TOPIC:FEUDALISM

Submitted By :
Submitted To : Y.Haritha
Dr. G. Beulah 3rd B.A.Literature
Pearl Sunanda,
Roll no.13
M.A., M.Phil.,
Ph.D, HoD Reg no.1912H02
 FEUDALISM

Feudalism is a system of landownership by superior

classes in special relation to the royal or state power.
Its a system of receiving land from a king and in
return working and fighting for him. The feudal
system revolves not around the matriarchal system
but around the patriarchal system of family in which
the male head takes care of the family, which is
commonly a large joint family, and looks after the
land he owns in inheritance.
HOW FEUDALISM WORKS
 THE RISE OF FEUDALISM
The breakdown of the Roman Empire led to increased
crime as there was no ‘police’ force.

Farmers wanted protection from these criminals.

Powerful people (Lords) were able to control land,

build castles, protect people, and gain allies.

These powerful people allowed people to farm the

land they controlled in return for protection from
criminals.
 POSITIONS OF POWER
Monarch- The highest position. Has all possible
authority over the kingdom.
Nobles/Lords- Hold land, dictate and protect their
section of land for the king.
Knights/Vassals- Elite soldiers who acted as police and
military to protect land under the jurisdiction of their
respective noble/lord.
Merchants/Farmers- Paid to provide goods and
oversee the production of those goods.
Peasants/Serfs- Working for the farmers and
merchants, this is the poorest class in the kingdom
 LIFE OF THE MONARCH

The monarch is the supreme leader of the kingdom

and is generally unquestioned.

The monarch gives orders to the nobles, who, in turn,

does certain things for the king.
 NOBLES/LORDS
The job of the noble is to hold land for the king and
take orders from him considering the land jurisdiction
of the noble.

Nobles are responsible for holding the society is his

area, intact.

Nobles are responsible for overseeing the military.

Nobles are responsible for several events, such as

Knighting, marriages and meetings with other nobles.
 KNIGHTS/VASSALS

The knights job is to maintain order in the kingdom

or protect it from invasions.

Knights are often related to the nobles and represent

the code of chivalry.

Knights were also used for entertainment purposes,

like jousting.

The knight spends years of his early life training to

become a warrior.
 FARMER/MERCHANT

The entrepreneur of feudal society, the job of the

merchant is to provide and sell goods.

They work to oversee the production of these goods

and hold for business.
 PEASANTS/SERFS
Peasants are the lowest class, having no authority and
work long hours for little pay.

Peasants usually work on farms for the merchant or

have difficult jobs in general.
HISTORY AND ROOTS OF THE FEUDALISM

The word ‘feudalism’ derives from the medieval

Latin terms feudalis, meaning fee, and feodum,
meaning fief.
The fee signified the land given (the fief) as a payment
for regular military service.
In the 8th century CE kingdom of the Franks where a
king gave out land for life (benefice) to reward loyal
nobles and receive service in return.
The feudal system proper became widespread in
Western Europe from the 11th century CE onwards,
largely.
Feudalism was the system in European medieval societies
of the 10th to 13th centuries CE whereby a social
hierarchy was established based on local administrative
control and the distribution of land into units (fiefs).
 THE EFFECTS OF FEUDALISM
The feudal system, which had developed in the 9th century,
reached its peak during the Romanesque period.

It contributed to the constant disputes and open conflict

that continued to mar the Medieval period.

Under the feudal system, land was the only source of

wealth and power, but the supply was limited.

Nobles, lords, and kings fought constantly to protect or

add to the land under their control.
 NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF FEUDALISM

1.Created an aristocracy or upper class that was selfish,

greedy and snobbish.

2. It delayed the formation of national states because strong

feudal lords had no national consciousness or love of nation.

3. It perpetuated the worst kind of economy, without

opportunities for the poor.

4. The Church grew into absolute power, due to its union with
feudal authorities.
 FALL OF FEUDALISM

The idea of feudalism was based on the idea that poor workers
made up the economy. When the Black Plague killed off 1/3 of
the workers. These low wage workers were now in higher
demand and in position to make demands, causing a lack of
benefits for the merchants and ultimately the system itself.

Lords began to demand more power for themselves and

restrictions on the king. These restrictions became parliament.

Continued development of the market economy.

The invention of the gun.