Feudalism and Manorialism
In the medieval times they had something called feudalism and manorialism
. "Feudalism was a political and legal structure regulating the relations among the various levels o
f the nobility" (4). To a large extent feudalism and it's counterpart manorialism promoted security
and stability in medieval Europe. It helped many poor people that couldn't help themselves with out
it.
When Charlamane died his son Louis took over. He didn't have a lot of power and there was no bo
dy of law. This made the empire break apart and cause a civil war in 843. After the war the counts g
ot together and signed a treaty know as the Treaty of Verdun. This divided the empire up into states
and then this caused the battle of the classes, which was the start of feudalism (1). They now had
to make feudal states. "In general, one can say that a feudal state is one in which all the members
of the ruling class form a feudal hierarchy with a chief lord or suzerian at it's peak" (2 p4). All
they needed to make these states was a king.
Feudalism had many characteristics. One of them was a
decentralized political system. This meant that the king really had no power. The people who had the
most power where the lords. These people where and made the warrior class. They had the power over
the civil and military. The courts, judges, prisons and contracts where all in the hands of the lord
s. The executions where also done by them. Everything started to become private. The political power
was now based on heredity. (1)
The basic unit of these feudal arrangements was the fief (3). The f
ief was a piece of land that was owned by the lords. They would grant serfs these fiefs and have the
m work on them. In return the vassalage agreement came about. This was a way of paying back the lord
s for the land. They would have to give the lord a percentage of the food in which they produced. Th
is was a kind of rent that they had to pay. They would get a place to live and protection from the e
nemies in return also. This helped the serfs because they where usually poor and had little to prote
ct themselves. Technically, ownership of the land remained with the lord but the vassal received "us
e of the fruits", or usufruct, in exchange for fealty to the lord (3). This meant that they had to b
e loyal to the lord.
In feudalism during their fights they had one great protection, the castle. Th
e castles had huge walls that the enemies had to climb. If they succeeded to climb over the first wa
ll they had to run all the way around to the back of the castle to get in. While they where trying t
o get in the people would be on top of the walls picking off any enemies that they saw with arrows.
This helped with not letting most of the attackers into the castle. The castle also provided protect
ion for the serfs. When they were under attack all the serfs would run to the castle. If they didn't
get in before the door was closed they were to late and would be killed. The serfs received this pr
otection from what was said before about the vassalage agreement (1). This made the castles rarely t
o become taken over from another group of people and it caused stability. It was really their only f
orm of protection form the outsiders. It did its job though.
"Manorialism was the economic, social
and administrative system that prevailed in Europe in the Middle Ages" (4). Manorialism was essentia
lly a system where the manor, was owned by the lord and was given out to individual peasants who far
med it (4). The land had some good land and not so good land. It was divided up evenly so that the p
eople all had some good and some bad. During these times farming was crude and difficult (1). For th
e use of the land the peasants had to pay fees. They would have to give a share of the food that was
produced and also give some services (4). Manorialism and feudalism where different. Manoralism reg
ulated the inherited relations between peasants and their lords' (4). In manorialism they had a Stew
ard which was like the general manger. They had to make sure that the peasants would pay their fees.
So they had people go out and do it for them. These people where called the bailiff (1).
In manori
alism some of the people had their own land which where called allods. During the manorialism times
Europe got into a very horrible period of continuos war times. These people who had no protection st
arted to get nervous. Most of them gave up their land to the lords. In return for this land grants t
he lords would give them the military protection that they needed for survival. The land was usually
still in the use of the old owner but now he had to pay his fees just like all the other peasants.
This was a process called commendation. If the lord happen to change then the land fees will have to
change also. If the persons wanted to move to another land they were allowed. They had to ask the p
ermission of the lord, although. The bishops and abbots where usually the ones who were the lords ov
er these people. This was because they were most likely to got to war and they where a lot smarter t
han others (3).
"The manorial system began to decline when trade and industry revived". When this
started to fall it brought back the money system. Now the people started to pay for rent in money ra
ther than the way of food for their services that the lord had given them. It first fell in Western
Europe and lasted to about the 1800's in most of the other parts in Europe (5).
Manorialism and feu
dalism where almost the same kind of ideas. The both had the idea of the land grants that were given
by the lords. They both received the protection that they needed for the use of the land and for th
e certain fees that were applied. The castles where the form of protection from the enemy. From all
of this they really had the security and the stability to stay into the middle ages for a long perio
d of time. Medieval times were a very rough period of living but they some how managed to keep their
manors well maintained for the most part.
Work Cited Page 1.Class notes 2. Painter, Sidney. The
Rise of the Feudal Monarchies. Cornell University, 1951. 3.The End of Europe's Middle Ages / Applied
History Research Group / University of Cakgary Copyright © 1997, The Applied History Research Group
&http://www.ucalgary.ca/applied_history/tutor/endmiddle/FRAMES/feudframe.html< 4. The Utah Museum o
f Fine Arts. Introduction to the Middle Ages, Part 1
&http://www.utah.edu/umfa/intro.
html#man< 5. Lyon, Bryce. "Manorialism." Discovery Channel School, original content provided by Worl
d Book Online. &http://www.discoveryschool.com/homeworkhelp/ worldbook/atozhistory/m/342620.html<
f
eudalism manorialism medieval times they something called feudalism manorialism feudalism political
legal structure regulating relations among various levels nobility large extent counterpart manorial
ism promoted security stability medieval europe helped many poor people that couldn help themselves
with when charlamane died louis took over didn have power there body this made empire break apart ca
use civil after counts together signed treaty know treaty verdun this divided empire into states the
n this caused battle classes which start they make feudal states general that feudal state which mem
bers ruling class form feudal hierarchy with chief lord suzerian peak they needed make these states
king many characteristics them decentralized political system meant that king really power people mo
st power where lords these people where made warrior class over civil military courts judges prisons
contracts where hands lords executions also done them everything started become private political b
ased heredity basic unit these arrangements fief fief piece land owned lords would grant serfs fiefs
have them work return vassalage agreement came about paying back land would have give lord percenta
ge food which produced kind rent would place live protection from enemies return also helped serfs b
ecause usually poor little protect themselves technically ownership land remained with lord vassal r
eceived fruits usufruct exchange fealty meant loyal during their fights great protection castle cast
les huge walls enemies climb succeeded climb over first wall around back castle while trying walls p
icking enemies arrows helped letting most attackers into castle also provided protection serfs when
were under attack didn before door closed were late killed received from what said before about vass
alage agreement made castles rarely become taken from another group caused stability really their on
ly form form outsiders though economic social administrative system prevailed europe middle ages ess
entially system manor owned given individual peasants farmed some good good divided evenly some good
some during times farming crude difficult peasants fees give share food produced give services diff
erent manoralism regulated inherited relations between peasants their steward like general manger ma
ke sure fees called bailiff called allods during times europe into very horrible period continuos st
arted nervous most gave return grants military needed survival usually still owner fees just like ot
her process commendation happen change then will change persons wanted move another were allowed per
mission although bishops abbots usually ones because likely smarter than others manorial began decli
ne when trade industry revived started fall brought back money rent money rather than food services
given first fell western lasted about other parts almost same kind ideas both idea grants given both
received needed certain applied castles enemy really security stability stay middle ages long perio
d time medieval very rough period living managed keep manors well maintained part work cited page cl
ass notes painter sidney rise monarchies cornell university middle ages applied history research gro
up university cakgary copyright applied history research group http ucalgary history tutor endmiddle
frames feudframe html utah museum fine arts introduction part http utah umfa intro html lyon bryce
discovery channel school original content provided world book online http discoveryschool homeworkhe
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