. Unfree peasants, also called serfs, farmed the lords' fields and weren't allowed to leave the lords' manor. However, in return for their labor, they received their own small land to farm and place to live.
Along with the labor the peasants had to perform, peasants and serfs also could owe the lord countless taxes. There was a yearly payment called "head money" with a certain amount per person. The lord could require a tax, called a tallage, whenever he needed money. |
by Jenny L.