Feudalism and the Manorial System
Feudalism
• The social and political structure of the
Middle Ages characterized by the
ownership of the land.
• Feudalism refers to a set of distinct
social and political institutions, defined
by free contract, that established the
relationship between two freemen of
differing social station, a lord and a
vassal of lower rank
Structure
• The lord owned the land
• He granted land (a fief), but not the
ownership, to a lesser noble (a vassal)
• The vassal, in turn, could grant some
of his holdings to another lesser noble
(a knight)
• On the bottom of the scale were the
serfs who worked the land for a share
of the crop
Feudal Obligations
• Premogeniture – the system of
inheritance of a fief from father to son
• The vassal is always obligated to the
lord
Military Service
• The vassal owed his lord loyalty or, in
its feudal term, fealty – he had to
render aid and counsel, or material and
moral help to his lord
• Perform military service, and bring a
number of men and equipment
Payment to the lord
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Ransoming of the lord
Knighting of the lord’s eldest son
Marriage of the lord’s eldest daughter
Lords’ own departure on crusades
Lord’s obligations to vassal
• Protection and maintenance
• Military and material support
• Usual form of payment was in land
Feudal Justice
• Trial by battle
• Compurgation, or oath taking,
• Trial by ordeal
Manorial system
• System comes from the large farming
estates that included the manor house,
cultivated lands, woodlands, fields, and
villages
• Ridged class structure (nobles and
serfs)
• Manors were self-sufficient
Three field method
• Rotated crops between three fields
• One was always left fallow
By the Lord before whom this sanctuary is holy,
I will to N. be true and faithful, and love all
which he loves and shun all which he shuns,
according to the laws of God and the order of
the world.
Nor will I ever with will or action, through word
or deed, do anything which is unpleasing to him,
on condition that he will hold to me as I shall
deserve it, and that he will perform everything
as it was in our agreement when I submitted
myself to him and chose his will.