Feudalism

Feudal society was divided into rigid classes, each with specific duties and privileges. The structure was hierarchical, with the king at the top, followed by nobles, knights, and peasants.

• King: The highest authority, owning all land and granting fiefs to nobles in exchange for loyalty and service.
• Nobles: Vassals to the king, controlling land and providing military service in return for protection and privileges.
• Knights: Warriors who pledged to defend their lords’ territories in exchange for land or a place in the noble household.
• Peasants: The majority of the population, working the land and providing goods and services in return for protection.

Land ownership was central to feudalism, with lords granting land to vassals in exchange for military and political loyalty. This system created a network of allegiances that structured medieval society.

• Fiefs: Land granted by a lord to a vassal in exchange for service and loyalty.
• Manorial System: Economic structure of feudal society, with manors as self-sufficient units controlled by lords.
• Serfs: Peasants bound to the land, who provided labor and a share of their produce to the lord.