Feudalism and Factors Affecting Social and Economic Relations in England

What is feudalism?

In England, feudalism was defined as a social structure based on relationships derived from land ownership and leasing (fief). Between the 9th and 15th centuries A.D., feudalism flourished in Europe.Feudal structures can be found in England, France, Germany, Italy, Rome, and Portugal.Land was one of the primary sources of wealth in the early mediaeval period. As a result, the power structure grew around land ownership and the items associated with its upkeep. In feudal society, the ruler of the land offered mounted fighters and nobles a unit of their land to control in exchange for military service.The vassal was the person to whom the land was granted. The monarchy of England appointed numerous vassals who served as administrators throughout the kingdom.These land deals included forty days of military service during peacetime and indefinite service during wartime. However, each land deal was unique and was based on a variety of factors such as the quality of the land, the number of fighters, the skill of the fighters, local customs, financial status, and other factors.

Why was the feudal system created and how did it impact society?

Europeans invented feudalism to help provide economic and social stability, as well as safety and property protection (especially land). Fiefdom became hereditary in the late mediaeval period, and sons and vassals inherited the lands and military duties from their father.

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Effects of feudalism on the society

Feudalism had a wide-ranging impact on mediaeval society and the economy. We’ll go over a few of them here.

Feudalism discouraged unified government

One of the most significant consequences of feudalism was that it discouraged the formation of any unified government. This is due to the fact that individual lords would subdivide their lands into smaller and smaller sections for lesser nobles and knights to occupy. Again, these lesser noblemen would subdivide their lands into even smaller fiefs for lower nobles and knights to live in. The problem with this system was that each landlord swore allegiance and loyalty to the person who gave him the land rather than the king, higher noblemen, or even the kingdom.The feudal government and administration were always based on individual agreements rather than nation-states and citizens. Even if all of these noblemen, barons, dukes, and earls were loyal to the king, there was no strong mechanism in place to prevent them from declaring war on each other and even the royal family. Because there was no sense of allegiance to a nation, only to an individual, knights frequently found themselves owing allegiance to various dukes and barons who fought amongst themselves. This loyalty and service between two people used to end when one of them died.

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No trade and economic growth

Feudalism was a significant impediment to the growth of trade and the economy. Serfs who worked in the fields were also known as peasants. They were tethered to a specific plot of land and were not permitted to move or change occupations without the permission of the land’s lord. Previously, landlords claimed one-third to one-half of the produce for taxes and fees. Furthermore, in exchange for the right to work their lands, the peasants or serfs owed the lord a set number of days each year in which they laboured in their lord’s field. People were also required to work at the lord’s house and on his land in exchange for the right to use the roads and bridges he had built for them, in addition to paying a toll each time they used them. The landlords had a legal monopoly on building roads and bridges, and they would charge exorbitant taxes for them. In many cases, villagers would set up their cooperative government and try their court and cases in exchange for hefty fees, and in some cases, they would even buy the freedom to buy and sell land. However, in the majority of cases, people were never given the right to sell their lands. Most feudal governments were unable to fund larger development projects such as the construction of aqueducts, sewers, ship fleets, proper roads, and transportation systems that would benefit society and aid in its growth.

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Misuse of power

In many cases, lords or vassals prioritized their own interests over the benefit of their domain. Because they had complete control over their area, they made harsh demands on the common people. Due to the lack of central government laws and enforcement, landlords relied on force and violence to complete their tasks and collect taxes.

Inequality

Feudalism discouraged equality in society and stopped people from moving up in society. A person born peasant was supposed to remain a peasant for the rest of his life and a lord or baron would enjoy being lord for the rest of his life.

Conclusion

Feudalism, in its various forms, typically arose as a result of an empire’s decentralization, particularly in the Carolingian empires, which lacked the bureaucratic infrastructure needed to support cavalry and the ability to allocate land to these mounted troops. Mounted soldiers established hereditary rule over their assigned territory, and their control expanded to include the social, political, judicial, and economic spheres.