The Feudal System: Feudalism And The Ideal System

Medieval societies are most commonly known for their knights, tales of chivalry, and damsels in distress; however, a huge segment is missing: the system that even allowed people to become knights, and that kept a kingdom well balanced. The feudal system allowed for people in any position on the social ladder to provide for not only themselves, but for others above and below them. The manor permitted for this system to perform properly because it gave everyone an opportunity to have a stable job, and it also provided any feudal society with a steady or even prosperous economy. To help the manor function accordingly, a steward was often employed to keep a manor in check, to be a record keeper, and to help organize the crucial records he took.

Feudalism is a political system that allowed each social class to fulfill its needs and also contribute to the surrounding society. A feudal society created an environment where people were bound to each other by promises of loyalty, goods, and/or services (Frey). Each class owed something to the other, both above and below. The four main classes of feudalism were the king, nobles, vassals/knights, and peasants (Nardo). Lords have to proclaim loyalty to the king, called the Ceremony of Homage. They take an oath of fealty (loyalty), and in return, the king gives him a fief (land grant) (Nardo). When lords take the oath of fealty, they are promising to give the king soldiers/knights in times

A manor relied on all social classes, including the king and peasants, to survive and keep a steady stream of production. The king was the main holder of all land. He gave the land to the lords so they could support manors. In return, lords pledged loyalty and military service (Nardo). Lords gave the king loyalty, and to vassals/knights, he gave them part of his land in return for military service to the lord (Nardo). Vassals also protected the lord’s land and the peasants and other workers on the manor. The manor was the main source of the economy; most of the products came from the manor (Jovinelly and Netelkos 12). Manors were self-sustains large estates. Manors were huge; often consisting of multiple villages (Hazen). They were made up of peasants’ homes, a church, ovens, a mill, a forge, and sometimes, the lord’s house (Cels 4). Kitchens were outside of manors to prevent fires (Cels 7). The mills were responsible for the production of flour. The flour was then used to make the dough for bread, which was baked in the ovens/kitchen. The manor also produced wines and beers, and crops such as a barley, beans, peas, oats, and pigs, livestock, and chickens (Hazen). Almost no products came from outside the manor, so it was imperative that the manor functioned well. All social classes could benefit from the manor; without it, the economy would have