Impact of Feudalism

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Impact of Feudalism

Feudalism played a major role in the reorganization of medieval Europe. Feudalism was a political system that was based on the contracts between lords and vassals, for land and protection. Feudalism effected political, social, religious, and economical aspects of the "Middle Ages".

Feudalism is defined as a type of government in which political power was treated as a private possession and was divided among a large number of nobles. King Charlemagne was the first major supporter of this form of government. After the fall of Charlemagne Empire, the grandsons of Charlemagne feuded over land. The empire was divided into three parts causing it to become weak and eventually to fall. Feudalism was formed to be a way of protecting the people and the lands of the Monarchy.

The concept of this impromptu political system could be viewed as a survival tactic to preserve the Monarchy.

Feudalism could be loosely viewed as an empowerment technique to re-affirm the masses that the Monarchy is the best form of government. Unfortunately for the Monarchy, the people did not want to have one person control the entire country.

The king would give out grants of land to his most important noblemen. Each noble had to promise to loyally follow the king and supply him with soldiers or knights in time of war. These lands were called "fiefs". The lords then divided their land among the lesser nobles who became their servants or "vassals". Sometimes men who owned land would turn it over to a lord in exchange for protection.

The main service that the vassals owed his lord was military. Vassals had to supply them a certain number of knights for a certain number of days each year. The vassals...