Works Cited

 

Anderson, Mercedes Padrino. Feudalism and Village Life in the Middle Ages. Milwaukee: World Almanac Library, 2006. Print. Ser. 2.

 

English, Edward D. "Feudalism." Ancient and Medieval History Online. Facts on File, Inc., 2005. Web. 12 May 2011.

 

"Feudalism." World History: Ancient and Medieval Eras. ABC-CLIO, 2002. Web. 11 May 2011.

 

Singman, Jeffery L. "Village Life." Daily Life Through History. Greenwood, 2002. Web. 12 May 2011.

 

Turnpike, Sherman. Medieval World. Vol. Copts-Feudalism. Danbury, CT: Grolier Educational, 2001. Print.

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Some people may say that we still use the feudal system today, what do you think and why?

The fedility Oath

      From the 10^th century forward before people were together through passions and groups such as, knighthood, bonds of marriage or common groups like church, battle and fellowship of rivalry more complex ties needed to be made. They needed to be formal so an oath of fidelity was exchanged. During the 12^th and the 13^th century some of the kings had tried to give more loyalty to their subjects. They were bribing people to be on their side and support whatever they wanted. The kings showed their people that they were loyal by pledging the oath of fidelity to them. Their lawyers took the kings friendships’ and started to turn them into legal rules. Then those rules that the lawyers Came and wrote down were later turned into books for people to read. Then when looking back the 16^th and 17^th century lawyers stumbled upon the books. They took some of the books to historians and together they created the term of the feudal system. Now some look back and say that the fidelity oath is what feudalism is based off of.

            The fidelity oath was a complex oath that people exchanged when a favor was being exchanged or when a job was being done. The fidelity oath simply stated that if you do a job for someone they should do a job back for you. In medieval times people didn’t do anything just to be nice. They did things because they wanted something in return. Just think how sad our world would still be today if whenever someone held a door open for you, you were expected to do a favor back for them other than saying thank you or being nice. I think it is great to do something back for someone after they do something nice for you, but that favor should come from the kindness of your own heart not from written law.

Picture of The Fidelity Oath

The Meaning of Feudalism

      Feudalism is a life style, both politically and socially. It not only describes complex relationships, but also changing ones. It was the way of power exercised in the middle ages. Although feudalism was practiced long before, it was brought back by the 16^th and 17^th century lawyers and legal historians who had been investigating the origins of the most common form of noble landholding in their time.

            The word feudalism comes form many different root words. It first originated form the word of fief which when translated into Latin means feudum. That is where the root word for feudalism, feudal came from. The 17^th century people liked the relationship between them and their rulers. The relationship was based off of the fidelity oath that I explained earlier saying that if the ruler gives you protection you will farm their land for them. That was the relationship between most people in medieval times. Still I look back and it saddens me to think that not many people in medieval times had a good in their heart.

          

Picture of The meaning of feudalism

The Feudal Contract

      The relationship between rulers and their subjects is amazing. The individuals agree to give up freedom and submit to being owned. Sometimes I wonder why people would ever want to do that. Then I know that succumbing to being owned was the only way the ruler would protect them. If the ruler didn’t protect the subject then the subject rebelled. Who knew it was legal to rebel back then?

            Historians thought about the philosophy of the people back in medieval times and formed a similar system. They called their system the feudal contract. In the feudal contract things called fiefs were possible. “What in the world is a fief?” you might ask. Don’t worry when I first heard this I asked the same question too. A fief is the land the lord gives to his followers in return for when they must perform a military service for him. Do they have the same military type services as we have today?  Servants or subjects also were granted land when they did other special tasks for their lord. Some of the tasks they were forced to do was give their own money to their lord when the lord needed some extra cash. Wow that is like a kid giving their allowance back to their parents after their parents have already given them it. I don’t know about you, but I don’t think that is very nice. On top of that, the subjects and servants had to attend the lord’s court hearings for them. I don’t care how much land or money my lord gave me, I would never do that.

Picture of the Feudal Contract

The Three Orders

      The medieval society was defined by three groups of people. The highest ranked group of people was the people who prayed. They had the same rights and privileges as the lords. They had this honor not only because they came from the same families as the lords, but for many other reasons too. One reason is they had much in common with the lords.  How cool would that be, you get to be on top just because of your last name. As educated men clergy sometimes served at court. I know that most adults hate jury duty, but I look forward to it. I think it would be fun to try to piece together the mysteries of many problems that people have. To create the name as the people who prayed their was much bickering. Finally in the end, they came together as one and decided that they would be known as the people who prayed.

            The second group of people is known as the people who fought. This was the warrior class. I’m glad that I want part of the warrior class. I don’t know about you but war and armies scare me. I know their must to be some conflict in this world, but why to we have to go to bombing dispute. I would rather have written dispute. The people who fought were brave knights and warriors. They could go day and night with no sleep. Everyone in that class really knew what it means to “fight to the finish”.

            The final and least wealthy class is the people who worked. Although they worked the hardest out of all the subjects in the city they were still treated with the most disrespect. Sometimes when I see people of two different classes and the higher class person putting down the lower class person I switch them in my mind and when I do, the higher class person never survives in the lower class persons spot. The people who worked were the most numerous class. It consisted of peasants which in that day was called serfs. By kingdom, serfs owed their lord many hard hours of work. I think the people who worked should be in the highest social class.

Picture of the Three Orders

The fall of Medieval Feudalism

            From the 10^th to 13^th century Europe caught the black death bug. Their senate started weakening and the authority of it started to fall. It is always sad to me when a government can’t stand on its own. The public authority started to fall. Soon they no longer controlled the town. People got to be in charge of the town because they had most money. They also got in by private ties. They tried to take advantage of everyone in the area by forcing them to do things for people. This really disappoints me because I thought that it was getting better for people in medieval times.
    What terrible thing besides the plague may have caused this horrible event to start? Well, the downfall for feudalism arose when the artistry of the western decided that they wanted more power. Some people may think that that is just fine but I know that they should not be so greedy. Everyone if medieval times had just as much as they needed. The artistry people gave themselves a new system of moral values. Their new values were based on war and the mutual support of fighting. Who would do this, it destroys their self-esteem and mental well being. Soon after people started to take advantage f the laws. They also started to run a bad feudalism system. The local lords started abusing the law and their was nothing anyone could do.   

Picture of King abusing his power