Manorialism: Power and prestige of the noble class based on land (the fief), which supported
the lord, his family, and his soldiers. Landed estate organized as manors; each a self-supporting
economic unit; the lord provided the land and protection; serfs provided the labor.
A Typical Medieval Manor.
Serfs (=landless peasants) bound to the soil; could not be bought or sold individually; they
passed new owners when land changed hands. Medieval farming methods primitive; yield was
low. Three-field system was used, with one field planted in the autumn, one in the spring, and
one fallow. Cultivated fields were farmed in strips, largely because of the turning radius of the
heavy plow. Serf's life was difficult and usually short; a serf usually lived out his entire life
without leaving the manor upon which he was born. He owed his lord labor on the lord's land;
he paid the lord in kind to have his wheat ground, his bread baked, and his grapes pressed; he
owed his lord labor on roads and buildings; he could not leave the manor without his lord’s
permission; and his marriage might be arranged by his lord. In return, the serf had the right to
live on the manor and to farm his strips of land. A certain degree of security and order governed
the serf's existence.