Why was the feudal system successful?

Category: religion and spirituality buddhism
4.9/5 (258 Views . 25 Votes)
Feudal system is the most dominant system in Europe during the medieval times, in which nobility exchange lands for military service and labor from the peasants and serfs. It was an effective system used to build the structure of society around relationships, giving land in exchange for service or labor.



Beside this, what were the advantages of the feudal system?

One of the advantages of feudalism is that it gave protection to the common men in the society. In those days, soldiers went from place to place invading territories. By coming under the protection of the nobles therefore, the vassals were saved from the clutches of such marauding foreign invaders.

Similarly, why was the feudal system created? When William the Conqueror became King of England in 1066 he introduced a new kind of feudal system into Britain. William confiscated the land in England from the Saxon lords and allocated it to members of his own family and the Norman lords who had helped him conquer the country.

Furthermore, why was feudalism successful in the Middle Ages?

During the years of the Roman Empire, the poor people were protected by the soldiers of the emperor. When the empire fell, there were no laws protecting them, so they turned to the lords to keep the peace and to act on their behalf. This willingness to be ruled by the lords led to the beginnings of feudalism.

What impact did the feudal system have on society?

Feudalism had two enormous effects on medieval society. (1) First, feudalism discouraged unified government. Individual lords would divide their lands into smaller and smaller sections to give to lesser rulers and knights.

22 Related Question Answers Found

What were the effects of the feudal system?

Some of the effects of Feudalism were that the Nobles became responsible for the protection of their vassals and serfs. The manor became an agricultural estate operated by the lord and worked by the peasants who sustained the land and drove the economy.

What were the main features of feudalism?

Its four main features were:
  • The king was at the topmost level of the feudal system.
  • The serfs or the peasants occupied the lowest strata in the feudal system.
  • The Castle was the chief characteristic of feudalism.
  • The king gave lands to barons and the latter provided troops to the King.

What was bad about feudalism?

Feudalism was bad for the lords because the money was spread between the manors, making large projects harder to afford, they had to care for the serfs and ensure safety, which wasn't always possible. Also, constant arguments between manors forced lords to buy protection to ensure the safety of the manor.

Who benefited from the feudal system?

The lord, in return, would provide the king with soldiers or taxes. Under the feudal system land was granted to people for service. It started at the top with the king granting his land to a baron for soldiers all the way down to a peasant getting land to grow crops. The center of life in the Middle Ages was the manor.

What is the purpose of the feudal system?


feudal system. In a feudal system, a peasant or worker known as a vassal received a piece of land in return for serving a lord or king, especially during times of war. Vassals were expected to perform various duties in exchange for their own fiefs, or areas of land.

Why did the feudal system fail?

The decline of feudalism came when rich nobles were allowed to pay for soldiers rather than to fight themselves. The threat of the Mercenaries led on to the employment of professional, trained soldiers - the Standing Armies and ultimately the end of Medieval Feudalism in England.

Who benefited the most from feudalism?

This is very complex question it is very easy to say that people from the top (Monarch, Nobles, Knights and vassals) benefitted most but feudalism also gave more rights to people on the bottom. In feudalism it was not anymore possible legally to do anything at all to serf and peasants who were bottom of the system.

Who started feudalism?

Feudalism is the name given to the system of government William I introduced to England after he defeated Harold at the Battle of Hastings. Feudalism became a way of life in Medieval England and remained so for many centuries. William I is better known as William the Conqueror.

What were the 3 social classes of the feudal system?

A feudal society has three distinct social classes: a king, a noble class (which could include nobles, priests, and princes) and a peasant class. Historically, the king owned all the available land, and he portioned out that land to his nobles for their use. The nobles, in turn, rented out their land to peasants.

What is a synonym for feudalism?


Synonyms. social structure social system social organisation structure feudal system social organization.

What are the 4 levels of feudalism?

The feudal system was just like an ecosystem - without one level, the entire system would fall apart. The hierarchies were formed up of 4 main parts: Monarchs, Lords/Ladies (Nobles), Knights, and Peasants/Serfs. Each of the levels depended on each other on their everyday lives.

What happened after the feudal system?

Under feudalism the King was answerable to the Pope. At the end of the Middle Ages King Henry VIII clashed with the Pope and England subsequently broke with the Catholic church of Rome and the power of the Pope. It was the final 'nail in the coffin' of the Medieval Feudal System, feudalism, in England.

What was the age of feudalism?

Feudalism was a combination of legal, economic and military customs in medieval Europe that flourished between the 9th and 15th centuries. Broadly defined, it was a way of structuring society around relationships derived from the holding of land in exchange for service or labour.

What exactly is feudalism?

Feudalism is a system of land ownership and duties. It was used in the Middle Ages. With feudalism, all the land in a kingdom was the king's. However, the king would give some of the land to the lords or nobles who fought for him, called vassals. These gifts of land were called fiefs.

What year did feudalism start?


Feudal Europe: 10th - 15th century
Although feudalism develops as early as the 8th century, under the Carolingian dynasty, it does not prevail widely in Europe until the 10th century - by which time virtually the entire continent is Christian.

What three characteristics describe feudalism?

Feudalism: Top 9 Features of Feudalism – Explained!
  • Castle: The Castle was the chief characteristic of feudalism.
  • Manor: ADVERTISEMENTS:
  • Demense: Another feature of feudalism was 'Demense'.
  • The Feudal Society: The division of a feudal society followed a pyramidal pattern.
  • The Knight:
  • The Rights and Duties of Feudal Lords:
  • Duty of Vassals:
  • Ceremony of Homage:

When did Feudalism begin and end?

- Feudalism developed as early as the 8th century. - Feudalism ended near the 12th century, along it prevailing England.