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 16th and 17th 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 17th 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.
This is really interesting Anna! It seems like feudalism was not fair. It would be really unfair to do work just because a ruler did something for you. That definatley is sad that people didn't have a heart or care about others.
ReplyDeleteGreat post! Feudalism isn't really fair now that I think of it. I also had no idea what a fief was or what it is for.
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